HFamily

This little gem, i assume is one of the stumbling blocks that many people face.
School fees!

I will be moving to Australia NSW in the new year (fingers crossed) on a 457 visa, my family will remain at home at this stage.

Does any one understand the circumstances which are looked at for a School fee exemption ?



With 4 children of school age this is half of my salary ! The other major draw back is we have no house to sell in the UK to fund this.

Any advice or helpful would be gratefully received.
(Also the lottery numbers for the next week would help)

northernbird

I believe you can apply for an exemption on the grounds of financial hardship. Why can't they sponsor you for a PR visa, will take longer but much better option in your circumstances.

HFamily

Time scales are a small issue, i would like to start as soon as possible.

I plan to move and start work asap (internal company which helps), one to check out that this is the right role for myself, prior to moving the whole family. If the above is all positive, i will start the ball rolling for PR, but during that process time, i want the family to move over and the children need to be in school.
If the PR takes i long time, which it can do.

We will remain on the 457 visa, but we will not be able to afford the school fees.

Thanks

moneypenny20

Could the company not help you out a bit?

HFamily

I would love to the company to help out. But half of my salary in advance could be pushing my luck.

liverpool girl

My friend, a 457 visa holder, got exemption from school fees because of having 4 children so it can be done.

NickyC

I'd have thought that they should be paying the school fees for you!

If they want you so badly that they're prepared to sponsor you to move out here, the least they could do is ensure that you're not out of pocket to that degree.

How are you supposed to survive on half a salary?

HFamily

Thank you this give my a ray of hope, which up to how has been difficult to see.
Most information points towards having to pay the fees.


for me this is a big change, i will be leaving a role i have been doing for the past 13 years (since school).

yanH

I think I am the "friend". We emailed the department of education asking them to exempt us. They need proof of income, but it must be based on what percentage of your income the fees are, because at present we have 3 children in school and they wouldn't exempt us, but they said that if we enrolled our 4th we would be completely exempt for all of them! Our youngest was 4 in July, so we were going to hold off enrolling him in school for another year, but if we do this we will have to pay $13 500 for the other 3. Also, because we have been excempt from fees we are now eligible for free transport, saving us another couple of thousand dollars a year! We almost didn't apply for the exemption as my husband earns an above average salary, but it just proves that it is definitely worth asking. PM me if you want any more advice on this.

HFamily

Thanks.
it sound like it is one of the benefits of a large family, normally the more children you have things work against you.

our youngest child is 5 in May.
We are going to apply for exemption prior to arriving as this is the key factor if we can accept the position or not.
Initially my wife would not be working so we would only have a single income, which is arround the average area.

Rob12paws

Is home educating an option? There is quite a good support network in the Sydney area, as I recall.

r12p

GaryKristensen

If paying half of your salary is a problem then you have to ask, is it worth you coming out here?

If you REALLY want the Australian way of life, you'll pay the fees and compromise in other ways though.

Hopefully during your time out here, you can ask the company about sponsorship for a PR visa as this makes it a lot easier (financially) to cope.

Running straight to the welfare system on arrival is wrong IMHO, especially if you are not a permanent resident. The whole of your financial situation should be factored into your plans to move across here. If you are going to struggle and immediately fall onto the welfare state, then it may pay to re-think the move.

Good luck with it.

theshinenz

Are school fees higher in NSW? We are from New Zealand and recently visited North Brisbane, we were astounded that the state high school we looked at for our kids only charged $125 a YEAR per child, we thought this was VERY reasonable considering that including hirage of books needed and all we had to pay for above and beyond this was excursions, uniforms and stationary.

HFamily

A few hundred $ would be manageable, but when it is a few thousand $, this can make the choices very difficult.

theshinenz

You must be looking at private schooling for that price??