Hi to all,

I'm 32, with a 6 year old and I'm looking to move from Manchester to Australia (giant woohoo!). I'm just wondering how feasible this would be, and so looking for some advice..... I've read that I may be entitled to assistance with childcare, etc...but i'm wondering whether anyone knows whether this equates to the tax credit system we have in the UK? I have worked full-time for two years but have recently reduced my hours to spend more time with my daughter whilst she is young (and actually wants to spend time with me!), but I'm guessing that my the time I get my visa (if at all! ) she will be old enough for me to consider full-time again.....

I am currently a support worker, and believe I would have fit under the category of 'community worker' in the old SOL, although I see I have now been kicked out!.....so I'm now looking for alternative solutions...and have looked at employee sponsorship. Does anyone know whether this is possible for my occupation, and any suggestions on how to go about it?

I survive pretty much by myself at the moment (I haven't managed to house train her yet!), and don't have family that I rely on....but am i being too ambitious uprooting my life, just the two of us to the other side of the world??

Any advice/guidance would be appreciated, thanks

Within the subset of visa issues, you should read:
http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Child_...an_Immigration

I have seen one or two single parents make the move to Australia, search for posts by BE member "Daunted" or just use the search function to find others and read a few stories.

I understand that Australia has some kind of tax benefit system for lower income parents although I don't know in detail how it works. You would need to be on PR to benefit from it though, which is something to be mindful of if you are considering employer sponsored route. This is because unfortuantely I don't think you will be able to get an employer sponsored PR visa as you mention you have only 2 years work experience and currently work part time, whereas for employered sponsored PR you would need three years full time experience.

Anyway, I certainly think before you start looking into houses, where to live etc, you need to focus on can you get a visa. Because I do not think this is at all clear cut in your case as your job is no longer on the SOL. Finding an employer sponsor from overseas can be like looking for a needle in a haystack, but no harm in trying I suppose. I have just looked at www.seek.com.au and there are positions advertised in your field, but whether any of them will sponsor you is something you would have to discuss if they like the look of your CV.

Another thing you could do, it watch out for the State Migration Programs (SMPs) which are due to be announced in the next couple of months. If your occupation is on one of these, then that could be an option if you cannot find an employer sponsor.

That's been useful, thanks. I think my post was a little misleading...I have three and a half years experience, but have only been working full-time for two of them, would this go against me? And yes, I am holding my breath (not literally!) for the SMPs, as otherwise you will find me mostly in barns looking for sharp pointy objects!!! I will check out that website though, thanks. Annoyingly, I looked into Australia last year, then bottled it (my job was on the list then!!!)...still, life is never easy, but damn it, there will be a huge smile on my face if they let me in!!!

Thanks for the link. I'm not entirely sure where I stand, as although the father is named on the birth certificate, he has not seen her for a number of years. I guess I will just have to cross that bridge when I come to it......

If you wanted to go for a permanent sponsored visa then yes this would go against you as you need 3 years full time experience as I mentioned. If you were to be offered a temporary employer sponsored visa then it might be a different matter, although then you would have the issue of not being eligible for family tax benefit.

If your occupation is on an SMP and you go for it without employer sponsorship, then it might be OK, it depends what the requirements are for your specific occupations. Some skills assessments require certain number of years of work experience, some don't. I don't know what the requirements for your occupation are, that is something for you to research. Note that everyone has to have worked full time for at least 12 of the last 24 months. So if you began part time working more than a year ago you will not qualify for skilled migration at all.

Hi

I am a single parent and have just started the long process for a visa. I am an accountant and am having to go for state sponsorship and have been told that if I am successful then I am looking at 2 - 3 years before I am granted a visa, although with all the changes - who knows.

My philosophy - I would rather give it a go and fail rather than never try it. I am under no illusion that it would be a major upheaval but fingers crossed to the next new adventure!

I would speak to an agent to give you some advice if your career is no longer on the list.

Dawn and Courtney (7)

The article is very clear as to what the rules are ... if you are from England/Wales then you need to work out on which side of the 1 December 2003 cutoff your daughter was born. You don't tell us ....