JMac85 Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 Hi all, New to the forum and it’s a great source of info so thanks! Hoping for some guidance. 1. Looking at applying for a student visa (Masters of Teaching Primary, 2-year course, starting Feb 2021). De-facto partner coming with me. Visa looks relatively straightforward, not so much the money involved with uni and finding part-time jobs. (May have some questions about the visa later.) Appreciate the future is uncertain in terms of whether we would even be able to enter Australia around Jan 2021, but just have to wait for now I suppose. 2. My understanding is that upon successful graduation I can apply for a Temporary Graduate Post-study work visa (485) allowing us to stay and work for 2 years and then 1 more year if I studied regionally (Perth). 3. After that it gets more complicated and I get that it’s a long way away but we’re looking at ways of staying permanently. Primary teacher is not on the skills list for the 189 visa but it is on the WA graduate occupation list. Am I right in saying that IF I studied for 2 years, worked for 2/3 years as a primary teacher the visas that are possible are 190, 491 (and possibly the 191 once it starts)? A lot can happen before then but just trying to gauge if there is a way. Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 (edited) I would never recommend that anyone attempt to migrate permanently to Australia using a student visa at the best of times. To contemplate it right now would be very foolish IMO. There's only one way to migrate permanently to Australia - you must have qualifications and experience in an occupation that's on the Skilled Lists. If you don't have them, then you've got to study to get them, and that's going to take you two or three years. That's a long time in the Immigration world, and there's a high risk the requirements will have changed by then. You could come and study in Australia, which will cost you thousands and thousands of pounds more than it would cost in your home country. If the requirements have changed by the end, you've thrown all that money away. And besides, you can't even get started on your strategy till next year. Or you can stay in your home country, get your qualifications at a reasonable cost, and then if the requirements have changed, you're qualified to teach in your home country. And you may be able to start your course this summer, much earlier than in Australia. Edited June 2, 2020 by Marisawright 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausvisitor Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 1 hour ago, Marisawright said: I would never recommend that anyone attempt to migrate permanently to Australia using a student visa at the best of times. To contemplate it right now would be very foolish IMO. There's only one way to migrate permanently to Australia - you must have qualifications and experience in an occupation that's on the Skilled Lists. If you don't have them, then you've got to study to get them, and that's going to take you two or three years. That's a long time in the Immigration world, and there's a high risk the requirements will have changed by then. You could come and study in Australia, which will cost you thousands and thousands of pounds more than it would cost in your home country. If the requirements have changed by the end, you've thrown all that money away. And besides, you can't even get started on your strategy till next year. Or you can stay in your home country, get your qualifications at a reasonable cost, and then if the requirements have changed, you're qualified to teach in your home country. And you may be able to start your course this summer, much earlier than in Australia. To add to Marisawright's comments, the life of a graduate student in Australia in Perth is difficult (unless you qualify for home fees - you need to be PR or Citizen) The postgrad fees will probably be around $30,000 a year and the living costs (according to the Government site) are about $28,000 per year for 2 people (1 student and an accompanier) You can both only work part time (20 hours) a week So you would need $58,000 to break even each year (and that would be a frugal life) - at minmum wage working 20 hours every week you'd earn $41,000 between you - at $30 an hour ($10.50 over minimum wage) you'd be just breaking even. I can't think of a single part-time student friendly job that would pay $30 an hour Unless you've got a big piggy bank back home the student visa option is going to be hard to survive, and then still no guarantee of you getting the outcome you want. You'd be well served by having a talk to a MARA agent about what you want to do before you spend any time or cash on this. An education agent isn't any good to you, they are paid to get you to sign up to the course not to give you sensible advice about whether its a good idea anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramot Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 Check if you are doing a masters degree if you can work more than 20 hours a week, plus check if you can also work full time in the holidays? as a graduate You used to be able to.work 20 hours a week and full time in the holidays, all full time if doing a masters, That could make a difference. i am out of touch, so check the up to date regulations my son came the student route, he was one of only a few who gained PR, but he was a mature student with a masters and an MBA, the immigration rules were changed retrospectively several times while he was studying and then straight after he had qualified and lodged and payed his front loaded application, He was on a bridging visa then for over 3 years. It’s not a route I would recommend having seen the disaster it turned out for thousands who came when it was an encouraged way to come payed out a fortune before the retrospective rules made it almost impossible.for most to stay and they had to leave. My son had very little trouble getting work though then, but he was a mature student with work experience to offer. Times are different now, but he earned reasonable money in several jobs and ended up working as relief weekend manager/public holidays at the local servo. Earned $35 an hour stayed in that job for several years, saw him through his masters and MBA, was perfect hours for when he started job hunting but again was several years ago. Think it through carefully, times are very different now. Makes more sense as posted to qualify at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMac85 Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 @Marisawright Thanks for your honest and thorough advice. Sorry, I probably should've given a bit more context, but was worried about making it too long! It's not so much that I'm studying just to get a visa to try to migrate to Australia. I need a career change and teaching is what I want to do so will need a qualification regardless of where I get it. I'm originally from Scotland, but have lived in SE Asia for 12 years so even to study an equivalent course in Scotland I'd have to pay international fees (granted they are around 40% cheaper than in Australia). I won't be able to make the course in Scotland this year anyway. I totally understand what you mean about 2 years being a long time in the immigration world and that things like visa requirements can and do change i.e., however I don't feel that the time/ money would be a total waste if I couldn't stay permanently in Australia as I'd have a qualification which would allow me to move back to SE Asia and work there if I wasn't able to stay in Oz past the original study time. My preference, though, if it's possible would be to stay long-term in Oz. I guess I'm thinking about the best case scenario above. That I could successfully complete the course and if when I do the requirements for the 485 haven't changed and I'm lucky enough to get work as a primary school teacher then I may have the qualifications and experience which would make a more permanent stay at least a possibility. Maybe I'm thinking too far ahead at the moment and need to deal with just the student visa. Lots to ponder... Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMac85 Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 @Ausvisitor Thanks for your comments. I'm aware of both the high costs of studying as an international student and the limitations on working hours as a student/ partner of a student. My sister is a citizen in Perth and that will offset a bit of the costs. Breaking even would be great but at the end of the day the qualification is a bit of an investment I suppose. Will definitely be taking your advice on speaking to a MARA agent as I have plenty of experience of education sales agents! Thanks again 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMac85 Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 @ramot Thanks for your reply. I would be studying a masters by coursework (not by research) so as far as I can see the 40hr/ fortnight applies. During the holidays we can work as much as we want/ can get! Sounds like your son did really well. I've kind of explained a bit more above relating to studying at home etc. Thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
partnership Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 Defacto partner can work fulltime if you are doing a Masters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMac85 Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 @partnership I thought that was only if I was doing a Masters by research which I'm not doing. Will have to look into that again then. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
partnership Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 Just now, JMac85 said: @partnership I thought that was only if I was doing a Masters by research which I'm not doing. Will have to look into that again then. Thanks I did a masters last year by course work and oh was allowed work fulltime. I could work fulltime in holidays which doesn't really happen. I triple checked it as wording can be misleading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMac85 Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 3 minutes ago, partnership said: I did a masters last year by course work and oh was allowed work fulltime. I could work fulltime in holidays which doesn't really happen. I triple checked it as wording can be misleading. Ok, thanks. If that's the case then it certainly would make balancing the finances a lot better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramot Posted June 3, 2020 Share Posted June 3, 2020 8 hours ago, JMac85 said: @ramot Thanks for your reply. I would be studying a masters by coursework (not by research) so as far as I can see the 40hr/ fortnight applies. During the holidays we can work as much as we want/ can get! Sounds like your son did really well. I've kind of explained a bit more above relating to studying at home etc. Thanks again Your extra information does change the scenario. Our son could also live at home, which made it more affordable. It was actually a special time for us to have our grown up son living at home again, especially as we had been expats for a long time before our move to Australia so in some ways got to know him again, there were obviously some interesting times, but overall an enriching family time. Yes he has done well, but deserved it. He has never regretted the move. Wish you good luck with your plans. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lbbonbon Posted June 4, 2020 Share Posted June 4, 2020 Check the course you are doing is AITSL accredited from the Australian University, it makes a difference when applying for registration after. https://www.aitsl.edu.au/deliver-ite-programs/apl Have a look and see if there are an accredited courses in Early Child I live in Perth and am a teacher originally from UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMac85 Posted June 4, 2020 Author Share Posted June 4, 2020 5 minutes ago, lbbonbon said: Check the course you are doing is AITSL accredited from the Australian University, it makes a difference when applying for registration after. https://www.aitsl.edu.au/deliver-ite-programs/apl Have a look and see if there are an accredited courses in Early Child I live in Perth and am a teacher originally from UK. Thanks for the link. Yeah looking at MTeach Primary at Edith Cowan in Perth. It's an accredited course. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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