British pilot in Australia

[Tiger_ Moth]

Hi,

Could anyone advise me of how likely it is I'd be able to find work in Australia as a British citizen with no Australian relatives? I understand it's quite hard to get past your immigration.

I would be looking for a work on Single Engine VFR for a year or two.

Is it possible I would be allowed in by the Australian authorities?

Has anyone got any idea of how difficult / easy it would be to convert my JAR f/atpl to an Australian licence which would allow me to fly small single engine planes?

Thanks

[FRQ Charlie Bravo]

Hey Tiger_ Moth,

The licence won't be much of an issue best to check the CASA website and maybe even email CLARC. (I'm unsure of the specifics but if you've got the hours for CPL then it'll just be a matter of Air Law... I think.)

The visa will definitely be hard to arrange methinks. You may be able to find work on a working holiday visa (usually limited to 3 months but can be for 6 months if working in the bush) and then impress your boss enough to think about sponsorship but that's a reasonably big ask.

My wife used to work in a migration agency (not part of the govt) and if you check your PMs you'll find the name of a company who advertises that the first consultation is free (phone call).

FRQ CB

[PlankBlender]

Mate, by all means call a few of the immigration agencies to have them advise you what your chances are, but then steer well clear of them, they're about as useful and expensive as estate agents :} a real money making scheme for lazy cashed up migrants and companies, basically.. :=

Anyone who can read can assess their options and go through the application process at Department of Immigration and Citizenship (http://www.immi.gov.au). It's all there in black and white, with detailed information and application forms to download.

Basically, if you can't get sponsoring by a company, your options are limited. And unless you're a very experienced pilot that the likes of Rex and others are or were searching for (use the search function here, there have been threads on companies offering visas to foreigners), that avenue won't be available to you.

Of course with the current economic situation, companies may be stopping recruiting overseas for pilots, but that remains to be seen.

The other option is if you have other qualifications unrelated to aviation. I went through the process as a self-employed IT consultant, and although it took thousands of dollars in application, documentation, certification, and other fees, and over a year in total to complete the process, I now have permanent residency and can apply for dual citizenship in 2010 if I so wish :ok:

I was in the country even before I lodged my application on a study visa to do my CPL(H) (which is another way to be here legally for a year or two, but you can't work much), and for nine months the application just sat on a big stack (they only process so many per year), but when they got round to it, it was done and dusted within a few weeks, all done by a very helpful and informative clerk at the immigration office :ok::ok: I might be doing the no doubt hard working immigration agents injustice here (forgive me :}), but I think one of those agents would have just added noise to the whole process..