Qualified Accountant & partner looking to move to Australia - advice please!

skmck

Hello all,

I am apologising in advance for all the questions I am about to ask but there are SO many different websites on the subject that I am getting confused!!

I am a newly qualified ACA Accountant, 27yrs old & my partner is currently employed as a shop assistant, same age.

We are interested in leaving Ireland & moving to Australia for hopefully a better life.

I would be grateful if someone could advise us on the best course of action. I have read about working visas or I could get sponsored due to my profession. But what about my boyfriend? And whatever the best course of action, how long would it take?

Ideally, I would like to be sorted out with a job before moving but this is an ideal world situation!

Any help is greatly appreciated.

hussey

Firstly have a read of the FAQ,
There are three types of visa you can apply for, but honestly you'll probably only have a chance at one - that would be the WHV, lots of info in FAQ.

Ideally as you said you can get a job before you come over, but believe me there are a lot of accountants and competition is tough for any job, so getting a job from Ireland with little qualified experience will be very difficult - not impossible, but difficult.

Legend100

Hi,

I was in the same boat as you before I came, both myself and girlfriend are qualified accountants and came here in November.

We are in Sydney and just wanted to let you know that there are a lot of qualified CA's here so competition is tough. I got a job in December and I am in the process of applying for sponsorship in a tax role, my girlfriend is doing contract work but the market has come down alot given there are so many people here now looking for the same jobs. That is not to say don't try it though, wages are very good contracting, it is just getting the first job that can be tough. (when LAFHA goes in July, money will nto be as good!!)

Visa wise, we are here on a working holiday visa which ye could also get, provided you havent used it before and are both under 31.

Getting a job from home is very difficult given that you will have so many qualified accountants here already that can be interviewed on the spot as opposed to having to set up a phone interview at home at inconvenient times.

When do ye think ye will make the move? job wise the next few months is when the market is at its best given year end over here is normally June. When we got here in November, there was very little so maybe look to come the sooner the better. I can only speak for Sydney, dunno how the situation is in the other cities. Seems to be a good bit of work as mining accountants out west but lack of experience is tough to overcome over here. Know a few people who had construction companies accounts experience that were able to get jobs in mining company financial accounting positions but they were all in head office in Sydney/Melbourne

man1

skmck wrote: »

Hello all,

I am a newly qualified ACA Accountant, 27yrs old & my partner is currently employed as a shop assistant, same age.

We are interested in leaving Ireland & moving to Australia for hopefully a better life.


Any help is greatly appreciated.

Hi do you have any experience? Have you been working as an accountant before?

As you are 27 I presume you have been working in finance so far. (Don't you need experience to qualify as ACA?)
If so you could qualify for a PR visa which would be a permanent working visa. You could then get citizenship after 4 years but thats looking too far ahead at this stage.

My wife is ACCA and got a PR visa for all the family (myself and 2 kids). To get your boyfriend on your visa, you might have to get proof or evidence of your relationship, I think it needs to have been together for at least a few years (not sure how many).

You will need to get medicals and police checks done.
I dont know how long it takes these days to get a PR visa, It took us about 2 years back in 2006-2008.

There are plenty of jobs at the moment.
(or so my wife tells me...she gets the agencies calling her all the time to see if she is interested in moving jobs)

Its a fairly long process and a bit stressful if you do all the paperwork yourself, which can be done but it shouldnt be too bad if you dont have kids.

Good luck and ask if you have anymore questions.

man1

hussey wrote: »

There are three types of visa you can apply for, but honestly you'll probably only have a chance at one - that would be the WHV, lots of info in FAQ.

You would have a chance at getting a 'Permanent Residence Visa' with your skills.
ACA accountants are well regarded here in Sydney and as far as I know the occupation is still on the skills required list so I think WHV is not your only option.

hussey

man1 wrote: »

You would have a chance at getting a 'Permanent Residence Visa' with your skills.
ACA accountants are well regarded here in Sydney and as far as I know the occupation is still on the skills required list so I think WHV is not your only option.

True but all depends on points and someone fresh from qualifying probably isn't eligible

Only the op can answer: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/175/eligibility-applicant.htm

man1

hussey wrote: »

True but all depends on points and someone fresh from qualifying probably isn't eligible

Only the op can answer: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/175/eligibility-applicant.htm

Someone just qualifying at ACA usually already have their University degree obtained few years previously.
ACA is an additional accounting qualification offered by a professional accountancy organisation that usually (as far as I know) requires work experience as well as examinations in order to complete.
We will await further info from the OP.
The boyfriend visa situation could be tricky though.

Pisco Sour

Firstly congrats on passing those exams. They are absolutely horrific.

As a part qualified accountant in Melbourne (didn't get the FAEs) I can give a bit of info. Obviously the prospects are better for you than for me, however the market certainly isn't as it was. I've heard of qualified accountants out here doing call centre work, accounts receivable etc. I think the days of 50 dollars an hour for somebody fresh out of big 4 is gone, but you'll find work, and get good money, just be patient.

Most people I used to work with in big 4 who are qualified have got sponsored in Australia. I'd imagine you'll have no bother finding sponsorship. If you go for auditing then you'd probably get sponsored before you even start working (but who wants to do that rubbish!!), but for an industry job you'd probably have to prove yourself first doing real accountancy work.

Best of luck.

mandrake04

Accountant was one of the occupations that was flagged as being borderline to being removed from the Skilled Occupation List, like 04072511 says there mustn't be the demand and it could still be removed in this years list.

http://www.skillsaustralia.gov.au/labour-market-information/skilled-occupation-list/flagged-occupations/flagged-occupations.html

Also for accountants skill assessment it is mandatory to get at least IELTS 7.0 English test across the board.

man1

mandrake04 wrote: »

Accountant was one of the occupations that was flagged as being borderline to being removed from the Skilled Occupation List, like 04072511 says there mustn't be the demand and it could still be removed in this years list.

Look like we got in just in time then:)

Although the missus says that there are plenty of opportunities still around, especially in the banking and investment area. I suppose its all a matter of luck, experience (she has many years experience) and being in the right place at the right time.

Good luck

skmck

I am a qualified ACA accountant - yes you need to have experience to qualify for ACA. I have 4years experience in accounting, taxation & auditing.

I am so niave that I didnt know a PR visa would take so long to come through! Therefore, I believe the WHV would be the best option - can somebody please give me a rough time frame as to how long it takes to process a WHV & how much this might cost?

We are hoping to move as soon as possible. Would the best option be to apply for a WHV & then look for jobs when out there?

Thanks for all the replies. They have been a great help!

hussey

skmck wrote: »

I am so niave that I didnt know a PR visa would take so long to come through! Therefore, I believe the WHV would be the best option - can somebody please give me a rough time frame as to how long it takes to process a WHV & how much this might cost?

Read the FAQ - lots of info about the WHV there. The exact cost is located on the website.

We are hoping to move as soon as possible. Would the best option be to apply for a WHV & then look for jobs when out there?

Yes, wait till you arrive, most recruitment agencies won't put you forward for any jobs until you land

6ix

I don't want to put a downer on things but just to give it a current perspective -- be prepared for a potentially long and tough job hunt over here. I can only speak for Sydney but there are a LOT of Irish accountants here and it's tough to get a job at the minute.

Most of those I know here are ACA qualified, Big 4 backgrounds with a couple of years PQE and they're mostly just picking up short term contracts here and there... if they're even getting relevant work at all. To be honest there seems to be more opportunities in Ireland for them right now (which is the opposite of most people!)

That said, you could get lucky (and things might be better elsewhere in Oz too). .. it's just not as easy as it was 1-2 years ago for Irish accountants.

Best of luck!

IrishGirl12

Hi Skmck

Just wondering how you got on with your Visa application etc? I am an Irish Qualified accountant hoping to make a move to Oz soon, but am nervous leaving a secure job here.

Any info you have would be great.

Thanks