SmilingNurse

Hi,
I am new to this forum & just wanted to ask a few questions as myself, husband & dughter are in the process of deciding whether to move to Brisbane. I have been offered a job at Mater Children's Hospital on a pay of $63,000 approx. Ontop of this I would also receive overtime payments but not sure how much this would be.
The problem is that my husband has no formal qualifications but has been a security porter here in the UK for 21 years. On looking at various job sites it has become apparent that he would need to take courses in australia in order to recive a security operative licence & hence a job. My worry is that whilst he doing this would we be able to survive on my wage alone??? I have tried looking at vaious sites trying to calculate our living costs in dollars but it's driving me bonkers!
I would receive a relocation package to cover visas, flights & a container, and would have about £12,000 (max) but will prob be about £8,000 in savings. We realise we would have to be very sensible with money.....but is it too little funding for too big a dream??
Many Thanks xx

Dorothy

Yes, you will survive. Many of us have done it on a hell of a lot less.

SmilingNurse

Really? Wow? I hope I didn't offend you.....I genuinely am unsure of cost of living / hiring house / buying car etc. Am in real turmoil over it all....want to offer the lifestyle to my famly but need to know that it is the right choice before I accept the job. I'm sure that many of the posters on here went through similar feelings & also wanted to know a few reassuring facts prior to finalising their decisions.
Thanks again

Dorothy

Not offended at all. We came with 2 kids, no jobs, no relocation package, about $30k AUD and a husband who also had to do a qualification here before he could work. I worked 2 jobs to make $40k AUD to support us while he got qualified and looked for work and we survived just fine. You will be coming with a job that pays 50% more than what we made, plus overtime. So, yes, you will survive just fine.

SmilingNurse

I think what has scared me is that although I know alot of people (all nurses) that have either worked in australia for a few years or emigrated for life....all seem to have gone with a much larger amount of savings or have both gone knowing that they have to secure jobs to go to. iTghtenng our belts & watching the pennies does not worry us, what does is getting there, loving it but having to return to the Uk for finacial reasons. We will be selling our house (little or no equity), our cars, rehoming our pets in order to come to Australia hence would return to nothing.

breezeboylan

Remember that as a nurse you will also get shift penalties on top of that salary and you will also be able to salary package so you will actually be earning more, even without OT.
Tracie

Dorothy

That's exactly what we did. Our dog went to live on a farm with the guy who replaced our windows. My cat went to live with a friend of a friend. The house I loved more than anything got sold and my husband quit a job where he had worked for 20 years. It's a very frightening thing, but for most of us it works out in the end.

Has the hospital sponsored you for a 457 or is it a permanent visa? Being a nurse you can apply for PR so long as you meet the criteria. If it were me, I wouldn't have moved to another country on a temp visa, but again, lots of people do and are fine with it.

SmilingNurse

Have had a brief look into visa's. The hospital suggested that I get a 457 but I felt that the PR visa offered more security to our family if anything does go wrong. Am I right in thinking that??
I know it takes longer to organise but thr hospital are keeping the job offer open for 18 months or so.

bluekipper

Until my hubby got work we survived on a lot less than you are being offered.

You`l be ok

Good luck

Bluekipper

Dreams of Oz

We did exactly the same...i had a job offer (although we had PR) and i worked as a nurse until my hubbie got a job.This took about 2 months.My hubbie was a manager in the UK of 15 years experience but couldnt get into anything like that over here and didnt really want to,to be honest.
He got a job as an assistant surveyor for a private company building the motorays over here in and around Brisbane.He has been told he has a secure job for at least 10 years so i guess thats as good as it could get.On top of that he LOVES it! Hes outside all day with little responsibility(although the boss wants to train him up within a year).The guys he works with are all great and hes earning about what he did in the UK but with no hassles.
I now work casual at the hospital where i started and am getting school hours to fit in with my son on $42 an hour.I can have all the school holidays off so it works great.
Dont worry about your OH...someone will give him a shot if hes willing to work.
Good luck to you.

SmilingNurse

Thankyou so much for the reassuring & honest replies!
Another quick question for anyone familiar with Brisbane......which suburbs should we look into for ease of getting to work? (mater children's hospital) I understand that public transport is good & have looked at various sites but there's nothing like a good recommendation from locals? HOpe fully we will be able to buy a car at a later date.
We potentially may have our dog flown out once we're settled & into a routine so somewhere with gardens & open space would be great BUt also somewhere with a good school / entertainment / shops for my 12 year old daughter.
Thanks xx

Grayling

That depends on where you live....it is not good everywhere.....also do not underestimate Brisbane traffic.

G

Grayling

Meant to add.

Most of the central and easily accessible suburbs are pretty expensive.

G

E3only

Survive - Yes

Decent living - may be yes

Luxury - NO

I do notice people make comments re : OT allowance etc. Best to work off with 63k gross.

I am sure your hubby will get some work when you get here (Brisbane is a bit quieter than say Sydney or Melb in terms of job market and you guys may struggle with his first job but hey everyone does so nothing against you!!)

Once he gets a job, life will get much much easy.

It all is personal though. For me 63k may be not enough but for you it cud be more than enuf - if you know what I mean.

Child does mean schooling etc, I am sorry I can not add more to that but public schooling here is fine (I will let others add to this).

All in all - 63k is ok to survive. I just jumped on to say, yes people here are positive but please do not have high hopes and I am sure you are ready to stick it out tell hubby starts working !!

O, and thanks for coming over (deciding to anyway) - we surely need more nurses

All the very very best...

kiwinow

If you have your job sorted you will be better off than many of us. Your husband may find there is something else he can do without training when he gets here, but if he wants to do security papers you should be OK on your salary as long as you aren't used to living extravagantly.