Allylou2002

Over the past few months I have been thinking about moving to Australia. I am lucky to have family already over there, my grandmother and uncles have lived there over 40 years and are citizens. Plus, my dad has said it would provide us with a wonderful life. But how true is this?

My boyfriend and I are getting married in July and I really want to start a forge a new life and I think Australia would be perfect for us, our attitudes and outlook.

I am a teacher (6 years experience) and he is a graphic designer (12 years), my only concern is that boyfriend is diabetic would this cause an issue?

I dont even know where to start? I think we would be looking towards Eastern Australia as that is where my family are based (NSW, QLD and MEL)

I appreciate any advice - Thanks.

Alfresco

Hi and welcome.

First check if you qualify for a visa.

http://www.immi.gov.au/visawizard/

As long as yours or your boyfriend's occupation is on the Skills Occupation List (SOL), you should be ok.

http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1121i.pdf

Diabetes is not necessarily a limiting factor in gaining a PR visa to Oz.


I'm sure some wiser people will be along soon enough.

Allylou2002

Hi Alfresco

Yes been on the site - and I do qualify - plus cause I have a sponsor it helps.

So need to start looking at other things now ---- where to go, jobs, what life would be like? Medical Care? So much!

Lots to think about x x x

Alfresco

Then you have a great start. I would get the visa application in motion and spend the waiting time here on BE getting all your questions answered.

Read old threads and use the search facility as much as you can, but also ask loads of questions. You will receive positive and negatve answers on here, but you will get there. All the very best.

Visa forum here:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=32

Seabird

Allylou2002

Perhaps one thing I wish people had pointed out to me earlier in the process is that provided you have an escape fund, if it doesn't work you can always go back! Not that I have ever had an intention to, or ever wanted to go back, in fact our one visit back to the UK simply confirmed for us that we had made the right choice.

Alot can depend on where you move, what is the right place for you, how easy you find it to get jobs etc., which links to making friends. If you already have family you should have some network when you arrive, as well as somewhere to stay avoiding the cost of temporary accommodation. Medicare is fairly easy provided you have a permanent visa. A visit to any doc in Adelaide at the moment is costing around $30 plus medicines, which can be more expensive than in the UK. That said, petrol is much cheaper so it costs you less to get there!!

Overall the reasons you decide to move are unlikely to be the ones that make you stay if your experience is like ours.

Without this site we would never have made it here, it was a lifeblood for us, so make sure you become part of it in your decision making.

Good luck,

Seabird.