Re: From Wales to Brisbane - My experience!!
 

Cool! That's great news! :) ...it won't be long, you'll be out here sooner than you can believe!! You won't know whats hit you!!

I hope you enjoy your holiday!!

Grant

Re: From Wales to Brisbane - My experience!!
 

A Visa??? ...what's one of those?

What a pain in the the arse! The little visa sticker that now lives in one of the pages in my passport cost me a fortune in sweat, tears, and the good old Australian dollar!!
When I first looked into the whole visa thing I knew nothing! ....I mean absolutely nothing! ....enter the British Expats Forum! This little nifty url became my psychologist!! Everybody is soooooo helpful, and anything you need to know is either floating around in the many many threads, or sitting waiting on the tip of somebodies tongue! You cannot believe the stress and pressure them bloody forms create, but there's always been someone knocking around on here to answer my seemingly overcomplicated questions, with a swift and simple answer! A special thanks goes out to everybody thats helped me through this!
Between this forum and the Australian immigration website, I found all the information I need to consider my options, ..........and I couldn't believe it could be so difficult to gain the right to live in the country of your choice!

Re: From Wales to Brisbane - My experience!!
 

Hey Grant,

Great thread - will be watching with interest to hear how you settle in. We're coming to Oz in March/April next year for a pre-emigration holiday. We'll be visiting relatives in Sydney, Canberra and enjoying the sun in Cairns / Brisbane! Think we're probably going to head for Gold Coast/Brisbane area to settle so hope it lives up to our expectations and am all ears regarding your experiences in this area in the coming weeks!

Sus :)

Re: From Wales to Brisbane - My experience!!
 

Which Visa???

Simple question eh?? ....bloody complicated, I can tell you!!
You would have thought my situation couldn't have been any easier with Jacqui being an Australian citizen, but it aint THAT easy, believe me, and in fact, in the end, her nationality never came into it!!
My first thought was, yeah simple, I'll get a partner/de-facto visa, I'll walk straight in with that!! ...but no, I was so far off the mark! We didn't meet the 'living together' requirements that were need to apply for one for one of these, so that was that visa straight out of the window, and my so called 'benefit of having an australian partner' went with it!!
Next i started loking for sponsorship, and so my CV was spread far and wide to every engineering company I could find! I got very few replies!! ...and in general I've found that most companies don't take you seriously until you're actualy in the country!! ....so a quick tip - those looking for work, make as many contacts as possible and tell them your intentions! Line up some meetings whilst on holiday, and make them believe you're commited to the move!! ...anyway, back to the visa!!....
To cut a bit of a long story short, one company, Ferra Engineering, were that desperate for skilled engineers, that they held, and seem to every year, a series of interviews in the UK!! ....I attended one, and they offered me a job there and then, with a sponsored temporary visa. This wasn't exactly what I was after! I didn't like the word 'temporary' when we were talking about something as important as moving countries!! ....but I kept that under my belt, and stuck with them whilst I looked into other options! ...only a fool would turn down the only job offer they had, right?? ...i just made sure I stayed away from any dotted lines for a while!
In the end I decided the only way to do it was to go for a permanent skilled visa. This was a longer process, on average around 12 months, but it meant that I could do whatever I liked once I landed! I stuck with Ferra, but told them my intentions, and that my initial arrival estimate would be drawn out by at least 8-10 months. They seemes fairly happy with this, and just told me to stay in touch!
I started the process, with the dreaded TRA application, and came over here on holiday at around the time I expected the results. Whilst out here, I visited a number of contacts I had made earlier, and applied for a position I saw advertised on www.seek.com.au. I was offered 2 jobs with the contacts, but I really fancied the job I had applied for! To cut another story short, I got that job!! ....and to get me out here a little quicker, they offered a sponsored permanent visa!! .....the answer to all my prayers!!! :D
When I got home from holiday, I had my positive TRA result waiting, and another load of paperwork to fill out in the form of an ENS (Employer Nomination Scheme) permanent visa!!

Re: From Wales to Brisbane - My experience!!
 

there are some bad points with a sponsored permanent visa, you have to say with the company for 3-4 years I think before you get PR status, may be worth double checking the conditions?

Re: From Wales to Brisbane - My experience!!
 

I have PR status now! A temporary visa locks you into the company!

Re: From Wales to Brisbane - My experience!!
 

Hi Grant,
PR status, great stuff. Hope things are still going well. You still enjoying your Job?
Hilary

Re: From Wales to Brisbane - My experience!!
 

Nice one Grantp keep up the posts :D

Re: From Wales to Brisbane - My experience!!
 

Hi hilary6, sorry to but in on the thread.

It just so happens that we are going to gran canaria in 9 days to puerto rico, eden apts - where are you heading? :D

mrs quinn

Re: From Wales to Brisbane - My experience!!
 

Hi hilary!! :D

Looks like like I should have said congrats to you just over a week ago?? Well done on passing your TRA!! :D ....it's all downhill from here on in!! ;)

Job is good! It was hard adjusting to start with, as it's totally different than my last position, but now that I'm settling in I'm starting to enjoy it! :)

Keep in touch!!
Grant

Re: From Wales to Brisbane - My experience!!
 

Hi Grant
Read your post regarding work etc in Bris
Where are you working now ?

Dave

Re: From Wales to Brisbane - My experience!!
 

Grant, I read a few of your posts and right off the bat I could see youre a decent fella and Im glad your happy and doing well in brissy
Last time living in wales I wasnt too far from wrexham, I was living in mold.
Good luck to you mate, Im sure youll do well , sent some karma too mate, great posts.....

Re: From Wales to Brisbane - My experience!!
 

Grant,

Can't wait for the next installment. Just got offered a job in Brisbane starting July 06. Now all we need to do is sell the house!

Cheers

Ginny

Re: From Wales to Brisbane - My experience!!
 

Hi Dave!

Sorry for the slow reply, been far too busy!!

I'm currently working for a company who are a reseller for CAD/CAM software (as I'm from a CAM background). Not sure sure whether to broadcast my workplace all over the Internet, sorry! :s

Re: From Wales to Brisbane - My experience!!
 

Hi!!

I was born in wrexham, but worked for 11 years in St Asaph. I lived in Caerwys for 6 months just before moving to Brisbane! ;) ...nice place Mold! :D