pommie bastard

You might be talking the top end the company I work for in WA pays about $55k for a Cad Drafter more if you are a Cad/ Design , like I say no idea what construction companies pay.
The money from you home should be about enough to buy a lower end house here plus your wage would just get you by no more.

Amazulu

PB, how much do you reckon for CAD Designers (Electrical) ?. What is the contracting situation like ?.

cadman

Thanks for the reality check PB!

I must admit I thought $50-60k was a more realistic figure from what I've seen on Tech recruitment sites over there, since been told 70-100 by someone out there.
Key question could be wether we're talking staff or agency?
I've been agency here for 11 of my 15 yrs experience and the pay is much better than staff. Would like to go staff there TBH but if it comes down to cash (as it invariably does) then I'd be happy agency.

pommie bastard

The wages go on how much you can con out of the tight bastards but aim above $60K , never tell them what you what let them offer then you counter offer.

pommie bastard

You take what you can here just getting that first start in Australia is important.

cadman

Damn right.

cadman

So, update time.

My wife has now has enough GCSE's to get onto Nurse Training here in the UK.

My skills have been positively assessed by Vetassess and our DIMIA forms are going in for processing.

Can anyone tell me, IF we decide to stay (and we haven't yet, it's just that my wife is pretty upset at having worked hard to get enough qualies to do her NT and now it will be for nothing, we'll go to OZ and she won't have the qualies to get on the Degree course Training there) in the UK while my wife does her Nurse Training, bearing in mind that we will hopefully already have our PR via my skills, will she have to do another 6/12 months experience here in order to get a job in Oz as a nurse?

From my point of view, it will take some of the pressure off me if we have a 2nd income in OZ, and she gets paid to do her training here with possible child care help from friends/relatives whereas in OZ we'll have to pay for her to do it and child care may be a problem.

Any help/advice appreciated.

Wilf

What a terrible attitude towards the UK. Use it and throw it away until it is useful for you again? People on here attack the UK for being a bad place to live and why do you think it is? It is because too many people are abusing the place and not putting enough back into it, and that is exactly what you are suggesting, only even worse: from your home in Oz, you do not need to worry about how bad the UK becomes as it gets used and thrown away.

tiredwithtwins

Hi there,
If you get your PR visa through in the next year you can go out to Oz to validateit, then you have 5 years before you have to go back. this would give your wife the chance to complete her training. And I dont think its a hard and fast rule that you need a years experience befor you can get a job - only if you use an agency/recruitment specialist. as you are going on your quals for your visa her experience isnt relevant at the moment. Newly qualified Oz nurses have to start somewhere I dont think your wife would be any different, and she has her experience as a hca in her favour. The starting salary for nurses is about $32000 - try the autralian nurses council website for info/links
Good luck!!
Sue

cadman

Thanks Sue,

Just one more thing, is the £5k per year bursary over here means tested do you know?

As I understand it, it is for a Nursing Degree but not for Nursing Diploma.

I presume the Diploma is fine for work in OZ even though they do a Degree level qual over there?

Sorry, that's 2 things!

LondonNurse

Hiya

If your wife starts training over here she might be ok because the first year of a nursing course whether diploma or degree is worth 120 credits regardless of whether you are doing degree or diploma. So in fact she will have done one year of degree level study.

It's only in the 2nd year that diploma students take less credits...You're wife should be ok as long as she gets a transcript of training listing the courses she has taken in her first year of nursing.Do you think she would be able to cope with degree level studies in australia?

I'd advise her to apply now and get on a course for this september. Also, I know a lot of Nursing Students are eligible for family tax credits which could help you along the way. If your wife is 26 or over she'll be entitled to £6000 per year and can calim money for any dependants/children that you have which I think is £800 per child.

Hope this helps and good luck!

LondonNurse

Ooh forgot to add the bursary for diploma isn't means tested at all.

Just the extras like assessing whether you are entitled to dependants allowances etc...

cadman

Thanks.

Looks like we may be here for another 3 or 4 years then!

Only downside is that the kids will be older but eldest will still be only 12 if we stay another 4 years.

The upside is that we get a holiday in Oz next year to validate our visas!

kentcoast

Hope wife is now registered on course for september. I have been up dating my nurse training although I have been qualified for twenty one years ( it does not seem that long). There is the opportunity for her to continue to degree level once out in oz. But going out with the diploma is fine. Might find though that she needs 6 month experience for the australian nursing board once completed training. There are still lots of oz nurses that have not taken degrees. I think in previous postings london nurse (please forgive me if I'm wrong) has also been undating qualification prior to leaving for oz. Remember it is not three years of training they are school years so she should be finished and able to register in june 2006. Make sure though she finds out in advance from uni exactly when registration to the NMC will happen.