Have you got the Australian M factor?

So, you’ve given it some thought, had a chat with your nearest and dearest and watched enough episodes of Neighbours and Home & Away to have developed the required nasal twang to make you fit right into your new dream life in Australia.

Then you made the fatal error of starting the real research and, before you knew it, you were curled up in the fetal position in the front room, singing Swing Low Sweet Chariot and promising yourself you’d never stray again.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. The process of migrating is huge, not just from a legislative point of view, but also logistics, costs, and perhaps most importantly, the emotional strain that it induces. There are few things in life more unsettling than living with one foot in two continents – unable to move forward in your old life and unable to put roots down in your new destination. We call this the M factor – migration ready, move ready and mightily motivated. Yes, it’s tongue-in-cheek, sure, but stay with me – there are definitely parallels to the TV show with a similar name.

Firstly, the world is full of people who think they have the M factor. For example, there are those who go at it like the proverbial bull in a china shop and then pull up at the last minute. This is after investing a significant amount of money and realising that they actually don’t have that last piece of drive to leave behind all that is familiar and comfortable in return for an uncertain future in a foreign land full of strangers. They’re like the folk who get to the auditions, all bluster and confidence, and then freeze in the wings while waiting for their turn.

Then there are those who are pushed into it by others – their partners, friends or family, who tell them repeatedly that it’s the right thing to do. But deep inside, they know that they really don’t want it and end up miserable, trapped in living out someone else’s dream.

But then there are those who are so right, and so ready, and don’t even know it. Or maybe they do know it, but just don’t know what to do with it.

That’s where working with an expert comes in. Definitely less judgmental than those on that TV show, a Registered Migration Agent will offer you sound, honest feedback on what your options are and advice on the process. The good ones will make sure that they spend time with you, understanding what you hope to achieve, what your goals are, and what your timeline expectations are, and then will put a plan in place to help you achieve those.

In some cases, you may get answers that you don’t want – but those answers might stop you making an expensive and humbling mistake. In other cases, you may get information that you hadn’t considered that put a new spin on the direction you thought you wanted to take. But in all cases, you’ll come away from the experience wiser and more knowledgeable.

Don’t take a chance on missing out on a life that you’ve always dreamed of by trying to undertake something as legally complex and emotionally challenging as an international relocation on your own.

Moving across the world – in five weeks

At Working In, we like to practise what we preach – so a lot of our team have made the move overseas themselves. Like our Web & Marketing Writer Sarah who moved from the UK to New Zealand back in 2010. This is her story.

One of the first looks at our new home, Auckland

“I got the job”. Nothing too remarkable about those four words. Until you consider that “the job” is 12,500 miles from where you’ve lived for 26 years of your life. And you’re expected there in five weeks.

That’s exactly what happened to my husband and I back in April 2010. Almost four great years had passed in Leeds (Yorkshire, England) but we were yearning for more. More adventure, more challenges, more opportunities and maybe even more sunshine.

For a few weeks, my husband had been keeping an eye on his professional publications (he’s a civil engineer) for job opportunities. There it was – a bridge engineer vacancy based in Auckland, New Zealand. A country we’d never visited, had no friends or family in and somewhere I’d struggle to pick out on a map.

Yet we knew people that had been there and had absolutely fallen in love with it. We wanted a new adventure – well, here it was. He applied for the job and enjoyed a late night Skype interview while I slept. That very night I was woken up by a shell-shocked husband telling me he’d got the job and we were moving to New Zealand.

The morning after, the countdown began. Five weeks to go until we’d land in our new home in a brand new country – and start our brand new life.

Suddenly, life was a whirlwind of lists and endless phone calls as we tried to pack up our UK lives and prepare for a New Zealand one.

There was our flat that needed to be rented out. Banks and utility companies to inform. Tax arrangements and student loans to discuss. Jobs to resign from. Flights to book, visas to sort and shipping to organise. Then the hardest bit: friends and family to say goodbye to.

At no point during these five weeks did our feet touch the ground. There was no time for tears, doubts or wobbles – just endless lists and admin.

Standing in our now empty hallway, our possessions in a few meagre cardboard boxes that we’d next see in three months’ time on the other side of a world, and the rest packed off to storage for the foreseeable future, we knew we weren’t saying goodbye.

We were just saying hello to the adventure of a lifetime.

That’s exactly what I felt as we flew into Auckland for the first time and our first glimpses of Aotearoa filled the airplane windows. Three years on, we have no regrets about our life-changing five weeks – it was the best decision we’ve ever made and we haven’t looked back since.

Have you packed up your life and moved to a new country? Share your story!

Embracing the relaxed summer way of life 

And the Kiwi adventurous way of life too

Canada prepares to open its doors again

Could you meet the moose in Canada?

Earlier this year, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) announced a temporary pause to its Federal Skilled Worker program while they reviewed the selection criteria to ensure a faster, more efficient immigration system.

Since then, they’ve been busy running consultations with the public, businesses and local stakeholders to get their input into proposed changes.
Finally, on 17 August, Citizenship and Immigration Canada unveiled their proposed changes, designed to allow Canada to better select workers who can “hit the ground running” upon arrival.

So what’s changed?*

Applicants under the Federal Skilled Worker Program are assessed against a points grid which awards a maximum of 100 points. The pass mark is 67 points. The following changes to the points grid are proposed:

Language

Language is now the most important factor on the grid – the weight of the first official language would be significantly increased from 16 to 24 points while the weight of the second official language would be reduced from eight to four points.

Age

The proposal will favour younger applicants by awarding a maximum of 12 points (currently the maximum is 10 points) for applicants aged 18 to 35, but reducing one point for every year after 35.

Work experience

The total number of points for work experience will decrease from 21 to 15, yet to achieve full points for work experience, they’ve increased the years of experience required. Previously it was four years, it will now be six years.

Education

Education points will be awarded based on an assessment of foreign education credentials and what the Canadian equivalent would be. CIC will not accept credentials that don’t exist in Canada or ones that aren’t comparable to a completed Canadian credential. The maximum points available will remain at 25.

Adaptability

The proposal will change the adaptability criteria to emphasise factors that are shown to have positive impacts on an immigrant’s economic and social integration. This includes points being awarded for spousal language ability and previous Canadian work experience.

Next steps

Final publication of the new (and hopefully improved) Federal Skilled Worker Program is scheduled for late 2012 while the new FSWP points grid is due to take effect in January 2013. Applications are expected to be accepted again in early 2013. You can read the whole text of the proposed changes at the Canada Gazette.

*Bear in mind that this is just a proposal and may be still subject to change.

Dads down under & other differences between the UK, NZ, Oz & Canada

This weekend, dads around New Zealand and Australia are preparing to be spoilt – Kiwis and Aussies celebrate Father’s Day on the first Sunday in September (might be a bit of a problem if your UK-based dad is used to getting Father’s Day love on the third Sunday in June).

So, what other things might you have to get used to if you swap a home in the UK for life in New Zealand, Australia and Canada?

Public holidays

You can wave goodbye to your UK spring and summer bank holidays – but move to New Zealand and you gain Waitangi Day, Anzac Day and Labour Day while certain areas of Australia enjoy Labour Day and Melbourne Cup Day too. Not forgetting that New Zealand and Australia are patriotic too – they even get Queen’s Birthday as a public holiday. Canada doesn’t do badly either with Canada Day, Labour Day and Thanksgiving Day.

‘isms’

By that we mean the little dialect differences between the countries. In the UK and Canada, every summer you drag out your flip-flops. In Australia, it’s your thongs (conjuring up all kinds of potentially embarrassing situations) and in NZ it’s your jandals. Should someone compliment you on your pants in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, they haven’t suddenly developed x-ray vision and you haven’t had an acute attack of forgetfulness – that’s their equivalent of trousers. While we’re on it, pack your gum boots for life down under (Wellington boots) and your runners for Canada (trainers). 

The seasons

Luckily, Canada’s in the northern hemisphere too so it’s easy to adjust to summer in June-August and winter in November-February. However, head down under and prepare to get Christmas on the beach and when you’d traditionally be enjoying some summer sunshine in the UK, to be embracing winter sports in Australia and New Zealand instead.

Time difference – or how not to annoy your mum

Judging by the phone in your pocket, bag or lovingly placed on the table in-front of you, you like to be connected. But catching your first midday wave in Oz or trying your first eggs bene brekkie in NZ is not the time to call your nearest and dearest back in the UK – unless you fancy rousing them from their slumber that is. However, if you come across your first moose in Canada you don’t have to wait too long to let your mum know – it’s only a four or five hour time difference.

Over to you

If you moved overseas, what do you reckon you’d miss most about home?

Canadian cities in world domination

Not only does it have Mounties, maple syrup and free-roaming bears, Canada’s now got another reason to be smug – three of its cities make up the world’s top five most liveable cities.

Dominating the top of The Economist magazine’s 2012 list were Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary. The survey ranks 140 cities based on a number of important factors, like health care, stability, culture and environment, education and infrastructure. The maximum score a city could receive was 100.

So how did Canada fare?

Well, Vancouver was the highest-ranked Canadian city, taking the third spot with a score of 97.3. Close on its heels was Toronto in fourth with a score of 97.2, followed up by Calgary in fifth place (tied with Adelaide in Australia) with 96.6.

With its reputation for an outdoorsy lifestyle, welcoming and friendly people and jaw-dropping natural landscape, it’s not really surprising Canada can compete on a global scale.

The full list

According to The Economist, the top 10 most liveable cities 2012 are:
1. Melbourne, Australia
2. Vienna, Austria
3. Vancouver
4. Toronto
5. (tie) Calgary and Adelaide, Australia
7. Sydney, Australia
8. Helsinki, Finland
9. Perth, Australia
10. Auckland, New Zealand

Over to you

What do you think – do you agree with this list? Are there cities you think should be in the top 10?

Skill shortages in Oz & NZ

Hi again!

Great to see so many of you (9,210 altogether!) visiting us at our Opportunities Overseas Expos in London and Manchester last month, and at our Energy, Mining & Engineering expo in Aberdeen. There’s lots of great talent out there, and many of you who came along are now going through the recruitment process and getting ready for the next exciting step of your journey.

Next up, we’ll be bringing employers from NZ, Australia and Peru to Canada for the Energy, Mining & Engineering International Jobs Expo in May, so what better time to look at the areas of skill shortage, and find out just who’s in demand at the moment.

The Aussie mining boom
Everyone’s heard about the mining boom in Aussie, so it’s no surprise to find that main areas of skill shortage are connected to the mining and oil & gas sector. With a whopping US$229 billion (AU$232 billion) of committed gas projects in the pipeline, Australia has a critical shortage of experienced engineers, tradespeople and construction workers to staff up its raft of mega projects.

Calling all Senior Engineers!
Engineering shortages are biting especially hard, as major mining projects, including the massive AU$43 billion Gorgon project, exhaust the local labour supply. Australia’s national engineering body, Engineers Australia, has predicted that the country’s engineering workforce will need to double just to keep pace with the rapid development, so if you have engineering skills – especially at a senior level – you’ll be very much in demand!

Some of the roles that Aussie employers are recruiting for in Canada include well, reservoir & petroleum engineers; principal, civil, mechanical & process engineers; drilling supervisors; hydrologists; project directors and managers; health & safety managers and engineering managers.

Other energy/infrastructure specialists in demand include transmission line practitioners, waste water and water planning engineers,  site supervisors, environmental advisors and senior planners. 

Skill shortages in New Zealand
In New Zealand, the skills shortages may not be quite as intense, but the country’s growing energy sector is still short of skilled professionals, with mining specialists, engineers and geologists high on the list of those most in demand. The Christchurch rebuild is also putting the squeeze on the labour market, with engineers and skilled trades already in demand – a shortfall of up to 30,000 workers has already been forecast during the 10-20 year rebuild period.

Some of the roles that NZ employers are recruiting for at the Canada expos include mining, petroleum, geotechnical & field engineers; technical services and production superintendents; and exploration & mine geologists. Within the energy/power sector, there are roles for project engineers & managers, power system analysts, electrical network engineers, electricity asset managers, engineering analysts and substation design engineers.

Come & see us in Canada
So, if you’re in Canada, and you’re working in the oil & gas, energy, engineering or infrastructure sectors, come along and check out the jobs available in Oz & NZ (we’ll also have some jobs in Peru – again, mining-related roles including heavy diesel mechanics and truck operators!). 

We’ll be touching down in the three Canadian cities in 2012: Calgary (5-6 May) at the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre; Vancouver (9 May) at the Hyatt Regency and Edmonton (12-13 May) at the Mayfield Inn & Suites.

Where to book
You can find out more about companies attending and the roles being recruited for at:
www.workingin.com/eme

CALGARY | BOOK NOW
VANCOUVER | BOOK NOW
EDMONTON | BOOK NOW

Hope to see you there!

I’m Back

Sorry it has been so long since I posted a blog. I have been sooo busy and can’t believe I have now been at workingin for almost six months and am about to fly out to the UK for our next round of expos and seminars. There is so much going on that I don’t know where to start. The Australian immigration system is going through a bit of an overhaul and with the economy there doing so well they are moving to a system that attracts the skilled people that the country needs. The unemployment rate in Australia has just dropped to 5.2 and that means the skills shortages are about to increase.

In New Zealand things are also looking positive. Although, unlike Australia we did go into recession here, the economy is showing good signs of a strong recovery. The  interest rate has just risen and other indicators such as an increase in car sales, growth in engineering and manufacturing and also 22,000 new job vacancies being listed in May is all positive news.

I have been really busy talking to people who want to make the move out to NZ and helping make that move a reality. I’ve also been busy talking to employers and other people in the migration sector and we have some really exciting things going on www.workingin-visa.com now have one of the largest and most experienced teams of licensed immigration advisors in the industry and people who want to migrate are really seeing the benefit of what we can offer. Sorry I know I’m blowing my own trumpet here but after 5 years working in the immigration industry I am so excited about what we are doing.

Another thing I am really looking forward to is our next series of expos and seminars in the UK. We are in London and Manchester but also holding seminars in Birmingham and Newcastle where you can come along and meet me and find out exactly what it is like to make the move and how you can do it. We are covering migration to Australia as well and if you are coming to the expos in London and Manchester make sure you come and say hello. If you are looking to secure a job offer as part of your move then you really need to come along and see our what our Journey to Work service can offer. We have hundreds of vacancies that need filling!

WWW.EXPO-NEWZEALAND.COM

I know the world is in cup fever and New Zealander are thrilled that the All Whites are over in SA but  don’t forget the  All Blacks start off their campaign tonight against Ireland here in NZ and then we play Wales next weekend. I’m really looking forward to that game as it is held here in Hamilton and we have a very big night planned. Tune in on Sky if you can and see what makes the All Blacks so special in NZ.

Well my travels continue and I’m off to Whangarei on Monday which is in the Northland region of New Zealand and a beautiful part of the country. Keep checking back on my blog as I will be posted regularily from now on and keeping you all updated. Also let me know what you want to hear about and leave some comments for me it would be great to hear from you and also follow me on twitter. I may even keep you updated on the All Blacks score.

Ka Kite (bye for now)

Paul Goddard