mindblower

Hi All

In early stages of OZ migration. Just found out last week i will get a 4k pay rise next year (which would be a big boost for us financially).

Essentially my wife and I are in good public sector jobs with good pension
prospects. Low mortgage and my child maintenance coming to an end soon, so v. good financial prospects if stay in UK for medium/ long term.

I'm not greatly motivated by money and material things but do realise that money is important .

I'm just wary of signing this financial security away in the next 18 months for a new life down under and start again from scratch.

In my heart I really want to go for a change of direction and better quality of life, especially for my 3yrs old.


Could an ex- pats in OZ who have made similar financial security sacrifice advise me advise me if it's still worth the move please?

Nurse/Civil Servant
UK

Mrs JFW

Hello Mindblower,

It was good to talk to you at the meet last weekend

Could you and Mrs Mindblower try going for a holiday/reccie first to see if you get a 'feel' for it?
The financial aspects are something I think about but not often to be honest. My motivation is the outdoor life style and adventure. I'm not a risk taker by nature, but things have happened in my life where I think I need to live for the moment. (For some people life is too short). I'm sat here in doors with it miserable and raining outside and I know I don't want to be here!

good luck with your decision.

biggy

hiya we went from owning our own businness in the uk....with 8000k left on mortgage after 18 years....to come to Oz to a full time job and a new $150k mortgage over 30 years.............................but its fab here..................go for it mate

chris_de

Hi,

DIMIA has actually announced that they are searching for skilled workers including in your sector, this leads me to believe that either a) there is high demand meaning good financial security or b) there is no one willing to working in these jobs in outback and rural towns and they are looking for skilled immigrants who will do it.

Here are the skills Aus is searching for
http://www.immi.gov.au/migration/ski...oc/gn_modl.htm

In Australia you may find the wages lower (although I am not familiar with UK and Aus nursing wages) however the cost of living is also lower. The emphasis moves away from material possessions towards an active social life.

I guess your task is to weigh up the pros and cons. At the moment your skills are in demand... will they be in a few years time? Will they let you in then? What are your long term goals / dreams. Are you a person that that needs your extended familiy and long term friends around you or can you survive in a new social atmosphere.

Although you will hear the word Pommy a few times, the English are still well received and looked after in Australia.

Cheers
Chris

mindblower

Thanks for that, feelings wise I am the same as you on moving.

The cost of the reccie is unaffordale currently due to monies needed for house improvments / migration costs -sigh

lacey21

Come on now, been here done this,

get a grip, just cos it is going ok for you, you'll love it you know you will, it's your dream!!!

hugs
call if you need to chat hugs Lace x

Mrs JFW

Mindblower,

Is there any chance of releasing some equity in your property to do the DIY stuff ready for the sale and at the same time give you some spare cash for the reccie/visa application?

mindblower

Thanks Chris

lacey21

Yeah now theres a good idea.

is it scaring you that it is all going too well Mate?

Spoke to the main man last night night he says it is going fab for you, so pleased.

hugs Lace x

manxfamily

We are pretty much in well paid jobs and have just escaped the nursery school fees (2nd Mortgage!) as our youngest has just started pre-school.

Long term prospects are looking pretty good.

But hey, what about that life in oz, an also getting the experience of living in another county with a whole new culture, different from what we know now.

I say go for it, if you have though about it seriously enough to take steps to get there, you will only think what if in years to come if you don’t try it.

And if worse comes to worse you can always come back.

selina

hi, i am a bit confused? you started the migration process because you wanted a new like for whatever your reasons were. since deciding on going to oz the only thing that seems to have changed for you is a £4k pay rise as you already knew maintenance was coming to an end and your job prospects were good in the UK etc etc. however, despite being quite financially stable you cannot afford to go on a reccie? you are using your money for home improvements probably to make your property more saleable for when you come to sell when moving to OZ. also you are spending your money on migration costs and you are now having second thoughts about migrating.
my advice would be to borrow the money to do a reccie as your pay rise will cover the costs of this anyway. also think about the reasons why you wanted to migrate in the first place. if those reasons are still valid then what have you got to lose? ok, maybe you may loose good pay, pension, family close by etc, but you knew all that when you started the migration process.
good luck and i hope you make the right decision. selina

Vash the Stampede

Pardon me for being nosy, but if you only had 8k to pay on your original mortgage, you must have owned a huge percentage of your house, right? So when you sold it, you would have made a substantial profit - which would have converted very nicely into an absolute PILE of Aussie dollars.

But now you have an Aussie mortgage of $150,000. :scared:

So where did all that money go from the sale of your UK house?

manxfamily

Maybe they only owned a very expensive tree house!!!

CJN

If I was given a 100% pay rise it wouldn't make me stay.

We want the lifestyle & if this means sacrificing a little short term earnings, who cares? It's not like the lifestyle can change here in the UK

If you're good at your job you can get similar rewards wherever you want.

Vash the Stampede

LOL, maybe...