Year in Australia - Which visa?

[crazylegs]

I'm planning to go to Australia in January 2007 to spend a year working and then travelling (with an approximate 9 month/3 month split). I've had a look on the Australian immigration site, but can't really work out what visa I'm going to need.

I think a working holiday visa is out because I want to work in IT and that particular visa only allows 3 months work with one employer, which might be restrictive, and is only for casual work.

Really I need to know if the visa I'm going to go for requires a sponsor or not - I have contacts in Oz that I want to get work out of but want to know exactly what I'll expect of them before I go ahead and speak to them - if possible it'd be nice to sort the visa myself and then present myself to employers with unrestricted access to work in that time period.

Any help from anybody whose been through the process would be much appreciated!

[Buffalo]

crazylegs said:

I'm planning to go to Australia in January 2007 to spend a year working and then travelling (with an approximate 9 month/3 month split). I've had a look on the Australian immigration site, but can't really work out what visa I'm going to need. I think a working holiday visa is out because I want to work in IT and that particular visa only allows 3 months work with one employer, which might be restrictive, and is only for casual work. Really I need to know if the visa I'm going to go for requires a sponsor or not - I have contacts in Oz that I want to get work out of but want to know exactly what I'll expect of them before I go ahead and speak to them - if possible it'd be nice to sort the visa myself and then present myself to employers with unrestricted access to work in that time period. Any help from anybody whose been through the process would be much appreciated!

As far as i know you can't do it. Aus Immigration is actually quite strict. If you want to work the most legal way of doing it IMO is the working holiday visa but only if you are <30.

I came out here on a (legitimate) study visa and my girlfriend came out on a working holiday visa. She was able to get work albeit in 3 months bursts in her respective career choice, however i have a feeling that this might soon change, to make sure you "have" to do some form of fruit picking shite at some point. Both of us now have sponsored work visas for up to 4 years, however if we were to be sacked or otherwise change employer, the visa would be void and we'd be sent home. Obviously any new employer would require to sponsor a new visa. You cannot have this type of visa without having an agreed sponsor either.

If you are elligible, try the WHV. Or else come out on a holiday and then approach employers.