[RossTan]

I don't live in Australia, however, this too is an option for those who may have trouble getting work permits for Canada and/or the USA.

Also just type the below words into google to get more stories of the labor needs and the pay.
"australia mines need workers"


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424...69312.html

The $200,000-a-Year Mine Worker
Resources Boom Fuels Demand for Underground Labor, Spurs Skyrocketing Pay; a $1,200 Chihuahua

MANDURAH, Australia—One of the fastest-growing costs in the global mining industry are workers like James Dinnison: the 25-year-old high-school dropout from Western Australia makes $200,000 a year running drills in underground mines to extract gold and other minerals.

The heavily tattooed Mr. Dinnison, who started in the mines seven years ago earning $100,000, owns a sky-blue 2009 Chevy Ute, which cost $55,000 before a $16,000 engine enhancement, and a $44,000 custom motorcycle. The price tag on his chihuahua, Dexter, which yaps at his feet: $1,200.

[LooTa]

I'm from western australia where the boom is centred. No doubt about it, theres loads of money to be made but you'd better have an existing qualification and preferably experience. Every man and his dog is trying to get into the mines, so competition from the locals is fierce - you've got to think "what can I offer that a local can't?"
Another thing to consider is that while the annual salary sounds nice, accommondation prices around the mining regions is astronomical, that is, if you can even find some. It's not unusual for people to rent a room (not a house - a room) in a crap shack for $400-$500 a week, although most jobs these days are fly in, fly out.

[RossTan]

Mining Jobs job search page.

http://westjobs.com.au/jobseeker/mining-jobs-in-wa.html

[Huck Finn]

It is not as easy as every man and his dog will tell you, unless you are well experienced in your field or know people you will struggle.

[RossTan]

(02-04-2013 11:48 PM)LooTa Wrote:  

I'm from western australia where the boom is centred. No doubt about it, theres loads of money to be made but you'd better have an existing qualification and preferably experience. Every man and his dog is trying to get into the mines, so competition from the locals is fierce - you've got to think "what can I offer that a local can't?"
Another thing to consider is that while the annual salary sounds nice, accommondation prices around the mining regions is astronomical, that is, if you can even find some. It's not unusual for people to rent a room (not a house - a room) in a crap shack for $400-$500 a week, although most jobs these days are fly in, fly out.

Do you work in the mines? What is your Trade certification in? If accommodation is expensive that's an opportunity for builders to come in and start building camps for the workers. Same trouble was had in
Ft McMurray. Not enough housing so the companies hired contractors to build and maintain the camps. That project of camp building is a major opportunity for Trades people as well. From carpenters to electricians.

Please add more info to the thread in regards to work opportunities. Some people are unable to get to Canada, or the USA yet, may be able to get work permits for Australia. Options are options want to provide as many as possible for folks. So if you got that info, share!

[RossTan]

(02-04-2013 11:53 PM)Huck Finn Wrote:  

It is not as easy as every man and his dog will tell you, unless you are well experienced in your field or know people you will struggle.

Read Scotian's thread about Alberta. Posted this thread so people can share knowledge and strategies!

[LooTa]

Any trade certificate will help you - even a chef or a baker can net $150K a year. Most aussies who are trying to get in are unskilled or lowly skilled - truck drivers, riggers, crane operators, drillers and offsiders, but one niche that most people seem to overlook is for those with scientific qualifications and laboratory experience. There is a lot of testing to do be done on the ores and the site itself (environmental monitoring andrehabilitation is an ongoing project, even after the mine is no longer viable), and best of all, you're probably going to be working in an airconditoned lab instead of out in the baking hot sun while still enjoying a 6 figure salary.
Certainly a good move to put in a few years to set yourself up for the future, but it really is a life of isolation and soul-crushing boredom, so few last long term.

[RossTan]

(02-05-2013 12:39 AM)LooTa Wrote:  

Any trade certificate will help you - even a chef or a baker can net $150K a year. Most aussies who are trying to get in are unskilled or lowly skilled - truck drivers, riggers, crane operators, drillers and offsiders, but one niche that most people seem to overlook is for those with scientific qualifications and laboratory experience. There is a lot of testing to do be done on the ores and the site itself (environmental monitoring andrehabilitation is an ongoing project, even after the mine is no longer viable), and best of all, you're probably going to be working in an airconditoned lab instead of out in the baking hot sun while still enjoying a 6 figure salary.
Certainly a good move to put in a few years to set yourself up for the future, but it really is a life of isolation and soul-crushing boredom, so few last long term.

Excellent! Thanks! Who cares about the boredom when setting one's plans for future! Part of the process!

[RichieP]

Cheers for that mate. Fucking awesome. It just clicked I could finally use my science degree over there. Considering it. Slightly humbling that an electrician makes as much as or more than a Geoscientist, lol.

[Jourgensen]

(02-04-2013 11:48 PM)LooTa Wrote:  

I'm from western australia where the boom is centred. No doubt about it, theres loads of money to be made but you'd better have an existing qualification and preferably experience. Every man and his dog is trying to get into the mines, so competition from the locals is fierce - you've got to think "what can I offer that a local can't?"

But why does it says in almost every article that the shortage of skilled and unskilled workers are pretty great?

Like in that article that was already posted (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424...69312.html) for example?

Quote:

Another thing to consider is that while the annual salary sounds nice, accommondation prices around the mining regions is astronomical, that is, if you can even find some. It's not unusual for people to rent a room (not a house - a room) in a crap shack for $400-$500 a week, although most jobs these days are fly in, fly out.

That's what i wanted to ask. If it's fly in fly out, you live in let say Perth, and i've seen prices for nice apartments at already 200$ per week. Is that true?

[Jourgensen]

(02-05-2013 12:39 AM)LooTa Wrote:  

Any trade certificate will help you -

What exactly is a trade certificate? I'm engineer of agriculture. It obvioulsy have nothing to do with mining, but could it help?

[salmonfella]

Lads these jobs are for people with trades or other such skills someone unskilled will find it very hard to get work in the mines. i found the locals scooped up all these jobs which is fair enough. i would take the articles wit a pinch of salt. people have to be realistic i went out there with vast electrical experience having spent most of my apprenticeship underground in the few remaining mines left in Ireland. and i had contacts and even with that i struggled to get work but lucky i did in the end the pay was good but my god the cost of living is huge:O and i don't do drugs and only drink the odd time and i didn't make a huge $$ . i would say if you don't have contacts or a trade you will find it very hard if not impossible to get a job in the mine's. i am not trying to ruin anyone's dream but ya have to be realistic

[garygroundwork]

agreed...the upside is if/once you get in you are set...u just got to get ur foot in the door

[salmonfella]

I agree but being unskilled this will be very hard. its all about who you no its really as simple as that
yea i am going to hit up canada instead i want out of the underground mines terrible dangerous back breaking work

[scotian]

I'm moving to Perth in May, would have moved there now but its too damn hot to be working outside there now so I"m gonna hang out in the Philippines until it cools down.

[Jourgensen]

(02-05-2013 09:20 AM)scotian Wrote:  

I'm moving to Perth in May, would have moved there now but its too damn hot to be working outside there now so I"m gonna hang out in the Philippines until it cools down.

You mean you're gonna work there in mining industry?

[salmonfella]

you moving there with work scotian or for a holiday? i taught the oil sands would be booming from now till next September?

[scotian]

Yes I'm moving there to look for work in the mines or, ideally offshore. I"m just doing it for something different to do and add some international experience to my CV. I have a few friends who are working there now and the money is really good and its not too hard for a guy with tickets to find work there. I'd say that about 90% of what I wrote about in my oil sands thread applies to the mining/offshore work in Oz.

[salmonfella]

Yea mate you will be grand with your experience. i heard the price of crude oil has hit an all time low this will surely have negative effect on the sands? will this be the first time you will miss the Calgary stampede?

[scotian]

(02-05-2013 10:27 AM)salmonfella Wrote:  

Yea mate you will be grand with your experience. i heard the price of crude oil has hit an all time low this will surely have negative effect on the sands? will this be the first time you will miss the Calgary stampede?

I just checked the price of oil and WTI is at $96/barrel so no worries there, the main advantage that Oz has over Canada in its resource sector are that its main buyers are India and China as opposed to Canada where we send 99% of our oil to the USA, which likes to play politics with important pipelines. Both countries have to deal with severe labour shortages, there are plenty of Aussies working in the oil sands and lots of Canadians down there too.

[salmonfella]

Yea that's true man all the best in oz

[Jourgensen]

Does any of you Aussies know how could a relative living there help you get the working visa? I'm reading it's some kind of a sponsorhip, what exactly is that?

[Jourgensen]

(02-05-2013 10:01 AM)scotian Wrote:  

Yes I'm moving there to look for work in the mines or, ideally offshore. I"m just doing it for something different to do and add some international experience to my CV. I have a few friends who are working there now and the money is really good and its not too hard for a guy with tickets to find work there. I'd say that about 90% of what I wrote about in my oil sands thread applies to the mining/offshore work in Oz.

By ticket you mean working permit?

[salmonfella]

no i am sure he means a trade.

[Jourgensen]

(02-05-2013 01:48 PM)salmonfella Wrote:  

no i am sure he means a trade.

I see this word being used all the times. I know what it means but what meaning has it in this context?