Pollyana

By all means try and get a job first, but most employers, unless you are very sought after and they are sponsoring you, will not employ you until you are here.
My method was to research all the job sites before I arrived, and then pitch in at once, apply for everything, and then once I had my first job, THEN look around and pick and choose a bit. First job? Sorting Christmas mail for Aus Post - biiiig eye opener, nothing Aus Post does now surprises me but it was a start, and gave me an Aussie job on my resume, which is a big boost - they know then that they can get references easily.

MrMouse

Thanks to everyone who has posted here- it's really good know that it is possible (and that there are success stories out there!). I have to admit that the idea of not being able to find work is really putting me of going to Aus, even though my partner is desperate to get back and it's causing real difficulties between us.

I particularly like Polly's suggestion to blitz the job market to start with and get some Aus work experience on the CV. It's just a bit scary to be going into the unknown, especially when it's all so normal to your OH.

Pollyana

I think its a question of being flexible; fair enough if you can afford not to work straight way, but its a luxury many people don't have. If you're prepared to turn a hand to anything you stand a much better chance of getting something

Hutch

Just ran this by the missus and she wanted to ask you if there were any particular benefits to him getting citizenship now, above and beyond getting his own Australian passport?

JAJ

For a very young child, the "benefits" of citizenship vs PR don't really mean a great deal. Except the additional security that citizenship offers, plus of course the passport. For slightly older children who are beginning to work out who they are, being an Australian citizen is clearly going to be helpful in confirming their identity as Australians.

I would put it another way. Why would you not want your child to become Australian as soon as possible? You do not know what the future will hold, what rules/circumstances might change etc. Plus, it gets one extra piece of paperwork "out of the way".

lawlaw

my husband is on the spouse visa as well, he didnt get quite as many replies as me when looking for work but I wouldnt say he struggled. He had a job within a month of looking. Dont worry, I think you should be fine.