u/Emotional-Cry5611

Hey everyone, I’m from Serbia and planning to move to Australia in the next 1–2 years.

I have culinary education plus a hospitality/gastronomy management degree, fluent English, and I’m currently working as a hands-on kitchen supervisor/chef in a hotel café. By the time I apply I should have around 2–3 years of full-time experience.

I’ve been looking into 482 sponsorship visas since chefs seem to still be on the shortage lists.

I wanted to ask:

How realistic is sponsorship for chefs in 2026?

Is starting in regional Australia smarter than trying Melbourne immediately?

What cities would you recommend for hospitality work and quality of life?

Anything you wish foreign workers knew before moving?

Thanks!