Hi - we (hubby and two girls 5 & 3) are just "thinking" about moving to Australia at the moment and we know absolutely nothing about the first thing you need to do to get the ball rolling regarding moving out there so any advice on what to do first would be greatly appreciated as I'm reading these threads and seeing lots of terminology that I really have no idea what it means How long does the whole process take? My hubby is an Accountant and I'm a Project Manager - are there many of these type vacancies??

We are thinking of visiting Perth for a reccy in the next 12 months - what's a good time of year to visit Perth? Also - are there any good websites I can visit to check out the property market in Perth please?

All info gratefully received

hi there
heres a website for houses

http://www.realestate.com.au/

and heres the imagration webite, a good start.

http://www.australia.gov.au/

you will find a list of jobs that are on the wanted list of skilled proffessionals on there, will give you an idea anyway.goodluck!

Andrea

Great - thanks Andrea

Hi there, I too am 'dreaming' rather than 'thinking' of going to Australia and have no idea where to start! I have borrowed a couple of books from the library as a starting point and aim to read a few pages a day. Ive never even been to Australia and dont know why I have this urge to work there so I have a lot of research to do! But im not planning, or dreaming' of going there just yet, maybe 4 or 5 years away as wed like to start a family first in England first, and save up!

Well we've got to have dreams haven't we We've never been there either but we are just fed up with this country and the weather and we like the idea of the outdoors life and hopefully not having to work quite so hard

The funny thing is that my oh is ginger and doesnt like the sun Were away to Rhodes next week, so I may come back and decide that wed beter relocate to the North pole!

Im fed up of this country too, and feel so much happier when the sun is shinning, and the reputation for lifestyle and happy people over there tempts me! People in this country can be soo moody! I also love my family to pieces but think we'd all appreciate each other more if we wernt half an hour up the road!

Do you know anyone in Australia, and would you miss your family and friends loads?

Oh no - he'll come back a lovely shade of pink then!!
I used to work with a guy who now lives out in Perth and he has given me the lowdown and says they absolutely love it there - they have been there almost 2 years now. I know I would really miss my family and friends, especially my old friends who I have known for years but I hope that the way of life would make up for that.

I think maybe red, as he hates suncreme, but he will wear it!
My friend moved to Sydney a few months ago, her husband got offered a job there and within a few months they were off! Ive not spoken to her properly yet, thought id let her settle before I bombard her with questions!

Im saying to myself that initially id like to go there for just a few years, and then stay on longer if we love it, so wed rent out our home here so we have somewhere to return to if need be. Id hate to get to 60 and say 'I wish id have gone to Australia', so I am desperate to make this happen!

I hope it happens for you, sure Ill talk to you on here again soon, good luck with your research, please feel free to post anything good you find out!

How funny - that's just the way I was thinking too - don't think I could actually say we're emigrating as it's too final so would like to say that we are going for a couple of years for the experience - as you say I'd hate to get too old and be wishing we'd taken the plunge! Well good luck to you too and let me know if you get any good tips and I'll pass on anything I get to you

Hi, I have never been out to Oz either, I am also fed up with this country on various things but I have gone arse about face on doing things. I had paid a emergration agent to get me a 136 visa which I have managed to get, now I am going to Brisbane - Gold coast in September to have a look at suburbs and house prices to hopefully emergrate. I have no family or friends over Oz . But I hope once I am over there in September even though its only for a month, I hope I would know what areas I can afford to live in. I am happy I have managed to get my visa as now I have a choice of stopping or leave, some how I think I would be leaving here, and as I have read in a lot of the forums Oz is not for every one. You don't know until you have tried it and even if you do return you will have a lot to say about the place.

Wow that sounds great - bet you can't wait! What made you decide Brisbane? Also - what's a 136 Visa? I have no idea about what all the types of visa are!

hi and welcome to BE!

i think you will get a better response if you put your post in the immigration forum.

We have used an agent www.globalvisas.com we are still waiting for the visa to be granted and the whole process has now taken 1yr so far that includes the TRA.

anyhow good luck

Thanks for the tip! Good luck!

Hi have a look at this link that shows the different types of visa's http://www.visabureau.com/australia/default.aspx I used the Visa Bureau to get my visa which took 6 months start to finish including the TRA. Everyone has different processing times depending on each circumstances. Good luck.

Thant's great - thanks for that. Can I ask what made you decide on Brisbane as we are stil lundecided on what part of Oz we fancy (never been there!)