From 462 to 457: Australian Work Visa Approved!
Well, Australia, you better get used to me, because, last week, my 457 sponsored work visa was approved!
Clearly, the government figured if a koala will let me hold him, I belong here.
My plan in Australia all along was uncertain. Although my working holiday visa was valid for a full year, I figured I’d give it a go for three to six months and then see where life took me. Worst case scenario, if I showed up and couldn’t find a decent job or somehow hated the country, I’d travel around for a bit and then go back to the States.
But here I am, seven and a half months later. In late October, I began working as a digital marketing specialist for a recruitment company. My coworkers are fantastic, I’m saving money, I’m learning and building up experience, and, most importantly, and I’m doing exactly what I want to be doing career-wise.
So I was delighted by their decision to keep me around longer than the maximum six months a working holiday visa allows. We put in the application for a sponsored work visa (a gazillion times easier than any visa in Spain), and now here I am, officially a full employee with no need to scurry out of the country come September!
Still proud to be an Amurican.
Which naturally leads to the question, “Are you going to stay in Australia forever?” The simple answer is that I still foresee myself returning to California at some point, so don’t fret, family. However, I’m also very committed to my current job and current life and am not going to fly the coop in the near future. But I am thrilled that I’ll be home for two weeks in just over a month!
Better adopt a kangaroo and start learning the didgeridoo, because, Australia, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
enhorabuena!
you seem to be having a great time there on the other side of the world!..but please do not forget Spain, we may not have kangaroos, but we do have many other great things, say, pork products that i am sure beat any Australian food!
oh you have just written “amurican”, how is that? has it been a mistake? or is it the way Australians pronounce american? as you already must know, i am a nerd when it comes to the English language, so i want to know it all even if i think that i already know it all 🙂
by the way enhorabuena means congratulations…some people say Felicidades and others Enhorabuena.
¡Gracias! Don’t worry, there’s no way I will forget about Spain. I think about it and miss it all the time!
“Amurican” (or “Murican,” as a lot of people write it) is an exaggeration the type of American accent you might here from an over-the-top, patriotic American, the kind who rides around in pick-up trucks and owns a frightening collection of shotguns, likely someone from the south. You can see more about that here.
Yep, I’ve heard both enhorabuena and felicidades! Thanks!
i have heard a lot about those people who love firearms and about such a patriotism, but i didn’t know that Amurica has to do with it…from my Spanish point of view i don’t get such a difference with a vowel, i mean, does pronouncing it with U make a person more patriot, or does it change the whole meaning? sorry for my ignorance.
just imagine me pronouncing España with an U so it becomes Uspaña, such a thing doesn’t increase a feeiing or sensation nor does it change the meaning, the only i get is to look ridiculous and silly.
thanks by the way!
It refers to the southern accent (really, just the extreme version of it), which would pronounce it that way.
No Muricans in these parts! So happy for you that YOU are happy – with your job, with your location, with your life. I know, after this weekend with your family, how much they are looking forward to seeing you in June. XOXO
Hahaha, I suppose saying “the south” is a bit of a generalization!
I wish I could have been there with you all this weekend, but it looks like you had a great time!
Love you!
It all sounds so great! A job you like, a start to a career and now a visa! Thanks, Spain, for making everything everywhere else in the world seem like a cake walk, bahaha! Enhorabuena!
Thanks, Cat! Ha, seriously, it’s amazing being in a country whose immigration department is actually organized.
that’s great you got a longer work visa! I’m going to Australia at the beginning of next year on the work & holiday visa (I’m american also) and am nervous about finding a job. It’s good to hear you’ve had such success and love it there. I can’t wait to go!
Yeah, I’m excited! 🙂 Oh, great! You’ll have a fantastic time, and I’m sure you’ll find a job quickly. I’ll have to follow your adventures on your blog!
Wow, that is SO SO SO exciting. These are the things Ii literally dream about in Germany. Congrats! Keep on loving Australia, you can always go home… but now you can stay as well!
Thank you! Yes, it’s really nice to have the freedom, to not be bound by a visa expiration date, and to not have to plan too far ahead.
Hello Kirstie, congrats for getting your 457 visa. You look like you’re enjoying your life there!
I actually have some questions about converting from 462 to 457.. do you mind if I leave it as a comment or should I just message you separately? Thank you!
Hi Sylvia,
Thanks! I’ll send you an email now — we can talk that way!
Australia is really a fantastic country! I am really not suprised you want to stay on longer. We have been here for 7 months and are loving it!
It really seems to suck people in! Hope you continue to enjoy!
Really nice post! Between Wow, you’ve lived in Spain and Australia, two if the best countries in the world! They’re going to be hard to beat when you travel around the world:)
That’s true! And I’ve definitely been pretty spoiled with weather too!
Hi Kirstie! I’m a Cali girl too! I was looking into coming to Aus on a 462 and then search for a permanent job (get a company to sponsor me via a 457). BUT then today I read on the Aus immigration website that you can’t apply for a 457 if you have a visa that says “no further stay”, which I believe the 462 has? Am I interpreting this wrong? How did you get around it? Really appreciate any advice. Thanks!
Hi Angela, sorry for not getting back to you sooner on this! Hopefully you’ve figured it out by now, but I had no issues with this — I think it’s pretty common for people to arrive on 462 visas and then change to a 457, so you should be just fine!
Great article! I’d be curious to know if you think life in Australia is similar to life in California?
Thank you! You know, in a lot of ways, I found Australia very similar to California, especially after traveling to more exotic places. There are definitely a lot of cultural differences you find when you get to know each place better, but, overall, they have a lot in common!
Thank you Kirstie, now you make me want to visit California:)