To any UK/ Irish tilers considering a move to Oz please consider the following:
Firstly I'm a pom working for large tiling company in Perth. Our main concern tendering for future contracts is that there is a labour shortage which will only get worse in the up and coming boom.
We are investigating and putting the feelers out now for potentially sponsoring tilers to work for us here in Perth.
There are major changes in Australias immigration policy which are using the New Zealand system as a model- this heavily uses sponsored type visas over independant skilled visas. In essence the Australian government want to ensure that people given residency actually work in the trade that they nominated.
Having gone through the process myself and being stitched up and misinformed many times, I strongly make the following recommendations.
1/. Get advise and employ an Australian Visa agent that us Mara registered. The visa agent industry is highly regulated over here and not any tom dick and harry can set themselves up as one as is the case in the UK.
2/. Consider applying initially for a 457 sponsored visa. The government fees fir this VIsa are tiny compared to a sponsored perment Visa.
A 457 will allow you to stay working in Australua for upto 4 years. During that time if it is to your liking you can apply for a permenant Visa- which us slot more expensive but at least you will be sure that it is what you want to do to justify the expense.
3/. Don't sell your house in the UK! Rent it out and keep your options open.
4/. Don't expect things to be cheaper here they are not.
5/. If you have a decent 2nd hand car in the UK. Seriously consider paying to ship it over here. Cars are very expensive over here and generally in poorer condition.
Trust me it would be worth it - infact you could use this as a legitmate way of
making a bit if cash.
6/. Unless you have belongings of sentimemtal value consider leaving them behind. Very few rental properties are furnished and your probably end up having to buy temporary stuff like table, chairs, matresses to keep you going untill your stuff arrives- what you going to cook with, eat off, sleep on for 2 months while your stuff arrives.
7/. Try and time your move to arrive at the end of Aussie winter. If you are on a sponsored Visa you will be working straight away. You don't want your first weeks work to be in 40c heat- give yourself time to acclimatize.
There is a load more advice that myself and many many friends who have all done the hard way can give.
For me the struggle is worth it, and generally that is the case for most. It is however not for everyone so be under no allusion that it is a walk in the Park.
If any of you are considering the move, the company I work for and many others if a similar nature will in the next 6 months be screaming for labour. Bear this in mind and contact ting companies first before making your visa pathway decisions.
Good luck

Cracking post and advice. Many thanks.

great post for would be aussies

is the Ozzy economy booming then?????

Thanks for the info.. A few tilersforums members will be pleased to read this.

What about age - 40degrees will be hard work with my zimmer!

i think the age limit is about 40 to work, thats me out!!

Dave said he fancied working abroad - but do they play baseball over there.

Hi, certainly interested in this, will contact you again when im on my own computer, I did put a post on Aussie section a few weeks ago didnt get much response to that , will be back in Oz in a few weeks . Im a permanant resident etc so no probs there or standard of work and that ok mate catch you later Steve aka ozboz

To all you old men and Zimmer frames there is still hope- as far as I am aware for general skilled migration there is an upper age limit of 45.
However it is my understanding that this is a lot more flexible when going the sponsored route. I have A South African friend aged 52 who got in on 457!

Perth is on the brink of booming. As all the big mining contracts kick in up North the local labour tends to follow it leaving a void in the metro area. It hasn't happened yet but all the signs are pointing that way.

Originally Posted by Totant

To any UK/ Irish tilers considering a move to Oz please consider the following:
Firstly I'm a pom working for large tiling company in Perth. Our main concern tendering for future contracts is that there is a labour shortage which will only get worse in the up and coming boom.
We are investigating and putting the feelers out now for potentially sponsoring tilers to work for us here in Perth.
There are major changes in Australias immigration policy which are using the New Zealand system as a model- this heavily uses sponsored type visas over independant skilled visas. In essence the Australian government want to ensure that people given residency actually work in the trade that they nominated.
Having gone through the process myself and being stitched up and misinformed many times, I strongly make the following recommendations.
1/. Get advise and employ an Australian Visa agent that us Mara registered. The visa agent industry is highly regulated over here and not any tom dick and harry can set themselves up as one as is the case in the UK.
2/. Consider applying initially for a 457 sponsored visa. The government fees fir this VIsa are tiny compared to a sponsored perment Visa.
A 457 will allow you to stay working in Australua for upto 4 years. During that time if it is to your liking you can apply for a permenant Visa- which us slot more expensive but at least you will be sure that it is what you want to do to justify the expense.
3/. Don't sell your house in the UK! Rent it out and keep your options open.
4/. Don't expect things to be cheaper here they are not.
5/. If you have a decent 2nd hand car in the UK. Seriously consider paying to ship it over here. Cars are very expensive over here and generally in poorer condition.
Trust me it would be worth it - infact you could use this as a legitmate way of
making a bit if cash.
6/. Unless you have belongings of sentimemtal value consider leaving them behind. Very few rental properties are furnished and your probably end up having to buy temporary stuff like table, chairs, matresses to keep you going untill your stuff arrives- what you going to cook with, eat off, sleep on for 2 months while your stuff arrives.
7/. Try and time your move to arrive at the end of Aussie winter. If you are on a sponsored Visa you will be working straight away. You don't want your first weeks work to be in 40c heat- give yourself time to acclimatize.
There is a load more advice that myself and many many friends who have all done the hard way can give.
For me the struggle is worth it, and generally that is the case for most. It is however not for everyone so be under no allusion that it is a walk in the Park.
If any of you are considering the move, the company I work for and many others if a similar nature will in the next 6 months be screaming for labour. Bear this in mind and contact ting companies first before making your visa pathway decisions.
Good luck

If you could let me know when your company in Perth my sponsor tilers as I would be interested to find out more etc. Also what is the going rate for tilers in Perth at the moment. Thanks Terry

Hi Totant.

Me and my family are Aus citizens and after moving back to Uk last year , are looking to move back to Perth soon where we lived for 4 years ( Mullaloo ) . This post is great news for me , I would love some more information and to maybe speak to you / email you . I have trained as a tiler and have a small but good looking portfolio .
My email is davesaxwright@hotmail.com.

I'll try to pm you .

Thanks

Dave

hi totant, me and my family are mirgrating,to oz , i have passed the tra, and io am waiting for other paperwork to be finalised, be good to here from you neil_widdison@hotmail.co.uk many thanks neil.

have family in oz , thinking of a visit one day , ken stoner pool services , but dont laugh i dont like it to hot

there's little hope of getting into oz now unless you have logged b4 today . the 8th of may changes state that applications of certain general skilled migration visa subclass have been suspended, the main 3 visa types ( 175 , 176 and the 457 ) are effected. meaning if you logged say for instance today , your application will be sent back to you and money refunded ! think the oz government weren't expecting so many applications and don't think they have the jobs to fill them due to the current economic climate . this effects me massively as iam just half way through my aqf3 and spent lots of hard earned cash and time hoping to get mt skilled independent 175 visa . i hope there's still away in to oz after they have lifted the suspension (1st of June) but have a feeling there going to close the door on anyone else trying to get in soon.

pays to do your homework first as W A is not going into a boom at present in fact it could go the other way yet check with tiling companies first and recommend you have something in writing first as a lot of large companies are running how do i say //// slave camps just be careful

I cant help but think the original poster was a migration agent trying to drum up business! Not all but ALOT of them are bandits trying every trick in the book to earn a living from others dreams.

Originally Posted by Prem Tiler

I cant help but think the original poster was a migration agent trying to drum up business! Not all but ALOT of them are bandits trying every trick in the book to earn a living from others dreams.

or a tiling company looking for cheap labor ill wait there reply

Originally Posted by jay

or a tiling company looking for cheap labor ill wait there reply

After the original post , I took it upon myself to find out the score and wound up talking to a someone from a a big tiling contracting company in Perth. I was on the phone for a while and he was saying pretty much what the original poster was saying . WA is has been booming and will continue to - he was syaing he had work now and it was only going to increase as the mine work in the north ( wa's main industry ) picks up and leaves a hole in the labour force in the metro area .
I can't speak for immigration or about the wages , but people earn more generally over there and the quality of life is better imo . I lived there for 4 years and am returning soon hopefully .
I have spoken to pomme trade mates , and tilers currently working there who also say there is work . Everywhere you look , there were new builds going up .
Good luck to anyone going for it - after this winter , you won't look back.

Originally Posted by Davesax

After the original post , I took it upon myself to find out the score and wound up talking to a someone from a a big tiling contracting company in Perth. I was on the phone for a while and he was saying pretty much what the original poster was saying . WA is has been booming and will continue to - he was syaing he had work now and it was only going to increase as the mine work in the north ( wa's main industry ) picks up and leaves a hole in the labour force in the metro area .
I can't speak for immigration or about the wages , but people earn more generally over there and the quality of life is better imo . I lived there for 4 years and am returning soon hopefully .
I have spoken to pomme trade mates , and tilers currently working there who also say there is work . Everywhere you look , there were new builds going up .
Good luck to anyone going for it - after this winter , you won't look back.

news early this week as government push to increase taxes on mining companies to increase super funds for all Australians has put a hole in the mining ind (check share market as proof) two main mines have been canned and will be moved of shore about5000 jobs in total to papanugini so just be careful

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&so...9Gn5djQy0GZy2A

W A is riding on the back of the mining boom at the moment
there's a lot of building activity in Perth at present but starting to dry up
housing and rent are expensive (check property guides) and three fold as dear near mines
living costs are reasonable (bear in mind nearly everything is trucked railed or flown in)


how do i know cousins runs a hot shot service for one of the major mines(trucking service that runs 24/7 days a week bringing in replacement parts for mine equipment)
and two nephews in police force Perth and northern territory

as i have said do your homework

rant over time for beer

As I said I smell a rat or two in this thread.

Originally Posted by jay

or a tiling company looking for cheap labor ill wait there reply

A lot of people in this country would take cheap labour and a life in the sun, than no work at all and the current economic crisis of this country . -

Originally Posted by Davesax

A lot of people in this country would take cheap labour and a life in the sun, than no work at all and the current economic crisis of this country . -

only trying to help its your choice

Some interesting comments since my original posting.

Firstly trust me i am not a visa agent - promise. I have had to deal with 4 different visa agents , 2 from UK and 2 from OZ - no comparison- go OZ.

I have just checked the DIAC website after reading Tony the tilers comment, and the changes do not effect a 457 visa - there do effect a 475 visa which is different from what i was suggesting as a starting point.

There is a lot of work starting to pick up in Perth, and the governments new mining tax aside things still look promising. There is a skills / labour shortage here. There is a housing shortage here. No one can see whats around the corner but i would say the economy on WA is probably a safer bet that most places in the world.

As a few comments above have stated - do you own homework and definately talk to tiling companies in Perth to get an idea yourself.

I stand by all my original post and as an estimator/ca for a large tiling company i can say we are genuinely concerned and are making plans for a potential skilled labour shortage. I can also say that having been there and done it with regard to Asian workers who genuinely have the skills - the language barrier does continue to prove an issue especially on large commercial contracts - hence us putting the feelers out to native English speakers.

One last thing, and its a big one, is that here in Perth 95% of floor tiling is laid onto a cement screed bed. All bathrooms/ laundries are laid to falls. If you cannot screed you will struggle here no matter how good you tiling is.

Originally Posted by terry the tiler

there's little hope of getting into oz now unless you have logged b4 today . the 8th of may changes state that applications of certain general skilled migration visa subclass have been suspended, the main 3 visa types ( 175 , 176 and the 457 ) are effected. meaning if you logged say for instance today , your application will be sent back to you and money refunded ! think the oz government weren't expecting so many applications and don't think they have the jobs to fill them due to the current economic climate . this effects me massively as iam just half way through my aqf3 and spent lots of hard earned cash and time hoping to get mt skilled independent 175 visa . i hope there's still away in to oz after they have lifted the suspension (1st of June) but have a feeling there going to close the door on anyone else trying to get in soon.

Terry - the government have slashed GSM as this type of Visa does not guarentee them that anyone issued with a GSM visa will actually work in the trade they have applied for. It is no good to them if they issue you a GSM for tiling and you come here and set up a lawn mowing business! They want most visa's to be of a sponsored (state or employer) type whereby you have to, and are contracted to working in the trade you specified to get the Visa.

Mate i know hard it is to get here, i came on a student Visa cause my trade was not even recognised. This has cost me a fortune. I wish someone had told me to look in a 457 visa instead.

Government fees for 457 are about $500.00 - GSM $7000 ! Utimately if you liked it here then you would need to updgrade your Visa (457 only lasts upto 4 years) but at least you would then know that it is something you definately want before shelling out the cost. As far as i Know get a 457 and make an onshore application for your GSM allowing you to live and work here while they spent 2 years ticking a few boxes.

I can also tell you that a GSM visa can take up to 2 years to be processed from time of lodging - 457s about 2months.

Sometimes you just have to take a punt. I did it the very hard way and it has cost me all the equity in my house in UK and am on the bread line here - is it worth it? Too right, not going back unless they drag me!

Anyway good luck mate

thanks for the info mate , it's really appreciated iam now desperate to move to oz but not sure if i want to risk paying the rest of my aqf3 in case there is no way of getting in after the new rules come into play! iam kicking myself for not applying earlier. ive herd that getting into oz via a sponsorship is like slave labour and you have to work 7 days a week with crap pay for at least 2 years ! where as if i had my 175 skilled independent visa i could just leave if i didn't like the job ! this might just be a rumour though. what's your general feeling about the work over there ? and wot part of oz Ru in ? i like the idea of a 457 !!

hi totant, great advice. thanks.

i'm a wall and floor tiler in the process of getting a state sponsored visa for W.A. / Perth. doing my AQF3 at the minute. could you advise me on the best route to follow when i finally get there - commercial or private? i'm currently self-employed and i've done alot of both in the past and have always preferred private jobs as i like to work to a high finish and find private work suits me better. Is there enough work volume in the private sector? thanks again, alistair.

Hi Wishy1

There is a good mix of commercial work here in Perth from pretty average spec right up to as high spec as you would get anywhere.

I would suggest getting work through a company as a subby first though if i was you. There are many similarities between UK & OZ but also many differences. I think it would held considerably to work alongside Oz tilers to learn the subtle differences, rules, AS standards, makes of adhesives, grouts, trims etc etc before taking on too much private work.
The commercial sector does demand a high quality of finish so your skills and passion for quality will not be wasted.