No logic to the process

Before I dive into the nitty-gritty of the Overseas Lateral Transfer let me tell you that the only predictable thing about this process is its ability to be totally unpredictable. Everyone’s journey is uniquely their own. It’s like waiting for Christmas morning when you were a kid – time doesn’t just slow down; it practically moonwalks.

Patience? Oh, you’ll need heaps of it. Your patience doesn’t just stretch; it practically enrols in yoga classes. It will feel like its never ending but it will happen. Don’t compare your application with anyone else’s…it will drive you nuts and you’ll question your sanity; it seems there’s no logic to the whole darn process.

If you’re anything like me you’ll dream about visas and letters of offer, you’ll become a semi-nocturnal, email checking, bathroom-stumbling creature of the night. My advice? Embrace the madness of the process and go with it.. its a wild ride but at least its not boring. Lets get into the serious stuff.

Timing was key for me

I wasn’t sure when to submit my expression of interest as I had 3 years until my pension point but I learnt timing was key. I have seen people complete the transfer in just over 12 months but that looks to be very rare. We will be well over two years, the guys caught up in the pandemic waited 3 years+. I think two years is a good estimate and keep in mind that once the visa is approved you have 12 months to enter Australia before it is cancelled. I had a contract in the Army until 2030 but I timed it so I would move to Oz 6 months after my pension point, more about pensions later.

The timing was also critical to the kids education, Nicole will have just started UK year 10 by the time we leave meaning she will basically re-do the last 6 months of year 9 in Oz; hopefully settling her in before the summer holidays in Dec 24. Likewise Katelyn will re-do the last 6 months of year 5. I hope to do a post on the schooling situation later.

Expression of interest

Firstly check the website to see if the EOI window is actually open, sometimes it closes depending on the vacancies available and the workload of the OLRS team, here’s the link: https://www.adfcareers.gov.au/careers/joining/ways-to-join?ways-to-join-breakdown=previously-served&previously-served=lateral-transfer-foreign-military

The process – as mentioned above this is our experience and the views are only mine so please don’t go full on mental at me if your experience is different. So once you have worked out a rough timeline the first thing you do is submit an expression of interest (EOI) to the Overseas Lateral Recruitment Scheme (OLRS) along with a CV. Please reach out if you need help with the CV. Below is the info I sent in my email along with the CV to: [email protected]

Good Morning, PFA my CV and PSB the details required for an expression of interest to joining the Australian Army.

• Name
• DOB:
• Gender:
• Nationality: 
• Address:
• Email: 
• Alt Email: 
• Phone: 
• Current Defence force: 
• Date of enlistment: 
• Date of discharge: 
• Rank: 
• Reason for resignation:

My EOI was sent 30 Apr 22 I received an email on 6 May 22 inviting me to submit the full application paperwork.

Don’t compare your application with anyone else’s…it will drive you nuts

The Full Application

The full application which is a trade assessment ensures you have the skills needed in the ADF along with a vacancy. They send an application form to fill out and I sent copies from JPA of my qualifications and competencies, last 3 annual reports, education certificates and proof of my trade qualifications. All the paperwork needs to be turned into PDF documents and split into email packets of no more than 10MB. The letters say a max of 5MB but I questioned this and 10MB works just fine. Number all the pages and then you need to “certified as true copies” this is basically a catalogue of your documents signed off by either your boss or someone on the certified docs list which is in the docs pack you receive.

I have added a copy of my certified docs form from my medical info in the links section for you to look at. It took me a few days to collect all the info. I downloaded the Adobe Scan App which became my friend given the amount of admin needed, either that or get a PA lol.

18 May 22 I received an email saying my application had been received and it could take 3 months to process. 26 July 22 an email telling me I had passed the trade assessment dropped into my inbox along with an invitation to submit a full medical application – for me this is where the fun began…or B.

Top Tip: Ask for a copy of your med docs once you have submitted your full application, it can save time.

Medical application

5 Aug 22 I received the medical paperwork, it gives you 40 days to get all the info together and submit – it basically involves having a medical and sending a full copy of your med docs. Top Tip, request your docs in advance as it can take weeks to come through. Go to the medical centre and ask for a copy of your med docs, you fill a form out and wait for them to print it all off.

The medical from itself is a health questionnaire and you will need a medical check-up from the doc. I have heard now that the UK MOD has told certain military medical centres not to conduct any medicals for people going to Oz. Getting a Civi GP or going private is your only option (at the time of writing). The Aussie OLT FB group might help with up to date info on that. Once I received my med docs they needed sorting out again in to 10 MB packets and page numbers added, lots of info was duplicated so it took a while to sort through. Once certified I sent it off; took 10 emails to send all of it. Don’t worry if it takes you longar than the 40 days to get it all sorted, just email the OLRS team and tell them its going to be late.

Once its sent you will receive an email saying its all been received and accepted and then you wait for a phone interview from the DMFS team and invitation to the selection board.

• Facebook
• WhatsApp