# Skilled Migration for Architects?



## orangecat (Jun 29, 2011)

Hi everyone, 

I'm wondering if anyone here has attained their PR's as architects and would be nice to share their experiences. 

My husband and I came to Melbourne on working holiday 2 and half years ago. My husband luckily got work sponsorship (subclass 457) through his employer and we are absolutely loving life here, but the visa is up soon. 

At the time of expiry, he'll have worked for 3 years at the Australian architecture firm. We thought about self sponsoring at this point in the architect bracket, but his architecture academic record is not enough to pass the academic part of visa evaluation. Where we are from (the US), you need uni and masters to be qualified equally to someone in Aus finishing a 5 year uni, which is what the skills evaluation requires.

Asking the employer to extend his visa is also something we thought about, too, but they have been laying off people - we are not so confident.

So, we are deciding to leave Australia and have his masters finished for us to have that in his visa application so we can lodge it offshore upon his graduation.

We'll be lodging in 2015. As of now, I don't think there are any news about immigration taking off architects from the skills list. But the industry is suffering so they might not take as many architects as they have been any more. Can anybody offer any insights on the future immigtation policy or any of our plan?

Thanks immensely in advance.


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## ozbound12 (Mar 23, 2012)

According to the SkillSelect website, the occupation ceiling for architects and landscape architects is 1500, with only 96 invitations issued so far for the 2012-2013 fiscal year. Based on that, I would imagine that it wouldn't be too difficult for your husband to get an invitation when he decides to lodge, but who knows what sorts of changes will happen to the immigration system in the future and how that might impact his application.

Architects are on the NSW state nomination occupation list as well, so if you're hoping to end up there, he would have the independent route and the state sponsored route to choose from.


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## sllls (Dec 10, 2012)

*Architect urban planner moving to Sydney*

Hi,

I am Architecture and urban planning professional with 5 yr work exp. I applied for PR based on my urban planning profession and just for some rough idea- my visa dates are in my signature. 
I am planning to relocate in Aug. to Sydney. I am looking for some info on current situation. How you find current job market in Sydney for new migrants. Are there better hopes after elections in Australia or current situation is OK for new migrants to enter in OZ? Are there good opportunities in odd jobs (at least to cover living cost for initial few months till one can get job in his field)?
Please share your views.. Thanks.


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## ozbound12 (Mar 23, 2012)

sllls said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am Architecture and urban planning professional with 5 yr work exp. I applied for PR based on my urban planning profession and just for some rough idea- my visa dates are in my signature.
> I am planning to relocate in Aug. to Sydney. I am looking for some info on current situation. How you find current job market in Sydney for new migrants. Are there better hopes after elections in Australia or current situation is OK for new migrants to enter in OZ? Are there good opportunities in odd jobs (at least to cover living cost for initial few months till one can get job in his field)?
> Please share your views.. Thanks.


It's quite difficult to find planning jobs here to be quite honest. Most people won't consider you without local experience.


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