As you would have heard, south-east Queensland went through a pretty tough month in January with flooding in quite a lot of inland towns. For travellers, it hasn’t meant too much disruption as most, if not all, tourist attractions and hubs are now back and operating. But for some Queenslanders it means a hell of a clean-up and there’s a way you can help.
If you’re not planning to stay in Australia for an extended period of time, you can always help out by registering to volunteer. You can do that by going to this website to register:www.volunteeringqld.org.au
If you’re serious about staying in Australia then there’s even better news as the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) has announced it is fast-tracking all sponsorship applications for skilled workers who apply in the flood clean-up.
A wide range of sponsorship-eligible occupations are available for professionals such as engineers and tradespeople including electricians, plasterers, and builders.
Businesses applying for sponsorship for workers in flood-affected areas of Australia will be given priority at each stage of the application process and providing they have submitted sufficient information, can expect access to skilled workers in a matter of weeks.
Ben Waterhouse, an English carpenter, plans to apply for jobs with contractors in the coming weeks. “I’m just finishing my travels around Victoria and then I’m going to head to Queensland to try and get a job,” he says.
Ben said the sponsorship is rewarding but so is helping out the communities who need it the most. “I want to do it because I think the work would be far more rewarding then the normal building of houses. This way we’re giving something to Aussies who need our help and have been through a rough time,” he says.
Visit www.immi.gov.au/skilled/flood-reconstruction.htm for details and contacts.
