honeypot

Hi everyone - so my husband and ten year old son, are in serious consideration for the big move to Australia.
However, I am really confused with visas etc. I think we are most likely to go for the four year visa, I am a deputy manager of a childcare provision and hold a honours degree in relevant field. The husband is a skilled builder and works self employed for rental companies.
So of course I have questions if any of you lovely people could help.
We like the rural, quiet and laid back lifestyle. We would like to be close to the coast but it's not important, what areas should I start searching?
I've read somewhere about job sponsorship, how would I go about finding organisations that offer this?
What is the average cost of a move to Oz?
How easy is it to make friends once out there?
Ummm that's for the most part all I can think of at the moment any help, advice and guidance would be gratefully received.
X

Dorothy

What 4 year visa are you referring to? I think you may need to take a close look at Australian Government Department of Immigration and Border Protection and see whether you might qualify for a visa.

But to answer your questions:
"We like the rural, quiet and laid back lifestyle. We would like to be close to the coast but it's not important, what areas should I start searching? "
Rural living in Australia is nothing like rural living in UK. Do you realise how big Australia is? And just how much coast there is? Give us some idea of what you're looking for. Do you want tropical and humid? Hot and dry? Isolated and really freakin hot?

"I've read somewhere about job sponsorship, how would I go about finding organisations that offer this?"
With unemployment currently running at around 6% in Australia at present, unless you have something that can't be found here your chances of being sponsored as a child care worker are slim to probably none. However, if you are looking for sponsorship you would go about it the same way you would look for a job in UK. Send out resumes and hope someone gets back to you.

"What is the average cost of a move to Oz? "
Anywhere from $0 to tens of thousands of $ depending on whether you are funding it yourself or if you are being sponsored by a company that agrees to move you. Personally, our move (in 2006) cost about $20k plus the associated costs of setting up a home in a new country. All up it was closer to $40k once we tallied it all up. This included flights, a 20' container, visa fees (which have risen in price tremendously in 10 years), medicals, rental deposits, white goods, a car, months for the ex without work, etc.

"How easy is it to make friends once out there?
How easily do you make friends where you are? For me personally, I have made some really wonderful friends but it didn't happen overnight and I really changed my ideas of who I would have chosen to hang out with. Two of my closest allies are people who I never would have thought I would be friends with before moving to Australia.

I think your questions are pretty generic. You'll have to think about something a little more specific than "how much does it cost?". Remember, in order to get good information you have to give good information.

skinnygeorge

I'm sure some on here will disagree. But I would be inclined to refer to a reputable agent (There are some sharks out there)if only for a free consultation to get all the facts and what is required. It is all on here but rules change and it may save a lot of time in the long run. I used Ian Harrop based in Burford, Oxon. Really helpful and after help with my initial skills recognition application, I got them to deal with the lot. Again you can do it all yourself and many on here did. But my attempt caused delay and a little wasted money with a few daft little mistakes. In 1998/99 it cost my family of 4 a total of about 10,000 pound. 2 or 3 of that is in the early stages and the last 7K was flights and container (took about 18 months) but we had a 6 month hold up in the middle with other issues. Sponsorship is via companies who cannot find the required skills locally and is becoming rare, as there is a far lower skills shortage than years ago and a decline in the Mining industry has got a lot more skilled people in the market. The only offer I got was for a tiny mining town in South Australia about a mile square nearly 500 miles north of Adelaide. It is one of the most expensive places in the World to live but if you can get employment in your skillsets the chances are you will earn more than you did in the UK and not find it an issue. I think you should be sorting your eligibility first of all. If you opt for Skilled migrant visa experience and genuine ability count for very little. Documented evidence provided in the way they want is key, as said an agent can tell you if you have what Australia wants. Making friends depends on where you find yourself. Theres nice friendly communities and theres areas where people just keep themselves to them selves like anywhere I guess. Rural settings come at a price, work and the house price. Cheap rural house are aplenty because there is no work nearby. You can find a quiet suburb well out of the towns or cities and a short drive to the sea fairly easy. But bare in mind the suburb will probably double in size over the next few years. Hope it goes well.

mikelincs

Given your costs were some 20 years ago, and that costs of visa etc has risen, especially the visa cost, then you would be looking at some £20,000 in total. Most people on here do not use agents, but if you do, please ensure they are MARA registered.

jad n rich

I would really start focusing on the climate to narrow down where you might still want to go.

Perception in UK is often australia is nice warm constantly sunny. Reality is far more extreme. How hot exactly can you handle?.

Temps above 35C are fairly common in most parts of OZ in the long drawn out summer. If you partner is going to be doing trade work he will really know about it. A roof space can be 60C, reflection off concrete can be blinding, UV can easily be 13 and a health hazard. Does the idea of a work uniform so dripping with sweat, it looks like you have been swimming sound appealing? If so thats a good start.

Then look into licences for his qualified trade in the state you decide on.

Should help narrow down where to go.

Bermudashorts

If you want to "move" to Australia, I am struggling to understand why you have decided the four year visa is the one for you? That would mean moving back when your child is 14 or 15 which is not a great age to move. In any case there is no such thing as a four year visa, there is a temporary employer sponsored visa which can theoretically last *up to* four years, but can be shorter and can also come to a sudden and abrupt end at amy time.

You obviously also have to find willing employer sponsor for this visa, which is very hard for most people who are not currently in Australian and there is no particular way of going about it other than applying for jobs. Skilled migration program is a better option and worth looking into, I am not sure either way if either of you would qualify at moment. I think you would need to be the manager not deputy and not enough info on your husband to speculate.

To some of your questions. In terms of where to live start by narrowing it down to a state, which is still a huge area. Most Australians live by the coast, the bit in the middle is pretty much empty, so wanting to be by the coast does not narrow things down. And rural in the UK is very different to rural in Australia. I currently live rurally in the UK, but I am still in a market town in fifteen minutes and in central London in 90 minutes. Rural in Australia can mean three hours to the nearest corner shop, I don't think many Brits can even comprehend the scale of rural in Australia and it would not be what many would want from a move to Australia. I always think going rural in Australia has to be done in stages, move and settle somewhere more normal first, then explore the remote areas, get a true living feel for the size of Australia and only then think about going rural.

Back to narrowing it down by state, there are three big things to consider. Climate which varies hugely, housing costs which also varies hugely and availability of work, which in your case probably does not change that much by state but it can for some people. These are the differentiating factors, don't get bogged down by subjective things like "which state is best for children" - something I have seen people ask a squillion times!

We spent £25k on our move to Australia, that includes visas, flights, shipping, pet shipping, five weeks temporary accomodation, rental deposit. Others will have spent less, others more. We had jobs to go to immediately so did not have to factor in living costs whilst seeking work in that.

If you make friends easily now, you will make friends easily in Australia. If you do not make friends quickly now then you will not in Australia. It has nothing to do with the country, it is to do with you.

Buzzy--Bee

This.

BB