What is the best way to look for a job in Australia?

Best way for an American to get a job in Adelaide, South Australia?

• I would very much like to move from the US to Adelaide, South Australia. It is my understanding that it is very difficult for an American to gain employment in Australia, so the better course of action is to acquire residency and then look for a job. However, and here is where the Catch-22 comes into play, in order to qualify for a visa, one must have a potential employer act as a sponsor. I am 29 years old and have a law degree. If anyone has any relevant advice on how I might be able to secure some sort of employment, without having to acquire residency and risk not finding a job, I would greatly appreciate it.

• Answer:

  It's not accurate to say that you must have a sponsoring employer to qualify for a visa. If you can pass the points test for an independent visa, you are free to come here and find employment after you arrive. At 29, I assume that you have several years experience and this should make it possible for you to pass the points test with sufficient points for an independent visa. Here are some specific links to guide you: http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/skilled-occupations/index.htm http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/175/eligibility-applicant.htm . This is the points test. You would need to take an IELTS test and score at least 7s across the 4 areas in order to get the maximum 25 points, but that should be no problem for a silver tongued American lawyer. Note that 29 is the cutoff for the highest 'age' points so you'll need to get a move on with your visa application. http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/booklets/books6.htm As part of your visa application, you can elect to have your details placed on the Skill Matching Database which will improve your chances of finding employment before you come. You'll also find it easier to find work once your visa application is well underway and if you don't need for a prospective employer to go to the effort of actually sponsoring you.