FVC

Hi, this is my first visit to the sight so please treat with care !

We have been to Oz a couple of times having just recently returned from a four week holiday, during this time my husband attended an interview and offered a job in Sydney initially for two years, the job is the same as he is doing in the UK, but it is for an industry which is fairly new and growing in Oz.

The salary offered is comparative with the same position in Oz, however, it is considerably less than he is getting here. I also have a good job in UK and we have a great lifestyle, holiday when we want, great family & friends etc.

In addition to the salary the company is offering sponsored visa, fully expensed car and one months initial accomm thats it. As there is a lot of interest from UK, people are lining up for the job the Co doesn't feel they need to offer anything else, is it me or are they being tight?

We have calc that it will cost approx £7k to re-locate including storage, shipping etc that we will have to pay.

I haven't been offered a job but am fairly sure I can get something .

We really want to go, and are aware there are tax breaks but we just cant seem to get our heads round paying £7k to go somewhere to work.

The other problem is my sister in law is getting married in July and the Co want him out there in April so we will not only have to pay for our fare to go initially but then a return flight a couple of months later.

This is now doing my head in, it would be great to hear from people with their thoughts and comments. I know it may sound selfish as we are being given a chance many other people dont get but just cant help it!

worzel

Welcome!

The best piece of advice I had was to spend a day imagining you could never emigrate and another imagining you had to go and could not stay. The thought of not being able to go was enough of a clincher for me to overcome 18 months of swaying one way then the next.

Chalkfarm

We had the same dilema,my husband was offered a great job in sydney and we could not decide what to do.If we turned it down we would always be thinking what if.That out weighed it all for us,we are going to be renting our house out,selling the car,shipping the dog(at great expensive),and moving our 3 boys out of school.We are heading of on the 28th of feb,we feel we have to give it a go and if it does not work out we will all of had an amazing experience and put it down as a great adventure.
I am sure we are mad,but at least we would of tried,hope that helps,good luck.

HiddenPaw

You have to also ask yourself what your priorities are in life. If you want a no-risk, financially-secure life, with 3 holidays a year and a nice car, then stay in the UK. If you want a bit of an adventure and be willing to make financial compromises for the sake of a worldy experience, then go to Oz.

Cost of living in Sydney won't be that different to the UK (depends what part of UK you're in really, as well as where you choose to live in Sydney). So on a lower salary in Oz, you will probably be financially worse off. But can you make that up in other ways i.e. play off the financial loss against the things you will gain in other terms?

Good luck

parkhigh

Hi
Welcome to the forum. What a dilemma? You are very lucky to be given this chance as many like myself have to work and pay alot to get a visa in the first place. We then have to pay for the shipping etc when we eventually go. I am now in the position of having to validate with my family as my house sale fell through and will have to pay for 2 trips. :scared:
You sound as if you like Australia as you have been on several holidays, weigh up all the pros and cons and see what comes out best.
However its a great opportunity and if it were me i would certainly take it. Rent your house out and if you dont like it come back. Ok its cost money but hey what an experience!
Sorry if i havent helped very much but wishing you and your family well with your decision.
Irene

Grayling

Are you talking about a PR visa or a sponsored temporary visa?

There is a big difference.

G

aussie73

You say you have a great life and great lifestyle in the Uk so why do you want to move to OZ? Do you think you will have a better life down here,
what is it that OZ has that the UK does'nt have that makes you want to move here. Is it the climate, beaches, Outdoors and scenery,less crowded,
conjested, polluted, are things things enough to compensate for what you will miss such as friends and relatives.

JAJ

A pretty fundamental question you need to ask is whether the company are going to sponsor for a permanent or a temporary visa. If only a temporary visa:

- ask why they are not sponsoring for a permanent visa (you don't need to have a temporary visa first)
- make yourself very familiar with all the risks of a temporary visa:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=266447

As for relocation costs, and which visa they sponsor for, at the end of the day it's all part of the package you have to negotiate. Your strongest bargaining position is before you have uprooted from the UK - you've got to ask yourselves are you prepared to walk away from the offer if the terms and conditions don't sound right.

A permanent visa gives good assurance that the package is competitive, as with an ENS visa (not RSMS but that's irrelevant for Sydney) you have freedom to work for another employer in Australia if you wish.

Jeremy

renth

Don't look upon it as "emigrating" look at it as the chance to live in Australia for a couple of years.

JAJ

But it's very important to take a clear view on the visa from Day 1 - lots of people go to Australia on temporary visas, want to stay but can't get permanent residence. Result is a rather unhappy one-way trip home after a few years.

Jeremy

FVC

Thanks everyone for your replies, there were a great help.

To bring you up to date .....

We have decided that we wont get an opportunity like this again, its only money and we are going to take a risk in our life, if it goes wrong we can come home - not bad - or best case everything is fine and we settle in Oz, by the way the Visa is a permanent one.

However, here comes the worst bit, as the interview was some weeks ago and we continues to travel, then the contact was on a weeks holiday, we have now been told that although the Company still want my husband, there have been a couple of Aussie guys apply and HR may make him take one of them !!

I cant believe it, after we made the decision we are hit with something like this. We now have to wait a week as the contact is out of the Country and it feels like the longest week ever!

Please keep your fingers crossed, will let you know the outcome.

samnrob2

Fingers crossed,

good luck

lynnlovessun

Good decision! Try something new/ live a little. If you want something bad enought paying 7k shouldn't be the factor. Good on you, there will be other jobs - get your hubbie to look around before making any rash decisions - let us know what happens!

Lynn

worzel

Having decided to live in Australia could you find another job, maybe in another field?

leedslad

finger, toes, and eyes crossed!

hope they pick you!