aquaaddict

Hi,

We are currently going thur getting 119/857 state sponsored visa, which means we would need to spend at least 2 years living and working in rural WA, places such as Port Hedland, Karratha, Carnarvon, Geraldton, Dongara, Esperance, Albany, Broome have been suggested as possibilites for us to be placed.

My other half is a teacher and will be employed as part of the visa /work placement so its OK for her, but what chance would I stand of getting employment in any of these locations? My background is IT and Electronics but my electrical skills wont transfer to an Oz certification, and I am guessing there is not much IT consultancy in these places. Plus with the unemployment I imagine there are lots of local people going after the lower skilled jobs.

Our other option is tio wait and apply for an independant visa at the end of next year (when she has enough work experience to count), but I am worried that in the recession visas are going to become harder to get?

Is anyone in these areas or have experience of them that could comment?

Many thanks!

Anthony

looky

Geraldton, Esperance, Albany, Broome are not rural. These are very liveable regional WA. Next up from regional is Perth metro.

aquaaddict

hi, thanks for the clarification, I was using rural in its genric sense as thats whats always been said to us about this visa.

Just to clarify, we wouldn't have a choice about the location, more a case of get what we are given, they were just suggested to us as likley examples.

Thanks Anthony

twhurl

I'd live in Albany any day

lekkilizard

You know what, life feels like it sucks sometimes but you have to decide if you've got a bag of lemons what do you do. My personal choice would be to slice them up and add them to a Gin and Tonic rather than make lemonade !

We came out in Jan on a 457 so we do not get the same social services entitlement that you will get with an 857. Trust me the 53 that came out in Jan would have preferred to have hit the runway as PR's not temporary ones. We will have to wait for 2 years and hope DET approve our next nomination ! But my glass is half full not empty cos I drive to work in the sun shine and see the Indian ocean every day !!

Before we came here I asked my husband what he wanted to do ! Stay in UK in a very well paid job or have fun for 3 years and run the risk of not being employed in his own field for a long time. He chose Oz !

We live in Geraldton. Certainly not remote although classed as rural as we are 4 hrs North of Perth. I am the teacher ! He is still actively seeking suitable employment but would not change a thing. He has worked on a casual basis so there is work...he is biding his time until he finds the right thing. We have a quality of life here that far exceeds any negatives. Friends live further North and South and also Inland etc....None of us regret our choice to come.

If you have doubts I hope your OH is fully aware. 857 is expensive for you and DET so you must be sure. Leaving the UK will be a big step !

You don't mention kids so if you don't have them you may get placed more remotely/rurally but you are compensated by getting an allowance. This does depend on where you are placed.

Ask your wife if she is a member of a FB group relating to teaching in WA. There are 3 that I know of but one is only for those already here. That's the one I set up !

Also post on the teaching area of this site to touch base with others going out on 857 with WA DET. Search for Australia_Bound as he is the spouse of a teacher too !!

Best of luck and PM me if you want to.

N xx

kar-kier

Beautifully said, brought a tear to the eye!! Every negative is followed by the big fat positive which is the sea, sand and sun!!

lekkilizard

Thank's babe ! No breaking into song tonight !! Love the cakes !!!! Nxx

aquaaddict

Thanks for that! No we dont have kids, she is a secondary teacher so it will at least be an area big enough to have a secondary school.

We went out last year on holiday and feel in love with Perth, but I am just very worried that I am going to get bored doing dead end jobs in a remote mining town when I have been used to challenging professional roles, and having my own small business etc; espically if treated as outsiders as other have reported.

I have an oppertunity in the Uk that I would have to turn down, so just trying to get as much info as possible to make a decision.

What sort of work has your other half managed to pick up, and how easy is it to get by on one teachers salary and the other only doing ad hoc work?

Do these rural / regional area have good internet connections?

Thanks Anthony

lekkilizard

My OH has left a University Lectureres post as well as being an MSc course director and being heavily involved in Research and Consultancy. He is still able to consult so that it good. We are looking at setting up our own consultancy here but he is also looking at other options. I am tied to DET WA. He can work anywhere in Oz. Go figure!!

We manage more than adequately on my salary. We live in a brand new 4 bed 2 bath house. Others do not so we are very lucky !! An additional salary would be great but is not necessary and trust me we loved our standard of living back home and that has certainly not slipped !! Our son was privately educated back home and still is at a much reduced cost ! We did not sell but chose to keep our home in UK as a fall back but if honest even a few months in we plan to stay for a while and will go for PR when the time arises.

I agree Perth is lovely but we are happy to bide our time here in the midwest 4 hrs North. The kids are no different to back home so behaviour wise I have no issues. I left UK having been HoD and heading onto Leadership Scale....now it's great rocking up, teaching and rolling out.....finish by 3.15pm max and can be on a beach within 5 mins !! No stress !!!

If you're both happy in your current jobs / businesses and have a quality of life that you aren't prepared to risk then don't do it. You could end up in the middle of nowhere but its not in DET interests if you are miserable.

N

buchanan

What is an FB group?

aquaaddict

I am presuming its a Facebook group...

Australia_bound?

It is indeed, there are about 4 different groups, one is specific to partners of the teachers.
Personally want a change of employment as working with troubled kids and taking abuse in various forms on a daily basis, working weekends and evenings isn't what I'm looking for in Aus, don't get me wrong do love my jon but don't want to get to the point where I feel too old for working in that line and have very limited choices. Have been told I'd stand a good chance "if" placed in the right area.
Biggest positives I can say are one of us will have a secure job and the subsidised housing etc will be a great help. Can't wait to go.
I know there are many who've expressed the same concerns and I do share them but I'm very flexible as to what I do. Will take anything and see how things go from there.

kar-kier

Just wanted to point out there are also a few people based in Northam - only an hour inland from Perth, and there are 2 of us down in Mandurah - an hour south of Perth. So you may not end up too rural!

blacktash

There are also a few placed in Kununura which is over 3000kms from perth so be careful.