AndyR

Hi all, first time poster as only just found this site.

Me and the misses have been trying to emigrate to the USA for several years without success as we would have to get a H1B and its just not happened. So, the last few weeks we have been thinking of Australia and are liking what we are seeing.

Reasons to move for us are its getting far too expensive in the UK, quality of life, weather etc etc.

Currently if we sold out poxy little 2 bed terrace we would only get about £20k equity from it so not much to take with us. This would have to go towards a house in Oz so we are looking at places like Adelaide or cheaper places on the Gold Costs due to house prices.

I am looking to get a Skilled Visa for IT Professionals and looking at jobs on seek.com.au I should be looking at around AU$60-70k, plus the wife would like to work in a PA role for AU$50-60k.

Has anyone been in a similar position to us and made the move? Everyone we hear about doing the move has got no mortgage, has bags of equity to take with them and basically doesn't have to worry about money whereas we would. The Wanted Down Under program doesn't really help as they all seem unaware of what they are doing, like most going to Sydney when they can't afford it.

Any help would be great!

Thanks,

Andy & Emma

Wendy

Hi Guys,

I'm in Adelaide. We haven't bought yet, but are looking for somewhere. There is only my hubby working and he's on $56k a year plus overtime. We've been told by a mortgage advisor that we can have upto $250k, and we need 5% deposit (so $12,500 plus stamp duty of around $10k)

We aren't looking at a big mansion or anything, but we can quite comfortable get a 3 bed house with pool for that money.

Building a house will also get you a little more, and there is no stamp duty on the house only the land.

iPom

Cost of living used to be cheaper in Aus, but it is no longer. It works out imo pretty much the same as the UK unless you're growing your own stuff and have chickens. The heating bills may be less but what you gain there, you'll use in Air Con unless you love the heat or you're in a cooler area.

Please do lots of research - the threads here are repeated often, so check out cost of living, jobs, housing in the area you want to go to, but please, don't think Aus will necessarily be any better than where you are now. Sure, the weather is fab, but if you love your family, can't live without them or your friends, really think about whether you need to come to the other side of the world to achieve a different life, or whether moving to France, Spain or whatever might not suit you better.

IMO, earning what you quote there should be fine to cope with the cost of living, but that 20K will go quickly on a car, transporting your stuff, tickets, and rental whilst you're trying to get jobs, so research that area really well before you get here.

I hope that's not too negative, but cost of living really isn't any better here than it is in the UK, so do be careful. Best of luck with your endeavors. I hope it all works out for you.

blowfly

I totally agree with ipom. You don't mention children, so I am going to assume you haven't any which certainly makes things easier.I don't think 20k is enough,it may be a bit risky without a job.all the best whatever you decide.

fox's2oz

Hi

We live on the sunshine coast, average 3 bed house will set you back $370th dollors, and 4 bed $420. We have decided to build as couldn't afford to buy what we wanted on hubbies wages alone. I'm not working, have been looking for some time so i hope to get something soon. We have a bigger mortgage now than what we had in uk, but i woundn't change anything.

Note of caution when building, you pay stamp duty on the land and you pay full wack, theres no concessions as you are classed as an investor.

Good luck!

nik04

If your in IT then be prepared for a wage shock in the goldcoast also there are more IT people here than you can poke a stick at. It took my mrs 10months to get a job in IT after 50+ interviews and god knows how many applications. She has more quals in IT than i can list, here and she earns $48k before tax, she used to earn £50k plus after tax in the UK. Choose your area to live wisely

Abject_Rage

Hi Andy

We were in a similar position - about the same equity from the house in the UK, no savings, etc. 2 major differences to you, though - 3 kids but salary quite a bit higher - they probably offset each other!

We went to Melbourne but had to keep going south down the Mornington Peninsula until the house prices suited what we needed & could afford.

Biggest shock, so here's a warning for you, was the stamp duty. Unbelievably expensive, at a percentage of the house price, and for us was the difference between an 80% mortgage at a great rate (initial expectation) and a 90% mortgage at the rate we were given, no choice (actual reality). Our mortgage here is now about double what it was in the UK, but repayment not interest only and, as iPom says, almost everything else costs about the same as the UK. In fact, our gas bill is much higher, water and rates lower.

Don't let it put you off, but move for the right reasons and have a really good think about it.

hoops

Always another side to the coin:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=421240 (hope the link works)

We came out in September 06, with two children (8 + 3) with a little over $12,000 - all we had left after paying everyone from Shippers to flights and of course paying off credit cards etc.. (not good I know, but hey!).

We are now happily ensconced in a rental in Perth - I work full time as a PA and hubby is currently a stay at home Dad studying to become a teacher. IMO we survive quite nicely, of course we don't go out all the time, but we still socialise without spending a huge amount of money. I suppose it depends on what you like to do and what your priorities are?

Like IPom said you still need to do a lot of research - make sure you are doing the right thing for YOU.

Wish you luck what ever you decide.

Hoops (mrs)

AndyR

What do your mrs do in IT? Programmer/Support/Analyst? Just wondering as although I have found plenty of jobs that I tick all the boxes for on the web, I am hearing lots of things like you say about many people applying for the few jobs.

nik04

At the moment she is a systems administrator, which she is over qualified for but she took what she could get. Lots of IT people have moved up from sydney all cashed up from selling their properties there.

AndyR

Thats what I would be going for. Am qualified as an systems analyst over here and working several v.large accounts, but would look at a sys admin role as sick of doing on-call hours etc...

How does she find the work compared to the UK?

nik04

In one word boring, she is doing stuff here that would be well out of date in the UK, but at the end of the day it's a wage, as i tried to explain to her no matter where you are in the world you still gotta work n pay bills. Our total anual bills are still cheaper than what we were paying in council tax alone. She does get alot more down time here.

AndyR

As you say at least its a job. Before I was in my current role I was getting bored where I worked so I moved here. No I can see that although its a lot more money, my free time has vanished and I'll be happy to take a lower job again.

nik04

I used to love my job and the money was fantastic, 2 years ago i had to have spinal surgery. You get a real different perspective on life after that, now i would rather have free time than a little extra money anyday. After all there more to life than working 24/7 . Any way good luck what ever you decide to do, just enjoy your life, if you come out and dont like it you can always go back nothing lost but a bit o cash .