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Moving to aus with a uk llb

Hi I’m a student at uni in London for law. I’m wondering how best i can migrate to Australia for work? I know that getting an sqe qualification is vital but do I move there and convert my qualification under the Australia board? Or do I finish a training contract with a firm in the UK and then ask them to transfer me? I’m confused and would like some help thank you :smile:

Reply 1

You would need to be pro-active about finding a role in Australia. You could not expect a UK firm to post you to Australia unless it has an office there, and there is a business case to post you to that office. If you can live in Australia as a citizen or with a visa, you might be better off training as a lawyer in Australia.

Reply 2

The main legal centres are Sydney and Melbourne, with more limited scope in Perth and Brisbane. It is relatively common for UK-qualified junior associates to move to Oz, then requalify under the local NSW, Vic, Qld or WA rules as appropriate. That isn't particularly difficult.

There is limited scope to transfer internally, although many firms have internal short term secondment arrangements. The largest firms with strength in both Oz and UK are the likes of HSF and Ashurst.

As such, your best bet is to seek out a local role and then move out once you've secured that. One of the areas of specialism of the recruitment consultancy I'm a director at is cross-border moves like this.

Reply 3

The main legal centres are Sydney and Melbourne, with more limited scope in Perth and Brisbane. It is relatively common for UK-qualified junior associates to move to Oz, then requalify under the local NSW, Vic, Qld or WA rules as appropriate. That isn't particularly difficult.

There is limited scope to transfer internally, although many firms have internal short term secondment arrangements. The largest firms with strength in both Oz and UK are the likes of HSF and Ashurst.

As such, your best bet is to seek out a local role and then move out once you've secured that. One of the areas of specialism of the recruitment consultancy I'm a director at is cross-border moves like this.

Reply 4

Original post
by chalks
The main legal centres are Sydney and Melbourne, with more limited scope in Perth and Brisbane. It is relatively common for UK-qualified junior associates to move to Oz, then requalify under the local NSW, Vic, Qld or WA rules as appropriate. That isn't particularly difficult.There is limited scope to transfer internally, although many firms have internal short term secondment arrangements. The largest firms with strength in both Oz and UK are the likes of HSF and Ashurst.As such, your best bet is to seek out a local role and then move out once you've secured that. One of the areas of specialism of the recruitment consultancy I'm a director at is cross-border moves like this.
I am a UK law graduate who wants to move to Australia to train as a lawyer. I understand that I need to complete several modules first and then enrol in a PLT course which I could likely do under a student visa as I understand. However, once I would be qualified as an Australian lawyer, would it be difficult to get a job? I assume I would need a firm to either sponsor me or get a PR visa. Would that be difficult?

Reply 5

Original post
by _seannsmith
I am a UK law graduate who wants to move to Australia to train as a lawyer. I understand that I need to complete several modules first and then enrol in a PLT course which I could likely do under a student visa as I understand. However, once I would be qualified as an Australian lawyer, would it be difficult to get a job? I assume I would need a firm to either sponsor me or get a PR visa. Would that be difficult?

Also, am I right in thinking that there has been a reciprocal agreement between the UK in Australia in recent years following Brexit making it easier for law graduates to to study and work in Australia?

Reply 6

Yes, you need to study some modules: if I remember correctly (and it's 20 years since I first moved to Oz), it was only Constitutional Law that we needed to study before the PLT. The recent Free Trade Agreement may have changed those requirements, but not necessarily.

It is likely to be very difficult, however, to obtain sponsorship as you will be unable to show you have the necessary skills given you have yet to start practising. Typically you would apply for PR once you've been working in Oz under a skills visa for a period of time.

This blog might be of interest: https://www.shipit.co.uk/blog/how-to-move-to-australia-as-a-lawyer#the-impact-of-the-uk-australia-free-trade-agreement

Reply 7

Original post
by ringring3
Hi I’m a student at uni in London for law. I’m wondering how best i can migrate to Australia for work? I know that getting an sqe qualification is vital but do I move there and convert my qualification under the Australia board? Or do I finish a training contract with a firm in the UK and then ask them to transfer me? I’m confused and would like some help thank you :smile:
Hi contact us for assignment help

Reply 8

Original post
by chalks
Yes, you need to study some modules: if I remember correctly (and it's 20 years since I first moved to Oz), it was only Constitutional Law that we needed to study before the PLT. The recent Free Trade Agreement may have changed those requirements, but not necessarily.
It is likely to be very difficult, however, to obtain sponsorship as you will be unable to show you have the necessary skills given you have yet to start practising. Typically you would apply for PR once you've been working in Oz under a skills visa for a period of time.
This blog might be of interest: https://www.shipit.co.uk/blog/how-to-move-to-australia-as-a-lawyer#the-impact-of-the-uk-australia-free-trade-agreement

But do you think I would be able to move out on a student visa and complete the PLT under that training,
then once I had completed the training and thus had the skills to practice as a lawyer that I could then apply for a skills visa and work as a lawyer under that visa,
Then after a period of time apply for a PR visa and work as a lawyer long term in Australia under that visa?
Thanks for your help.

Reply 9

Original post
by _seannsmith
But do you think I would be able to move out on a student visa and complete the PLT under that training,
then once I had completed the training and thus had the skills to practice as a lawyer that I could then apply for a skills visa and work as a lawyer under that visa,
Then after a period of time apply for a PR visa and work as a lawyer long term in Australia under that visa?
Thanks for your help.

No, because "skills" is most likely to mean those skills developed as a practising lawyer not academic/practical training. When we moved out there, the sponsoring law firm had to show that they needed to hire us, as UK qualified lawyers, because we had skills/knowledge not readily available in the Australian market.

Worth contacting some Australian migration agents, or Australian recruiters.

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