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Ask HN: EU (Amsterdam) to Australia

7 points by gdaramouskas ↗ HN
Hi,

Are there any folks here who moved from Europe to Australia? I am very much interested in this and I am looking for companies willing to sponsor full stack developers with devops alignment.

Any ideas/experiences that you can share are most welcome.

Thanks

7 comments

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acrooks
Depending on your age, you may qualify for the Working Holiday visa: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-li...

They tend to have fairly quick approval timelines and don't cost very much. This visa would allow you to try out Australia, build some connections there, and see whether it's a good long-term fit for you.

gdaramouskas
Unfortunately I do not (passport-wise), but I do qualify for 482.
BjoernKW
You might want to look into Atlassian. I know someone who went from Europe to Australia to work for Atlassian. They're huge and growing and they sponsor visas.
rozenmd
Yep - and you can work from anywhere in Australia now, not just Sydney.
hazza_n_dazza
Why do you want to go to AU? It's not that great unless you want to drive around through farms to some nature. It is good for beaches. Software "ecosystem"? Not really. Yes there are devs etc, but the "ecosystem" really isn't there. (Would like to be proved worng!) Many people consult in AU, pay no tax and leave eventually. I like tax, so please pay it, but there you go. I'd like to move to Amsterdam for a few years for the cycle paths. There aren't (m)any here. Paperwork here is of paramount importance. Downside you have to do it, upside you can look up how to do it. Sydney and Melbourne are full. Not many houses, expensive. Happy to answer questions you post here.
gdaramouskas
Well, after staying around 5 years in NL I would have to say that yes, bikes are a thing here and yes you can definitely have some excellent positions here and overall the place is great.

But covid has forced me to reconsider and I have made the decision to move to a place where I actually enjoy the outdoors and is overall beautiful and adventurous. Australia is that place, and I have been looking to get sponsored for the past 2 weeks albeit with no success.

I am very open in moving to any of the big cities (with Brisbane being my favourite) but it seems that the local employers are reluctant to sponsor even though the process looks straightforward and very affordable.

So yes; relocation to AU is more of a life choice than a carreer one. My question is, do you perhaps know where to look for local companies interested in sponsorship?

From my side, if you want some info on NL hit me with some questions and I will do my best.

hazza_n_dazza
The outdoors are a really great reason to stay in AU for a few years. Brisbane is an excellent location for that. Take a look at Fraser Island (not to live), sandy beaches and pristine fresh water lakes. It's one of the best places I've been (and I've been to a few). Turntable falls, Byron Bay, Far North QLD - phenomenal. But do make sure you have your drivers license because public transport to nice locations is very limited. Looking at 482, https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-li... the procesing time is at least six months, up to a year. It is a lot of paperwork for companies and they do not like doing that, here. And it costs over $2000. Not a problem if you get the good job, but that is very difficult due to the lack of employers. You really will either be best getting a placement with a Dutch company here, or getting a transfer to an AU company from there. The other option is to consult. If you've got good experience there is probably more options for short term work through a labour hire company. I can't reiterate enough how much bastards AU immigration is to foreigners. It is expensive, beaurocratic to the point of needing a lawyer (or immigration agent) and outcomes are often denied just to get the appeal fee (well thats my perception). It is not straightforward. Other negatives: Brisbane is in Queensland (QLD) and they are a bit facist. Brisbane itself is pretty nice in some parts, but rural QLD are basically hostile to cultured gents. You might want learn to talk about how to fix cars or the lack of rain to get along. The other downside now is that Omicron just hit. The hospital system is under strain. There are not many planes coming in. People are behaving very strangely and either no-one is out and then for some reason everyone gets together on a Saturday and forget for a day. Then back to self imposed lockdown. What I think I'm suggesting is probably to keep a job in Amsterdam or whereever you can get paid well (or consult), and holiday in Australia for long term or regularly. many people fly to New Zealand for a few days than back to AU to renew the visa. /// For me, I've been to Netherlands and I'm looking for a cultural difference. I've seen SOOOO much nature, I don't drive and live in a remote AU city, Adelaide. "They say Adelaide eats its young", not a great palce for new ideas, but it is a nice suburban place to raise kids. I ride a cargo bike with the kids on the back and its like a carnival attraction here. It would be nice to be around more of that for me. I'm not planning a move, but if I could find a sponsor or great employer I would. I'm a philosopher, technologist, artist. An inbetween tech and art, worked in Universities helping arts academics do stuff on PCs they cant figure out themselves. So a soft, nice IT guy. I'd like a job either in a University, researching or running a project. I wouoldn't mind where in the Netherlands, as the trains are great and the paths are pretty much one or two day ride to anywhere. /// Back to you, come and visit. Talk to your employer and take a three month break?