RachandGarry

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum so hope to be chatting more with you over the next few months (years, decades perhaps!).... I've found the information very enlightening and tried to search for answers rather than just repeat questions already answered.

I just wanted to say - isn't this all so complicated?!?! Brief intro: Married couple, both 31, one son aged 6 months. Hoping to apply for migration under the Skilled Migration Visa category as DH is a Civil Engineer. Looking to move to Brisbane, although more work seems available in Perth. Also considering looking for a company to provide sponsorship opportunities instead.

Have a house here with a large mortgage, considering renting it out to cover the mortgage on it until we reach the end of our fixed rate deal (2011) and then we'd know if we were coming home or staying in Aus. I have heard though, that we would be taxed on the income from it?

Its something we've wanted to do for a while now, but am so nervous of paying all this money for assessments, medicals, applications etc and being refused! We just don't have that kind of spare cash. Its fine if it is fruitful but to be wasted would be heartbreaking!

Anyhoo, enough from me. Hope to chat to some of you soon with my neverending questions and maybe I'll even have an answer for someone!

Thanks for reading
Rachel and Garry (Bristol, UK)

Mark044

Greeting...you'll find plenty of info and help on here.
Have you;
- been to oz or brisbane before?
- whats your reasons for moving? Always good to have them laid out and confirmed by yourself!
- have you completed some of the free online assessments various agents provide to see if you total the required number of points?

Good luck!

Froppence

Hello Rachel and Garry

I am new to this too!! So many questions & loads of different answers!!
My husband, four kids & I are looking into which visa is best for us as neither of us can go for a skilled visa. I am a childminder with my own business working from home & my husband is a sales manager for a constuction company, but although I have certificates & experience, it's not what they want!! My husband has got the experience but no certificates!! We have spoken to three different agencies & they all say something different!! So we are at the confused stage!!! Still looking & dreaming though......Not going to give up!!!
I hope you get on ok.....Good luck!!

OzzieNurse

Hi and welcome! My son, hubby and I are hoping to emigrate to Perth at the end of this year. Visa is lodged. Just a waiting game now
It is all complicated and it doesnt get much easier I am afraid, but it is all a great experience and one I wouldnt change for the world, and thats even before we get to Australia.
The information on here is overwhelming I must admit to being silly and asking the normal questions asked by newbies for the first few days only then did I think to find the search button for already asked questions, sometimes successfully other times not.
We are from the West Midlands, Hubby is an engineer and I am a nurse, our son is a professional rascal (he's 3). Love him to bits and he is the main reason for the move in the first place. Give him a better standard of life. Instead of the couch potato culture sometimes portrayed in the UK where kids cnat be kids and play outside....
I am hoping to spend more time as a family out in Oz having fun on the beaches and exploring our new environment!!
We cant wait to get there....how about you? Any ideas where you are heading and what you want to do?

RachandGarry

Hi Mark!

I agree, it never hurts to make sure your head is on the same page as your heart, so to speak.
1) Been to Australia, various places (Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane and Sunshine Coast) and love Brisbane area...
2) Don't like the British weather - we don't cope well with heat, or cold, or rain, or drought, etc etc... unless it's "blue sky, slightly warm and occasional showers" then roads, offices, schools and houses seem to come to a complete standstill hee hee! (obviously I am exagerating for dramatic emphasis, before anyone accuses of me of not loving my country, ha ha!)
Also, I think Australian children are taught to be more respectful towards other, have more chance of a good outdoor life, good support for sports training, etc in Australia than here. It would also be nice to get away from my in-laws, tee hee. Just kidding.
3) Have done points myself and also 2 agents have checked them and DH scores over the 120 - so far so good. My family are also there if we needed sponsorship, but don't really want to go down that route.

We are going on holiday for 4 weeks at the end of April, before we start applying, just to make sure its something we really do want. Also DH will have a chance to meet face to face with the recruitment agencies in Brisbane and Sydney. Once we get back, we'll decide for sure. The thing I'm looking in to most at the moment is making sure his skills are okay for the skills assessment. His degree seems to be accredited but its a bit of a minefield!

Are you applying too? Hope it is going well for you!

Rachel

RachandGarry

Hi Froppence!

What a fantastic name, I love it! My nickname was once Blossom - not sure where it came from but my company even reordered my desk nameplate with Blossom as my first name, even the customers knew me as Blossom, hehe!

What an irritating situation for you - this is where you just wish common sense trumped official rules isn't it?! Sometimes you can see something is a good idea, but on paper it looks more complicated. I guess life has to be run in an organised way but sometimes it does get in the way of our dreams and plans! I hope you get something sorted!

Rachel x

RachandGarry

Hi Rachie (another lovely name!)

Well we have at least 3 things in common - our name, we both want to move to Oz and our sons are both professional rascals - although mine is still in training at just 6 months, hee hee. Your reasons are similar to mine - I think Matthew (my son) would love it out there and have a better upbringing, if you know what I mean...

Not 100% sure where to head, really. It will depend where the work is. We will head wherever we can get a job, and rent there until permanent residency is granted. Then we can always relocate to another state as Matthew will not have started school yet... Eventually, I can see us somewhere in the Brisbane area - maybe real nearby or maybe a little north or south. My family are in Bundaberg which is 240 miles north, so I quite like it there! My husband is a Civil Engineer, so thats what he would do and I am a stay at home mum for now, but would like to return to my career as a travel agent when the kids (hoping for another eventually!) go to school!

Nice speaking with you, hope everything goes well for you and that you hear soon!

Rachel x

Mark044

Yeah we are just starting process with a 2 yr old in tow. Looking at Brisbane and Melbourne altho we've only been to Perth! Would be interested to hear about your trips to Bris!
Your points are interesting about your dislike of weather...is Oz the right place for you?!!!

Streaks

Hi Rach and Garry,
Have a look in the meet up section, there is a Bristol meet planned for March
it'll be fun to meet other peolple to chat with who are in varying stages of their visa applications, children will be welcome
Cheers
S xx

RachandGarry

Mark: Tee hee re my dislike of the weather - the worst place in the world for me (weather-wise) was Orlando. I can't stand thunderstorms, I hate them!! A more stable, placid climate - hot or not - is best for me! Brisbane and Queensland are lovely - but then it was a few years ago I last went - it could have changed by now! If you are interested in Brisbane I found an excellent website: http://people.aapt.net.au/~tims/emigrate/ We're there again in May, so once I get back I will let you know my thoughts!

Speaks: Oooooh, that sounds good. I will have a look now! Perhaps see you there then!

Rachel x

Wendy

I've just answered your other thread but just seen this post. If you have 120 points then you are best applying for the skilled independant 136 visa, you won't need a sponsor (family or employer) as you only need 120 points which you have.

For more info on how that visa works and what you need to do to apply for it download and read booklet 6 http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/booklets/books6.htm