I need help and advice please
 

Hi there

I am planning to make the monumental move to Oz - Brisbane next summer 2010 and I have a lot of questions.

I am heading out to Oz for 6 weeks next Saturday and need some help with things I could be organising when I am out there:

1. I am a science teacher at a sixth form college in the UK and hold full secondary school certificates. Are these transferrable to Oz or do I need to take any exams. Should I be registering with employment agancies yet , if so where - does anyone know. is it easy to get teaching work in Oz?

2. I read somewhere that UK driving licences are exempt from a driving test when applying for an Aus licence. Is this true? If not, should I get some driving lessons when I am out there?

3. I would like to take my car to OZ, mainly because I love it and plan to have it for the next 15 years at least and I would never be able to afford the same model in OZ. Its a mercedez cabriolet. I am willing to pay up to 5000 pounds to export it. Is this realistic or could it be more. Has anyone else moved a vehicle to Australia from the UK?

4. My son is autistic ( asperger's ) and currently gets help in school and DLA. I know it will be 2 years before we are entitled to anything in Oz but will his condition affect my application for a skilled work visa? My sister is adding us to her medicare health cover policy - will this help?

5. Has anyone moved their furniture, I dont have much but what I do have is very good quality was costly when purchased and would suit the climate. Anyone got a ball park figure for moving large items and personal effects from a small 3 bedroom house?

6. Anyone know of any secondary schools in Brisbane which would suit a child who hates to write and generally would be better off in a vocational context. We will be living in the Norman Park / Camp Hill Coorparoo area but CBD is also ok. I hear there is a boys school next to the Mater Hospital near South Bank.

7. I am planning to rent a house as I cannot afford to buy out there. Would a standard teacher's salary comfortably cover a rent of approx $550 a week? What are the approximate rates / council tax equivalent?

8. How does car insurance / vehicle road tax duty compare with UK? Are there other charges / annual MOTs etc?

9. When should I get my visa / residency application underway - is it too soon?

10. Can anyone think of things I can do on my 6 week holiday that I can do to make the move run more smoothly?

11. Anything else I should know that anyone knows of?

Sorry for all the questions. Any help, no matter how small would be appreciated

Thanks
Michelle

Re: I need help and advice please
 

There are rather a lot of questions here - you might do better to split them up into fewer seperate threads.

I'll have a go and answering what I can.

Re: I need help and advice please
 

Hi There Nicky

Thanks so much for your help.

Looking at the proverbial nightmare to transport the car I think I will reconsider. I had no idea there was so much involved.

My sister does have private healthcare, I thought it was called medicare but i'm mistaken there.

Many thanks
Michelle x

Re: I need help and advice please
 

Unless you come out on a 457 visa you will be able to access the public health system straight away.

Re: I need help and advice please
 

Hi fish

Im sorry, excuse my lack of knowledge. What is a 457 visa
Michelle x

Re: I need help and advice please
 

St Laurence's College (http://www.slc.qld.edu.au/slcweb/) is next to the Mater.

Re: I need help and advice please
 

A temp visa where you are sponsored by an employee to stay in Australia temporarily for a few years.

Under the other proper immigration visa's you are entitled to the public health system (medicare) when you arrive.

Re: I need help and advice please
 

In reply to a few of points - Australia requires all its teachers to be 4 year trained and that is non negotiable. You will need to get your qualifications assessed through http://www.immi.gov.au/asri/occupati...er-2413-11.htm Getting teaching work is a bit of a nightmare as everyone wants to work in the nice places and no one wants the out of the way places but, being a science teacher you could be ok, they are the scarcest lot.

Having a child with a disability can certainly be a barrier to a permanent visa and you would be best checking out with an agent who specialises in things medical. George Lombard is one who is often mentioned in this context (no affiliation etc etc) but there are others.

Teachers are comparatively well paid and with a few years experience under your belt you would be well above the national average wage. Teachers seem to manage to rent and buy homes. If you rent then you wont have to pay rates just utilities.

I wasnt aware you could include extended family in private health cover, I thought it was immediate family only but she may be right.

Driving licence is just an exchange of licences often with an eyesight test thrown in for good measure.

Re: I need help and advice please
 

Hi Fish and Quoll

Thanks for the tips

I have a BSC hons in Microbiology and a PGCE in secondary science total studies 4 years. Is this enough?

I am a little worried as I only teach part time. (18 hours) so may not qualify for the skilled migrant, is there any other route. My sister would be able to sponser me for a job as a practice manager for her obstetrics clinic

Would this be a better route

Michelle

Re: I need help and advice please
 

When you buy a car you need to pay:
- Stamp duty
- Car registration which includes a compulsory third party insurance. Note this insurance is for third party humans not other cars. You take out fully comprehensive insurance to cover everything.
- Dealer delivery (if new showroom car)
- Transfer fee I think (to transfer ownership?)

Optionally, if buying second hand, you can do a vcheck. for mor info see: https://www.service.transport.qld.go...Qt/Welcome.jsp

See also: http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/Home...ers_checklist/

Re: I need help and advice please
 

Before you start worrying about all the rest of your queries, I suggest you find out if you can even get a visa first. Go to the DIAC site and sort that one out. The rest is irrelevant until you have that sticker in your passport. You may also want to spend time in the Immigration Forum.

Re: I need help and advice please
 

I totally agree.

Two big problems right away for getting a skilled visa would be the part time hours (need at least two every week I think), then the autism which could be an issue as well.

No point in getting all worked up on the details when you don't know if you can qualify yet.

Re: I need help and advice please
 

OK with regards to teaching:
My partner is a teacher and I'm a nurse here in the UK and we're off to Cairns this september, so I can tell you all about it:
Teaching is significantly better paid in queensland then it is in the UK, I've been told Brisbane is an expensive city, but I live in Manchester and paid £9.50 for one drink the other day and anything's got to be cheaper then that!.
You need to be registered with the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) which is the QLD equivalent of the GTC. Your degree and PGCE are fine (my partner has the same qualifications).
You won't get a visa until you have a teachers registration certificate. You will initially get provisional registration until you complete I think 2 years service in Queensland.
Work is quite easy to come by.
For state schools, you apply to the education authority and they allocate you a job according to your skills and geographic preference. (to be made permanent, you have to do 20 days supply for them first or 40 if it's in different schools). For Catholic schools which are better funded apparently, you apply to the catholic diocese.
with regards to visa, you shouldn't have issues, you're in an occupation in demand.

Message me if you need any more advice, we're at the end of everything now so we know how long stuff takes and where things go wrong!

Re: I need help and advice please
 

Absolutely!

You are getting very ahead of yourself with questions about moving personal effects etc. That day is a long way off! Years perhaps.

You may not even be eligible for a visa at the moment - I think you have to work more hours than that a week to qualify.

Your son's learning problems, may also be a HUGE problem for you getting a visa.

Why not contact an agent and talk to them about it first, to determine your own eligibility. Once that has been established, then you can take the next step in the process. There's plenty of time between now and a possible visa being issued to sort out the rest.

Love

Rudi
x

EDIT
PS Just realised this thread is quite old!! I wonder if the OP made it out here?