becandal

Hi, My family and i are in the process of applying for our visa's. We feel that we would like to live in Melbourne but we have a few friends that live in and around Perth. The question is do we go where we really want to live and make new friends or do we go where we already know people?

Thanks in advance for your input.

becandal.

ronan_in_Oz

I personally believe that the most important criteria for anyone should be the availability of jobs. Move to a place where it is easy for you to get a job.

All the best with your visa application.

Hutch

As said, job should dictate location first and then your personal preference climate-wise. I think you'd be bonkers to move 12,000 miles round the planet and settle somewhere because you have a few friends there. Move to where you actually want to be and make some new ones!

Peepster

+1

DunRoaminTheUK

Invariably location for all the right reasons first.

Friends come and go.

Geelong Gent

You will meet new friends in Melbourne its a pretty friendly place. And give your friends somewhere to visit and for you.

Petals

As has been said Job is the most important as without money nowhere is nice to live.

JasonOZ

Hi. Myself and my family are in exactly the same situation. We are going to be starting the visa process in January 2010, and I was all set on Perth as I have family there, but now my wife has finally convinced me that the eastern side of OZ (more than likely Melbourne) is the better option for jobs, access to other cities and we won't be so isolated as we would have been in Perth! I'm in I.T. and I think I got more chance of work and a better salary in Melbourne. p.s. we have a 5 and 3 yr old.

becandal

I work in the construction industry so wonder whether Perth is good for work too?

Petals

Generally because there are more cities on the East Coast its not so isolated as others have said but remember that our cities are far apart too. Sydney is approx eight hundred km from Melbourne and the same distance again to Brisbane from Sydney. Adelaide about the same from Melbourne.

I do like Perth I have relatives who live there and migrated there and they love it but its not for us. We prefer east as its more populated and not so expensive to take a local holiday.

IT jobs are mainly in Melbourne and Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide also but not as many I would have thought. Construction is down due to the slump and depending on what skills a person has, age and experience will come into play I suppose.

My friends husband has been made redundant in Brisbane after making a lovely big profit for his construction company and they just closed the company down, it was part of another company. Everyone lost their jobs and my friend told me yesterday that only one person has been offered a job out of all the employees. Her husband is older and it will be harder even with his connections. He has approached construction companies he knows and they all say they are putting off staff not hiring. He has approached in Brisbane and Melbourne.

I think people have to be optimistic and take any sort of job to get a foothold in this market and better things will follow. Sitting waiting for a job one is skilled in may prevent a person from meeting people in another job who may be able to assists. Networking is big. Local pub is a mine of information.