Kirstipops

Hi everyone

I'm in the middle of a 457 application, so far I'm not too affected as my skill falls under the long term list. My current company in the UK has an Australian sister company in Melbourne so they are sponsoring me.

Just wanted some advice really as my husband now tells me he doesn't want to leave but will give it a try. I'm really worried now as feel he is only doing this for me and debating whether to just scrap the whole idea.

Any opinions based on experience would be most appreciated.

Thanks

K

quoll

He's saying he's prepared to give it a go so, equally, you should be prepared that if it doesn't float his boat you will say you will move on. Don't quit your jobs, rent out your house and you have a belt and braces approach. Personally I wouldn't be "moving" on a temporary visa - it's a short term adventure but nothing is certain in the world of immigration as we have seen this week.

However, I would say that if one of you is Luke warm about it then you are likely going to struggle.

Lucas_Dad

My experience: been in Aus almost 5 years now.

I married an Aussie in the UK, and it was always her dream to move back to Aus. I always accepted this and did not want to let her down. Outwardly I was supportive and right behind it. Inside I was lukewarm. Right up to just weeks before the big move I had my doubts. Actually, no, I'd say they were better described as fears. It is a huge move.

Perhaps your husband is feeling the same? Is it fear rather than doubt? All the fears and doubts are natural - get a job, make friends, live in a nice house, just be happy in general, etc.

One practical thing we have managed to do is maintain a savings account with enough money for flights home, should the need arise... you know, family emergency, illness, worse, whatever. It is quite comforting for me to see that money there.

Having had my doubts and lukewarm-ness, I can only tell you now how I feel is that it is BEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE! Marriage, kids, aside, obviously Our life ended up very different to our preconceived ideas. We thought we'd be near a big city (ideally Sydney or Melbourne), and have ended up at the bottom of NSW on the border with Vic.

I was supposed to carry on with my IT career, but ended up becoming a full time dad. Can't tell you the amazing life I have now. I just can't imagine we'd have anything like the family life in the UK that we have now. Aussie beer is improving, and there is always a chain of stores called Dan Murphy's where you can stock up on your Pommie ales (not badly priced either).

Things did not pan out how I thought but I've never looked back - and I do of course miss home from time to time - but he has done the bravest thing in making the choice to move. I never felt pressured by my wife, but she did 'sell' it all to me really well. Without getting into the cliché glass half full/empty BS, my wife at least kept showing the positives. Not going to lie the distance from home at first was hard, but something else amazing came out of it - my technophobe mum got a tablet and immediately after our move we started Skype, emails, sharing photos, etc. We probably talk more now than when I lived back in sunny Essex!

I kind of approached the move at the start like a rental house - we always treated every rental like our home, not just someone else's bricks & windows. We got here. I made it home. And I am SO glad I did.

Happy for you to reply or DM me further, if my experiences can be of further help. Or even put your husband in touch if you want. As they say here, too easy, no dramas

All the best

xizzles

Kirstipops

Wow thank you so much. Yes I guess he is a very homely person. We moved from Forest Hill in South East London to Sidcup which is about 15 miles I guess and that was hard enough convincing him but now he's so happy. He's not a risk taker, he likes his comforts like on a Friday night having a beer with his best mate in the kitchen waffling away about pointless stuff. I always worried from the beginning about him but he was excited. I guess now it's imminent (maybe June) if the visas come back in time it's probably all starting to hit home.

Another thing I should have mentioned is that he has 2 kids from a previous relationship. One is almost 19 and she said to him it's a great move because she wants him to be happy and have more opportunity. The other is almost 13 and she was going to come but changed her mind. We only see her every other weekend and soon she will be busy doing her own thing. At first it was tough on her but she is being very grown up about the whole thing. She said that she understands why he's doing it and that it doesn't mean he doesn't love her. We will always have flight money and get her trip booked as soon as we leave. And also when she goes book the next one so they both have something to look forward too.

I'm terrified myself and the easy option would be to stay here. But for me it's an amazing opportunity I will never get again. If it doesn't work out we will come home but he says he can't come back as people will see it as he failed. Which he needs to get out of his head because at least we tried, not everyone would.

I'm expecting when we get the final answer it's going to be a flood of emotions.

Thanks for your post. But that xxxx and the Hahn Superdry is alright lol

quoll

Perhaps if he tells folk it's only temporary (it is only temporary so that's no lie) and you'll be back in 2 years there's no failure. It will probably be a great opportunity for you but, for him, it probably won't be (unlike his daughter's prediction) - the dependents of temporary visa holders regularly report having great difficulty finding work, especially in their career field. In the big cities the competition for jobs is quite fierce at the best of times and why would an employer train up a temporary foreigner who could be going with only 60 days notice when they can have a home grown candidate who might stick. As I said, don't sell your home and he should take a career break to cover all options but this isn't a pass/fail thing, it's a short term adventure.

Kirstipops

We rent in the UK so no change there. If I had my own home it may be different and I wouldn't leave but I've no chance buying here and no chance in Melbourne with their house prices!

Also he will need to work as he will go mad. He will do anything though. Hope he can get on the buses or lorries. I know he will need to redo his test again. I didn't even think it would be difficult for him to find work. Over here it makes no difference where you come from only how good you are and how hard you will work.

old.sparkles

But if you are on a 457, and your husbands visa is dependent on yours, then if you lose your job you have 60 days to find another that is willing or able to sponsor you, or leave the country. Which means that any company that hires your husband is taking a gamble not only on him, but you and your employer also. They may be able to rate how good a candidate your husband is - but not you or your company. So it is not who you are or where you come from - but the visa you are on.

ozzieeagle

I'm originally from Forest Hill.... Around Kilmorie/Elsinore Rd way... First 19 years of my life. Been here for 37 years though so I don't know if my experience will be relevant to you.

Are you hoping to have a similar or totally different lifestyle/surrounds/feel to the one you had in South London, because you can find both in Melbourne. I live in Melbournes Northern Subs. Quite close in, and always say to people, I settled here very happily because it reminded me in so many ways of the "Borough" I came from, or designed me..... Cosmopolitan, Lively, Earthy, (It's even got it's own very highly publicised version of the "Richardsons" complete with TV drama about the exploits "Underbelly")..... Only with a fraction of the issues. If you are over "Sarf London" then you may well want to try a different part of Melbourne to it's "Grungy" North...It's where the best pubs are and bands, art, same type of council and politics and generally speaking people, etc etc etc... Although It would have far more elements of Greenwhich/Blackheath/Crystal Palace Triangle in comparison. Your Husband could well be at home here, and you are indicating that's your biggest worry.

I'd be chatting with your Melbourne office about the above if I were you... if your interested in some kind of lifestyle replication that is.

Kirstipops

Thanks this is a great post.

I've been looking around Mentone, Mordialloc area in the beginning to rent. Easy commute to south yarra, near the bay and from my research nice places to live.

We really enjoy sidcup as forest hill is not what it used to be. Renting has gone through roof and what you would describe as trendy. Im liking the whole big spaces in sidcup as mostly houses etc so it feels like im not in london but still have everything on my doorstep. If we get residency then buying will be influenced by affordability so will probably be out a lot further.

ozzieeagle

A couple of things worth noting, I very rarely get over to the other side of Melbourne from here. North and South of the Yarra are as big a division as North and South London, inasmuch as one doesn't need the hassle of battling the traffic that this entails. One can find everything they need closer to home. The other thing is the South and East of Melbourne stretch out much much further than the North and West. Personally one of my biggest hates in life is being stuck in traffic, Therefore I avoid traveling over the other side of town, because it means ages in traffic. That's not to say there isn't a lot of traffic over this side, there is, but it's not such a geographical distance. As for the beach, on this side of town we are about 70 mins from world class surf beaches...in fact the pinnacle being Bells beach which is the home of world surfing. It would take me as long to get to Bells on some days as those bayside beaches. We also have western bayside beaches less than 30 mins drive from here.

The other side of the coin is, I personally would rather go in by public transport than car. I guess commuting by PT has been in my blood since an early age, and I realise that once your traveling you can generally settle back and do what you want.

Personally I prefer the inner city, as it means I can walk to every kind of entertainment and service rather than using a vehicle. So I forego a bit of space for ease of facility... and there is a hell of a lot more attractions in the inner city compared to the outer burbs. Then there's Uber... PT in and Uber back home is generally our preferred method of a night out in the CBD... Only costs 22 bucks in an Uber to get back to Coburg. Hell it can cost 22 bucks to park your car in the CBD sometimes.

Just thought I'd run that past you.

Kiwikaye

Mentone and Mordialloc are both lovely suburbs, and have great schools (if that becomes a requirement), some good local shops, cafes, etc. and access to the beach. Buying there will cost you though - budget around $700k+ for a small 3 bed house, more if you want a big garden or close to the beach. As you said, if you are prepared to move a bit further out then your options open up. You'd be on the Frankston train line which travels via South Yarra and has pretty good service (with the usual caveats that apply to all of the train lines here).

We live further down in Frankston (have been down here for just over a year now) and find it better than expected on the living front.