Hello - moving to Perth and have some assorted questions
 

Hi,

I've just accepted a job offer based in Perth. I work for an international recruitment company and will be leading a team in the Oil & Gas market in WA.

I'm excited and nervous about moving in equal amounts! I currently live in Brighton with my girlfriend and whilst I love the culture and nightlife here, the opportunity to move to Australia (which I've been to and love) is too tempting to turn down.

Anway, on to those questions:

1. Does anyone know how the Oil & Gas industry is doing in Australia generally, and WA specifically? (any links to websites or other advice would be brilliant)

2. What is considered 'proof of relationship' for my visa application? My GF has lived with me for 6 months, but isn't on any bills or anything. We've been together 3 years, but don't have any specific proof. I'm worried this will be a problem with her getting on my visa. Any suggestions?

3. If my girlfriend does get over on my visa (457) are there any restrictions on her working over there?

4. My only concern about Perth is that it seems a bit 'quiet' on the nightlife front. We love going out at the weekends and having a few beers during the week. Are there nightclubs/late bars in Perth? Is there much of a nightlife/club scene/live music scene in Perth?

5. Any other advice on moving to Perth would be great.

Thank you very much for your help.

Stu

Re: Hello - moving to Perth and have some assorted questions
 

First of all, congrats on the visa.

I worked for a firm called Clough Limited. Have a look at their website. You could also look at Rio Tinto and chevron. There is another but the name isn't coming to me at the mo!

Re: Hello - moving to Perth and have some assorted questions
 

oooh, and we were hugely busy, especially with Gorgon.

Re: Hello - moving to Perth and have some assorted questions
 

Hi and welcome

Firstly the oil and gas industry here is huge and growing by the day. You wont have problems obtaining positions but will struggle to find candidates as does industry in WA.
The 457 requires you to prove you have lived together for at least 6 months. There are a range of ways of doing this and they will accept things like photos of you both, statements from friends and family and any proof she may have of her address.
Once she is here there are no restrictions on her working.
Not really into the club scene a lot, but Perth does have them and seem to be mainly in the Northbridge area of the city. It wont be as good as Brighton and can be a bit rough - The area and its clubs are infamous for fights and gangs. But plenty of the guys at work go regular. But there is no escaping the fact that Perth is a little dull. It is known localy as Dullsville
What Perth lacks in a night life scene though it does have alternatives. There is a big beach culture and myself and most people i know love spending the summer days at the beach. For me, there is no beating a day at the beach with a board followed by a bbq with a couple of friends on the night. It has a lot of outdoor stuff on offer outside Perth such as heading north to swim with whale sharks and camping in the bush to Margeret River with some fun / drunken tours around the wineries.
Perth is expensive to live and to have the lifestyle you have now you will need a salary in dollars not of twice but closer to three times what you earn at the moment.
Perth is isolated and there is no getting away from that. We are closer to Singapore than we are to the other Australian cities and that is a negative. It is expensive and difficult to get away.
Come with a open mind and you will enjoy it.

Re: Hello - moving to Perth and have some assorted questions
 

Perth has a pretty good live music scene, with a fair few venues.

Re: Hello - moving to Perth and have some assorted questions
 

1. They are doing brilliantly, WA is one of the mining capitals of the world it seems, the minning industry is the reason the whole global economic crisis thing mostly didnt impact aus like it did the rest of the world

2. we used council tax, electricty, gas bills things like that for this

3. unsure
4. I have heard people say its quiet but personally I am always very busy!. There are lots of pubs all over, there are night clubs in the city and in freemantle and nights out in the city are very similier to other places in the world just a little less rowdy. Although saying that northbridge is a bit of a rowdy area as it has a strip of bars close together so its gotten a bit of a bad rep these days.
The only quiet downside of perth I find is the shops opening hours, they are often closed at the most inconvieniant times.

Good luck

Re: Hello - moving to Perth and have some assorted questions
 

:confused:

I don't agree with this at all. Options that I have looked at/booked recently:
London return on Air Asia - $720
Hong Kong return on Air Asia/Jetstar - $375
Tokyo return on Air Asia - $400
Singapore return on Tiger - $200
Melbourne OW on Tiger - $100 (I actually had this for $50 when they first started this route)
Sydney OW on Jetstar - $100

Difficult? How can any of this be difficult?

Re: Hello - moving to Perth and have some assorted questions
 

What dates were you looking at to get those prices?

Re: Hello - moving to Perth and have some assorted questions
 

Crap. Yeah in "theory" you can get cheap prices to the moon. But the reality is Perth is isolated mand so its going to cost$$$ to get anywhere.
I work with guys who commute to work from Melbourne, Brisi and Sydney and cant get them prices.

Re: Hello - moving to Perth and have some assorted questions
 

Went to London in July for that fare.
Going to Hong Kong and Macau next Easter school holiday for that fare
Japan Fare was available this week. I nearly booked it but have too many trips planned as it is.

Re: Hello - moving to Perth and have some assorted questions
 

See post 10. Sure, to get the really cheap fares requires a bit of planning and early booking. But all those fares I've quoted have been available when I've looked.

I'm hardcore when it comes to trying to get cheap airfares/holidays.

Re: Hello - moving to Perth and have some assorted questions
 

Depending which expert you want to agree with then Perth is going to be the Saudi of the oil and gas industry for the next 50 years and everybody can fill there boots.

Or demand will fall and with all the other countries coming onstream with LNg and CSG then we are all in the shit around 2017.Russia in particular building some stuff that dwarfs the NW Shelf.There will be a vast oversupply.Take your pick which expert you want to agree with

Perth is quiet but you are 5=6 hrs away from 2 large airport hubs in Singapore and Bangkok.from there the world is your oyster.

Can't help with the live music,when I got here INXS were playing the pubs and doing a good job.

Australia is isolated,not just Perth,as Bob Hawke said,we have a very central position,12 hrs away from ewverywhere.

Geordie downunder

Re: Hello - moving to Perth and have some assorted questions
 

Amazing this Perth is isolated thing.Perth is very close to Asia,the east coast is a long way from anywhere,unless of course you want go to UN ZUD,which is well worth having a look at.

Re: Hello - moving to Perth and have some assorted questions
 

Music wise U2 and Bonjovi are both playing in perth in the next few months

Re: Hello - moving to Perth and have some assorted questions
 

A person who is used to the Brighton scene and vibe won't be impressed with U2 and Bonjovi coming to town. Big stadium over priced sell outs is not what Brighton is about. The OP will find Perth lacking in all respects unless he gets into the boating, fishing, surfing, camping scene and then he'll be in his element.