caliburn

After reading hundreds of threads here, I have a feeling that Australia is perhaps a little bit of an oversold or overhyped country. With exorbitant property prices, high cost of living, relatively low income level, arguably a racist society, life-style compromise for some, scanty job market etc..... is it still a good value proposition for you?

So, why do people still go there? Lack of alternatives? Most other countries are non-English speaking, Canada too cold, US not to everyone's taste, NZ not offering much prospect, Ireland not different from UK....

One thing is for sure..... Australians have managed to market Ozland very well. You are Wanted Downunder!

Vash the Stampede

Yes, it is.

brendarover

Nail on head there, i agree, reading this board today in comparison to reading it three years ago.

Its very quiet, not nearly as many posters.

There seems to be many returning back to the UK, i have four sets of friends, one in the Gold Coast, one near the beach in Adelaide, one in the hills in Adelaide, and another in Melbourne. Apart from the Melboune couple the rest are all PR/Citizens, and they are all coming home for good. Just say its way too expensive, no work, great country, but miss home, family and a cheap pint in Wetherspoons, the banter in pubs, i think the dream went sour for them when they realised Oz is not a cheap alternative to the UK, its the expensive one!

Centurion

Exactly the reason. As a UK citizen my choice of english speaking countries to emigrate, given visa availability, is really limited. Canada, NZ, Australia are perhaps the only realistic prospects for most.

Of those, the personal choice for me is Australia. Its warm

dejags

Not at all oversold.

It's a fabulous place to live and raise children. But it isn't the land of milk and honey - which is how a fair few immigrants view it and then end up shocked that it is just a normal country with all of the social and economic woes in most other 1st world countries.

I have come to the conclusion that Australia is something different to every person who has ever moved here. My experience/attitude has been positive from the start. Having said that, I recognise that it could easily have been different (having had the experience of moving the wrong country prior to moving to Aus).

This board is very negative at the moment. Ebbs and flows. Next week the majority of posters will be positive.

My overriding opinion on opinion seeking on an online forum is that people should NEVER EVER base huge life changing decisions on the opinions of total strangers on the internet.

elmtree

Oh bugger.

WillBlack

With exorbitant property prices, surely it is overbought?

Be aware of having the hots - lie down and it might pass.

Hutch

Absolutely not a good value proposition - no. We're returning at the earliest opportunity and advise everyone else to do likewise.

ABCDiamond

That depends on each person job. However, the average wage has for some time actually been higher in Australia than the UK.

I agree though that it isn't as good as it was a few years ago, especially for people bringing £'s over at only $2 for each £.

Also with unemployment going up again, it will be harder for new arrivals to sort work out quickly.

And of course house prices have gone up, so it isn't a place for cheap housing anymore.

But the good lifestyle is still available for those who want the particular lifestyle that the country offers. And that differs a lot between States from what I have seen, and heard.

Australia isn't for everyone, but for those who really want something different, it can be interesting.

Coppock

We went over for 2 weeks in Nov, its a heck of a lot cheaper than the UK in the malls compared to high street. BUT the radio said the average oz wage was about $1000AUD per month? I'm not sure how true that is or was, but I worked it out at about £700pm on the exchange rate at the time.

My assumption was that although everything to us seemed cheap, when you're on an aus wage it would work out similar to the UK.

It doesn't put me off though - its a superb country, you can't get beaches like the gold coast in blackpool

I have two young kids and used to cry when I thought of them growing up where we were living (Northwich, Cheshire). We've sinced moved to Wrexham - not the ritz but its been great to move an hour away where there's more for kids to do, plus its a good dummy run coping with not having family 5 mins away!

Forums tend to be quite negative, not just this one, I often go on a few non-migration related ones and people are eagerly awaiting your arrival with their harpoons ready to shoot any dreams in half.

At the end of the day it comes down to attitude and coping levels. If migrants stay positive, know it won't be the perfect utopia, tackle any problems that are thrown at them and constantly remind themselves of why they've gone there when things seem dire, then they will stand a chance

Weebie

Unless you are maybe a hedgefund manager in London wages will always be higher in Australia and thus a higher cost of living.

I think some people on this forum are migrating to Australia for the wrong reasons. People who think their life will be easier for them and their family you will be soarly mistaken.

phat-dave

lol - the median wage is about $40k and the average is $60k - hell you can be a single parent and nearly earn $26k/pa on government benefits and rental assistance....

MartinLuther

No one actually sold it to me.

moneypenny20

Nor me Have I missed out on something?

Vash the Stampede

I received it as a bonus free gift with my birthday suit.