On a visitors visa

possums, it's not that I necessarily want to rob the system. It's that it doesn't make any sense to me.. How can OZ claim to have a worker shortage, put on expos advertizing that they want skilled people, then say no to them as they get off the plane. (to use my previous dating metephore) Like begging for a date from a girl and scheduling it a year out.
I'm not planning on taking any form of socal wellfair, or medical aid. I (and I'm sure others) just want to start paying taxes in a warmer part of the world.
I've said this in another post. If you came to Canada and said you want to start paying taxes at around 35k a year, I'd offer to find you a place to live, and Canada doesn't have a worker shortage.

It's just not that simple though. Oz has a pretty good immigration system really. Their average wait time for a skilled visa is closer to a year for low risk countries (Canada, UK). We got ours in only 7 months when we applied. For high risk countries it's closer to 2 years. Of course everyone is impatient about it and they could do something to reduce the wait time, but on average they receive about 10,000 applications per day!

You apply for the same type of skilled visa in Canada and have to wait about 5 years to get in!!!! Now that's a crappy system.

For permanent visas most of the delay is just waiting for a case officer. But they checks they do could take time as well. I think it's great they screen things so carefully so that they do in fact find all the skilled people they need and that they won't be a drain on the health system, or a problem for the justice system.

If you don't want to wait that long you can always go for temporary sponsorship from an employer. Those visas are incredibly quick and are usually done in weeks. Unfortunately they can be tough to find, but that's usually because they can find someone within the country to do the job so why get a visa to bring someone in. In these cases the visas are going to people who really do have a skill that is highly in demand. The sponsors also have to apply to sponsor someone, which makes sure they're not just sponsored overseas friends to work at the grocery store or something (something they could easily fill from within the country).

I like knowing that the people who are immigrating are actually needed and won't be costing the country a lot of money. But that's just me. It does suck when you're the one waiting though.

As for the lying to the employer bit that's your decision. You actually need a reference letter from your employer for the application itself, so it's tough to lie then. Although some people get around it by doing statutory declarations. In our case my husband was upfront with his work all along and they knew exactly what our plans were. We had no issues at all and they were very understanding. They were actually pleased they knew over a year in advance that he'd be leaving them. It gave them lots of time to figure out what they were going to do when he left.

Sorry but this subject really gets my goat, there is a system there and it's working so far and it's people with attitudes like yours 'why can't I have what they have' that cause this country thousands of dollars.

There are thousands of people waiting to come into this country and they are going about it the right way. I have a friend who moved here from RSA and her family are on the waiting list. She is heartbroken her family cannot be with her yet but there is no way they would do things the wrong way and risk being kicked out for good.

I love my country and I hate seeing people rort the system, I have no problem dobbing anyone in who thinks they can get away with it.

I totally agree with you.. If they come in and cost you one red cent, screw em. They need to leave. If they come in and get a job in the first week, or come in with over 100k US$, I don't see the problem.
As to get what you got.. Apart from the heat, oz doesn't have a pile more than here. Some people aren't trying to take, they're just trying to move. We're not all bandits.

As to the year wait.. Again.. If you begged me for a date, then scheduled it a year from when I said "sure", I'd still say yah, but I doubt I'd be free in a year. I can't give an employeer a year's notice, nore can I let them pay for training, knowing that I intend to leave before it pays off. Both are not fair.

Meh..
Thanks all.. The sponsored visa is what I'll be after, and I'm sure, since I've already been contacted by recruiters, I'll have no problem..

Just to clarify on earlier posts...

I didn't sneak into Australia, and I have never taken advantage of the Australian system nor am I encouraging anyone else to do so. I fell in love with Australia during a holiday, went home, quit my job, and re-entered Australia on a tourist visa. While here under a 3 month tourist visa I was offered a job. That company got me a 3 year business visa and only after that was taken care of did I start working for them.
Though no one will recommend doing it this way, I personally do not see what is wrong with this approach. I have been here for eight years (now as a permenant resident), never worked illegally, never taken welfare, child benefits, or a pension; and have always filed and paid my taxes. The company that initially sponsered me paid for my private health insurance so I wouldn't be a "drain on the system" and I continue to maintain that today.

Sure, I may not have waited as long as many people do to live in and work in Australia but that was based more on my skill set then anything else.

If you choose to come to Australia to work, I think that everyone is absolutely right, you should do it legally. However, there is nothing wrong with taking the shortest (legal) route to that end.

Again, good luck with your job hunt. I know that there are many companies through out Australia that are desperate for programmers so you won't have any problems.

How hard is it to get the 457.. After one day of looking, I've had 5 potential jobs. I'm sure I could have taken any one of them. But the lack of visa killed me. Do you know of any way to search for jobs that provide sponsorship? Not that I mind looking for jobs, but it seems a waist of both our times (the recruiters and mine) to have to go through the call.

I wish it was easier to get the visa on my own... Or have it in the wings.

Unfortunatley there's no real list of people who sponsor. You just have to be upfront about it on your resume or cover letter. As much as it sucks to have to write you're looking for sponsorship it would probably save a lot of time and effort if people knew right away. That way you wouldn't get too far in the process before realizing they're not interested in sponsoring.

Also, given the current economic and employment situation in Oz (and worldwide) getting sponsorship will be that much harder. People are being made redudant and even people on 457's are getting let go and sent home. So I'm not even sure if going on a 457 is such a good idea at the moment.

If you really want to go to Oz you'll have to keep looking for a sponsor, or, bite the bullet and just apply for the visa.