Cold feet - dont want to go home!

ION08

Hey all, bit of a dilemma

Have been in Oz since march - spent 6 months in Perth, drove across Australia and have been in Sydney since October.

Really like it here, its amazing - the lifestyle, the weather, the people, the social/nightlife, the beautiful country and scenery.. everything is amazing. Ireland just pales in comparison imo

Thing is up to this point I was content with the idea of going home - purely because i miss my family & friends - so I have booked my return flight for the 23rd of Jan '10. (although my WHV only runs out in March '10)

Now that the reality of going home has set in, im really beginning to get Cold Feet.
I mean seriously apart from family and friends, Ireland as much as I love it, has really not got much goin for it (to put it nicely) especially in the current situation its in.

Part of me still wants to go home but another part REALLY wants to stay and knows ill regret it if i go home - especially once the novelty or 'home sickness' wears off after about 3 weeks, which I think it will..

Basically, if someone was to hand me a 2nd yr WHV or Residency :P - id definitely be staying without a shadow of a doubt!
The problem is that's not going to happen, and the year ive spent here was never spent with the intent of staying permanently or a 2nd WHV so havent really prepared for it - I dont have any farm work and I have been with a same employer for more than 6 months.

Am I just going to have to face goin home to dull grey Ireland or are there any other possibilities or avenues to staying here that i dont know about

Thanks for reading and for any suggestions, advice or opinions you may have!

shane86

Chance your arm and lie on your 2nd year visa application like half the rest of them?

Mackman

There is the Sponsored Working Visa, Class 417. If your employer that you worked for for 6 months is willing to sponsor you, and your occupation is on the list of eligible occupations.

Or as above you could chance your arm, but if your caught, you'll get deported and probably not let back in for a very long time. Not advisable!

ION08

I don't think my employer would sponser me as it's only a basic job with high employee turnover anyway

shane86 & Mackman: About this chancing you arm thing, could you be a bit more specific? As in lie on what part of the application and Lie about what exactly?!

Mackman

ION08 wrote: »

I don't think my employer would sponser me as it's only a basic job with high employee turnover anyway

shane86 & Mackman: About this chancing you arm thing, could you be a bit more specific? As in lie on what part of the application and Lie about what exactly?!

Yeah, basically lie about the seasonal work you did. I dont know anyone who has done it, but i hear it happens. I advise you not to do it though

goonbob

Hi Op. I went through the same problem as you back in July and I decided to go home and hopefully find a job. No such luck and its costing me over €600 to get back at the end of January.

I'm sure you've heard the rumours about how bad things are at home and it's probably even worse than you think. Unless you have some good contacts you won't get a job here.

Basically you have to decide if you're prepard to risk being deported or banned from Oz in order to get the 2nd WHV. If you're going to do it, do it soon as worse case senario you leave on the flight you've already booked/paid for and can't go back for a few years. Best case senario you never set foot in this god forsaken country again

Frankly, after spending a few months back in Ireland I think it's worth the risk but thats a decision you'll have to seriously think about. Thank fcuk I'm going back as a resident.

Mahatma coat

Fluffing your WHV2 is a dangerous route, have you been paying tax in your current position? if you have then the Details on your application wont match the details on their system, yo have 3 monts til March, if you are serious thenn get your ass to Brisbane and if we like the cutr of yer jib we'll shove you out to one of our remote locations for a bit.

Zambia

Mahatma coat wrote: »

Fluffing your WHV2 is a dangerous route, have you been paying tax in your current position? if you have then the Details on your application wont match the details on their system, yo have 3 monts til March, if you are serious thenn get your ass to Brisbane and if we like the cutr of yer jib we'll shove you out to one of our remote locations for a bit.

You wont get a better offer than that, that's a "fair go" staring you in the face.

writetojd

Fluffing your 2nd WHV is a very dangerous route. Was talking to my old boss a week ago and she said Immigration were clamping down on it. They got an email from with a list of names of people who have claimed to work there in order to get their 2nd year. Few names didnt match the list so obviously some were bluffing it.

I'm in Kununurra at the minute and there are job galore up here. All the europeans fecked off to Sydney for NYE and the place is quiet enough. Still work but since the wet season is coming in its mainly nursery work which to be honest is easy enough, can be boring and mundane but its getting you your 2nd year.

Best of luck whatever the outcome

ION08

Cheers for all the replies, much appreciated

goonbob; thanks for the cold reality check of whats waiting for me if i do end up goin home :eek:.. honestly it sounds really daunting, and thats all i've ever been hearing about the situation back home since i left!

With regard to bluffing on my application, I have actually been paying tax so i reckon that might be noticed and I could end up gettin the boot?

Thing is, When i initially came to Oz i was unemployed for at least a month, so maybe that could go towards my 3 months "farm work" and I could do another 2 months somewhere in time before my current WHV expires?

@Mahatma coat; cheers for the offer, you caught me off guard with that one! What exactly do you do? are you serious about the offer!? I'd definitely give it some serious consideration..

Also, say if i were to get the 3 months work under my belt before my current whv expires, would that pretty much guarantee that i'll get a 2nd yr WHV or would there still be a decent chance that it could get refused - i'm concerned as ive been workin with my current employer for just over 6 mths which seems to be frowned upon on a 1st yr WHV

lostdesign

You have a good offer there ion8, i would defo consider it, 3months hard slog for another year in oz to decide on your next move could be the best thing for you.

I was in you position this time last year and decided to come home, if i had the chance to make that decision again I would have stayed, still on social welfare here with no hope of a job or making a decent living, things seem to be getting worse then better in my opinion!

One other option is to stay in oz till march and then take up a years visa in nz, great place but not sure about the job situation, I found living expenses cheaper there but the wages were lower.

If your gonna regret goin home, then your decision is made, all you have to do is make a decsion on how your gonna stay now!

irish_bob

ION08 wrote: »

Hey all, bit of a dilemma

Have been in Oz since march - spent 6 months in Perth, drove across Australia and have been in Sydney since October.

Really like it here, its amazing - the lifestyle, the weather, the people, the social/nightlife, the beautiful country and scenery.. everything is amazing. Ireland just pales in comparison imo

Thing is up to this point I was content with the idea of going home - purely because i miss my family & friends - so I have booked my return flight for the 23rd of Jan '10. (although my WHV only runs out in March '10)

Now that the reality of going home has set in, im really beginning to get Cold Feet.
I mean seriously apart from family and friends, Ireland as much as I love it, has really not got much goin for it (to put it nicely) especially in the current situation its in.

Part of me still wants to go home but another part REALLY wants to stay and knows ill regret it if i go home - especially once the novelty or 'home sickness' wears off after about 3 weeks, which I think it will..

Basically, if someone was to hand me a 2nd yr WHV or Residency :P - id definitely be staying without a shadow of a doubt!
The problem is that's not going to happen, and the year ive spent here was never spent with the intent of staying permanently or a 2nd WHV so havent really prepared for it - I dont have any farm work and I have been with a same employer for more than 6 months.

Am I just going to have to face goin home to dull grey Ireland or are there any other possibilities or avenues to staying here that i dont know about

Thanks for reading and for any suggestions, advice or opinions you may have!

coming home in the depths of winter is not a good move IMO , i did it a number of years ago while down under and i found it difficult , the weather is particulary awfull here right now , better at least wait till may or june , i wont advise you on the other aspects of you post

Derek B

writetojd wrote: »

Fluffing your 2nd WHV is a very dangerous route. Was talking to my old boss a week ago and she said Immigration were clamping down on it.

What he said ^

Know a guy at the moment who's trying to bluff his way through it but the DIAC are on his case and he's just about hanging in there on bridging visas but not looking too good

Mahatma coat

just to clarify, if we were to put you to work it'd probably be fencing in FNQ, approx 4hrs from next human beings( and they're feckin Nutters :D:D) we have a humongus Station that needs refencin

tis a great way to save money tho as theres nothing to spend it on even if you wanted to

shane86

Mahatma coat wrote: »

Fluffing your WHV2 is a dangerous route, have you been paying tax in your current position? if you have then the Details on your application wont match the details on their system, yo have 3 monts til March, if you are serious thenn get your ass to Brisbane and if we like the cutr of yer jib we'll shove you out to one of our remote locations for a bit.

Aussie businesses dont send tax details to the gov until at least July afaik (had to wait until the final day to do my return, one ****ing idiot firm never declared me until then). So saying you worked from September to the present might work. Basically most 2nd year holders got chatting to Irish people here to get the number of a reliable farmer, then paid him off.

Mahatma coat

Eh, I'm not above a bit of bribery meself

Zambia

Mahatma coat wrote: »

just to clarify, if we were to put you to work it'd probably be fencing in FNQ, approx 4hrs from next human beings( and they're feckin Nutters :D:D) we have a humongus Station that needs refencin

tis a great way to save money tho as theres nothing to spend it on even if you wanted to

I have to admit this would drive me potty after about a week. I would start talking to the roos and the cruiser. But this is Australia and despite what folk think its not all beer and skittles.

There is your 2nd year in Oz and I reckon even as we speak people are PM'ing Mahatma for it.

writetojd

Fencing isnt bad work just make sure you have a laptop and some movies or some form of entertainment. Great way to save dollars as you have almost nothing to spend it on.

The 3 month hard slog is worth it for another 12 months here, plus it gives you longer to get another job with the possibility of sponsorship.

Good luck mate

Mahatma coat

tis 'Honest' work alright, normally we wouldnt go up there til autumn and the temprature average not being 38-42.

BUT that said I have been PM'd

ION08

Cheers for the replies all, and happy new year!

pm sent to Mahatma

Mellor

Mackman wrote: »

There is the Sponsored Working Visa, Class 417. If your employer that you worked for for 6 months is willing to sponsor you, and your occupation is on the list of eligible occupations.

417 is working holiday, not spondored

Mahatma coat wrote: »

Fluffing your WHV2 is a dangerous route, have you been paying tax in your current position? if you have then the Details on your application wont match the details on their system, yo have 3 monts til March, if you are serious thenn get your ass to Brisbane and if we like the cutr of yer jib we'll shove you out to one of our remote locations for a bit.

Unless he has until the end of the march and starts tomorrow, then he sdoesn't have time.

As for fluffing (visas), how important is it to use correct dates, for example take our OP. Could he say he did farm work for his first 3 months, march-may, or would it be a no go due to it being part of last years tax year

Mackman

Mellor wrote: »

417 is working holiday, not spondored

Oh yeah, its a 457, i keep geting them mixed up

Mahatma coat

its much more important to be correct in your aplications today than it was a few years ago, they Actually Check now :eek:.

I'm sure that if the OP got here in the next week I could still do something for him, no one would be willing to lie about 3 months of work, but if I had 2 months solid unquestionable then I could probably fluff something for the balance, ring 3 or 4 mates scattered around Australia and get a few 'fibs' on the main form.

Course the situation is exacerbated by the Rains currently starting in FNQ, Boss is up there today but he cant get to the site due to localised flooding.

its a pretty common problem out in that area, most of the accesss tracks are also floodways, 10 months a year this is a perfectly workable situation, this is not one of those months.

but panic not OP, we still have options, unless by the time you respond to this Norhtern NSW has flooded aswell

ION08

Ok so i've pulled the trigger, the decision has been made.. i'm staying!

Having spoken with friends from back home and various family members, the consensus is that theres no point in coming home in January and cutting off all my options..

As one of you previously said, 3 months hard slog for another year in oz to decide on my next move could be the best thing for me.. keeping my options open and what not

@ Mahatma Coat, any word back from your boss yet? I'm keen to get things moving whenever i get the green light! PM me

Dave!

Mahatma you're like an Irish Mother Theresa, in Australia

Lockstep

Today Boards is sorting out jobs and forms, tomorrow we'll be curing cancer and liberating third world countries.

eringobragh

On a slightly more serious note: I can confirm that someone I know got refused entry yesterday by immigration because they used a false ABN number.

I'm not doing the usual boards.ie scaremongering, this ACTUALLY happened :eek:

Caveat Emptor

The_B_Man

refused entry to where??

eringobragh

The_B_Man wrote: »

refused entry to where??

Luna Park :rolleyes: LOL

Australia of course!!

The_B_Man

what so he left Oz after his 1st year and tried to come back using a bogey ABN?


also, GET BACK TO WORK!!

Mellor

The_B_Man wrote: »

what so he left Oz after his 1st year and tried to come back using a bogey ABN?


also, GET BACK TO WORK!!

I imagine he was already on a second year, and went home for xmas. They were checking people who came back.