More U.S. Job-Hunters Try Australia : Americans Thwarted at Home Seek Long-Term Visas for Lucrative Skilled Positions; Certification Costs Can Be Deterrent.
Daniel Davila, a 23-year-old timber floorer from Camarillo, Calif. a Los Angeles suburb knee-deep in the Golden State's housing dust bowl - made the 14-hour move across the Pacific two years ago. He had been forced to take a job stocking shelves at a local grocery store for $8.90 an hour when he couldn't get work installing floors.
"I can make what I did in a week in the U.S. in less than a day here," said Mr. Davila, who lives near the mining boom town of Perth, in Western Australia.
Australia's labor laws don't make it easy for Americans to jump on a plane and start working. Between paying for Australian trade schools to get the skilled worker's degree required to practice his trade here and getting the appropriate visas, Mr. Davila estimates staying in Australia has cost him about $40,000.
