kerikeri

hi
i have already read through the old threads on immigration/migration and know i do not have the points or the desired needed skills.

i also know that an immigration lawyer is the best expert - so thanks for withholding that suggestion.

what i'd like to know is: does anyone here have the personal experience of spending about a year in either of these countries *legally* picking up odd/seasonal jobs or training once you arrive.

to bore you silly, i haven't the age or the patience to sit for two years to await my general skills rejection (australia). is there any other option (ie: shall i train as a teacher in my homeland and show up in time for the new school year and beg for visa help?).

is there an "immigration/migration" forum that you can suggest, apart from the official government web sites- and darn it- why don't you ozzies and kiwis want me living there? i am fun and smart and can add tall genes to the pool!

Judy_in_Calgary

With a lot of luck and charm, some very articulate people with -- dare I say it, the services of top notch immigration lawyers -- have been able to get in as entrepreneurs.

But I don't want to get your hopes up about this particular approach. It's a long shot.

lizF

If you have a basic degree you could do a teacher training in your own country and then apply because teaching is one of the most "in need of skilled workers" jobs in Australia ( can't speak for NZ). But do yourself a favour don't come unless you have some sort of job or skill that is required here as there are enough people with little or no skills without jobs as it is and that is no way to try and make a good life for yourself, you would only be miserable.
You don't say where you are from - one of the things that I would make sure of is that whatever qualifications you have are accepted in Australia or NZ on an equal basis. Some degrees from some countries are not accepted for one reason or another and again that is no way to begin a new life either i.e. have a skill which is not recognised.

prue

Welcome back lizF - what happened to Janese!

PixieChick

Heads up...entrepreneur would require you to both prove you have $250K and is a temporary business visa. You must prove you're setting up a business.

You can't legally pick up work here unless you have a work visa (either a 457 or a working holiday visa, which you can get from the US if you're under 26ish and is good for 4 months, or from the UK/Ireland and a few other countries for 12 months if you're under 30).

kerikeri

thanks all-

to clarify- i can't make the points on the age requirement- as someone mentioned unless you are below 30, it'll never work out.

i do have an ivy league degree (gasp!) from the united states, and have worked steadily for more than 10 years. it's just that my field (journalism) is not one for which there is a need, apparently (although darn if i don't catch mistakes in the sydney herald every single time i read a bit online).

writing, however, does translate to advertising/editing/newsletter writing, etc. - don't want you to think i am an internet cafe bum!

anyway, i thank you for the suggestions.

an extra thanks to judy for pointing out the teaching option - that was my thought process with the new year approaching and with school teachers in need (and with my *charming* personality which is hardly in evidence on this board as i am clearly sleepless and under duress!)

it does seem i'll need to contact an immigration lawyer.

lizF

It is my understanding that age is only of small value actually. If you have a journalist degree then you would be able to branch off in a number of directions with that ( don't know what an Ivy League degree is actually). I think you have to think laterally with your basic degree and see what in fact you studied to attain that i.e. did you do things like media, communication, political science etc etc? There may not be a need for journalists but there may be a need for people with skills within those parameters.
Perhaps another answer would be to get some sort of Visa and do a year of Dip Ed ( Diploma of Education) here in Australia. Had a relly who came out from England with only B.A and did the one year for his Dip. and then all was OK. Another, and very quick fix is to do what is called a TESOL course which is only a few weeks actually here and that gives you the ability to teach English as a second language within the skill range of your original degree.
I wonder then if you came out and managed to get into a Dip Ed course you might find some wonderful Aussie who you would marry and then all will be available!!!!
Apart from an Imigration Lawyer perhaps first you could talk to the University people in Australia and see what could be done to top off your original degree into something which is desired here.
Prue: I finally managed to work out how to shape-shift back to my original persona.

crazymina

Interesting discussion.

I have heard that the teacher route is a good way to go. My friend in Australia is currently in the process of becoming a teacher because they are so in demand there.

But goodness...with all the people hopping around the globe, you'd think it'd be easier to become an ex-pat! My friend and I were looking into a way for him to leave Australia and come to the U.S. and work (me going there is not an option at this point) and there are all kinds of hoops of fire to jump through.

And while I like the guy, I don't think I want to marry him.

Neil_Oz

Maybe we're short of teachers because (I understand) many Australian teachers have been recruited by the UK, which is also short of bodies. Maybe everywhere is short of teachers. Maybe we should just wake up and pay them properly.

There is much demand for English language teachers for adults needing to gain/improve English skills, and that includes Australia, with its large immigrant population. Check out www.ace.edu.au/tcelta for more information on the Cambridge-developed CELTA course for teaching adults. I believe that a degree is not strictly necessary but preferable.

kerikeri

wow, thanks again. and i of course meant to single out liz F for the teaching suggestion in the previous post (i'll make a fine teacher, forgetting names already!)

i will defnitely investigate the dip ed and the various tesol options...

is the idea that i can claim my 60 points EACH for radio, tv and print journalism all of which i have been employed doing for more than 2 years running? in that case, i am way over.

more questions for the immigration laywer...thank you all again

PixieChick

Keri-
You cannot claim for multiple jobs. You have one occupation to claim for.

My suggestion would you really look at the dima website, as it is quite clear.

Also note that if it were as easy as coming here and studying for a year, then more people would have done it (re:teaching).

lizF

I meant to say that you could probably do the TESOL course in your own country which would then give you the qualification to do that in Australia - I presume as I have had 2 rellies do exactly that in the last few years.
I do not know if TESOL teachers are in the "needed" area of teaching but getting hold of the Education people here will tell you that OR the immigration section.

kerikeri

yes, thanks, lizF. that's just how i took it -- it's something i've considered in the past, just as a route to certification for any country's needs. as i am a professional writer, seems only fair to pass along the only thing i can do with confidence: speak english.

and thanks, PixieChick for answering that question. i was actually sort of teasing there as the web site of dima makes it abundantly clear that, in short, australia does not want me.

thank you all for replying...

lizF

I have my own off-beat, anti-political views on the Australian Immigration policy. I guess that if you asked any Australian if we wanted you as an immigrant they would say "yes please" but unfortunately Australia is a signatory of some rather absurd UN ideas which have no bearing on whether it is a good idea to follow their ideals or not. I would like to see a vote taken by the Australian people on our immigration policy and I think that the eyes of all politicians would open oh, so widely. Of course they will never allow that to happen because I guess that in their own hearts they know what we should and should not be doing. I for one am sick and tired of caring two hoots what the world thinks of us ( Australia) seeing that most of the world don't know we exist and care even less.
Stick to your guns, where there is a will there will be a way. Don't take the first rejection as personal - or final for that matter.

Neil_Oz

lizF, I have to take issue with the contention that UN conventions somehow determine our immigration policy. We are however a signatory to conventions that require us, like the rest of the civilised world, to accept a finite number of refugees.

If you're unhappy about the fact that we make it hard for people like kerikeri to join us while admitting apparently less-qualified immigrants under the family reunion provisions of the immigration act, that's a different matter, and it seems to me also that we're possibly making it too hard for some valuable would-be Australians.

No doubt a public referendum would reveal that Joe and Joanne Public are not happy, as they're not happy about a lot of things, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting them to come up with solutions to such a complex issue.

lizF

Neil your second para onward is exactly what I was getting at. Complex issue it may be but so often and for so long have I heard of so many who would be an immediate advantage to this country being passed over because of our "other" policies. Ok one has to be humanitarian to a point but not to the detriment of the future of this country and to the cost to the taxpayer to maintain people who are either unlikely to be of immediate benefit or to be of little benefit to the community in the long run.
Up until about one year ago I had a lot to do with a particular section of the refugee community. Whilst I had a lot of empathy for their plight and circumstances I really think that 6 years in Australia and a further 5 years previous to that should in fact have led to a tiny smattering of English, an effort to intergrate, even perhaps a willingness to work but in all to many occasions I saw that the benefits of not going to English lessons meant that the welfare cheque would be regular. The one thing that was noticeable was that the children of these people had a very different view on what they wanted to do with their lives so I guess it does come out in the wash.
Regardless of the pros and cons of morals etc I still think that people who have the attributes to become an immediate, self-funded, contributing member of this society should get first preference. Charity begins at home and unless we keep up the standard that we have that is the very essense of why people want to come here in the first place then we are going to be poorer for it.

Neil_Oz

Perhaps the problem lies in the government's desire to avoid an overload of immigrants with job skills that aren't in demand in Australia. Unless you arrive with a very fat bank balance, of course. That does seem a little shortsighted given that job mobility is increasing and many people will change careers during their lifetimes. There may be no great demand for journalists, for example, but I'm sure someone like kerikeri has the flexibility to apply her training, experience and personal qualities to another role.

Liz, I don't have your exposure to the refugee community and I wouldn't argue that there are problems there - as you say, hopefully ones that will disappear with the next generation. However, I do suspect that many people who are ill-equipped to adapt in a positive way to life in Australia may have taken advantage of the "family reunion" provisions of the immigration act rather than our refugee policy. I believe that having a well-resourced public school system as well as multilingual social workers, lawyers and health professionals will be vital to giving new arrivals a leg up. I take your point, though - we shouldn't be deterring people who don't need all that stuff.

kerikeri

thank you for the morale boost, lizF...and sorry about that qantas nightmare you just went through...sounds like my typical usa ariport counter check in experience, right down to thew scathing letter that would typical go unresponded to, or result in about 500 miles added to the ff account (not kidding, no wonder i want to leave).

none of you happen to have a long-lost relatives in america, by any chance...?

again, just kidding!

lizF

I do but they are so lost I can't find them!
Just a little note of caution. I have been an immigrant in 2 countries and on each occasion was very home sick and therefore did not seem to settle. I think you really have to have a very good reason to leave your own country and everything that is familiar to you.
Having a holiday in another country does not give a clear insight into what it is like living there.
I had some American friends come to Australia for a 6 mth holiday and they did not want to leave but that is not always the case. Give it a lot of thought before you make that big move.
Cheers Liz

Neil_Oz

Good point, Liz. The grass does tend to look pretty green when you're on vacation. The US and Australia have a great deal in common, but there are differences in outlook which can produce a little frustration on both sides. Americans have to adjust to our somewhat more sceptical mindset, with the corollary that we're not great churchgoers. Several Australian prime ministers have been declared agnostics and suffered little electoral harm as a result. Some Americans (Vermonters perhaps?) may find that refreshing, but not all.

Some Americans' first impression of Australia is that it's more "British" than they expected. Conversely, some British people find Australia "too American". That says something about our culture, but the truth is a bit more complex than a simple cross between the US and UK.

The good news is that there are lots of Americans who've made the decision to call Australia home, who are happy here, and so far I haven't met one who I'd want to send back (well, OK, one, maybe two, but no more). So good luck, kerikeri. I look forward to seeing your penetrating reportage in the Sydney Morning Herald.