coopobot

I have applied to transfer from the UK Police to WA police (Perth) and have the assessment day coming up. However like many on here, I am obviously trying to decide if now is the right time to move over there. Here is my situation....


I'm just under 30 years old, I have no kids however I do have a girlfriend that has said that she would not move to Australia as it is to far away from the UK and transferring her job skills is very hard and expensive. We have been together for 2 years.

I have 5 years front line service in the UK Police.

I have a half decent social life here, I have some good friends and play in sports teams keeping myself busy.

I don't own my own house but if I wasn't applying for WA I would soon be looking to buy one.

I have a brother who lives in Sydney but we have never been particularly close, I only have my mother as very close family in the UK.

Money wise my wage covers everything that I need in the UK and allows me to save cash to put towards a house deposit, go out when I want, go on holiday etc. I'm in no debts and live comfortably on the money I earn.


With all of this in mind I am trying to decide if moving to Perth would be right at this time in my life. Over in Oz I fear the cost of living would ruin my experience, I may not find anywhere decent to live and eventually want to move back to UK but then I would not be able to re-join the UK Police.

But this move is always something I have dreamed about and if I don't do it now I think I will be too old or have to much service in a few years if the applications came around again.

What do people think? How do other people who have applied feel about the move?

I've also posted on the Australia - Police forum.

Thank you in advance for any replies.

mikelincs

Given what you have put in the post, you have to decide just how important you girlfriend is to you, in other words are you prepared to give her up for a life in an unknown country.

roaringmouse

If you fail the assessment day, then the rest is irrelevant. I think you're getting ahead of yourself a bit.

verystormy

I don't know what police in either country earn. But, you need a dollar amount at least 2.5 time the salary you get in pounds. So, if you make £30k, you need at lest - and I mean at least. $75k. Personally I wouldn't do it for less than $100k. Also, please remember that a lot of immigrant police are posted to crap holes in the middle of the desert.

spouse of scouse

Hi - you've obviously thought a lot about this, and have identified many reasons to stay in the UK, but only one to move (something you've always dreamed of). Without more reasons on the 'go' side, I'd be inclined to 'stay'. I do wish you the best of luck, these decisions are never easy.

coopobot

Thanks for the replies, in relation to your comments...

Reasons to go in no particular order:

1: better weather
2: uk police is going through lots of changes. Nearly all for the worse.
3: to 'live the dream' of moving abroad. Ive visited Oz twice before but never Perth.
4: i know someone else who is about to transfer there.
5: better way of living.


We get a choice of different places to be stationed at. None are in the middle of the desert, outback.

I have to consider the options now before the assesment. Better to be more prepared early then to make a rash decision to definately move or not at a later date.

roaringmouse

In what way to you is the weather better in Australia compared to the UK?

How would way of living be better in Australia than the UK?

Answers to these two would help in understanding what you think in regards to those, as they're very subjective.

NATIONAL-VELVET

Hi there,

Is it a categorical "no" from your gf, or would she be prepared to compromise, say by going over there 'temporarily' initially (e.g. for 1-2 years) and then, if she hates it still after that time, she and / or you can return to the UK. She would only have to tell her rellies she is going temporarily, so less pressure, less anxiety and less emotional blackmail to stay! If she loves it and decides to stay, she can just tell them by email, lol ;-)

I'm sure I heard somewhere that Perth has more British policemen than Australian ones, so I'm sure you'll fit right in and won't feel as homesick surrounded by fellow Englishmen/women :-)

Good luck with your assessment and remember - if it's meant to be, it'll happen for you.

N-V

PS - If your gf is under 30 then she could always apply for a Working Holiday Visa (as could yourself, if you fail the assessment and still want to go). Then you could treat it more as an adventure, try and find work, if you do and you like it, get them to sponsor you for a 457 and then, ultimately, for PR.

Dorothy

I really think you need to come to Perth and take a very good look around before deciding to throw away a relationship, job and life in UK. Please don't get me wrong - I like living in Perth. However, after being here in WA for the past 6 years I am able to see past the travel brochures and TV shows extoling the virtues of life in WA. Come here, take a month or so to live like a local and not like a tourist and then decide whether you want to give up all you have now to join WAPOL.

renth

I have also heard anecdotally that most British cops think the way WAPOL operates is very old school and loads of them leave just as soon as they are contractually able to do so and remain in Australia.

verystormy

I agree with what Dorothy has said. You also need to do a lot of research on things such as cost of living. I just looked up the pay for WA police. Starting salary is $64k. In Perth, that is peanuts. Your not going to be living the dream on that. You do know that the average house price in Perth is nearly $500k?

The police in WA have been going through a lot of issues. They are unionized here and were threatening industrial action.

As for the weather. Your happy trying to beat in 40c heat? Or how about in winter when we get a higher rainfall than the UK?

Have you considered why they are recruiting from the other side of the world? There has to be a reason why they can't get locals to sign up? They are advertising heavily here for new recruits and our unemployment rate is actually only a couple of percent lower than the UK, so you need to ask yourself why they can't recruit.

the troubadour

I wouldn't give up the life you describe to come here to Perth . From what I've read quite a large number of UK trained have left the force/service, unhappy with aspects of conditions.
A book was written about it by a fellow that returned to England a few years back to which had little to good to say.

Life is very expensive here and you really need to consider carefully the wisdom of such a move.

renth

The plus side is you go get to shoot and taze people, so it's not all bad.

LeeWillo

Coopobot it seems everyone is trying to talk you out of it! I came for better weather, and a better way of living. For me that means I can do things outdoors with my family rather than being stuck in the house every weekend in summer because it is raining. I also love the beach and when I was in Perth I was there every weekend.
The way I see it, if you don't like it you can come back, although not sure how the police thing works not being able to go back.
My wife said she wouldn't come to Australia too. I told her to give it 2 years and if she doesn't like it we will return. She misses her family and friends alot, but I think when the 2 years comes round, she will not be wanting to go back just yet. There are things she misses but she is very aware of the positives the move has made for us.

Jilliebee

Can you take a year out/sabbatical and come over on a WHV? Try before you buy kind of thing? It sounds like you'll be giving up a lot of positives and you don't sound convinced yourself. Migration is not easy and I believe you need to be sure to integrate easier x