UK Lift / Elevator Fitter looking at FIFO in WA

Advice

G'day everyone, looking for some honest advice from anyone working on site or in recruitment.

I'm currently based in the UK working as a lift installation engineer for one of the major global companies. My daily job is a pretty even split between heavy mechanical and electrical work. On any given day I'm hanging shaft steelwork, setting up gearboxes and hydraulics, running wiring, setting up control panels, and troubleshooting safety circuits.

My long-term goal is to move over permanently on a skilled visa, but I'm planning to land in Perth on a Working Holiday Visa first to stack some cash and get a feel for Aussie site work while I sort out the visa paperwork.

Since lift fitter isn't exactly a standard role out on the mine sites, I'm trying to work out where my skill set fits best for FIFO on shutdowns or fixed plant. I'm wondering what specific roles I should actually target, like Mechanical TA, Mechanical Fitter, or fixed plant maintenance.

Over here I handle both mechanical and low-voltage electrical work, but I know Australia is extremely strict on electrical licensing, so I'm curious if agencies will just push me straight down the mechanical route without an Aussie electrical ticket.

I’ll be getting my White Card, Working at Heights, and Confined Space Entry as soon as I land in Perth. I'd love to know if there are any other specific tickets like EWP, Dogging, or Rigging that would make me an instant pick-up for recruiters, and which WA labour hire agencies are best to hit up to get onto shutdowns quickly.

Appreciate any advice or reality checks. Cheers!

Posted Aug 13, 2026, 8:38 PM UTC

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