worzel

Before we decided to emigrate, I tried to get onto an SAP project where I am at at the moment but with no joy. That was a major push to help me decide to emigrate. But I had a call this morning saying the project needs some extra resource and would I be interested. This is just the sort of job I love, pays very well and takes away the risk of being jobless when this contract ends on 30 June until we go (September?)

The project is scheduled to end in late November but these things never go to plan and could well be late NEXT year before it finishes from prior experience.

So now there might be some very careful negotiation required to try and get a series of short-term contracts or one I can walk away from without giving the game away. I may even have to consider validating late this year, maybe even leave Sam and Maryann out there and come back for a while. There are going to be some very sensitive conversations in our house tonight!

What are the chances of the house sale, visa, work etc all falling into place at the right time I wonder?

sonictigger

Hi Worzel.

Sort of snap..I took redundancy in Jan from my last job and thought I'd get some contract work to keep me going untik we were ready to move to Oz. Then I went for a permanent position, only 10 miles down the road to me (I used to communte for 1.5 hours each way), and got offered it. Money's good, location is great, but timing is poo!!!!

I have decided to accept it and just see what happens. Hopefully the job will be as good as it appears, but the thought of telling them at some point we are moving to Oz makes me feel a fraud, taking the job under these circumstances, but as my hubby says, take the job, get the money & security because you never know what will happen - the visa is definately not 100% certain.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

Judith

bal56

Sort of snap!
We spent several weeks torturing ourselves regarding whether to go to Perth or Melbourne and plumped for the former on a 'lifestyle' judgement.
Plane tickets are booked for Perth in 5 weeks and furniture was shipped last week.
Now after yonks of fruitless job applications and speculative phonecalls from afar a Melbourne employer is showing major interest offering a job pretty well identical to what I do now ... (whereas Perth will mean me having to reinvent myself!).
Oh well, I've always got a 'fallback' position...

worzel

Thanks both of you. We are also planning on going to Perth with Melbourne recently being overtaken in that race. But we have always said If I got a job offer that was perfect we might change plans. I hadn't thought of the scenario you are in though bal56 which could confuse matters even further. We were told at the weekend that Perth quarantine needs booking 8 weeks in advance so we could be in real trouble if we changed direction at the last minute with us on one side of the country and cats / possessions on the other.

kiwichild

Well i think you have 12 mths from the date the visa is issued to land in OZ. So maybe take the work, save extra for here, and reschedule your flights BUT double check with Australian authorities about time limits on the visa for arriving and ensure you are due to land a day or two before they expire.
To be on the safe side, get it in writing or faxed to you (emails can be faked too easily) and have it in your possession when you go through immigration , just incase.

chaval

Have you ever known a SAP project to complete on time (So much for Prince2 ..lol) Take the job and if you have to terminate the contract early from your side so be. Dont you have a reciprocated clause for termination in the contact ?

worzel

We had PCC's done in December so we will need to validate by December this year probably.

worzel

That is the most likely option. I don't really know where I stand on the contract as they have been for a few months at a time so far but they say one month's notice too but that could be for them, for me or both. The company likes to build in big bonuses for completion these days and that may also be a factor.

It is also a question of getting a good reference when I leave and professional pride in finishing a job. I left my last Co to do our big holiday down under towards the end of an SAP globalisation project and didn't get to see the finished thing so it would be a shame to do that again.

I guess I should stop caring so much and be a bit selfish.

bal56

As you've just said, look after yourself first!
I've been thro' enough redundancy situations, prject scope changes, delays etc to know that this has to be the main philosophy these days...

PS Had a rejection letter from one of my Perth options this morning ... I'll try to establish why!

Our 'escape' fund may have two pots of money ... 1. Escape to Melbourne 2. Escape to UK...

chaval

I know what you mean...just finished a PO and got told it wouldnt be renewed, bang in the middle of national wide PC upgrade with IP Clear and tivoli stuff in it to boot...having done all the leg work and dealing with internal politics with the diff IT depts I was abit down heartened that I wouldnt be at the topping out party...Oh well.

Im sure you'll do the right thing...Just a thought thou, as you have to validate by December, does that mean you cannot leave oz once you arrive ? could you go in, get the stamp (stay for 2 weeks) and then come back to the uk to finish the contract ? Perhaps someone who know abit more bout the process could let us know

worzel

That is an option but with there being 3 of us it would cost £2000+ and lost income while making the trip. It would only be worth doing if I can make really big money finishing off in the UK to make up for it. I could always leave the family there but that is far from ideal.

moneypenny20

Be selfish and think of yourselves. Don't forget, the company would not have any second thoughts about terminating your contract if they wanted. Take the job and then decide.

Ialibu

The Perth IT market is extremely small, and sometimes fairly insular.

I am now in Melbourne, what do you do?

bal56

I'm not a techie - my roles have comprised a mix of Project Management, Business Development Support, Implementation, Business Analysis, Consultancy .... nearly all in Supply Chain / Logistics.
There are plenty of advertised opportunities in Melbourne for this, but we're going to give Perth a crack first.

RReed

Before leaving the uk I was involved in a project at work which was in an area of midwifery that is a passion for me (2nd stage of labour). Anyway, the group got a funding grant for a post implementing and auditing what we had worked on. It was the dream job for me, and I was heavily 'advised' to apply by management. But, I told them I was in the process of arranging a move to oz and didn't apply. I watched the application process and someone else being appointed. Colleagues and management kept pushing me to apply and put oz on hold. I am in oz now and in contact with the midwife who got 'my' job. Although it is hard I have NO regrets. My husband has been djing for years (also a graphic designer). It is very difficult to break into and succeed in this area. In the last year or so this had taken off and he left graphic design to concentrate on djing. He was finally in the 'Newcastle scene' and work was pouring in. However, his last night was New Years Eve in his favourite bar. He has shipped his records and decks over to oz and I know he misses djing. I don't know whether he will bother to try and break into the scene here. He is applying for graphics jobs at the moment. So, we both left our dream jobs to start again here. But, we both agree that we would rather be here doing any job, than in the uk doing our ideal job (so far). I suppose it depends what is important to you. Good luck.
Rachel