Marty4

Hi Guys

First post so go easy..

For the past 4/5 years I've been looking to move away from Scotland with my wife (32) a chartered accountant, myself (36) a Project Manager in the rail infrastructure industry and our kids (8 & 3 year old). Australia has always been somewhere that I felt could offer more than what Scotland does, especially the outdoors lifestyle. I'm not basing my desire on things like a bigger house, swimming pool, beaches etc. I don't have these in Glasgow so it isn't the deciding factor. I'm just certain my family’s life would flourish more in Australia.

My wife has never really committed to anything other than the occasional “oh that would be great to live there” or “this country depresses me, let’s move away”, however, about a year ago she forgone her usual spur of the moment comments and says she really would consider it. I suggested we look into it and enquired about a visa and the likelihood of being accepted. We agreed it would be best that we apply on my wife’s merits, being a chartered accountant and her years’ of experience. The agency came back immediately and say’s they would be happy to progress the application of a PR visa given all the info she had submitted. This was excellent news!

Over the next few weeks I would look at areas in Oz and the lifestyle, weather, and job prospects, to which I discussed with the wife. She felt things were moving too fast, however, I explained that I wasn’t looking to move out in a few months but between thorough research and landing in Oz it could take 18 months/2 years, so all we’re doing is being a bit pro-active. We went on to discuss her fears of leaving her mum & friends. I explained about my fears of leaving my mum who has cancer which she has lived with for the past 12 years! (She’s very independent, still driving around going out for drinks looks after the boys etc absolute gem of a women!.,) and the thought of leaving her makes me not want to go, even just to avoid the hurt. Even though I know she will be fine with my brother and sister who she lives 5 mins from.

Recently (18 months ago) I got in contact with my dad who I hadn’t spoken with in 20 years. We patched things up and made time for each other again, going for drinks, playing golf etc. 6 months after reconnecting he hurt his back which, unfortunately turned out to be prostate cancer which had spread. So he started chemo which finished Dec 2017. A month ago he was told it has spread a bit further so he will have to start a longer session of chemo this time round (which has started and we are all prepared for!!). This coupled with other life experiences has led me to adhere to one of my favourite quotes “live life to the fullest because it only happens once”. This isn’t something I feel we can do in Scotland.

Anyway…..
We had a bit of a bicker about it and she said she would like to wait to get our house renovated and that if we still felt eager to go then in 2020 we can look at it again with more of a purpose of pursuing it. This would give us time to save etc. I agree this would be a pragmatic approach so I’ve reluctantly parked any discussion or mention of the subject for months now, however I just get the feeling in 2020 it will be “let’s wait until 2021”.

As I say, I’m scared at the thought of leaving my mum and dad in possibly a few years’ time and getting the dreaded call! But part of me is more fearful of staying put and realising when that unbearable time comes, it’s now too late!Has anyone been in the same position? Did you ever take the leap? Or does it forever stay a dream and a “what if”?
Thanks for listening….


Martin

Amazulu

Do it

moneypenny20

In theory it's a horrible situation, in practice however I think it's a no brainer. You don't sound as though you want to come over and neither does your wife. You sound as though you want to stay in Scotland with your family. You have a dream and that's great however not all dreams have to become true and honestly, it's rare that real life matches a dream anyway. I love Australia, I'm happy to be here but I was happy in the UK and we just wanted an adventure and it was pretty easy for us to do that, we also moved when the exchange rate was in our favour and we had a lot of equity in our UK house, Things aren't quite as 'easy' now.

I realise you believe you'll have more of an outdoor life here but honestly don't believe you will. Where you're thinking the cold, rain etc stops you doing stuff outside, being here in Summer (depending on where you may end up) you could feel trapped inside with the aircon on because you can't handle the humidity, or the 40 degree plus dry heat, or the torrential rain that doesn't exist in the UK etc etc etc. If you do outdoor sports/activities now, you may well continue them here but if you don't do stuff there, I can pretty much guarantee you won't suddenly start doing it here.

I don't know enough about current Immigration rules to say whether your wife would get a visa, or if she got a visa, whether she'd get a job here. I have no idea if you would find work and Australia is no longer (was it ever, really??) the land of streets being paved with gold. You would need a hefty amount of cash to bring with you, never mind the costs involved in getting the visa and doing the move.

Have you ever been to Aus? Can I suggest you save up and plan a holiday? You don't get a true idea of the place on holiday, you don't live, you holiday but you do get a general picture which may or may not be what you actually want.

The grass is most definitely not greener here, there's an old saying we used to use a lot on BE - same shit, shinier bucket. Life is still mainly work/school/bills etc. It's just a first world country like Britain, we have shit politicians, we have bad schools, etc etc etc. Sometimes the sun shining just doesn't help when you want a hug from a family member or there is a good or bad event happening in the UK and you can't get there.

All that sounds very negative and I'm sorry but I'm just being honest. If we had our time again, we'd probably still move over. If we were thinking of moving now, I'm not sure we'd do it simply from the exchange rate/house price pov. You may decide to move and it might be the greatest and best thing you ever do in your life but please don't do it until you've been here and experienced the place.

Dorothy

Have you (your wife) done a skills assessment? Have you lodged an EOI? Do you score enough points for a visa?

Everything about moving is not relevant unless you actually qualify for a visa.

carcajou

What Dorothy said.

Beware of rosy assessments from migration agents. Have you looked at the points calculator and latest EoI draws?

"Outdoor lifestyle" is very cliche. As moneypenny said, work/school/bills are not a "UK thing" that goes away when you leave. The idea you have that your family will flourish here, is not based on any real information.

Take a holiday here and see what the wife thinks, after.

I wouldn't bust up my family to move here - especially if the wife will only come kicking and screaming.

Migration is one of the most challenging things a person can do, and I don't think can work unless everyone is fully committed to it.

denzil73

I've been here for 14yrs now and if I knew what I do now I don't think I would do it again. Plenty of reasons as to why but the biggest thing over the past 3-4 years is realising my folks are in their 70s and I miss them, rest of family and my old friends. Maybe you'll get lucky making new friends but both me and my wife have struggled and she's originally an Aussie.
I now live in Melbourne after wasting 12 years in Brisbane yet every time I see a view of the city I think to myself 'How long has it been since I managed to make it into the city?' Daily life of work etc does hamper ones ability to enjoy what cities have to offer unless you work within the CBD and then it's much easier to enjoy the city after work but would mean both you and wifey working in the CBD or one has to travel in after a tiring day. So yea, same shit, but (on some days) a shinier bucket.
I moved for a relationship and not the country. Once the honeymoon phase passed then you realise the politicians and company BS is the same as where you came from but now you have fewer or no support when things get to you.

Marty4

Appreciate the honesty guys, which has given me more to think about.

Dorothy, Yes she done a skills assessment through Visa Bureau and got 80 points.
I don’t want my post to be taken as someone who is looking to move just for the weather or any rosy tails I have been told. I have family in Perth & Sydney who I have discussed things with. My OP was intended to find out if anyone was ever in a similar position and how it played out and also to give a little background of my situation.

Thanks for the replies.

Martin

Beoz

Rail is booming so you are in luck there.

Yes the weather in some parts of the country does help a lot. I was on the golf course overlooking the ocean at 7am yesterday before work. This is Sydney. Other parts of the country the weather can be crap for most part of the year. Like Brisbane - too humid.

Life motto. ..... don't die wondering.

Dorothy

Visa Bureau don't do skills assessments. They are a visa agent only. She needs to have a formal skills assessment by the governing body for the occupationshe's nominating. https://www.charteredaccountantsanz....ion-assessment

Did they give you the breakdown of those 80 points? I would be wary, since over claiming points is an automated refusal. Beware of what an agent tells you. Go to www.immi.gov.au for the definitive answer. Visa Bureau is an agency who likely will gladly let you pay whether you qualify or not. You can save yourself thousands by doing the application yourself.

carcajou

All the to-ing and fro-ing, and Happy Talk from Visa Bureau, is irrelevant without a skills assessment.

I would even say - stop talking to your family about it until you are willing to "put up" and go through with a skills assessment. No point in anguishing everybody needlessly.

It does cost a fair chunk of money (a few hundred Dollars) and quite a bit of time (these are not formalities) but you can't apply for PR without doing one and if you aren't willing to put up any money or time then it's all academic anyways.

moneypenny20

Obviously we're all different so handle things differently. I can tell you I miss my family and the country a lot but not enough to move back. Other people feel the home and family sickness very strongly and therefore find it very hard to settle. I can say though if you have family with serious health issues, there is nothing worse than being on the other side of the world and not being able to help or be with them. The words 'you're only 24 hours away' is often heard but is nonsense. You can't just jump on the next immediate flight when you have a job and maybe not enough spare cash in the bank and that flight you find will probably have several hours layover. Do you all head back or just one of you. All that sort of stuff just isn't easy. Good luck with the decision.

Dreamy

Pretty much this.
We've been here over 10 years. Neither of us had particularly strong family ties, and they all lived in other parts of the country to us. Neither of us have felt particularly homesick.

But when we first moved over, our mothers were in their 50s and my dad was in his early 60s - all of them keen to visit. Now our mothers are pushing 70, have both had major operations in the last 18 months, and my dad has just turned 73, not in the best of health, and the thought of long distance travel terrifies him. (And this from a man who was in the merchant Navy and travelled the world)

We're back in the UK for a holiday next month - facing the very real possibility that it'll be the last time I see my dad. It's gutting.
We kind of wandered into Australia, with no great thought or plan, just keen for an adventure and we ended up staying (we were SO irresponsible, lol, considering we dragged our teenagers along for the ride, it's a good job it worked out as well as it has!) and neither of us would contemplate a move back - of course, the kids might well end up back there, or in Europe (they're entitled to Irish citizenship, so that door hasn't been closed for them).

When your family is on the other side of the world, you miss out on everything - births, marriages, deaths (of all but your very closest family, and even then, as Moneypenny says, it really isn't just 24 hours away when someone you love is dying).

It might read like I regret moving out here, which I don't - we've had many challenges but we love our lives here. But you really have to think through all of these factors, with plans for all kinds of contingencies, not least what you'll do if you do move and one of you hates it and the other loves it...

verystormy

Marty4

As I says before, all I was looking for was families in a similar situation and how thing's worked out. For some reason - maybe through bitterness that it hasn't worked out - I'm getting
"Don't come here"
"You won't like it"
"it's too hot"
"You won't have an outdoors lifestyle"

If every experience was the same then Oz would be a lonely place I'm sure...

I appreciate that people may come on here and their motivation is, weather, big house, pool, big bbq etc. etc. That isn't me.

As for not researching, are you basing the "two a penny" on all accountants, as the profession covers a lot. It's like saying "don't come to Britain there’s no accountant jobs, does that go for the whole of Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales? Does that go for all finance jobs, management accountants, financial controllers etc.?? If I narrowed it down to a specific city then maybe they are “two a penny”, however if you are meaning Australia in its entirety then that statement isn’t accurate.

I wouldn't dare drag my family over if we weren't 100% so we'll wait until 2020 and give it a lot more thought, taking into account the relevant responses on this forum.

As for the heat, I lived in Dubai for a bit and experienced the heat all year round. I have family who live in Perth & Sydney. They originate from Scotland and cope just fine.

If you have more of an outdoors lifestyle I applaud you. I've lived in Glasgow 36 years and can guarantee that there would be no comparison.

Can I ask why Glasgow?

Would you still have come if you were told,

"It's too wet"
" We get 170 days of wet weather each year"
" it's one of the top 10 most dangerous cities in Europe"
"There's nothing to do"
"You're stuck in the house a lot due to the weather"
Or would you rather experience it for yourself? No experience is ever the same for one person or family. If everyone followed advice based on others, these countries would be ghost towns.

quoll