Question of the Week
I would like to work as a civil engineer in Australia. What are my chances?
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Question asked
Hi there,
I'm CH, 30 years old living in Germany. I am holding a British passport.
I would like to apply for a working holiday visa, but I've already been in Australia on a Working Holiday Visa in 2013 for 4 months. I've been working in Australia for 1.5 months back then.
After returning home I've finished my studies (civil engineering) with a masters-degree. I would like to work as a civil engineer/project manager in Australia on a working holiday visa again.
What are my chances for submitting a successful visa-application? If not high, are there any other visa options? If yes, do I need to have an employer already when arriving in Australia?
Answer provided by Migration Agent
Dear CH,
Thank you for your enquiry. Unfortunately, unless you completed at least 3 months specified work while holding the last working holiday visa, you will not be able to apply for a second working holiday visa.
If you meet the following requirements, you may be eligible to apply for a subclass 476 Skilled-Recognised Graduate visa. Please note your qualification must be accredited under the Washington Accord in order for you to be eligible to apply for this visa.
• you are younger than 31 years of age
• you have completed an eligible engineering qualification from a recognised institution in the past two years
• you have not held a Skilled — Recognised Graduate visa (subclass 476) or a Temporary Graduate (subclass 485) before (unless you were a member of the family unit)
• you can demonstrate your English language ability
• you meet health and character requirements.
This visa would allow you to live and work in Australia for 18 months, and would take around 3- 4 months for processing time.
You may also wish to consider a permanent skilled visa as a long term option. For the skilled visa process, you would need a skills assessment in the nominated occupation. If your qualification is accredited under Washington accord, it will be more straightforward to get a skills assessment and you may be eligible to continue with the skilled migration process without completing a period of work experience. This will depend on your points score and you may require state sponsorship under this pathway to boost your points score. The skilled visa process takes around 6- 12 months and involves a skills assessment, expression of interest and visa application (and in some cases a state sponsorship application).
Please let me know if you have any questions.
You will be given an option to contact me to engage my services once this question has been finalised.
Migration Agent
-------- Request for Clarification -------------------
Hi,
Thank you very much for your helpful answer!
Concerning your first mentioned option for a subclass 476 Skilled-Recognised Graduate visa:
How can i find out if "I have completed an eligible engineering qualification from a recognised institution in the past two years"?
Are there any lists i can check or so?
Theoretically spoken, I would be eligible to apply for this visa and I would receive the visa within the given period:
Could my Partner join me on some kind of Partner/student visa?
Thank you again!
Kind regards,
-------- Clarification from Migration Agent ------------------
Dear CH,
Thank you for your follow up message. Please note your qualification must meet the following requirements:
In the two years before you apply, you must have completed one of the following qualifications in engineering:
• bachelors degree
• masters degree
• doctoral degree
• postgraduate diploma.
Your qualification must contain a major sequence of study or specialisation in engineering, such as:
• civil engineering
• structural engineering
• chemical engineering
• environmental engineering
• electrical and electronics engineering
• mechanical, production and plant engineering
• mining and material engineering.
From my assessment, your qualification does appear to meet these criteria but it will also need to have been completed at an accredited institution. In Germany, the following institutions are applicable.
• RWTH, Aachen
• Technical University of Berlin
• Technical University of Clausthal
• TU Bergakademie Freiberg
• University of Hannover
If you completed your eligible qualification at one of the above institutions, then the qualification will meet the requirements for this visa subclass.
If your qualification was completed in the UK, then you will need to check it was an accredited qualification under the Washington Accord, and usually this is specified by the Engineering Council in the UK.
You can add a partner to this application as a secondary applicant. Generally you would need to show you have lived in a de facto relationship for at least 6 months to meet the requirements for a ‘member of the family unit’. If the visa is granted, your partner will have the same visa validity as you and will also be able to work in Australia.
Please let us know if you require assistance with an application.
Migration Agent
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