# Estimator/Quantity surveyor Job



## mutasem (Nov 12, 2010)

I am looking for a work as an estimator/quantity surveyor in Australia. I already have PR in Australia. Where to start? Where to go; Perth or Sydney?

Any advice will be highly appreciated.

Thank you,


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

I've actually just come back from a job hunting trip/ holiday to Oz (I'm a QS as well). Queensland/ Brisbane has a lot of work at the moment due to the devastations caused by the cyclone and the floods. There will be massive rebuilding efforts in the coming months and that will create a lot of opportunities for construction professionals.
Perth is also booming at the moment and there seems to be loads of work.

You should however head out there. I found that I got more interviews when companies realised that I was there, albeit on holiday. There seems to be a reluctance to even look at your CV until you are physically present in Australia.

Good luck.


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## mutasem (Nov 12, 2010)

Maz25 said:


> I've actually just come back from a job hunting trip/ holiday to Oz (I'm a QS as well). Queensland/ Brisbane has a lot of work at the moment due to the devastations caused by the cyclone and the floods. There will be massive rebuilding efforts in the coming months and that will create a lot of opportunities for construction professionals.
> Perth is also booming at the moment and there seems to be loads of work.
> 
> You should however head out there. I found that I got more interviews when companies realised that I was there, albeit on holiday. There seems to be a reluctance to even look at your CV until you are physically present in Australia.
> ...


I am actually a civil engineer, I worked for a long time (8 years) in estimation, procurement and cost control. Currently I am working in Abu Dhabi. I am planning to make the move to Australia on May 2011. I still unable to make my decision between Sydney, Perth and may be Queensland??? 

I see that you are also expat in UAE. I really feel it’s hard to leave Abu Dhabi. I like it here. But I have to make the step.

Where did you have interviews in Australia?

Good luck :clap2:


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

mutasem said:


> I am actually a civil engineer, I worked for a long time (8 years) in estimation, procurement and cost control. Currently I am working in Abu Dhabi. I am planning to make the move to Australia on May 2011. I still unable to make my decision between Sydney, Perth and may be Queensland???
> 
> I see that you are also expat in UAE. I really feel it’s hard to leave Abu Dhabi. I like it here. But I have to make the step.
> 
> ...


I did all my interviews in Perth. I have relatives there so it makes more sense for me to move there. Perth is quite small but I'm an island girl, so I loved it. Perth is definitely booming and there are construction sites all over the place, which is quite reassuring for those looking for work.

Sydney is absolutely amazing. There is so much to do there and I completely fell in love with the place. Unfortunately, I did not see that many ongoing Projects and I would be inclined to think that there isn't that much going on at the mo (I might be wrong as I only spent a few days there).

I work in Abu Dhabi as well. What's the attraction though? I went to Oz for 2 weeks and I am seriously looking to move now. It showed me a different side to life and made me realise that I am missing out on so much. The money is appealing here but not so much that I wouldn't move for the right job!
I spoke to one contractor who actually advised that I come back and just hand out my CV at all the major contractors' offices as in Perth they all seem to be quite close to each other. 

My advice is that you should just travel around and visit each place for a few days. You'll quickly get a feel for the place and be able to make up your mind as to whether you could settle there or not. Each state is different, so it would really depend on your lifestyle and what you are looking for. As an example, I went to Brisbane as well and to be honest, I would never be able to live there. I didn't take to the place at all and couldn't wait to leave, as opposed to Sydney and Perth, which I fell in love with straightaway (bearing in mind that they are complete opposites & offer different things!)


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## mutasem (Nov 12, 2010)

Are there any restrictions or any license needed to work as an Estimator/quantity surveyor in Australia? Do I have to be a member of AIQS?

I already have been assessed as meeting the current academic requirements for standing as a professional engineer in Australia.

Thanks,


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## mickwa84 (Mar 22, 2011)

First time poster! - I am a QS/Estimator with about 3 years experience seriously considering moving to Oz once I get married in July. I am currently working in N.Ireland but the construction industry is pretty decimated here......... I have friends living in Sydney at the minute so this would probably be my presferred destination, although I have heard that Perth is the place to go if your looking for work......... I have been reading up on a few articles predicting that the Australian economy and specifically housing market is shaping up for a nosedive, so am very concerned that I may head out there and not be able to get any work............
Is this just scaremongering or is there a real possibility it could happen? 
Also, is there any one out there that has moved to Sydney on a WHV and got an estimator job pretty quickly. I would hope to move out on a WHV and get sponsorship as a temporary resident, does this happen much in Sydney or am i living in cloud cuckoo land??

Any advice would be greatly appreciated because this is a massive move for me, a massive risk for me and my future wife.

Thanks guys


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## Riordy (Jul 6, 2010)

Hi folk, I am a quantity surveyor with 3 years experience. I was in your situation there in December 2010. I found myself at home in ireland with no prospect of work. I just bit the bullet and booked a flight to sydney (had been there for two wks before). I arrive here in jan 2011, I got temp work as a QS pretty much straight away which lasted for three weeks which was great for my CV. For the next 5 weeks, couldnt get an interview then got three in the same week. Two where in sydney and one was in brisbane. I went to brisbane, its a nice place but once you have experience sydney, its a bit quiet, not much happening there, so couldnt see myself living there. So I took one of the jobs in sydney. My advice, just register with as many recruitment agencies as you can, email your cv all quantity surveying companies or builders you can find. There is alot of work in australia and companies are very open to hiring foreign nationals. Oh, I was told also the reason it was quiet in the market when I arrived was becasue of some election in melbourne, which held up government spending on public project but things seem to have picked up. Best of luck, hope it all works out for you.


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## SamQS (Aug 15, 2012)

Hi, I am a quantity surveyor with more than 6 years of experience and Aus PR visa holder (along with my wife, who is also a QS).

We are thinking about moving to Australia soon.

However, we are concerned about recent worries about the job market in Australia as we heard that it is difficult for a new migrant to find a (in my case, a QS) job, even in WA.

Can somebody please let us know what's going on?

Thanks


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