Hi All

Any new "Sydneysiders" with a kid in a state school here?

Could you please let us know if you've managed to postpone the school fees , which are I believe to be around $4,500 up front a year!

We don't mind paying the fee...But cannot afford to do so in one go.

Ok, no one has done this then...

Shameless Bump!

I was on a 457 and had two teenage kids.. cost p.a. $10,000, up front, every year and no exceptions that I am aware of.

I've only just found out that you have to pay fees if you're on a 457. We should get PR in 6months so I guess that'll be half. Er, anyone know anything about home schooling, as I think our budget will get us to Aus and that's pretty much it.

You will have to pay for the full year. If you obtain PR at any point during that year then you get a pro rata refund. No PR and you keep paying.

Blimey, any idea how I can find out about school fees in WA? I'd better have a google.

don't think there are any compulsory fees in WA. Its only NSW and the ACT that levy these fees... I think.

it is possible to have the school fees waived,we had our daughters waived.

This is taken from the education website.

Individual applications for an exemption based on capacity to pay must be submitted in writing to the Temporary Residents Unit. All applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis in relation to an applicant's capacity to pay. The Exemption Application Form can be obtained on request by contacting the Temporary Residents Unit.
Capacity to pay is based of the gross annual income of the family unit. The use of disposable income, the payment of Australian income tax or the purpose for which the visa was issued is not criteria for exemption.



http://www.detinternational.nsw.edu....resources.html

or contact:
Temporary Residents Unit
Tel + 61 1300 300 229
Locked Bag 4
Fax + 61 2 4224 9074
Wollongong NSW 2520

Email: [email protected]
AUSTRALIA
Website: www.internationalschool.edu.au
NSW Department


cheers
Andy

Very surprised at that as I thought one of the main drivers of the 457 visa was that you paid your way and that you had to be getting paid a certain salary before the 457 would even be granted.

Graniteman, cheers for that

Hi ya, sorry I've only just seen this thread. I'm on a 457 also, just changed to a different company with a new 457 and both companies footed the bill for the school fees, might be worth looking into whether this is a requirement for employers to pay school fees for 457 holders.

Sorry the reply's probably a bit late to be useful to you

Steve

We have friends with 5 children their company pays for their schooling

457 holders already pay income tax as does every other resident. They also have less access to Medicare, get no family tax benefits etc so are a lower burden in that repsect on the economy.

I don't recall the minimum slary requirement for 457 but it is certainly not enough to make anyone rich and I don;t think it is much above avergae wage.

An update on this: I have asked the Dept of Education here in NSW for paymment in installments and they agreed to it. I have paid $2250 for twenty weeks with further $2250 to be paid once the 20 weeks are up. So in effect, two payments for the whole year.

Then we will again have to pay for the next year...etc

Rip off, I tell ya!

A friend of mine is on a 457 visa and the school wouldn't let her take her child along to the first day of Kindy unless they had proof she had paid the $4500 charge.

Going PR last year (from 457) was a priority for us as our child started Kindy a couple of weeks ago and I was damned if I was forking out more than I had to!