paddyo

Hi Yemi,
Manly is a great suburb to start. Thats what we did and the ferry ride to work is sublime (well, most times when the weather is not gale force 10!!). Its then a 5-10 minute pleasant walk to The Rocks.
Our company paid for school costs as we were also on a 457 and DEFINATELY ask for a relocation agent, saves you a LOT of time.

Yemi82

Hi Paddyo! Who do you work for!!!! I'd like my daughters school fees to be paid for!!! did they sort out your visa application and costs or did you have to pay for this and they reimbursed?
Could you recommend a good relocation agent?

Beoz

Definately go with all the help you can get like a relocation agent, immigration lawyers, removalists, etc.

For my relocation there was a budget and I squeezed every last penny out of it.

The HR bitch hid the budget piece from me until one day, when she was skimping on the next penny, I threw the toys out of the pram. So she threw me the budget and said "you manage it". Happy days

As for school fees, well no kids, but I have a passport anyway so it didn't matter, but I would certainly be fighting tooth and nail for that one.

Again, if they need you, which is the purpose of the 457, then they would pay for any costs not associated with "normal day to day" living.

Yemi82

Hey Beoz! lmao @ squeezing every penny out. I hear you, thankfully my HR rep is lovely, I just hope the company pays for the upfront visa costs as I have mouths to feed and don't have that money hanging around.

Beoz

Are you saying they expect you to pay for the visa too? This is not the done thing for a 457.

paddyo

In fact it is highly unusual.....THEY sponsor YOU and in most cases cover ALL costs. Usually