We're new . . (any social workers and/or coppers)

[Guest baino&bash]

. . and very early on in the process of migration compared to most of you. Only just printed off all the relevant info and an independent skilled visa is what we're planning on going for (needs to be before my 35th birthday in March - so time's pressing!). In no rush after that . . am happy to wait a couple of years as think we may need as much time as possible to save up!! Currently considering Adelaide or Perth - already have a contact in Adelaide who is very useful and told me about these sites, and she was dead right - am finding it really helpful and encouraging.

 

Am particularly interested in hearing from any social workers or police officers out there?? Have looked and looked at the forums but haven't found any so far! How do these jobs compare in Aus to UK?

 

Lindsey (34) & Michael (29)

[Guest soggy]

Hi Lindsey & Michael, welcom to PIA,

 

Im not sure about social workers but there were a couple of police officers on the site a while back but not sure they are still around, is this what you do now, if so you could get sponsorship from SA police and make things simpler. I assume your looking to get your application in by the time your 35 is because you loose points, are you taking the IELTS (English test) as you could get 25 points for that instead of the 15 for being from uk, if there are any delays.

 

Simon

[Guest baino&bash]

Yes, need to apply before 35, as with current experience, etc. I only get 120 points before 35. There's always the option after that date of state sponsorship with SA as a social worker if we don't meet the deadline - don't really see any reason why we wouldn't though.

 

My hubbie is also in process of applying to SA police - but don't want to pin hopes on that, just a shame that both processes are going on at the same time (is rather confusing). The main reason I'm asking about coppers or social workers is to attempt to suss out the work opportunities - it feels at the mo that one of us may miss out job wise dependent on which route is successful (i.e. I've been warned by a migration bod that if you go with the sponsored route with the police they can place you anywhere they want!! Don't really fancy the outback!!). Has anyone else been in this position - I suppose we should consider ourselves lucky?

[Guest Shy Ted]

Hi Lindsey & Michael, welcom to PIA,

 

Im not sure about social workers but there were a couple of police officers on the site a while back but not sure they are still around, is this what you do now, if so you could get sponsorship from SA police and make things simpler. I assume your looking to get your application in by the time your 35 is because you loose points, are you taking the IELTS (English test) as you could get 25 points for that instead of the 15 for being from uk, if there are any delays.

 

Simon

 

Are you saying here that an indigenous english person only gets 15 points for their english skills unless they prove otherwise? I'm not sure you are correct there.. Here is an excerpt from the Immigration website;

 

Exemptions: Applicants who hold a passport from one of the countries listed below will not be required to sit the IELTS test to demonstrate that they meet the English language threshold:

• United Kingdom (UK)
  
• Canada
  
• New Zealand
  
• United States of America (USA)
  
• Republic of Ireland.

And on that basis you are can claim 25 points.

[Guest soggy]

Are you saying here that an indigenous english person only gets 15 points for their english skills unless they prove otherwise? I'm not sure you are correct there.. Here is an excerpt from the Immigration website;

 

Exemptions: Applicants who hold a passport from one of the countries listed below will not be required to sit the IELTS test to demonstrate that they meet the English language threshold:

• United Kingdom (UK)
  
• Canada
  
• New Zealand
  
• United States of America (USA)
  
• Republic of Ireland.

And on that basis you are can claim 25 points.

 

Before Sept 1st people with passports from these countries got 20 points , since then it has changed to 15 points, this is without any test, altough anyone from anywhere can be awarded 25 points if they score the maximum 7 in all 4 parts of the ielts and less points for lower scores, this allows people to get and extra 10 points for doing well in an English test even if you are English

Simon

[Guest baino&bash]

Yes - you only get 25 points if you score 7 or more across all 4 areas of the EILTS english test. Lets hope I'm as good at my language as I think I am - I would hope that having been a qualified social worker for over 5 years would count (but it doesn't)!!

 

Has anyone else sat it recently? - I'm hoping to sit it in January (but waiting for my new passport, and can't book it without).

[Guest Shy Ted]

I find that an almost unbelievably stupid rule. So, an english person, living in England all their lives has to take a test to prove they can speak proficient english? Almost too ridiculous for words.

[Guest soggy]

I find that an almost unbelievably stupid rule. So, an enlish person, living in England all their lives has to take a test to prove they can speak proficient english? Almost too ridiculous for words.

 

You don't have to take a test it's just that you only get 15 points if you don't. For people who need an extra 10 points there is a chance to get them , should not be a problem for an English person who has lived in England all their lives:) just remember the capital E in English;)

 

Simon

[Guest Libby1971]

I am staggered about the ruling for the English test. Another example of Aussie bureacracy which almost had me booking a ticket home 3 days after we arrived. I threw a mega temper tantrum in the bank telling them they should shove their bl**dy paperwork where the sun didn't shine. Mind you they had just told me they didn't know where my money was and had no bank account for me .

 

Anyway, off the point. Re: social work. There are stacks of jobs for them. If you have a social work degree or in a related field, there are jobs coming out of your ears. This weeks paper had lots advertised, and to be honest, usually does.

 

Coppers are in short supply here but that may have something to do with the pay which, in my hubbies words, is cr*p. He was a PC many moons ago but at the time Aus didn't want them. So he left, retrained as a teacher, and now they want cops!!! Mind you they also want teachers and we got here in the end.

 

Like you I put in my visa and was working to the deadline of before my birthday. The skills assessment can take 12 weeks to come back so get it in quick. Ours went off in April and our agent wrote a letter explaining the circumstances and in the end that paperwork came back in 3 weeks which knocked her for six - even with writing a letter it had never come back that quick for her. Our visa application was received in Adelaide 9 days before my birthday - cutting it very fine! That was May last year and the visa came through in February.

 

Libby

[Guest Shy Ted]

I don't need the extra points thankfully. Just as well really!

[Guest baino&bash]

Libby -

 

Thanks for your reply. Nice to know that someone managed what I'm aiming for! Are you a social worker, as am a bit concerned with you saying that your skills assessment took so long - the AASW who do social work assessments are quoting 4 weeks max (I hope this is correct - I may now contact them to check).

 

Also, thanks for information re. social work jobs - are there many that you've noticed that are in childrens and families and/or fostering agencies? I can't find hardly any on internet or jobs page searches, but I seem to be picking up that Aus is generally quite a few years behind the UK in many areas which could account for this?

 

- Lindsey

[Guest Libby1971]

Hi Lindsey

 

No I'm not a social worker, I'm a teacher too - we both retrained as teachers and it took us 11 years to get here!!!!! That's dedication for you...

 

I wondered if you were using an migration agent or if you are doing this yourselves. We used an agent as they know what they are doing, or should do, and they are being paid not to miss any deadlines!!! I am pleased that your quotes for skills assessment is alot quicker than ours as that should help. Our agent compiled everything for the visa while the skills assessment so the minute it came back the application could be sent.

 

No problem re the jobs. I will take a closer look from now on to check it. As part of the mandatory course that many professionals are required to do (especially if you plan to work with kids) is child related, alot of the people who deliver it have experience like yours, if what you do is deal with kids/families. We went to a place in Thebarton for ours and a SW delivered that for us. She says there is alot of work in that area, especially in things like Edmund Rice Camps which are run for the benefit of disadvantged kids. I can give you more info on that if you like as I now know who Edmund Rice is.

 

Aus is way way way behind UK in LOTS of ways, some of it charming like Sunday when we watched a community street parade before going to the local fete. Like UK 20 years, gentle pace, I loved it. Traffic and opening times of shops is 20yrs ago UK style too which I've now got used to although it drove me mad when I first got here.

 

Libby

[Guest The Mac]

South Australia Police (SAPOL) recruit about 90 officers every year in the United Kingdom. Applicants need to be under 45 years old. It should not be relied on as a means to acquiring a visa as it is a very competitive process.

Policing is very different to the UK. If you think a UK force is obsessed with paperwork you haven’t seen anything yet. Dealing with a drunk idiot is the same in any language but after you lock one up here the paperwork will plague you for weeks. It’s like the TV programme “Life on Mars”. Your statement is full of rubbish like “at approximately 4.40 pm an Sunday the First of November 2001 I was proceeding in a westerly direction about fifteen metres west of blah blah…”. The elements of the offence are almost irrelevant.

If you are a pro-active copper it will try your patience to the absolute limit.

Have a look at www.police-forum.com

[Guest baino&bash]

Planning on doing it myself - at first the process it totally fazed me, but I'm fairly confident now (famous last words!). Also, trying the copper direct route option, as I'm probably more likely to find work. I've not heard of Edmund Rice either - will google it right away!

 

Any info on social work jobs available in children and families would be useful. I'm currently a Team Manager with the largest independent fostering agency in the UK, who are planning on expanding to Aus, but currently only in Perth (so not counting on work from them). Social work appears quite different in Aus to UK, but I'm not sure that if that's just due to Aus not being up to date with info on the internet?

[Jez0207]

Hi. Saw the title of your thread and thought I would respond. I obtained a 175 visa through my SW qualifications last year. We moved to Adelaide last month and my other half is applying for the Adelaide police force. As neither of us have started work yet I can't tell you much about the careers over here but we have seen job advertisements for both in the few weeks we have been here. The recruitment process for the police is quite in depth (as with UK). Suprisingly the computer exam is quite advanced. There are courses to help you pass though. How are you getting on with the visa applications?

 

Lana