I'm Beached Bro. Beached As...

Garrett,

Thanks for asking about Irish Folk.

Kenny Constructions in Brisbane, seems to hire Only Irish blokes. So visit a site where they are doing the formwork and, yes, they seem to be everywhere.

There have been a few turn up in the crane business. But, for the banksmen and crane ops to get licensed in Oz - to have their Irish tickets recognized - they do need to be re-assessed. So they both need to learn to control a crane with Whistle signals (something not done in Ireland) and hand signals and via radio - using words used in Oz and not "head up/down" or "chains up/down" as used in Ireland.

I've seen Irish in Demolition. Plumbing & Roofing. Electricians. Formwork - chippies and labour. And as Foremen on sites. And don't mind working with them as they are unpretentious.

As for being enough work. I cannot say about other states, just what I know around my neck of the woods. And in that case... people are coming in from two states away (1,800 km, 1,100 ml) and even further (like the other side of the country)! I see tilers from Korea, Wall Setters from China (can't hardly speak three words of English - which is dangerous in construction. And was proved as so very recently when some Asian tilers took counterweights off a swinging stage's counter-balance to put on tiles - while the stage was over the edge of the building. Causing the stage to plummet 20 floors to the ground killing the two guys in the stage).

As for being enough work for them All. I cannot say. I don't know how many are coming. But I do know, locally, what with the two tunnel projects, major bridge project, roadworks, dams, dam upgrades, power stations and so on, just in my state, Queensland, alone, there is Plenty of construction work for at least a decade, even two decades. A lot of work has even been held back because there's not enough guys available to do it all.

Factor in the work throughout Western Australia, the 1,200 man camp in just one project in South Australia, and others too numerous to mention, and things aren't slowing down here any time soon. And doesn't include the normal building game - building buildings, like residential and residential and commercial highrise.

Now about Moving here - for good or other. I don't know because I haven't checked with the rules of the system before writing this - But - if you apply to Migrate, I can understand a long waiting time for a Visa. However, I don't think there would be such a long wait time for a Backpacker's type deal, with a general 12 month Holiday Visa + Work Permit (as a labourer so no need to double check Tickets). A a basic 90 day or 30 day Holiday Visa in which time you Look for work - line work up while over here - and then, while here, apply to Upgrade the Visa due to having found work (don't actually Do work on the Holiday Visa unless you also have a Work Permit, otherwise you could be banned from entering the country for three years).

Sure, coming here on a short trip to line something up could mean two trips. Or a basic work permit might mean you cannot do your trade Until your tickets are cleared and could still mean a trip back to Ireland and then re-entry into Australia - because of silly Rules. But it could speed up the time it takes to get over here. Because it'd have to be quicker to find something while here, then to try to find it from abroad without local knowledge or contacts, on the Promise to the Migration Authorities that you'll find something.

Meaning, *I* think it's easier and faster to get here under Any Visa - then - line something up while you are here, than to try to do everything from afar. Of course, the same would apply to any country you might want to move to - go there on a holiday visa and do your lining up while on the Holiday Visa. And would also apply to finding work in another state - go there on holiday and find work while on holiday.

Oh, with work permits and holiday visas from abroad... last time I looked they were granted if you were under 30 years of age. Over 30 and they were more stringent because they believe... a person under 30 is on vacation while a person over 30 would most likely be looking to settle. Another reason while a holiday to line something up can help speed the process - as well as get you a feel for the area before making a larger commitment.

Michael Ross

Go to the website http://www.careerone.com.au and do a search.

Just visiting the site shows you a Run Down List of Available Jobs.

But understand, these aren't all jobs that are Truly available or which can be had.

For example. The Co I work for recently added some new guys. About four in the last couple of weeks. One of them a 56 year young fellow. Who told me, he'd been trying to get work where he lives - a 1.5+ drive north of the city. But kept getting all kinds of Reasons why he couldn't be hired. As he told me the Reasons I could see the Real reason was... age-ism. He's deemed too old.

Of course, you cannot tell someone that because it's Age Discrimination. So they give other BS reasons.

Anyway. Our Co Never advertises. So all the new guys were guys who called in off the street. Or like this guy... made a phone call.

If you look through Career One for all kinds of things like Drivers, Forklift, Labour, etc., you'll see Plenty of work. Excavator Cos have a hard time finding people. One transport co I know just leaves a sign on their fence "drivers wanted".

The Co I mentioned before, Kenny Constructions, never advertisers and gets their guys through word of mouth.

Anyway. For those interested, check out Career One. It's an interesting Research Tool.

Michael Ross

Hi Michael,

Thanks for that incredibly detailed and informative post.

I've sent the link (of this thread) to a couple of mates who are thinking of moving to Oz. I think that a lot of people thought they could just turn up at Melbourne airport, head for nearest site, and hey presto! back in work.

The reality is a little different though.

Thanks again for the info.

Garrett

Garrett,

Something else they need to know...

Before they can start work they need to do the State's Safety Course.

In Queensland this is known as a Blue Card. NSW has a Green Card. Victoria has a Red Card. Western Australia also has a blue card and also a mine induction called Marcsta.

Bosses will NOT pay for new guys to get their relevant cards. They need to get them off their own bat. And no construction site will allow you on unless you have the particular state's card.

Such "Cards" normally entail sitting a 2 hour course. But there are some places you can do them online. Like http://www.bluedogtraining.com.au or http://www.allenstraining.com.au/ for Queensland.

And even though the cards are Supposed to be recognized from state to state, that's not always the case. So do the card course for the state in which work is intended to be done.

Michael Ross

It would be great to hear some thoughts and comments from a local perspective. The news on both New Zealand and Australia economies don't sound so great, although some people seem to be happy regarding the US dollar situation...

As per Gordon's famous words... The winds of change...

Exodus of skills to NZ...
http://news.google.com/news?ie=UTF-8...54795800&hl=en

Phil

Originally Posted by Phil

It would be great to hear some thoughts and comments from a local perspective. The news on both New Zealand and Australia economies don't sound so great, although some people seem to be happy regarding the US dollar situation...

Phil,

Thanks for bringing this to notice.

We have talked about it - a bit - at work. And here's some stuff into the mix.

Aussies (pronounced Ozzies) can freely move to NZ and Kiwis (pronounced Kee Wees) can more freely to Oz. No need for lengthy Immigration stuff. Just pack your bags and go. Get a job - no need for Residency Permits or Work Permits.

The NZ economy is... let's just say, Slow. Heavily Socialist in nature. Wages are quite low. E.g. A Kiwi Scaffolder (why hasn't NZ sent anyone to the moon? There's not enough scaffold in the world to reach that high ) told me, in NZ he was on $9 an hour. He came to Oz and walked straight into a $20 an hour unskilled laboring job. So it's easier for Kiwis to come here, earn the big bucks and use that to pay off mortgages back in NZ, then move back to NZ after many years.

With England, Oz has special deals with people with English Ancestry - seeing as Many people have English Ancestry, a high number could make the move. For instance, if you have a Grandfather who was English, you can enter England on an Ancestry Visa. This comes with residency permission and work permission - just as if you were born in England - and is good for Four years. AND, that same Visa is extended to your spouse, as long as, the person with Ancestry enters the country first - is in the entry queue in front of their spouse.

Those two places are the Easiest for Aussies to move to are the two highest countries of destination for those leaving.

Last time I checked, to move to the USA for an Aussie required either... a skill not readily available elsewhere in the US coupled with a Job Offer - your employer had to fill in paperwork for you; or to start a business requiring $1,000,000 in funding and employing 10 local people; or to retire with an income source not dependent on you working in the US - proof shown. (Note, this applied to people over 30 as it is considered those over 30 are not backpacking and are more likely to Reside.)

As for the Aussies economy... I don't know of any downturn. So the stock market has taken a bit of a hit. But the stock market is Not the economy that underlies it. The stockmarket is just a representation of what panicky people Think a stock is worth at any point in time so they can either cash in their chips or hold em for a Bigger Fool to come along and offer them more for their chips.

My point being, regardless of what the price of Coke stock says, people still buy Coke, right?

Having said that... I do feel for those who bought into the Sock Money Away In The Stock Market For Retirement line - we call it Superannuation and you'd call it 401k. Because they could put in $100 today and tomorrow it's only worth $80 - would have been better to have it in a shoe box under the bed. And in Oz, money put into those account Can NOT be accessed before retirement (yes there are exceptions, but for the vast majority of people, no, they cannot access them). The Oz Govt has Forced your employer to put money into this account for the employee - and the employee can also put money into it if they wish. *I* put nothing into such accounts and prefer to control my money myself and invest Outside Of the stockmarket.

But I digress. I don't know why you don't think our economies don't sound too good. I posted before that all I see around me is a Boom, people coming from interstate and overseas to make up the workforce void. And i still see it - there are Scots, Poms, Irish and Kiwis all over the place down here. And plenty of Indians and Pakis - all driving cabs

And as a side note... interesting how the newspaper headlines say Aussies are moving to New Zealand, when there are close to 7 times more moving to England. So while the headline is Technically correct, it is misrepresenting.

Michael Ross