Hi,
We are getting near the final stages of the visa process(medicals requested) on a STNI visa(Victoria) and are having second thoughts and some concerns now about making the move. This is something which we have always wanted to do and I think we have realistic expectations of the challenges involved.
Have been reading the posts on this web site with great interest lately and would be interest in hearing the views of anyone in a similar situation as ourselves and made the move.
We have 4 children( 3yrs - 13yrs) and our main concern is the disruption on them the move would cause, standard of schooling etc. Also the problems in finding a job, how to get a realistic view of the job market, I've looked at all the job sites and there seems to be plenty of work in my field but is this really the case?. I am a Systems Engineer(Unix/networks) with an Electronics background, any views from people with similar backgrounds would be helpful.
My apologies if these subjects have been covered in the past but would welcome anyone's views.

Check out the Melbourne site at Britvics.

http://s7.invisionfree.com/BritVics/index.php?act=idx

Dont take this the wrong way, but dont you think you should have covered all these things before you decided to make the move?

Mark

Hi Mark,
We have, but as its getting nearer they are still concerns and just want to make the right decision. Just looking for feedback from anyone wit similar background who may have made the move and been through it.

Sounds to me like you're just getting cold feet - try not to worry too much, I'm sure you've done loads of research before and during the visa process. It's natural to get the "what are we doing?!" feelings, dont let them put you off.

There are no two ways about it emigrating, particularly a family of 6, is going to be a daunting and perhaps unsettling thing and it is only natural to have concerns.

I reckon the children in a move are often more resilient and integrate and assimilate quicker than their parents but this is of course a generalisation and doesn't necessarily apply in your circumstances.

I wouldn't worry too much about the children, they should find new friends quickly and standards in schools are similar, some say slightly better than UK schools (on average). Independent studies have often put Australian schools ahead of UK schools in 'league tables' relating to numeracy and literacy. Let's not go down that road though it is flogged to death in this forum at regular intervals. Do a search on different things and you will see what I mean.

Once you have targetted particular suburbs there are plenty of people on this and the BritVics site who can give you advice on schools because there is bound to be a BE or BV living nearby.

I can't comment on job opportunities in your particular field and await others in this area to give advice. There is a government website which enables you to enter an occupation and a state and it gives a broad comment on employment opportunities - but I've lost the link so hopefully someone else will help out.

Good luck!

OzTennis

There are times in life, when we all have to step out from our comfort zones, this is one and yes you will feel exposed, but life is for living it is not a rehersal we are all live on stage now.

If you decide not to go & in a couple of years you ask your self the question "What if" and be comfortable with never having triied, then you most proberly have made the right decision.

Us on the other hand would be eaten away by "What If".

We are also Melbourne bound in August.

Also bear in mind childrens eduaction is not all in the classroom, life experiences play a major part.

Dont know if this helps its just my view point


Stu

We are in a similar position and have decided not to move for the time being. We have our PR visas and have validated but are still undecided. We moved to England 4 years ago and then moved back home again (Belgium) two years ago. The impact of both moves on our children was high and we are loathe to disrupt then again now that they have settled back down. We are fortunate they are in a good school here. Our other concerns were economic. We have good jobs here which also allow us plenty of quality family time and enabled us to get a large mortgage on a house. If we moved to Melbourne, we would probably have to spend longer commuting, have to work longer hours, have higher childcare costs and be able to spend less time with our children. Also, our youngest (18 months) is in a creche at my work so I can work full time and not lose any time travelling to and from work/day care - I think that would be difficult in Aus. When we were in England the cost of day care for pre-school children was prohibitively high and I think it is similar in Aus.
However, despite all that, the longing to move to Melbourne is still there and I have daily debates with myself about the pros and cons.

Hi Fender, welcome to the forum!

The way you are feeling is normal. I've been thinking of going for years, but I know that when it comes to the final push I'll still get nervous and wonder whether I'm doing the right thing.

Many people here have been through the stresses and strains of emigrating and I'm sure can offer useful advice for coping. So don't be afraid to ask any questions you like, and don't apologise for asking.

Good luck!

Hi, and thanks for the replies,

It's not that I'm getting cold feet but as I've never visited Oz would great hear the opinions and experiences of people that have been through it, good and bad. If we had no children I'd have no second thoughts, but we need to be sure that its right for them.

Cheers

Our biggest regret was that we didn't do it 20 years ago.

I dont really understand then, have you not looked into this before applying for the visas?

And are you concerned about Melbourne in particular or the move to Australia in general?

Yes, I done all the research over the past year and a half or so but until we actually have the visa can't make any final decisions or preparations. In the meantime no matter how much I want to make the move I have to keep asking the question is it right for the family as its not a decision to be taken lightly. Therefore until then I think it is right to keep looking for info and if possible the views of people who have experienced the move, also as the visa process is a long circumstances change over that period i.e. job markets etc.

cheers

You're right to not take the decision lightly. There are always pro's and con's to moving and everyone's experiences are different, and their reasons for moving are different. I would therefore not make my decision to move to another country based on the opinions of others, however similar their circumstances may be to my own. What works for some may not work for others, including attitude, and a cautious approach may result in the same end product as a gung-ho approach.

The work situation in Melbourne is very competitive, but their are jobs for those who want to work. Be prepared to start at a lower level than you were at in England (though not necessarily), or even possibly in a totally different field.

In the end, I'm afraid, it comes down to you and your family and your own reasons for emigrating.

Good luck with coming to a decision, and have no regrets whichever path you follow.

Carl

I totally agree with fireater ( :scared: ) in the not taking it lightly...

My husband took a huge drop in salary when we first got here, but at least had a job. Once he had a few months expierience under his belt he got a much better paid job no worries (I'll get him on the case as i'm sure he used Unix at some point )

I think if you are prepared for this it can help as you won't feel quite so defeted Good luck with whatever you decide.