Neil S

Noticed this article that also appeared in this mornings free Metro paper.

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/inte...m?id=853252004

At first glance I thought OMG what the hell do people take the plunge for without considering the financial aspects etc etc. Then I noticed that there is no breakdown of the 41% by country (they could all have been headed for Siberia for all we know). Then I noticed the survey sample is only 2,000 people. Well how many emigrate to Oz each year from the UK. It must be in 5 or 6 figures. What to do you think?

walla

Hi Neil

Not at all, I think, and this is a personal opinion, that most problems occur with language dificulties 19% in that survey. In turn this leads to finding employment dificult in turn leading to being skint and depressed.

It all depends where you migrate to. It would be interesting to see a survey of expats who return from English speaking countries such as Oz and USA.


A survey sample of 2000 is the norm if not above average. As far as I'm aware, and could be wrong, the amount of people that migrate to Oz is 70k a year and that's worldwide migration. Of that 70k I think there is only 1 to 2% Brits. I'm sure I've seen a thread lately indicating this. If this is wrong I stand to be corrected

Walla

Walla

bondipom

Sounds about right to me. Emmigration is a risky business no matter how right you think it is for you. Planning may well be an element but what can you do to plan against home sickness which IMO is probably the major reason people return.

Settler Arrivals Total
93914
Uk Settler Arrivals
12508
13.3% of arrivals

bondipom

PERMANENT DEPARTURES BY SELECTED COUNTRY OF BIRTH AND LENGTH OF STAY


UK 3,928
Total 50,463

walla

Hi Bondipm

I agree about the home sickness thing and missing friends, that's our biggest dread. I think we have done about as much prep work as poss, hopefully anyway.

Are you saying about 30% of Brits return back to the UK with those figures you supplied?

Ta

Walla

Ceri

Looking at figures will always be inaccurate, and they will be higher figures than that for those who returned to the UK. They won't include Brit's with Aus Citizenship who just go back to Britain without declaring it.

I certainly will not be declaring anything on the flight card when I leave here .. I have Aus Citizenship.. so I will not be included in any figures when I leave , same as countless others who have left.

you can look at all the polls, figures you like.. but they will always be inaccurate for this reason. you won't get answers at looking at these polls and stats

( these figures rely on people ( citizenship figures) declaring that they are leaving .. which a lot of people dont declare when they leave here for good - I know I won't be declaring anything on my flight card)

bondipom

It is probably the most reliable stat around but is dependant on people filling out their departure card correctly. It has been suggested the departure figure is understated due to people thinking putting never to return will cut out any future permanent return. There may well be arguments the other way and I am sure we will hear them here.

Still it makes uncomfortable reading for those who think Britain is an unrescuable dump yet so many return from a perceived utopia.

Maybe unrealistic expectations compund the homesickness.

BTW the stats are on www.immi.gov.au

jad n rich

Homesickness and family is the big one.

But I can help wondering what a shock people must get when you see those posts, " I'm leaving this shite hole UK, politics, drugs, crime, house prices relative to wages, long work hours, youth problems, rip off prices..........." .

These people must really wonder what the hell they have done when they arrive and see we have all of those things too You live in Aus and you really do shake your head when you realise people actually emigrate without as much as reading an australian newspaper!!!!!!!!!

pangit

I think that article can be a bit misleading for people specifically moving to Oz. It looks like most of the people polled went to European countries, where you have much bigger language and cultural barriers than you do in Oz, in spite of being much closer.

And also for people migrating to European holiday destinations in the Med, of course there aren't going to be the employment opportunities that you would get in a major capital city.

But a couple of points it raises are certainly true about Oz:

- you will miss friends and family and there's no getting away from it, even more so here when you can't afford to pop back to the UK several times a year.

- And also the bit about people not being prepared - thinking that they will find a utopia which doesn't have the same problems as the place they left behind - it simply doesn't exist! But I don't think most people on this forum are in that category, as by the very fact that we read these forums mean that we are/have researched things carefully.


So don't get too depressed about articles like this, it's the usual case of lies, damned lies and statistics.

Neil S

If 30% of Brits going to Oz return that's still 11% less than the international average. I might be being overly optimistic, due to our impending arrival in Melb in 39 days time, but Oz must have something going for it, despite all the muggings, drugs, thieving etc (BTW I get Google news alerts for Melbourne daily, it's a good service).
Also, I watched the updated New Life Down Under programme a few days ago which followed three families and two of the emigrants (both settled in the Gold Coast area) were really happy and vowed never to return to blighty.

queenie

This from the article....

"What is astonishing, though, is how ill-prepared many of them are."

Mr Butts, who recently decided to return to London after four years in Ibiza, added: "Those that tend to stay are the ones who have planned things properly."

I've been watching a series called "No Going Back" over here in Oz. It focuses on a different British family/couple each week who uproot and move abroad.

The lack of preparation and planning these people have is amazing. They bravely uproot to a new country where they ususally don't speak the language, start a completely different career and start their own company none of which they have ever done before.

My stress levels just watching the show are sky high; I can only wonder what it is like to live through their ordeals.

One poor family bought a 300 year old B&B in Spain and decided not to bother with a survey as they are optional. The pool filtration didn't work, the heating system was long broken, and the guest cottages had no sewage systems, then flooded in the rain. The show closed with them finding out the house was illegally built; the original owner did not have planning permission.

Anyone else watching?

Queenie

Jacko1

These people must really wonder what the hell they have done when they arrive and see we have all of those things too You live in Aus and you really do shake your head when you realise people actually emigrate without as much as reading an australian newspaper!!!!!!!!! [/QUOTE]

Or even visiting Australia prior to dropping everything and migrating

Neil S

If I remember rightly the programme in Spain Queenie referred to, the house was built to hold animals and didn't even have any foundations. The cameras were rolling as the couple were told this and you could immediately sense the shock.

NickyC

I love those programs. The daft decisions those people make are mind-blowing. I think the couple you're referring to might have been in the South of France. Were they the ones who went over to start painting holidays? The husband tried to give a painting of the house (that he'd just bought with no survey) to the original owner, who was a cute old guy. The old guy tearfully refused to take it and everyone assumed he was distraught at having to leave his old home. Little did they know that he saw them coming, was ripping them off big time, they'd have to chase him through the courts and he'd end up costing them thousands!

I love the way they all want to open a B&B/Ski Lodge or run painting/cycling/walking holidays and none of them have any catering or tourism experience whatever. Half of them have never cooked for more than four people at a time. And they NEVER have enough money for their renovations, ever.

queenie

Oh yes that is the one. Haven't seen the one about the animal shelter house yet, more thrills to come hey.

The one where the fireman has to cook a four course meal every night for his guests is also a classic.

I would like to be nice and call them brave but less kind words come to mind.

They did one on Oz too (Redcliffe). The wife was a superwoman and stepped in to help save the day. The marlin fishing boat one. If you are reading wifey, you were fab and hope it's all still going well!

Queenie