training in oz??

[duggie1979]

I am posting to inquire about my options in completing my ppl and cpl in 'oz.
What are my options?I am a 29 year Irish citizen, and i hope to emmigrate to
Australia.
Would i qualify for a student visa for the duration of the studies?
If so can anyone advise me on the process of obtaining one?
What are the job prospects for newly trained pilots in 'oz?
Can i fly outside Australia on an Australian liscense?Can i begin cpl traing in 'oz
of the back of a JAA ppl liscense?
Any further advice would be greatly appreciated.

Any schools recomended?

[daveyb]

Hi Dougie,

if you obtain an aussie ppl/cpl you would have to convert the licence back to a JAA which means doing JAA exams and flight time there is a fair few aussie schools advertising on the web(if they offer CAA training you wont have to convert licence etc) do a quick google search they should have answers regarding student visa,s.

best of luck with Aus

[MartinCh]

FYI, being pilot isn't skilled job in the eyes of DIMA. Too many pilots around..
There were few posts here on PPRuNe about a school that had problems finding instructor so were able to sponsor a foreigner. Though don't take this as sure thing that'll happen to you..

You're 29, so you should have some work history under belt. If your experience (and qualifications, though not always essential for emigration purposes) 'fits the bill', and I mean for Australia, not just highly skilled masters/PhD positions, you could sort residence visa. Basically, most skilled trades (with evidence of 3 years out of last 3 of experience), degrees that are not media studies or business, but specialised.

Have a look at Department of Immigration & Citizenship (http://www.immi.gov.au) to give you an idea. If you have experience in the MODL list, special 'quicker' processing timeframe available, plus extra points. Useful for anyone incl and above 30. Also, if you organise stuff before leaving, then apply 'onshore' it'll be faster, around half year compared to maybe year from outside OZ.

Sure you can do JAA papers in OZ as well, but it may have premium. You should be able to get student visa for many non-JAA schools. Up to you, what you fancy and can afford.

If you don't mind sticking around on student visa, you can pay international tuition fees for 2yr diploma or even degree in 'in demand' job and then you could get 1yr 'graduate visa' on top. Not sure it'll be available to students of aviation cert/diplomas. That's easy way towards residence. OZ adopted more of a NZ style approach towards their immigration through OZ study.
They even started temporary graduate visa whereby grads from few select Unis in Europe - of which few in the UK, could get 18mth work visa for any job. Better than WHV.

If you're student, you could legally work up to 20hr/wk and FT during 'breaks' and summer holidays (if you don't have classes that time).

Don't forget, you could also sort Working Holiday Visa after you finish studies, so that you could get some instructing time while having good time. Or some bush flying job that's lowtimer friendly. All you have to make sure is you apply/are granted one before you turn 31 (B'day). Then you have 12 months to enter OZ to start that one year visa.

[duggie1979]

:)Thanks Davy,
i do realise that the caa liscense has to be converted to fly here, although my aim is to stay in oz for as long as possible (if visa and job allows):)

[duggie1979]

Thanks Martin.Much sound advice.Have you been through this proccess yourself?
I am a fully qualified mechanic so maybe that is possibilty for obtaining a skilled work visa.
As for obtaining a working holiday visa, i have already played that card.
Bush flying is something that would really intrest me.Are jobs plentiful in the outback ?:)

[MartinCh]

not myself, haven't had 'time' as such plans were shelved 'until further notice' due to living, saving and studying in the UK. Lots of my own research of immigration system etc. Had everything sorted, only some experience in catering was required to sort the application. Then I was inspired by ex-flatmate and decided to pursue aviation career.

I started some rotary training in the US (almost finished PPL(H) ). Rest had to be shelved. Going to do FW soon, when time allows. I'm about to start aircraft maintenance degree in the UK - Sept 2009 unless I defer entry, but since my funding got screwed, GBP savings keep losing its value, etc, I won't be able to do my CPL (A) and JAA papers ensuing, within a year anymore.. Unfinished degree, catering qualifications. Not much as proper career backup should things go wrong even more with my life. And I want to stay in aviation, hence airmech study. At least occasional gliding for fun..

If you search here, you'd find plenty threads about flying in the outback.
check the one 'okavango' started, I left few ideas there. He's done some bush flying in OZ on WHV. Few other contacts there. Plus plenty stuff on D&G subforum.
ME? No personal experience, I'm just working on flight training etc. Things don't tend to work out for me these days/months/years. But..

I see your location as Belfast. That's my location for now as well.
So, if you have been here for some time(Irish national is automatically 'settled' in the UK so 5yrs would do) or born in NI - just stop by in IPS in Hight St across the Post Office, you should be able to claim UK passport. Then, if you worked at least 3 months in total in 'agriculture' related job - picking, farm hand, etc and you can prove it with some references and payslips etc, you can get second 1yr WHV for OZ (Didn't know about it? Changes implemented last few years, guess to attract more Brits to fruit/veg picking as the original idea of WHV and not mostly hospitality gigs)
At the moment, as you said you'd like to do some flight training there and you should be able to get residence visa application sorted, WHV isn't that needed if you were eligible for another one.

The thing with lodging application onshore still applies, so WHV or student visa and submitting application onshore would definitely speed things up. If no f:mad: ups in paperwork, you should have residence before you finish your training.

Also, you could play long-term student card until all sorted. I just find it waste of money, paying some college cert or diploma as int'l student just to be legal in OZ - and work PT alongside..

For the temporary work visa (besides WHV) you'd have to find employer beforehand and they'd have to prove the need, lots of paperwork yada yada. Although they recently started that foreign graduate work visa for few select Unis and OZ degree 'work experience' visa, it's more likely you'd sort residence visa/permit. Then you're not tied to lots of paperwork.

If you want, you can use MARA registered migration agent for the paperwork, but I find it bit of a luxury with their fees to check your application and spoonfeed you what to attach for the application.

Personally, if you want to settle in OZ, I don't see a reason for getting JAA papers. Being able to sponsor student visa in OZ isn't the same as in the US. All they have to do is have some vocational frame stages for their studies. Cert in Aviation II, III, IV, etc. Their websites would state that they are CRICOS registered so that they could organise visa paperwork for students.
I don't know FW schools in OZ. Haven't researched myself, only few rotary.

I'd love to go to Tocumwal(l) and do some huge gliding XC flight. Oh.

NZ immigration system's easier, more flexible and less discriminatory compared to OZ. But since it was abused as gateway/backdoor to OZ, they stopped NZ residents from rights to live/work in OZ. You could do so as NZ citizen, but that's 5 years of full residence, not even work permit time anymore from 2005 or 2006. As OZ resident, you could go and work in NZ without hassle and further paperwork, just like a citizen..

I'd rather be a man of action, moving around the world for flight training, etc, but well, one has to be responsible, pedantic perfectionist nerd, to achieve my ambitious demanding long-term plans that are being messed up by external factors.

[carolinewyntonrhodes]

The WAAC webpage mentioned earlier is incorrect. It should read:-

www.waaviationcollege.com.au (http://www.waaviationcollege.com.au)

Good luck

[duggie1979]

Muchos gracias.Ill keep you posted on how things go.:ok: