Has anyone retrained specifically to meet Australian immigration criteria?

[AliMcBooger]

My profession is not on either Schedule 1 or schedule 2 of the Skilled Occupation list.

It's similar to some of the things listed but doesn't match- has anybody retrained in order to meet the criteria and score enough points?

I trained as a nurse starting in 2007... with the sole intention of coming to Australia... which we did... although in the end it was my Dh's job that we came in one... nursing is still a dead cert for entry...

Remember the list changes every six months, so if you are retraining specifically to get in I would go with a "banker" like nursing as chloe says. DH works in IT - his specific job came off the list just as we were thinking of applying so he was considering trying to tailor his CV to apply under a slightly different category but luckily six months later it was back on so we lodged our application straightaway. Have you spoken to an Immigration Agent?

No not spoken to an agent yet. Dh's is on schedule 2 - in iT sunny d- but none of the states need his skills at the moment and so even though it's on schedule 2, it might as well not be!

Jokingly said to dh that maybe I could learn how to be a welder or panel beater or summat. He got a bit of a glazed dribbly and rather smutty look about him so I hurriedly changed the subject!

Have a look on the British Expats forum - the is lots of good advice on there. Good luck - it's a great place to live.

I'm seriously considering retraining as a nurse, partially for this reason. Other reasons too, but a nurse friend just moved to Australia and I'm dead envious!