BootsnAll Travel Community

Is this legal for me to ask about?

I'm a US citizen and will be living in Cottesloe beach area at the start of July.

I will be looking for some work under the table...am I in a dream land, or is that common/possible?

I have tons of experience working food service, restaurants, bars, cleaning, etc. (Am 28 with a college degree and teaching experience)

I'll be there for a couple months (on tourist visa) if I get this job in Antarctica that I've applied for. If I don't get that Antarctica gig, I will have a working holiday visa good for one year (6 months at a time at one job).

Any suggestions or contacts to pass along?

Cheers!

americans can now get a working holiday visa. so you dont need to be under the table.... but in reality, most day work there is under the table anyways.

ps- you don't get tips in oz!

As Americans are able to get work visas, I'm wondering why you would want to work under the table - aka cash in hand- and take risks. And if you do get caught you will not be able to get a visa in future.

And if you do work cash in hand do you realise that if you are injured you can't claim Medicare or any bills that may ensue. Also you may find an employer will not pay you, or will give you less pay - and there's nothing you can do about it - you won't have a leg to stand on- because he/she won't be admitting to paying "under the table."

Remember Immigration do periodical checks on farms and in restaurants especially, and sometimes do a "media parade" to remind everyone about the latest "crackdown". Depends whether Immi needs to be seen to being tough at the time.

If you ARE caught, you will be put into Immigration detention centre until deportation . You have to arrange and pay for the first plane out. You are also billed about $250/day for your stay in detention. Credit cards accepted. They are not holiday camps. The Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission has numerous reports saying they are inhumane. HREOC is a government agency.

As employers are also fined quite harshly if illegal workers are caught, there is no real incentive for them to employ you. Some might be desperate for workers, of course, but as they can apply to bring people in LEGALLy under the 457 visa program, it's only the really bodgy ones who nowadays go the illegal route. Here's the stuff spelling it out to employers.

Now, whether we agree with it or not, that's the situation.

Your choice the risk you take.

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Friends help you move real friends help you move bodies.
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Just to get a bit further into this. The 457 (temporary long term visa) is valid to a max of 4 years. You need an employer willing to sponsor you for a 457. It's not really expensive for the employer - but as always with immigration a bit of a paper hassle for them. That's why you usually only find bigger companies (or companies with special skill needs, such as IT) willing to go down that route.

If you only want to stay up to one year, I'd recommend going down the WHV path.

As for the illegal pathway. As in any western country: if you are willing to provide cheap labor with no security and high risks...then you will find a job here in Perth. The question is, do you really want to do that if you have other options? Whom would you be working for, if you get the Antarctica gig? (What country...basically?) Have you considered, that Antarctica might go out the window if you're caught working illegally in Australia?

Perth and the whole of WA are in a huge resources boom. If you can't find a job here, you won't find a job anywhere. Just get your WHV and show up. We'll find you something.

Hey, cheers for all the straightforward feedback!

Update: I did receive a job offer at the US McMurdo station (via NANA services, company Ratheyon subcontracted for food service employees). Unfortunately my kiwi boyfriend did not get a job offer via his application at the Scott Base =( so I had to turn down my job offer.

I have been officially approved for my Work and Holiday Visa, and I will be arriving in Perth July 3rd! =)

I was considering short-term restaurant work or something if I had to do that, mostly to keep myself busy before going to Antarctica. You know the work/travel thing, got to work as much as possible, whenever possible!!

In the end, I have no idea what kind of work I'll be able to find in/around Perth, but I am hoping to get hired on at Woodie-Woodie mine where my boyfriend is working. I think I need to be there at the right place at the right time and he needs to be in good with the right person! Otherwise...don't have any idea what kind of "descent" paying job I could get. I have degrees and mostly experience in the education field (teaching) and restaurants (waitressing, anything)

Any thoughts??

Here
and here is some information about the Woodie Woodie mine which is up in the Pilbarra.

quote:
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originally posted by Seebeauty:
cheers for all the straightforward feedback!
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Some more straightforwad answers: Having degrees is good but your chances of obtaining employment in teaching could be rather slim. If you contact Visas and Immigration they may be able to advise you. If it doesn't work out, you may need to look for work in retail, unless you'd prefer fruit picking? Although as it will be winter there won't be as much about. Check out Fruit picking WA. . I shared a hostel with some fruit pickers and they said it was hard work.

Quote:
"I think I need to be there at the right place at the right time and he needs to be in good with the right person!"

Ah no, it doesn't work like that. I have a number of mates working in the mines and "being in good with the right person" doesn't cut any ice I'm afraid. It doesn't work that way.

A few things:
you are not just applying for a job but a lifestyle.
-rosters generally are 9 days of work and 5 days off. On a two week roster you will usually work 1 week day shifts and 1 week nights. 12 hour shifts 6 to 6 then 12 hours off to eat and sleep. The cycle continues for 14 days straight.
-monotonous living
-no getting away from it -no cafes, no pubs, no watching the news or rugby
-communal mess, single bed and TV
-Hot hot hot -temps of 37.8 deg and on extreme days over 50deg (this guy was at Marble Bar)
-you have to pass a premedical test and police clearance, and there are random drug and alcohol tests -there is acute awareness of health and safety and as it is isolated they don't want to risk any trouble.
-little tolerance for alcohol abuse -3 strikes and you're out.
-they want workers for sure but dont want to risk wasting money on training etc unless they really think you will cope with the extreme conditions.

These are the conditions under which the miners work.

The nearest town/village is 160kms - perhaps you might consider basing yourself there rather than at the mine site.

Also, you might look at staying in Perth for a time, finding a job, and then move a little later once things are more settled. Whatever you decide enjoy your time in Australia, and good luck.

Seebeauty: If you have a WHV, you'll be fine. As I said, we're booming out here (paying Whistler's and the rest of the country's bills. hehehe.) - everybody gets a job.

Give me a PM when you arrive...we shall have a Little Creatures.

quote:
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Originally posted by elAdi:
As I said, we're booming out here (paying Whistler's and the rest of the country's bills. hehehe.) - everybody gets a job. Wink
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Cough cough...

quote:

Originally posted by elAdi:
...we shall have a Little Creatures.

Little Creatures????

We like to eat bugs our here in the West. They come in assorted platters.

Just kidding.

Little Creatures

quote:

Originally posted by elAdi:
We like to eat bugs our here in the West. They come in assorted platters.

Just kidding.

Little Creatures

Ah! Now I get it......jajaja

P.S.
I'm applying for a cleaning/dining attendant job at woodie woodie. I'll let you know how it goes!