Quantity Surveyor move to OZ

maradonna7

Hey everyone, I've done a search on the posts here and looked through the moving to Australia thread and although a couple of posts mentioned the fact that there are QS's on here that are moving to Australia none seemed to relate directly to the questions i'd like to ask (feel free to correct me on this one), anyway I've decided I want to move to Australia in the new year and I've done some background research that has lead me to the following conclusions

Visa

I'm going to apply for a skilled independant migrant (175)

I am 5 points short based on the eligibility assessment on the DOI website but hope to make up the deficit by sitting the IELTS.

Q 1) In your experience is it worth going down this route instead of the sponsored visa? (I'm working on the presumption that it would give me more options and make me a more attractive employment prospect)

Q 2) Does anyone know if this precludes me from bringing my partner and child? (the child is less than 1 year old)

Best PQS practices in OZ

I'm aware of a couple of the multinationals like Turner & Townsend / Faithful & Gould etc but I'd like to take a crack at the indigenous ones aswell as I hear they offer better conditions and prospects.

I've had a look on the AIQS website and they list the businesses with Chartered QS's (these are the firms i'd like to join) but these names are meaningless without any frame of reference i.e. there are alot of what appear to be one man bands on it

Q 3) Can someone please tell me for example who the top 5 indigenous PQS practices are?

Q 4) has anyone worked for one of these practices?

Q 5) If so I'd appreciate any appraisal you might have of your experience with them (positive and negative), you can pm me if you'd prefer to remain anonymus

I'd prefer not to go down the route of using an employment agency, Employers look more favourably on applications that are received independantly (and without cost to them) imo

Preferred Locations

From the bit of research I've done I get the impression that Canberra and Perth are the places I would like to relocate to the most, I've read a good few of the posts on here on these areas so Im not looking for anymore information on lifestyle etc etc more an indication from the QS's out there about the practices based in these locations and prospect for employment (if any).

Any help you could give would be greatly appreciated

ArseBurger

It'll take you a couple of years to get a 175.

maradonna7

ArseBurger wrote: »

It'll take you a couple of years to get a 175.

Is this correct?, my qualification is on the SOL and I will have the requsite number of points to be eligible for this visa on foot of the IELTS all going well (i'm only 5 short as it stands).

My understanding of it was that when you have in excess 120 points you can apply - this surely doesnt take 2 years to be processed does it?.

Reference is made on the DOI website to a two year 'pool' for those in excess of 100 but less than 120, is this what your referring to?

mandrake04

maradonna7 wrote: »

Is this correct?, my qualification is on the SOL and I will have the requsite number of points to be eligible for this visa on foot of the IELTS all going well (i'm only 5 short as it stands).

My understanding of it was that when you have in excess 120 points you can apply - this surely doesnt take 2 years to be processed does it?.

Reference is made on the DOI website to a two year 'pool' for those in excess of 100 but less than 120, is this what your referring to?

It only takes a few weeks to actually process the visa application itself... but its the queuing system is what holds it up, there is a large backlog in the system too many applicants and not enough visas.

At best it could take between 7-12 months but 2+ years is not unusual, as this guy can vouch Just took the 28 months

Really it depends on your occupation anything medical and your laughing, wouldn't fancy going into the pool your application would probably never see the light of day there is already a huge backlog in applicants who already meet 120 point first.... The pool would be a huge black hole.

Or you could wait to July and apply under the new points system.

maradonna7

mandrake04 wrote: »

It only takes a few weeks to actually process the visa application itself... but its the queuing system is what holds it up, there is a large backlog in the system too many applicants and not enough visas.

At best it could take between 7-12 months but 2+ years is not unusual, as this guy can vouch Just took the 28 months

Really it depends on your occupation anything medical and your laughing, wouldn't fancy going into the pool your application would probably never see the light of day there is already a huge backlog in applicants who already meet 120 point first.... The pool would be a huge black hole.

Or you could wait to July and apply under the new points system.

Thanks Mandrake

I had a look at the new points system based on one of your earlier posts, it looks to be an easier form of assessment to pass than the current?, in all likelihood though they will have to process those that have already applied through the curent system before they take on the new one i'd say?, I might just apply as soon as possible be dammed

ArseBurger

maradonna7 wrote: »

Is this correct?, my qualification is on the SOL and I will have the requsite number of points to be eligible for this visa on foot of the IELTS all going well (i'm only 5 short as it stands).

Are you sure that your actual qualification is recognised by the relevant body in Australia?

More often than not you will need to get your qualification assessed by the appropriate body. Even accredited qualifications may need to be assessed. This can take at least 16 weeks and can cost thousands of dollars. And you may not be successful.

The system is geared so that it is not a simple, easy, cheap, or fast process.

All the info you may need is here: http://www.immi.gov.au/

maradonna7

ArseBurger wrote: »

Are you sure that your actual qualification is recognised by the relevant body in Australia?

More often than not you will need to get your qualification assessed by the appropriate body. Even accredited qualifications may need to be assessed. This can take at least 16 weeks and can cost thousands of dollars. And you may not be successful.

The system is geared so that it is not a simple, easy, cheap, or fast process.

All the info you may need is here: http://www.immi.gov.au/

Yes I am certain the qualification is recognised, I hold a Chartership in the SCS and RICS, these are only granted following an approved honours degree and at least two years of mentored work followed by an independant assement of professional competance.

The AIQS is the body that determines the eligibility for a surveyor and is a sister charter of the RICS and the SCS above, I have to furnish a copy of my hons degree and the diploma received for the Chartership and thats as much as they need

ArseBurger

maradonna7 wrote: »

Yes I am certain the qualification is recognised, I hold a Chartership in the SCS and RICS, these are only granted following an approved honours degree and at least two years of mentored work followed by an independant assement of professional competance.

The AIQS is the body that determines the eligibility for a surveyor and is a sister charter of the RICS and the SCS above, I have to furnish a copy of my hons degree and the diploma received for the Chartership and thats as much as they need

Fair enough. That's the biggest hurdle and the one that most people assume to be the easiest.

It can still take a while though. However, I would recommend applying for the 175 while looking for employer sponsorship as well. Employer sponsorship can take as little as two weeks. And since you're chartered, there should be no issue. Then you can look at applying for PR at your leisure.

mandrake04

FYI it was reported on the News today that there is a backlog of 140,000 outstanding applications with a processing time of 28 months.

ArseBurger

Unless you get ENS PR then it's 2-3 weeks. Great system.

mandrake04

ArseBurger wrote: »

Unless you get ENS PR then it's 2-3 weeks. Great system.

I know it took my ENS 856 17 working days in May 2009, and at the time that was pretty slow...my mate ENS 856 took 2 working days.

Think its about 3 months now.

ArseBurger

A friend had ENS two months ago at 10 days.

mandrake04

ArseBurger wrote: »

A friend had ENS two months ago at 10 days.

Very Lucky

Says five months here

And that was dated yesterday.