Snuggsey

Could anyone help me with this dilemma.
Basically is it the right time to start a new life in another country with todays economic climate.
We have lived in France for the past 8 yrs and like everywhere have highs and lows ,have 4 children(ALL GIRLS)and another girl on the way in October,ages are 18,14,6,4and-2months.
In process of selling up and if we decided to stay wouldn,t have any money problems.It is safe,clean,good healthcare,education etc.
Downsides are not many job opportunities for kids,red tape a nightmare,language can cause some problems,kids have rural life so miss out on clubs nightlife because we are so rural.
Would be looking at Queensland,Sunshine Coast have a budget of around 1.25 millon dollars I can hear people now,oh whats he worried about,but I have 5 kids so house,car,lifestyle,food etc.What I do not want to do is leave France and not have the same or better lifestyle.
Oh forgot to mention I am a carpenter by trade and have been self employed for last 20 yrs with my own businesses so working for someone else is going to be a bit of a shock to start with,would eventually go out on my own once I have found my feet.

Any advice would be most appreciated good and bad and thank you in advance.

PS raining here in August again maybe another reason to leave!

Wol

>>Any advice would be most appreciated good and bad and thank you in advance.<<

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_control

moneypenny20

I think if I were in your position I would stay put in France. All the problems you mention are here just as much as there (except the language although some might argue ). I would move somewhere closer to one of the larger cities to give the kids the job and leisure opportunities.

It's a huge move if you've got a good life where you are and as you say $1.25mill ain't a huge amount when you're considering home, education, medical bills etc especially as you'd have to get your licences to work here and that takes time so you'd be eating into your equity.

Lots of us were very happy where we were and are just as happy now, but a fair few are very unhappy here but have priced themselves out of moving elsewhere.

Normally everyone (including me sometimes) say if you don't you'll always wonder 'what if?' but sometimes it can be a bad move when you look at the pros and cons.

Petals

I guess you could be a business migrant with that amount of money which would mean you would not have to be employed by someone else.

I agree that it sounds a lot of money but with a large family and needing a large home that would take care of six to seven hundred thousand in a good area of QLD.

I cannot advise you I believe to migrate you have to want to and if you want to people make a go of it. If people are undecided but do it often they are disappointed.

Australia is not like France or the UK its Australia and different so you have to expect difference. Australia does not have a large population so communications and pay tv are more expensive.

Cost of living is rising because of the petrol price so food is more expensive than it used to be.

I am not being negative I love living in Australia and would not live anywhere else but you need to have an open mind and want to come and then things fall into place and everyone is happy.

My children were born here they have been overseas but they like Australia best.

Good luck.

Kapri

But most people on here have made the move on a lot less money

moneypenny20

Vast majority I'd say But presumably the OP is used to a slightly 'higher' standard of living than the rest of us (depending on what you measure the standard as of course)

wannabauzzienurse

Are you aware of the licensing regulations for carpenters, it's not at all straightforward to get a license and without one you'll never be self-employed. Don't want to put a downer on your plans but my husband is a carpenter but without the right papers stands little chance of ever getting a license here, just something to bear in mind before committing yourself to coming here. If you're properly qualified then it's easier but still a pain in the arse!
France is beautiful, if I was any good at languages I could happily live there myself!

JRB

If life is good in France I would stay put there. Much more culture and history and you are nearer to the UK to see relatives and for people to visit. To fly to and from Australia being such a large family would cost a fortune. France has got much more diversity and has got everything - sunny climes in the South, skiing in the winter, surfing, rural beauty and lively cities. Think carefully before you give it all up for Aus. Good luck.

Australia_bound?

PS also rains a lot in some areas of Aus in August as it's winter

Think you'll experience much the same issues in Aus as you have in France, employment etc etc.
Have to say if not for the language we'd have given France serious consideration, is a lovely place, can get a really good lifestyle out there and have just about the whole of europe to explore through its borders, once in Aus you can only drive around Aus.
But whatever you decide I'm pretty sure you'll make whatever worth (remember your family from that TV show ). Not sure if you'll land with the same kind of real estate as you got in France. Thought you'd be settled for life there?

Australia_bound?

Very good points well put

emigratingherberts

There's plenty of time for nightclubs for your older ones. Keep them away as long as possible. You sound like you have a great life where you are. If your kids are happy and settled, stay there. I'll guarantee some of them will be nagging you to go back after a few weeks after you get here. Some of them will love it here. Then that will put you in a dilemma of whether to stay or go back. Moves like these have been known to split families. Please think very carefully.

jad n rich

Immediate thought, if your coming to australia with a family that size Airfares once here. Do you need to travel to see family, hope not a airfare for one person to the UK now leaves little change out of $3000. Times 7

1.25 million could easily be spent on one 6 bedroom house, dont underestimate the cost of living in australia.

Sunshine coast has very good private schools, university, and nightclubs for the kids, cant see a problem there.

Carpenters starting wage might be $35 but you would expect way more than that with any reasonable sort of experience/business. Hours are long for tradesmen in australia, so are distances, fuel and the many insurances/liabilities eat up profits. Mental amount of red tape. Climate is V hot for outside work in summer, plenty of rain summer time its subtropical.

deryans

Suggs,

with those circumstances, It would appear to be a very risky enterprise to move lock stock and barrel to Australia. What you have there in France, I'm sure many people would gladly swap for, don't sweat the rural lifestyle, on balance you need to look clearly at what you are risking.

Your Job will initially be working for someone else, who may not apreciate, and indeed take advantage of your experience, how you cope with this is important, it is very hard to take poor direction from someone with a 1/3 of your experience, I know it happened to me.

Socially, how your family will cope is also a core issue, and finally, there is almost as much bureaucratic rubbish here as there is in France, but overall, on average State Education here comes nowhere near the standard in France.

then again, there is the sun..........

SNH

I would always choose France over Australia. There's just no competition for me.

Unfortunately my life has now taken me far from France - and any real opportunity to go back beyond a holiday.

I am an Australian citizen, and was born in Australia.

France just holds so much more appeal for me.