Sponsorship questions

[fritzie]

A few ?s about sponsored visas -

1/ if i get one, should i expect that i'd be bound legally to work for one company for a specific minimum amount of time?

2/ assuming #1 is true, does the company usually pay part or all of the fee?

3/ with a sponsored visa, at what point am i free to go and work for someone else, or to work independently for myself? or would i need to re-apply for some other kind of visa to get the legal right to work for someone else?

4/... and, i wonder if there are any special laws regarding artists or independent freelance designers. germany has some cushy little loopholes for us (ie, an artist can get a freelance visa, with quicker permanent residency possibility than sponsored visas), i wonder if anything applies in oz, as most of the conversation around visas includes the assumption that one will be seeking work as an employee with a company. i have been self employed for about 7 years now and, while i might take a job in order to facilitate a move down under, would prefer to remain on my own if it's possible.

ideally what i'd like is a visa that allows me to continue working on my own, for ozzie clients, AND have the option of working for someone as an employee, in or out of my stated profession.

any advice/suggestions greatly appreciated as always!

[kaz101]

Originally Posted by fritzie

A few ?s about sponsored visas -

Hi Fritzie,

I moved your question to a post of it's own so as not to get the other thread off track

Originally Posted by fritzie

1/ if i get one, should i expect that i'd be bound legally to work for one company for a specific minimum amount of time?

Yes. It depends on the contract but I believe it's usually around 2 years.

Originally Posted by fritzie

2/ assuming #1 is true, does the company usually pay part or all of the fee?

Hopefully someone else can answer that for you since we didn't come it through sponsorship.

Originally Posted by fritzie

3/ with a sponsored visa, at what point am i free to go and work for someone else, or to work independently for myself? or would i need to re-apply for some other kind of visa to get the legal right to work for someone else?

Again some of the others may be able to answer that one. I think that while you're here you can then apply for another visa (such as a permanent one) but I assume that you couldn't leave the one that you are with until that contract is up.

Originally Posted by fritzie

4/... and, i wonder if there are any special laws regarding artists or independent freelance designers. germany has some cushy little loopholes for us (ie, an artist can get a freelance visa, with quicker permanent residency possibility than sponsored visas), i wonder if anything applies in oz, as most of the conversation around visas includes the assumption that one will be seeking work as an employee with a company. i have been self employed for about 7 years now and, while i might take a job in order to facilitate a move down under, would prefer to remain on my own if it's possible.

If you check out the "PLEASE READ..." post and the visa links I think that there is an artists visa but I don't know anything about it. Check out the immigration website through the link and that will give you more info.

Originally Posted by fritzie

ideally what i'd like is a visa that allows me to continue working on my own, for ozzie clients, AND have the option of working for someone as an employee, in or out of my stated profession.

any advice/suggestions greatly appreciated as always!

A skilled independent visa would give you that if you have enough points to get in - check out the point test link in the "PLEASE READ...." post.

Regards,
Karen