# social work de facto visa



## solitaire (Dec 19, 2011)

Hello,

My partner has two years child protection experience and I have three years adult services experience in social work. She would probably seek out a sponsorship for childrens services in one of the states and I would be the de facto visa partner. Does anyone know what the job market is like in Australia for social workers in the adult services sector. In the UK t has almost ground to a halt and New Zealand seems to be struggling as well. Thanks in advance...


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## Guest (Jan 30, 2012)

Not that great for Adult services I'm afraid. Loads going for children but depending on where you want to be not that great! 

Most of the adult roles are farmed out to NGOs who hire unqualified workers and pay them a pittance. Depending on your visa can be difficult to find statutory work anyway as most wont hire people on temp visas. 

NGOs do a huge amount of the childrens work too, they contract it out kind of like 'big society' but again the pay not so great as charities are the employers. Still plenty of states hiring though, depends on where you want to go.


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## solitaire (Dec 19, 2011)

Thanks Shel,

When you say still plenty of states hiring, thats for childrens services then?
Do you think that a recruitment agency would stand a better chance of securing an adults job if the visa was the right one or is the whole situation just not very good at the moment? 
we were looking at jobs in New Zealand last year but the job market in the adults sector there is dire. The worry is that my partner secures work with one of the states in childrens services and then I struggle to find something that I am experienced to do.


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## Guest (Jan 30, 2012)

Recruitment agencies dont seem to work the same way in Australia. The best bet would be for your girlfriend to secure a job and sponsorship. Then when you know when and where you are heading you can start looking for work.

ABRS Socialworks - Home

Horizon Employment - Jobs in AU | Careers in AU | Management Jobs in Australia

NCOSS - Council of Social Service of New South Wales - Community Jobs

Home Page - McArthur.com.au

Infoxchange Australia



You do know that you will both need to be assessed as 'eligible to become members' of AASW. Most jobs state 'must be eligible for membership' that means getting assessed, they'll issue you a notice saying you're eligible to join (you dont actually have to join) then you can apply for the job as you satisfy that criteria.


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## solitaire (Dec 19, 2011)

I can see by looking at the websites that for adult workers most of the jobs are under the banner of case worker / case manager. I would be happy to start off working in the NGO sector rather than the statutory sector. My partner would hopefully secure sponsorship for a childrens role and then I could focus on my search from there. There does seem to be a number of really great roles in case management available though both as a locum and permanent. We were previously searching NZ where the economy seems pretty bad and any type of role seems few and far between. I am guessing that Australia still has jobs out there albeit not always statutory ones more than I would be able to find in the UK?? Once I give up my scarce UK job there would be no going back!!!


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## Guest (Jan 31, 2012)

LOL true, how about taking a career break. You can test the water and if if its great you give the job up. If you hate it or cant find work you always have the option of going back! 

WA, VIC & NT are currently sponsoring UK child protection workers. Pay is pretty rubbish in VIC and NT can be rough working quite rural but if you're used to that it might be OK.


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## solitaire (Dec 19, 2011)

Hmm -the chance of having a career break holding our jobs open would be a fine thing! Besides, they would know straight away what we were up to!

I guess the first thing is for my partner to decide if it is definately what she wants to do esp if she goes for NT - we are looking into these different areas offering sponsorship at the moment.

Secondly, I need to wiegh up what my chances in getting an adult job would be be - not necc. stat but possibly ngo case worker roles. Any ideas what the adult job market is like at the moment? Are these jobs dis-appearing like they are in the UK?

Thanks


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