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Want to move back to Aus

Want to move back to Aus

Old Feb 14th 2021, 9:52 pm
  #16  
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Default Re: Want to move back to Aus

I suppose what Brexit may have to do with an increase of interest in Australia is the increased difficulty to work across borders, , to retire in a warmer climate, to study, besides the added distaste of leaving Europe for those preferring to remain inside the EU.
UK in the midst of winter can indeed sap the energy and moral. Combined with lockdown and high illness rate not to say death rate, and really easy to see why people may want out.

Obviously there are numerous pro's and con's that can be weighed up and in my view they would come out somewhat equal almost as to cancel out one another. Blue skies and sea obviously would put Australia over the edge if those things are the deciding feature. I agree mental health can be impacted by gloomy skies and excessive cold. I've been there myself.

It should be recalled though that Australia has now the second least affordable housing in the world after New Zealand from stats I read a few days back. Personal debt to afford those houses, are close to the biggest if not the biggest in the world. Hardly allows for a laid back country in my opinion, with the effects of growing inequality visible everywhere.

I can only assume that this factor along with increasing employment insecurity as well as plain and simple outright greed as led to a growing illegal drug trade. Well entrenched and professional people engaged. (at least in my locality)
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Old Feb 15th 2021, 3:32 am
  #17  
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Default Re: Want to move back to Aus

Originally Posted by the troubadour
It should be recalled though that Australia has now the second least affordable housing in the world after New Zealand from stats I read a few days back. Personal debt to afford those houses, are close to the biggest if not the biggest in the world. Hardly allows for a laid back country in my opinion, with the effects of growing inequality visible everywhere.
Can you share these stats? It would take a lot of balls for someone to knock Hong Kong from Number 1.
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Old Feb 15th 2021, 8:27 am
  #18  
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Default Re: Want to move back to Aus

Originally Posted by bs_wave
What has Brexit got to do with people wanting to move to Australia? Really, people? We're just going to put "Brexit" down to everyone wanting to leave the UK now, huh?
.
Of course Brexit has got something to do with it and you already notice it on the forum. The painter & decorator from Scunthorpe is no longer posting on the Spain forum and the Evans family who seek early retirement in Murcia have disappeared. They will now try to find other countries and will do anything for a life in the sun. It's the same with people who are happy in the UK, but want the right of free movement "Why is Michael (50) now suddenly seeking out his Irish roots"?

Last edited by Moses2013; Feb 15th 2021 at 8:44 am.
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Old Feb 15th 2021, 11:02 am
  #19  
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Default Re: Want to move back to Aus

Oh come back here Harri ! Start working towards it right now and that will make you feel better if nothing else. Like you I couldn’t hack the crowds in the UK and the car parking issues and just the general way of life. It is very different as you know . For a few months per year it is ok but the Winter months just drag on and on. Go for it, start looking at realestate.com.au and plan plan plan.
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Old Feb 16th 2021, 6:07 am
  #20  
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Default Re: Want to move back to Aus

Originally Posted by starlight7
Oh come back here Harri ! Start working towards it right now and that will make you feel better if nothing else. Like you I couldn’t hack the crowds in the UK and the car parking issues and just the general way of life. It is very different as you know . For a few months per year it is ok but the Winter months just drag on and on. Go for it, start looking at realestate.com.au and plan plan plan.
I agree, a few months is nice (during the summer period), but any longer and you just want to go home.

Originally Posted by the troubadour
It should be recalled though that Australia has now the second least affordable housing in the world after New Zealand from stats I read a few days back. Personal debt to afford those houses, are close to the biggest if not the biggest in the world. Hardly allows for a laid back country in my opinion, with the effects of growing inequality visible everywhere.
I have heard property prices are quite unaffordable in many parts of Australia, but then again it is a big country and prices still vary considerably depending on what part of the country or area of a state we're talking about. In general, they're quite high, yes.

Originally Posted by the troubadour
Obviously there are numerous pro's and con's that can be weighed up and in my view they would come out somewhat equal almost as to cancel out one another. Blue skies and sea obviously would put Australia over the edge if those things are the deciding feature. I agree mental health can be impacted by gloomy skies and excessive cold. I've been there myself.
Again, it depends what part of Australia we're talking about (not all parts of Australia have year-round good weather like in Brisbane, Cairns, Mackay or Perth). Also, just because one country has a higher cost of living than another – or one region of a country has a higher cost of living than another region – does not inherently make that a bad thing. It depends what's more important to you.

For example, I chose to live in Barbados despite the cost of living being somewhat higher (my rent is about 30% more expensive) because the quality of life here is better than it is in the UK, in my opinion. Others may not agree for various reasons; such as it being an island and more remote with less access to the same kind of goods and services found in countries like the UK or Australia, less maintained road network, etc.

Originally Posted by Moses2013
Of course Brexit has got something to do with it and you already notice it on the forum. The painter & decorator from Scunthorpe is no longer posting on the Spain forum and the Evans family who seek early retirement in Murcia have disappeared. They will now try to find other countries and will do anything for a life in the sun. It's the same with people who are happy in the UK, but want the right of free movement "Why is Michael (50) now suddenly seeking out his Irish roots"?
I'm sorry but Brexit has absolutely no relevance to this discussion about British nationals wanting to relocate to Australia. For many people, getting an Australian work visa is more difficult than it is to get a work visa in many European Union countries, because the eligibility criteria under Australian immigration law is very strict. Therefore, how can Brexit possibly cause a massive influx of Brits relocating to Australia when the barriers to entry are as high as they were before?

This discussion reminds me of a New Zealander I was speaking to during my time in Queensland in 2019-2020. He was a British dual national having not lived in the UK since age 2, and he was complaining to me about Brexit because he "won't be able to easily travel to EU countries anymore". The point I am trying to make is thus: many people that don't live in the UK, or indeed in the EU, usually have the most to say about Brexit, when it least affects them.

Last edited by bs_wave; Feb 16th 2021 at 6:18 am.
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Old Feb 16th 2021, 7:06 am
  #21  
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Default Re: Want to move back to Aus

I'm not complaining about Brexit and remain in the EU. Even if the immigration law is strict, you still only need a skill that is on the list. I doubt a British plumber will find it easier to get a Visa in Spain today, especially if they don't speak Spanish. You say:The point I am trying to make is thus: many people that don't live in the UK, or indeed in the EU, usually have the most to say about Brexit, when it least affects them.

How many people had an opinion about Trump? You also have an opinion about British/Australian weather, although you don't live in all parts of the UK/Australia. It's fine by me and everyone can have an opinion and
It's just reality that those who are desperate will do anything to live the dream that is sold to them. Ironically the positive in the UK is always turned into a negative and the negative in Australia is always turned into a positive.

Last edited by Moses2013; Feb 16th 2021 at 8:06 am.
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Old Feb 16th 2021, 6:09 pm
  #22  
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Default Re: Want to move back to Aus

Originally Posted by Moses2013
I'm not complaining about Brexit and remain in the EU. Even if the immigration law is strict, you still only need a skill that is on the list. I doubt a British plumber will find it easier to get a Visa in Spain today, especially if they don't speak Spanish. You say:The point I am trying to make is thus: many people that don't live in the UK, or indeed in the EU, usually have the most to say about Brexit, when it least affects them.

How many people had an opinion about Trump? You also have an opinion about British/Australian weather, although you don't live in all parts of the UK/Australia. It's fine by me and everyone can have an opinion and
It's just reality that those who are desperate will do anything to live the dream that is sold to them. Ironically the positive in the UK is always turned into a negative and the negative in Australia is always turned into a positive.
You are trying to draw unrelated comparisons. I have dispelled your myth that relocation to Australia is going to increase because of Brexit. Australia is on the other side of the planet and the barriers to entry have not changed. Brexit has nothing to do with Australia whatsoever, so it should not have been mentioned in the first place.

If you had said some Brits had relocated to EU countries because of Brexit, there might be some truth to that because we know that has happened on both sides. During the transition period, some European nationals have chosen to settle in the UK, and some Brits have chosen to settle in the EU.

Referring back to what the original poster said, she wants to move back to Australia because of the weather in the UK, plus the way of life she experienced in Australia which is different to the way of life in the UK. I know this from personal experience, because I was in Queensland in 2019-2020.

However, the weather is often the principle reason why people choose to leave the UK, and it cannot be underestimated how often this is the driving force behind their decision making, and how serious it really is.
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Old Feb 17th 2021, 5:16 am
  #23  
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Default Re: Want to move back to Aus

Originally Posted by bs_wave
I have dispelled your myth that relocation to Australia is going to increase because of Brexit.
Well, I don't actually think that you have.

But you are correct in that "increased relocation to Australia due to Brexit" is going to be mostly limited to those Brits who have family connections with Australian citizenship, and (separately) those who have qualifications which qualify under the skilled visa intake. Oh, and they need to have English language skills.

However, those criteria don't actually eliminate too many potential interested candidates, who want to move from Blighty to Oz due to Brexit.
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Old Feb 17th 2021, 12:14 pm
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Default Re: Want to move back to Aus

Originally Posted by bs_wave
You are trying to draw unrelated comparisons. I have dispelled your myth that relocation to Australia is going to increase because of Brexit. Australia is on the other side of the planet and the barriers to entry have not changed. Brexit has nothing to do with Australia whatsoever, so it should not have been mentioned in the first place.
Absolute rubbish. I know of several people who want to leave the UK because they no longer want to live there because of Brexit - and Australia is an attractive place for many of these people. Only last week I was sending links and summarising how to apply to come here to my husband's business partner. And I would without doubt be one of those people if I hadn't already moved here the year before the Brexit vote.

And on the subject of weather - do you seriously think Cairns has year-round good weather? Have you ever actually been there in the wet season? I doubt 1% of the population would agree with you and a hell of lot of people would have issues with the idea that the other cities you mention have good weather all year. Brisbane and Mackay too humid and Perth too hot in summer. Read a few posts on here about weather and you will see.
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Old Feb 17th 2021, 2:03 pm
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Default Re: Want to move back to Aus

Originally Posted by louie
Absolute rubbish. I know of several people who want to leave the UK because they no longer want to live there because of Brexit - and Australia is an attractive place for many of these people. Only last week I was sending links and summarising how to apply to come here to my husband's business partner. And I would without doubt be one of those people if I hadn't already moved here the year before the Brexit vote.

And on the subject of weather - do you seriously think Cairns has year-round good weather? Have you ever actually been there in the wet season? I doubt 1% of the population would agree with you and a hell of lot of people would have issues with the idea that the other cities you mention have good weather all year. Brisbane and Mackay too humid and Perth too hot in summer. Read a few posts on here about weather and you will see.
Weather is another topic and it's always amusing that people automatically think the whole of Australia has better weather for all people and the whole UK has the worst weather in the world. Ask these people, or those who lost family and they won't call it better weather. A few very interesting videos here: https://www.theguardian.com/environm...tralia-forever

We are lucky enough to pick the locations we like and moan about simple things, but those who are connected to their birthplace/don't have many other choices suffer most. I suppose Brexit has shown that life wasn't that bad. Yes, winter can be grey and sometimes cold which is pretty common in Western Europe, but at least you had a few options and didn't have to be super rich. Now there's another first world problem: https://www.thelocal.es/20201210/wha...t-about-brexit

I know, off topic:-)

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Old Feb 19th 2021, 1:00 am
  #26  
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Default Re: Want to move back to Aus

As usual we have a number of self-entitled Brits who find enough time out of their day to post arrogant replies when they know full well that "Brexit" was brought into this discussion when it had no relevance whatsoever to the queries posted by the thread author.

Originally Posted by louie
Absolute rubbish. I know of several people who want to leave the UK because they no longer want to live there because of Brexit - and Australia is an attractive place for many of these people. Only last week I was sending links and summarising how to apply to come here to my husband's business partner. And I would without doubt be one of those people if I hadn't already moved here the year before the Brexit vote.
Congratulations, you know "several people". Our country's population is 65 million.

The problem is, I genuinely don't care what views you have on Brexit. I know you want me to care and pay attention to what you have to say, but I am sorry that I can't accommodate you.

Originally Posted by louie
And on the subject of weather - do you seriously think Cairns has year-round good weather? Have you ever actually been there in the wet season? I doubt 1% of the population would agree with you and a hell of lot of people would have issues with the idea that the other cities you mention have good weather all year. Brisbane and Mackay too humid and Perth too hot in summer. Read a few posts on here about weather and you will see.
I was in Cairns during the wet season. You say Brisbane and Mackay are too humid but you failed to mention that Cairns is more humid that both cities during the height of the wet season. I still enjoyed living in Cairns, despite the rain and humidity.

Some people are happy to live in Cairns all year round. It's like saying Barbados doesn't have year-round good weather because it has a wet season. It's the tropics. It rains a lot more at certain times of the year. This is not a shocking revelation.

Originally Posted by Moses2013
Weather is another topic and it's always amusing that people automatically think the whole of Australia has better weather for all people and the whole UK has the worst weather in the world. Ask these people, or those who lost family and they won't call it better weather.
It could be very amusing, but it's seldom true, because most people know that many parts of Australia also experience winter weather, just not the same kind of winters experienced in the UK.

Last edited by bs_wave; Feb 19th 2021 at 1:17 am.
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Old Feb 19th 2021, 8:18 am
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Default Re: Want to move back to Aus

Originally Posted by bs_wave
As usual we have a number of self-entitled Brits who find enough time out of their day to post arrogant replies when they know full well that "Brexit" was brought into this discussion when it had no relevance whatsoever to the queries posted by the thread author.



Congratulations, you know "several people". Our country's population is 65 million.

The problem is, I genuinely don't care what views you have on Brexit. I know you want me to care and pay attention to what you have to say, but I am sorry that I can't accommodate you.



I was in Cairns during the wet season. You say Brisbane and Mackay are too humid but you failed to mention that Cairns is more humid that both cities during the height of the wet season. I still enjoyed living in Cairns, despite the rain and humidity.

Some people are happy to live in Cairns all year round. It's like saying Barbados doesn't have year-round good weather because it has a wet season. It's the tropics. It rains a lot more at certain times of the year. This is not a shocking revelation.



It could be very amusing, but it's seldom true, because most people know that many parts of Australia also experience winter weather, just not the same kind of winters experienced in the UK.
I just don't get the "leaving because of Brexit" were these people going/planning to live in Europe if that was the case why not leave before Brexit and if after Brexit why not apply to leave now as it's going to a similar process to applying to migrate to Australia etc, skills, businesses or retirement you still need to fit the criteria. A lot of people I know here have holiday homes in certain parts of Europe and none would want to live there full time and are quite happy with the 90 days they have now. A lot of Brits cannot afford to buy holiday homes overseas (I should imagine they'd like to be able to ..who wouldn't) so make do with nice holidays overseas (and at home) it's just like in Australia a lot of Aussie's cannot afford overseas holidays so they make do with holidays at home some love this and some can only dream of overseas... a lot of Aussies I know could not afford interstate holidays some were happy with this and others were not. As for the weather I have as of yet to visit a country (and I have visited lots) that is perfect weather wise, that's a personal preference I know. I don't really go in for "we have the best". "mine is better than yours"..... etc etc as this is open to conjecture, everyone has their OWN opinions and we should respect that not 'diss" it.
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Old Feb 19th 2021, 8:47 am
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Default Re: Want to move back to Aus

Originally Posted by brits1
I just don't get the "leaving because of Brexit" were these people going/planning to live in Europe if that was the case why not leave before Brexit and if after Brexit why not apply to leave now as it's going to a similar process to applying to migrate to Australia etc, skills, businesses or retirement you still need to fit the criteria. A lot of people I know here have holiday homes in certain parts of Europe and none would want to live there full time and are quite happy with the 90 days they have now. A lot of Brits cannot afford to buy holiday homes overseas (I should imagine they'd like to be able to ..who wouldn't) so make do with nice holidays overseas (and at home) it's just like in Australia a lot of Aussie's cannot afford overseas holidays so they make do with holidays at home some love this and some can only dream of overseas... a lot of Aussies I know could not afford interstate holidays some were happy with this and others were not. As for the weather I have as of yet to visit a country (and I have visited lots) that is perfect weather wise, that's a personal preference I know. I don't really go in for "we have the best". "mine is better than yours"..... etc etc as this is open to conjecture, everyone has their OWN opinions and we should respect that not 'diss" it.
This is why and it was again only related to those desperate sunseekers and others are happy to stay where they are. The plumber wanting life in the sun will now look at other countries and Australia is one of them. It's the same with people working in hospitality and even getting a hotel job is more difficult if you don't speak the local language.

Since Brexit came into force on January 1 2021, UK nationals no longer have the automatic right to get a job in Spain or anywhere else in the EU.

They technically don’t have the right to apply for a job or a work visa from Spain either, having to carry out the application from the UK or wherever they are through the Spanish consulate, just as it is for other non-EU nationals. So what are the options for Britons of working age who want to live and work in Spain and who can’t afford other schemes such as Spain’s non-lucrative visa or the so-called golden visa?
The two main choices are a work permit as an employee and a work permit as a self-employed worker, both of which have their challenges as non-EU citizens.
Work permit as an employee (por cuenta ajena)
In order to be considered for a job as a non-EU national, in the majority of cases the position must be on Spain’s shortage occupation list.
The latest 12-page list published by Spanish employment agency SEPE is downloadable here, but overall the type of positions advertised are 95 percent in the maritime and shipping industry (from naval mechanics to ferry staff, chefs and waiters), as well as sports coaches. In all fairness, it’s a pretty limited and disheartening list for the majority of British professionals interested in a move to Spain, but it is usually updated every quarter so there could be new positions opening.

You also have to consider that your employer will have to declare that there was no suitable Spanish or EU candidate available to fill the position. The fact that it’s listed as an ocupación de dificil cobertura (skills shortage) is likely to play in your favour as that gives Spain’s employment ministry no choice but to accept non-EU nationals as candidates.

It is technically possible to apply for a work permit for a job that isn’t on SEPE’s list, but your prospective employer will have to vouch for you further still and really convince Spanish civil servants that there weren’t any local candidates available.

If you have found a job offer that you’re suitable for, you must start your application from the Spanish consulate in the UK or the country in which you live, that’s if there is of course interest on the part of your prospective employer as they have to sponsor you and start the application procedure themselves at their regional department of Labour and Immigration.

So even if you had scouted for work while ‘on holiday’ in Spain and managed to agree to a deal with your future boss, you wouldn’t be able to do any of the paperwork from Spain.

Bear in mind that your proficiency in Spanish may also be a key factor in landing the position and that your profession and qualifications (especially regulated ones like doctors, architects, lawyers) may need to be recognised first as a result of Brexit.

For UK citizens looking to move to Spain and set up their own business or register as self-employed workers (autónomos), the process is again more complicated after Brexit.

You will have to demonstrate that you have the right qualifications to fulfil said position and prove that you will have sufficient earnings in Spain.

All this will have to feature in a comprehensive business plan which you’ll have to present, covering everything from a marketing plan, the readiness of financing and payments and other information about your operations. Overall, you’ll have to demonstrate that your business will be successful within three years.

If you thought that was tricky, wait for it. You’ll have to send this business plan to five separate Spanish institutions for their approval:

Unión de Profesionales y Trabajadores Autónomos - UPTA

Confederación Intersectorial de Autónomos del Estado Español – CIAE

Organización Profesionales autónomos - OPA

Unión de Asociaciones de trabajadores Autónomos y emprendedores- UATAE

Federación Nacional de Trabajadores Autónomos - ATA

They will review it and send a viability certification if they agree

Conclusion

The days of easy work in Spain for UK nationals wanting to move after Brexit are over, we’re afraid.

It may be that English teaching is still the easiest option for landing a job in Spain post-Brexit, but this will hardly be any consolation for those with careers in other fields.

Spain, with its notoriously high unemployment rate, has a slight protectionist attitude towards its work market, wanting to offer the few jobs that are on offer to its local population or at least EU candidates. This can also be seen in how long they take to process the recognition of qualifications of non-EU nationals, at least four times longer than in Germany or Ireland.

Even if they didn’t have this approach, the country always scores high for quality of life on expat surveys, but not so for career prospects.

Sadly, it may be that for many young Britons wanting to live and work in Spain from 2021 onwards, the only way to get their foot in the door is with a very specialised and highly skilled career to offer.

It can still be done, but it will take much longer (maybe even years) for many Brits to find work in Spain if they weren’t here before Brexit.

Last edited by Moses2013; Feb 19th 2021 at 8:59 am.
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Old Mar 28th 2021, 2:17 pm
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Default Re: Want to move back to Aus

Originally Posted by Harri_delf
Hello everyone,

I'm new here: female, 31, Sussex born and bred, moved to Perth, WA, 10 years ago alone, got citizenship and then, guilt-ridden after the deaths of three grandparents and ageing parents, returned to the UK (Bristol) two years ago with Australian fiance (on partner visa).

We are pretty miserable here. After an initial honeymoon period of say three months, the first year was hard: money here is awful and, even though I earn about as much as I did in Aus (Project Manager in IT), it doesn't allow for decent quality of life or saving like in Australia. My partner (lawyer) took a 40% pay cut which has been devastating for him. We're horrified by the pension schemes here (no wonderful mandatory super!). Despite arriving with significant savings, we're now in debt. So much for buying our English home in 2020!

I thought I was coming back to be closer to family and friends (probably like lots of others). The reality is that life has moved on here and I'm not part of it. People have learnt to live without me and, once the initial novelty of me being back wore off, I barely see people. Even before Covid, my sister had only been to visit me once and my friends are having babies so their priorities are (rightfully) elsewhere. It actually feels very lonely because I put in a lot of effort to see everyone but it isn't reciprocated and I miss my Australian life, routine and friends (who had become my expat family). It's much worse for my partner, especially now during Covid and not being able to visit home and family.

The weather is exhausting. I hated it before and I hate it now. The winters are brutal - seemingly endless, dark, cold and miserable days, exacerbated by the lack of money. The summers are good when the sun shines - and a repetitive game of "when's the sun coming back" when it's raining.

Everywhere, even the countryside, seems to be crawling with people and cars. It's so overwhelming after years in WA. I'm a country girl and had hoped, romantically, before moving back, that we'd get a cottage in the countryside but now, I can't seem to even visit my family home without the sound of traffic on some nearby A road.

I'd wanted to be back here to have kids. The UK offers better maternity leave and undeniably better education. But now... I cannot imagine having kids here. The life here for a child compared to Aus are lightyears apart.

The natural review point for us would be the end of my partner's visa in March 2022. Having said all of this, I'm terrified of moving back to WA and having the resumption of guilt - especially because I'm worried I'll feel as though we didn't give it a "real go" because Covid interrupted what life could have been here.

Does anyone else feel the same? Did anyone else return to the UK just before Covid? How are you coping?

And has anyone else returned to the UK, thinking it would be permanent, but then gone back to Aus? How did it feel? Do you still have the guilt and what ifs?

Thanks for reading - I'm sorry it's such a long whinge.

I largely understand how you feel. I returned to the UK in mid 2019 after 17 years in Australia. My Australian wife died in 2015 and after being made redundant, moving back with my Aussie born 10 year old son, seemed like the best thing to do as I felt isolated without having any family around. I am an Australian citizen. I returned to my native Scotland where I had not lived for about 26 years.
I have to always remind myself that Covid has cast a major shadow over things here; you are not seeing the family you felt you needed and lockdown degrades your optimism. Whats worse is that Perth WA seems like one of the safest 'Covid' places in the world. But I feel my return was largely fuelled by a warm sense of nostalgia for when I grew up here. Scotland has changed so much. I really no longer can identify with being Scottish. It used to be something I was proud of but it is now contentious and the country seems bitterly divided that I seriously fear for the future of the place for my son. Australia is a more 'together' place and seems more stable; how I used to cringe at that 'Team Australia' term, but I now long for it. I feel guilty and regretful that I perhaps did not appreciate Australia enough. I thought I could not wait to leave in my circumstances, but such circumstances are always with you wherever you are I have found.

The weather, of course, is atrocious. It's like a lockdown behind two bolted doors to make sure you don't go anywhere. Winter seems almost endless. I will say the schools have been good for my son.

I do want to go back to Australia at least at some point. I am going to have to wait until Covid restrictions are lifted to get a clearer view of when. It will be hard to leave my elderly parents though; they were of course much younger when I first left. But I am getting older as well and I feel things are too hard and unpredictable here to take a bet on things 'just working out'.

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Old Mar 29th 2021, 2:14 am
  #30  
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Default Re: Want to move back to Aus

Originally Posted by bs_wave
I agree, a few months is nice (during the summer period), but any longer and you just want to go home.

RESPONSE Well not all. Many adore living in the heat. Not for all but places like Cairns have a loyal following. Same as many Brit's who relocate to Thailand. Or Malaysia.

I have heard property prices are quite unaffordable in many parts of Australia, but then again it is a big country and prices still vary considerably depending on what part of the country or area of a state we're talking about. In general, they're quite high, yes.

It is a big country, but unlike The States, no very cheap places, in the main, where one would/could feasibly live. All cities are expensive. The main two, obviously out of reach of many, or life enduring debt burden.

I've been to Barbados. Expensive yes. Better living standards than UK? Well more sunshine for sure. But look closer at health and age care. Somewhat limited I would expect, especially if something serious crops up.

Again, it depends what part of Australia we're talking about (not all parts of Australia have year-round good weather like in Brisbane, Cairns, Mackay or Perth). Also, just because one country has a higher cost of living than another – or one region of a country has a higher cost of living than another region – does not inherently make that a bad thing. It depends what's more important to you.

For example, I chose to live in Barbados despite the cost of living being somewhat higher (my rent is about 30% more expensive) because the quality of life here is better than it is in the UK, in my opinion. Others may not agree for various reasons; such as it being an island and more remote with less access to the same kind of goods and services found in countries like the UK or Australia, less maintained road network, etc.



I'm sorry but Brexit has absolutely no relevance to this discussion about British nationals wanting to relocate to Australia. For many people, getting an Australian work visa is more difficult than it is to get a work visa in many European Union countries, because the eligibility criteria under Australian immigration law is very strict. Therefore, how can Brexit possibly cause a massive influx of Brits relocating to Australia when the barriers to entry are as high as they were before?

This discussion reminds me of a New Zealander I was speaking to during my time in Queensland in 2019-2020. He was a British dual national having not lived in the UK since age 2, and he was complaining to me about Brexit because he "won't be able to easily travel to EU countries anymore". The point I am trying to make is thus: many people that don't live in the UK, or indeed in the EU, usually have the most to say about Brexit, when it least affects them.
I think you'll find plenty of Brit's living on shore equally distraught at the idea that living, retiring or working in EU has just become so much harder. Contrary, a number of Brit's that supported Brexit have found that they no longer qualify to live in Spain. Deportation's are expected to begin around the end of this month. I would imagine the removal of EU from the list of possible countries to move to from UK, would further a degree of interest among certain Brit's. Australian immigration is not that strict. It just takes a knowledge of how to navigate it.

Last edited by the troubadour; Mar 29th 2021 at 2:22 am.
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