Re: UK to australia
 

Check out the visa first - and registration. Someone has posted the link to the Nursing forum, where there is lots of info on registereing with AHPRA - that can take several months, so if you only want 2 years here get it sorted as far as you can before your arrive!
You say you have an eye to a permanent visa - check that out upfront too, as the older you get, the harder it gets to achieve the points :(

Its still possible to get sponsorship as a nurse, though much harder than it used to be so you may find sponsorship (and thus a temporary visa) hard to come by. Not impossible though. Start contacting hospitals and employers asap if you want that temporary visa (457). :)

Re: UK to australia
 

My bad you didn't ask where is best but you did ask "where is good?". Most places are good for somebody, the places that are not good for anybody tend to be deserted in Australia. So you see it is really hard to help with a question like that and I have tried to help you narrow it down with some practical considerations. There is nothing to get upset about.

I didn't think it would be all that helpful to say "go to Sydney" just because I went to Sydney. So any thoughts on jobs the OH would be looking for, climate preferences and budget that might help us to help you narrow it down.

By the way, a lot of people do think Australia has permanent sunshine, so was just an honest tip to help you out.

Re: UK to australia
 

First, be aware that it is not a cheap or quick process. It is going to take up to 12 months to obtain a visa and cost a fair few thousand.

As to where to live, first look at jobs for you and your partner as this is the key thing and even in nursing now, it isn't as simple as it used to be with some areas no longer great for nurses. For example, WA is making large scale redundancies to healthcare.

Then think about what aspects are important to you. For example, weather - it varies a lot across the continent. Do you want tropical? Hot and dry? More changeable? What sort of lifestyle - big cosmopolitan city such as Sydney or Melbourne? Laid back such as Perth? A bit "different" Darwin.

Will add though, don't think you will be spending the days lounging on the beach. Australians work hard and work some of the longest hours in the developed world.

Re: UK to australia
 

Thanks everyone, some really useful information & tips to get us started

Re: UK to australia
 

Hi


If your really wanting to do something then you should do it if you can, firstly apply for your visa so that you can work in Australia, before I decided where to live I would firstly look at where your skills are required the most and then take it from there, Australia wherever you live with have sunshine so that really is not important it is work, then your lifestyle ie do you like City life, town life etc, if you would like to live near the beach can you afford to buy/rent in those areas as they like most countries can be very expensive. What is your partners work skill? can he find work as unless you have plenty of money you will need two people to work so that needs to be considered. We lived in Perth ourselves and like most said its very hot in the summer to hot to enjoy but Spring and Autumn are nice and I loved the Winter's during our last few years there!!!! SA is much similar but we found it quite quiet after a while (on an extended journey/reccie) Brisbane was a nice City but way to humid for us when we visited in Jan/Feb it might of been just that time of year but we just did not enjoy it so headed back to WA, personally if we were going to return to Australia we would head to either Victoria or NSW and would have to do our homework on which areas very thoroughly first

Re: UK to australia
 

You will get heaps (loads) more sunshine in Australia and it will be a lot warmer too compared to the UK, that's for sure.

That's why I live here. :)

Re: UK to australia
 

Sure, but if it's just the sunshine, then why bother moving that far away for 2 years? If you calculate all the costs and stress (especially with kids), there are easier options closer to the UK.






If one salary can obviously replace two salaries, or the husband gets a decent job with good working hours then why not.

Re: UK to australia
 

Language. Easy

Re: UK to australia
 

So far I have yet to meet a person in Brisbane who does not fit into the following categories:

Christian Scientist / scientologist
Crystal Healer / herbal healer
Dog groomer / walker
Yoga instructor / pilates instructor
Vegetarian / health food creep
Petrol head / tradie / always dirty

Re: UK to australia
 

Hello :)

I think it's a super idea to come for two years as a sort of suck-it-and-see or a life adventure. Yes, the children will experience disruption but they will look to you to see how to handle that disruption and it can be an experience that broadens their horizons and supports their resilience.

I think the key is to keep expectations realistic and keep the kid's realistic too. Avoid making promises about how it will be to soften the anxiety pre-departure but just encourage an adventurous spirit and that the goodbyes won't be forever. Hopefully you'll have a super adventure.

As for the posts about why bother going to Oz etc. - it's an amazing and totally unique country so why wouldn't you want to come and try it?! Compared with the U.K. it actually does feel like near- permanent sunshine in a good majority of places :D

Just don't come blind: before you commit to the idea emotionally or practically work out the cost and be clear about your expectations etc. Use the forum to get a reality check on life here and emigration also.

Re: UK to australia
 

Well, I always thought they spoke Tiwi:sarcasm:. It's not being negative and Australia can be a great country like anywhere, but if someone just wants sun, there are easier options closer to home without visas. If everything else is right like salary, housing etc. then it can of course make sense, but how much money will they spend for a move alone, including rental costs?

Re: UK to australia
 

Money is unavoidable in a move. Many of us would prefer to rent anyway for various reasons - like I can live where I want when I rent OR someone else pays for maintaining my place OR Interest is wasted money, just like rent, no diff.

Language is important. Spain, France and Italy are great and all that but getting a job without knowing the local tongue can be a problem unlike being in northern Europe.

Re: UK to australia
 

Renting isn't the issue, but it's the cost of rental in Australia and the cost of a whole move to the other side of the world with kids and back again. And what will the husband do? The money you spend on a move to Australia including visas etc. will probably get you 6 months holiday/career break (including private school) in Spain, so you can actually enjoy the sun.

Re: UK to australia
 

Heh heh this make me actually lol

Re: UK to australia
 

There is a big difference between living in a different country that has some familiar pieces than holidaying in one that has no familiar things.

And lets be honest, despite Melbourne having a few extremes and Brisbane being humid for 9 months of the year, the weather for the most part craps all over the UK. The UK gets a few weeks of summer. Its depressing.