Any UK builders out there?

beksanoul · #1 (**permalink**) 20th June 2010, 06:41 PM

Hello,

I was wondering whether there was anyone on here who is a builder and has moved from the UK to Australia? My boyfriend (a builder) and I are considering emigrating and I would love to know how someone else in the same situation found the move and more specifically the differences in the work. I've heard that he would be considered a carpenter in Australia rather than a builder but to us a carpenter is someone who does the woodwork and as a general builder he does everything BUT the woodwork (that's left to the joiners)!

Thanks!
Becky.

kaz101 · #2 (**permalink**) 20th June 2010, 08:09 PM

Hi Becky,

Welcome to the forum.

I don't know anything about building work but I was wondering if you'd looked at which visa you would apply for yet? If not there is a visa wizard on the DIAC site (there is link in the 'PLEASE READ....' sticky post towards the top of the forum).

Regards,
Karen

beksanoul · #3 (**permalink**) 21st June 2010, 04:18 PM

Thanks Karen,

I had a look at visas at the start of the year when I got back from a year in Australia on a working holiday visa. It seems from initial enquiries that we would be eligible for a Skilled Sponsored Visa (176) as my sister is a permanent resident. The other option is to go over on a second working holiday visa and try to get sponsored. Not sure how realistic this is, obviously it all needs a lot more research if we decide we definately want to move! TRA seem to think that Mike (the boyfriend!) could apply for a skills assessment under a number of occupations: brickayer, plasterer, roofer but that carpenter is probably the most direct Auzzie equivalent.

How long have you be over there? What is it you do for a living, if you don't mind me asking?

kaz101 · #4 (**permalink**) 21st June 2010, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beksanoul

How long have you be over there? What is it you do for a living, if you don't mind me asking?

We've been here 3 years in July. We got in on my husbands occupation of maintenance gardener on a skilled independent visa and at the time I was an IT programmer. Now I'm a website developer, personal finance coach and investor. We came under the old citizenship rules so we became citizens back in March. We live in South Australia on the Limestone Coast (which is about 400kms from Adelaide).

Anything else you want to know just ask

Regards,
Karen

beksanoul · #5 (**permalink**) 22nd June 2010, 09:54 AM

Ah, we only fleetingly passed through that area last year. We were living in a tent and it was heading into winter, so we were keen to head north!

Sounds like you've got an interesting career! At the age of 27 I'm still looking into what I'm going to do when I'm a grown-up...

AngiW · #6 (**permalink**) 24th June 2010, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beksanoul

Ah, we only fleetingly passed through that area last year. We were living in a tent and it was heading into winter, so we were keen to head north!

Sounds like you've got an interesting career! At the age of 27 I'm still looking into what I'm going to do when I'm a grown-up...

Hi Becky!
My husband's a builder too - we live in Northern Ireland. Barry's occupation is on the CSL (we think - though we have to wait til July to be sure!) Like your bf he's a bit of a 'jack of all trades' but he also has a degree in construction management and engineering with a diploma in industrial studies. So this puts him in the category of Project Manager.

We're working through an agent and are only at the stage of having his skills assessed. We have 4 children from 7months to 8years and as you know the construction industry in the uk is not doing well - even worse in N Ire at the minute.

We hope to get Victorian state sponsorship because we're in our 30s and can't drum up enough points to go any other route!

I'm a primary teacher so I'm not on the list at all but hope to get work if we do make the move.

On the job front, we do have a friend who emigrated 5 years ago and is a site manager. We've been chatting to him recently and he says that the construction industry is booming at the minute

- he's in Melbourne which is where we are hoping to head. The plus side for us is that our friend did the same degree as my hubbie so we at least know that it will be recognised.

I know this is all abit anecdotal and I wish we were further down the line so I could help you more.

Good luck and keep us updated!

Angela

beksanoul · #7 (**permalink**) 29th June 2010, 03:21 PM

Thanks Angela, it's interesting to hear what other people in a similar situation are doing.
Mike works for a small building company that he's worked for since he was 16. He got his job back right away when we returned from travelling so we haven't really noticed any downturn in the construction industry. Not sure if we just got lucky or if Cumbria has been less effected by the recession or what!

So what made you decide to emmigrate? When we got back from Australia at the end of last year we were dead set on moving out, but now we've been back 6 months we're not so sure...the Lake District is quite nice afterall.

AngiW · #8 (**permalink**) 4th July 2010, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beksanoul

Thanks Angela, it's interesting to hear what other people in a similar situation are doing.
Mike works for a small building company that he's worked for since he was 16. He got his job back right away when we returned from travelling so we haven't really noticed any downturn in the construction industry. Not sure if we just got lucky or if Cumbria has been less effected by the recession or what!

So what made you decide to emmigrate? When we got back from Australia at the end of last year we were dead set on moving out, but now we've been back 6 months we're not so sure...the Lake District is quite nice afterall.

Hi Becky

Good to hear things aren't so bad in Cumbria - Mike's lucky. The job situation here is pretty bad and its only set to worsen. Northern Irelands pretty insular and because the economic crisis in the South of Ireland is even worse any jobs are in high demand. Barry works in his family business.

I've always wanted to emigrate but it was Barry who was reluctant up til now. Then after having our 4 children I'd kind of given up on the idea of emigrating!

I have a permanent teaching job (which are hard to find here!) but if it improves our family situation and standard of living then I'm all for the move down under! Its a big decision and I do worry about the children settling in and missing friends and family but you only live once, right?

I don't want to be looking back in twenty years time and wishing we'd been brave enough. At the end of the day if it all goes wrong and we really hate it we're a day away from Ireland. It won't be the end of the world.

Realistically we'd like to give it a couple of years - I wonder if you can judge it properly if you don't give it that long. Listen to me! I could end up coming home after a month!

Just have to bite the bullet. We're not at the application stage yet - just the skills assessment but we're using an agent to keep us right. HATE form filling!!

What about yourselves? Have you decided now not to emigrate?

Hope everything works out for you, whatever decision you make.

Angela

beksanoul · #9 (**permalink**) 14th July 2010, 02:34 PM

Hi Angela,

We have not decided either way and it doesn't looks like a decision is imminent! Need to make our minds up though because we want to buy a house so we better be sure we're not going before we go ahead and do that.

I'd love to give it a go but I don't think Mike can leave his job a second time around and expect it to still be there for him again! Don't know what to do for the best at the minute.