Paul Callaly

Hi
I am currently living in Japan and working in a steady job as a
computer programmer. I met the girl of my dreams and we have been
together for over a year now. My problem however is she is going to
study English in Perth for a year in October. I am　pretty tired
of the crazy working hours over here(don't get me started) and I
REALLY want to go with her.
I will be 24 in October with a University degree and 2 years
experience and another 6 months I did in my 3rd year in uni. I did the
online points calculator for the "Skilled Working Visa" and came up
short with 110. Is there no way of getting bonus points for being
young or being in full employment since I left university?
I was looking at the "Working Holiday Visa" as an option, but I'm
shitting bricks that I wont be able to find a decent job with it. I
should probably relax and just enjoy the year over there, but I'd like
to enjoy myself and enhance my career prospects, maybe with a chance
of staying longer.
After all that explaining I suppose my question are, is there any way
of finding the extra points I need and do IT companies hire people
with working Working holiday visas?
I got the names of "Free Spirits" and "Lester Associates" as another
option. Anyone got any more??
Thanx for reading(Should get back and do some work before lunch
now;-))

Bondipom

Originally posted by Paul Callaly

    > Hi

    > I am currently living in Japan and working in a steady job as a

    > computer programmer. I met the girl of my dreams and we have been

    > together for over a year now. My problem however is she is going to

    > study English in Perth for a year in October. I am　pretty tired

    > of the crazy working hours over here(don't get me started) and I

    > REALLY want to go with her.

    > I will be 24 in October with a University degree and 2 years

    > experience and another 6 months I did in my 3rd year in uni. I did the

    > online points calculator for the "Skilled Working Visa" and came up

    > short with 110. Is there no way of getting bonus points for being

    > young or being in full employment since I left university?

    > I was looking at the "Working Holiday Visa" as an option, but I'm

    > shitting bricks that I wont be able to find a decent job with it. I

    > should probably relax and just enjoy the year over there, but I'd like

    > to enjoy myself and enhance my career prospects, maybe with a chance

    > of staying longer.

    > After all that explaining I suppose my question are, is there any way

    > of finding the extra points I need and do IT companies hire people

    > with working Working holiday visas?

    > I got the names of "Free Spirits" and "Lester Associates" as another

    > option. Anyone got any more??

    > Thanx for reading(Should get back and do some work before lunch

    > now;-))



I would do the WHV and enjoy yourself. Even with points the whole
skilled visa application process takes well over a year. If a company
likes you on the WHV they might then be able to sponsor you on a
temporary visa until you get the experience and points for a PR visa..



There are not many computer jobs in Oz, especially Perth and Adelaide.
Companies will take on contractors on a WHV but will not employ you
permanently unless they are willing to sponsor you. On a WHV you can
work for an employer up to 3 months.

Jaj

    > I will be 24 in October with a University degree and 2 years
    > experience and another 6 months I did in my 3rd year in uni. I did the
    > online points calculator for the "Skilled Working Visa" and came up
    > short with 110.

Do you meet the ACS requirements to be assessed as an IT professional:
http://www.acs.org.au

You may not have enough work experience yet.


    >Is there no way of getting bonus points for being
    > young or being in full employment since I left university?

None other than what's in the DIMIA points test.


    > I was looking at the "Working Holiday Visa" as an option, but I'm
    > shitting bricks that I wont be able to find a decent job with it. I
    > should probably relax and just enjoy the year over there, but I'd like
    > to enjoy myself and enhance my career prospects, maybe with a chance
    > of staying longer.

Most WHV holders get casual (and unskilled) rather than professional,
career orientated work.

The WHV is for those who want to holiday in Australia and do work here
and there to support themselves and pay for the next stage of their holiday.

Bear in mind that if you spend time in Australia on a WHV, doing
unskilled work may break your continuity of recent skilled employment
and mean it takes longer to meet the requirements for migration visa
than it might otherwise have done.


    >explaining I suppose my question are, is there any way
    > of finding the extra points I need and do IT companies hire people
    > with working Working holiday visas?
    > I got the names of "Free Spirits" and "Lester Associates" as another
    > option. Anyone got any more??

Firstly, there are loads of IT people with Australian citizenship or PR
looking for work day in, day out. Not having a clear right to work (the
WHV will generally not be accepable) will put you at a disadvantage for
serious jobs).

Secondly, some recent DIMIA policy changes have made it a lot harder for
firms like the one you mention to sponsor people from overseas onto 457
visas (work permits).

Jeremy