JoRobertson

Well, we are at the point of applying for our visa under the new points system - can apply for 175 for me, husband and son. I work as a nurse and am starting to get rumblings that the financial crises that has hit everywhere else (it seems) is startting to catch up in Oz. My big bro is even starting to feel the pinch after 8 years of living in brisbane.
Just wondering what others thoughts are - is it worththe hassle under this economic climate? Would i make ends meet working as a nurse? How are other nurses finding it?
Any thoughts appreciated
Jo & Graham x

Buzzy--Bee

Would a nurse be affected by financial wobbles? This is not a job normally considered to be affected by recessions etc.

BB

Turban Explorer

Would you be coming over with a job lined up in Brisbane? The cost of living here is very high as I'm sure you'll have seen from the threads on here. Also the exchange rate to sterling is so poor at 1.5 if you are transferring pounds you need a lot more savings than in the past to get yourself established here with a rental house, car etc - buying anything using UK equity means you probably have to downsize considerably. It depends what you are expecting and whether the visa allows you to wait for a few years until Australia falls in price and the pound appreciates. If you are happy to rent, live frugally then do it for the adventure - but if you want to buy a house here and 'get ahead' I wouldn't. What does the other half do?

Trevski

I agree if you wait a couple of years i think oz will be banging again, just at present in brisbane the housing market is falling on its arse, and yes the slump has hit here to but the government and the shopping markets dont think there is any thing wrong in putting up the prices on food, well they still have to make MORE PROFIT and stuff the working family that is struggling to make ends meet.
House repos has hit a high here and i cant see it get any better for a couple of years.
People here are selling their homes to get out of the bite of the mortgage lender, then when they do sell their house they go into a rental, but as the rental market gets less and less it means any land lords out here can ask for more rent, we have the lowest vacancy % for rentals at present its approx 1.8% in most areas, which means there is not many un occupied rentals around.

jad n rich

The worst thing about brisbane and surrounds right now is the media and govt went so over the top with the floods in january. There were reports that gave the impression the whole of qld was under water

We were in brisbane 3 days and 10 days after the floods, in most parts you wouldnt even have known it happened.

It was tragic, people died, but the media simply went OTT. Many parts of the world had disasters this year or last, and have simply got up and on with it.

The damage done by Bligh and the media is the problem, it had to be the 'biggest disaster the world ever had' in that aussie way, of biggest bigger best

More damage caused by them than the floods.

The message has to get across soon, that apart from the very seriously affected areas, the other 99% of the state is carrying on as normal.

hollykimalan

I am a nurse and the sole earner in our family and we are much better off in Australia.
We left UK in 2009 and things were getting pretty depressed then.
I now earn much more than in the UK ( using 2.4 dollar to the pound ).
We have 3 kids so are well looked after with the family assistence system too.
I hope this helps.
Any questions then PM me!
HKA

Bix

But do your own research on that because I for one am sceptical it's any higher than the UK even though there are many claims on here to that effect.

It's simple to select individual items and prove they are more expensive but you need to consider the total living package.

Buzzy--Bee

Did you say "living"? I'm sure you said "lifestyle"

BB

Bix

That does sound better doesn't it?

Turban Explorer

If you assume she will be needing to convert UK savings at 1.49 to start up here, before any Australian wages come in, then car/house etc will be much much more expensive than the UK. On a day to day basis whether cheaper meat offsets expensive vegetables etc etc I can't say for definite but I'm pretty sure even at 2.5 I found the supermarkets very expensive.....

I don't know about the family assistance scheme but unless you are a permanent resident I don't think you wouldn't be entitled to any handouts from the government.

Bix

No TE, I'm thinking of all the expenses we have, not just direct retail shopping ones.
You have to weigh up the whole caboodle.

The fact petrol is cheaper.
Water rates are cheaper
Council rates are cheaper
Insurances are usually cheaper
No TV licence needed.
No National Insurance, just 1-2% Medicare levy.

Those are a few of my favourite things.
I mean, those are a few of the things that come immediately to mind.

I understand the benefits system from Centrelink is very generous but have no experience of them to be sure.

And on a like for like basis I still think you get more for your money in property but that is very subjective of course.

Bix

Energy costs was another I was going to mention.

When I looked at it a couple of months ago they came out about the same but that was only accounting for the increases in the UK up to 2008.

To explain that a bit the amount of electricity and gas I used in the UK compared to my electricity consumption in Aus worked out about the same.

However it was using 2008 UK unit costs against 2011 Aus unit costs. I suspect the costs have actually increased in the UK over the last 3 years.

Turban Explorer

You're undoubtedly right Bix - didn't want to give the wrong impression on the whole cost of living basket over here. I haven't ever paid any utility bills, insurances etc so there may be enough savings in them to offset the food/dining out costs. Petrol is definitely a cheaper item. My main concern for the OP would be the costs of getting settled here (in sterling) would be rather painful in terms of a car, rent deposit and other initial costs until the AUD started to flow in.

JoRobertson

Hi there,
Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to think about this one - all your comments and advice are really helpful - helps to build up the bigger picture.There's nothing like "real time" advice from people who are actually doing it!!
Any other thoughts on this welcome - keep them coming!!!
I suppose like most people I'm a bit nervous about the prospect, really excited, but nervous! By the time we actually get out there my son could be anywhere between 10 and 12 years old and his experience could make or break it. The last thing I want him to experience is negative stuff which will make it more difficult to settle i.e. financial difficulties, because we have been unrealistic ( i fthat makes sense - or am i just being an over-anxiouss mother hen??!!!!!)
So, thank you again,
Jo & Graham x

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Funny that because we were having a clear out the other day, of all the financial type paperwork, we had hung onto for a few years and found a bank statement from the UK in 2006 and our gas and electricity standing orders were a LOT more expensive than we remembered them.

I pay a bloody fortune here for electricity but it looks like I was paying a bloody fortune in the UK as well.