loubiegreen

Please can anyone tell me when they told their work mates they were leaving to go to Oz or were applying for a Visa.

Not sure when to do it and advice very welcome.

Thanks in anticipation.

Lou xx

Astronaut

Much depends on whether you can risk your boss finding out. It may affect your bonus or pay rise for the remaining duration of your employment, and may sour working relationships if colleagues perceive that you are winding down.

Bear in mind that the application / visa process is sometimes taking around a year, so theres no rush, and until you've got that visa nothing is guaranteed. If you've got a close friend at work I'd tell them but tell them to keep it confidential.

If the above doesn't matter, just blurt it out and gloat every day!

Lordflasheart

DON'T TELL ANYONE UNTIL THE VERY LAST MINUTE!!

If you do then everyone you know will come up to you, and say in a very bad aussie accent "g'day mate" / "tie me kangaroo down sport" / "I couldn't give a castlemain XXXX" / "chuck another tinnie on the barbe" and a million other cliches until you're ready to smack the next git in the gob.

Trust me.

k76

One of my colleagues was a close friend, so I obviously told him. Apart from friends you can really trust though, tell your boss first, then everyone else. If not I imagine it could be slightly awkward when the boss learns the gossip. How close you do it to your departure is something only you can judge.

comet555

My husband had to tell work very early on because he needed a reference letter for the visa application. His boss was excellent about it and they all thought it was a great idea.

He did get the odd question about everything but it wasn't too bad. If we'd had the choice though we would have waited until the last minute, because some people can be pretty annoying and you never know how they're going to react. It's tough waiting for the visa and the house to sell and all that when everyone keeps asking you questions about it.

Family on the other hand is very different, and I would say the earlier the better (for us anyway).

scrubbedexpat001

I told my employer around August 2007 as we planned to be back in Oz by December at the latest (Wife had an offer of employment but she's an Aussie and could come back at any time) did however tell a few close work colleagues before hand - well I just had to tell someone

So I was able to sit at work for almost 4 months and have people coming up to me every day saying "your going to live in Australia - you lucky b@s?rd - wish it was me" which I must admit was great !

Told my family about the sametime as I knew they'd "crack the shits", they weren't too happy (mum has phobia about flying and reckons she'll never see me again !) but after all it's our lives.

loubiegreen

Thanks to everyone for replying. Think we may come clean as we feel as if we are living a lie lol.


Thanks again and good luck to all.

Lou xx

Graham and Maria

I told mine straight away which unbeknown to me at the time was over 2 years ago due to complications with my application, all they say now is "your not really going"

When I had to send a second reference from my current employer with specific information requested by my CO I thought to myself how do people do this when some of them will not have told there employer. Wasnt a problem since my employer told me to write my own reference and he just signed it

Wandathecat

I have already told my close colleagues and I intend to tell my boss very soon. I would only do it once you know everyting is going ok i.e. meds finalised etc.

I am not going until jan 09 but intend to leave work around Sept/Oct.

I think its only fair to give as much notice as possible.

If they treat you differently as a result its grounds for tribunal. As long as your permenant they cannot touch you legally speaking.

Good luck

Cx