Carbery

Finally - we had our 890 visa granted yesterday. In the end it was a pretty straightforward process, just a few small details to clarify. So after first discussing the idea in early 2003 we have the security of PR, a thriving and profitable business which does not rule our lives and a lifestyle / social life we could only have dreamed of back in UK. Would I do it again knowing what we have gone through - probably but easy it aint!

BM615

Congratulations - what a rlief for you. We started our application at roughly the same time as you - 2003. 6 years of angst!!

well done, Bryan & Joyce

Alan Collett

Excellent - well done!

Best wishes.

MUST LEAVE UK

Does anyone have a clue if the recent changes to Vic SS are temporary ?
Especially the must transfer 400K in 23 months of which 300K must be for business (ie not house). As that would force me sell my UK business assets, whcih I didn't intend to.

A lesser option is to look at alternative states. Are SA still gagging for business investment and is Bris any harder ??

Carbery

Are those of you who employ aware of the changes introduced by the government which come into place as of 1st July 2010. If you and your staff do not have have an ENTERPRISE BARGAINING AGREEMENT in place prior to 1st January 2010 the employer will have the following increases to their wage bill (transitioned over 5 years)

Casual employees: daily 2% increase, + an extra 10% Saturdays, and an extra 75% Sundays (these are over and above the current penalty rates and do not include CPI increases)

Permanent / Permanent Part time: 50% increase on Sundays (these are over and above the current penalty rates )

Base wage increase depending on responsibility

The transition starts 1 July 2010 20% per year fo 5 years.

An ENTERPRISE BARGAINING AGREEMENT (EBA) will enable employers to continue to pay under current the NAPSA award for the next 4 years. It may also offer Reduced Casual rates, Reduced Saturday & Sunday hours, the ability to transfer your EBA to the new owners on the sale of your business, and after 4 years the EBA willcontinue to operate until cancelled by either the business owner or an employee.


I have calculated that my wage bill will increase by $35,000.00 if my staff do not sign EBA's - this applies to all employers so dont think it will not affect your bottom line, the clock is ticking!!

Also anyone coming over to look at businesses for sale check if they have an EBA in place as this will need to be taken into account when calculating the costs of running the business and its profitability.

wildmark

Who is still around?????

BM615

we are all still here Mark - jsut working away I guess.

How's life over there?

Bryan

wildmark

Lifes good, biz is very good despite the economy, and were going to be booking our recci trip to Brisbane in the next few days, prob coming over sometime in May 2010.

How about you guys?

Out o0f interest what the housing market like over there, here is appaling, out house value dropped to about half of what we paid for it!!!

Anyone else still around???

BM615

Amazing - from press reports we would have thought that businesses were floundering over there!!

Housing in WA has boomed over the past 5 years although the last year it has been fairly static. I think Queensland is about the same. Both states are running rich with resources of course.

wildmark

The press reports are correct, general business is doing very badly here, were bucking the trend, our year ends in Dec we will have turned over just over $4m US, with approx 12.5 net profit, less year we did $1m with no profit.

Hopefully things pick up on the home front here, my house is worth about half of what I paid three years ago

foxychic

Well done to Carberry, we also got our 892 about a month ago. It took exactly one month from submitting application because UK police checks took so long and also I didn't read the form properly and got SA police checks rather than federal!

Feels good to be permanant, as carberry says it sure ain't easy, but we have slogged through and got what we were aiming for. 5 months ago we were ready to pack it all in as soon as we got PR and do something else, but things have changed, the business has suddenly turned the corner and we seem to be making some money at last! We have taken the decision to downsize our premises drastically, which whilst not ideal was necessary at this time, and we will see what the future holds - maybe some time to relax ???

Mark - can't believe you will be on the move again, market for housing here in SA is rising steadily, not stupidly, but rising.

Must leave UK - SA immigration are very good with regards business visas in my opinion and dealings with them, Aussies say SA is particularly hard for business and if you can do it here - you'll be right, they say things are test marketed here, and if they sell here, they'll be a go. It is a nice state, I like it, don't know where else I would go,but at times it can seem a bit like there is not much to do, but you adjust to that and go with the flow.

take care all

foxy

rammygirl

Well done Foxy.

We have decided we will try again having given up our old visa and returning to UK and have lodged a 163 application.

Bit unsure because of kids (again). Plan is that eldest will stay in UK and complete Uni - then he wants to travel anyway (doing international politics and aiming for diplomatic service). Youngest will finish A levels here then take a year out before, hopefully coming to Oz to do Uni (bracing ourselves for international fees for a year or so!)

Wish we had gone when they were little - we got a PR visa then but never went!!!!

Did you manage to squeeze the two years in the original time frame or did you get an extension (I know you went quite late). They do seem to be quite accommodating in SA.

Rammygirl

JLD

Hi

We are new to this thread, just wanting to make contact...

We applied for State Sponsorship (WA) in May 2009 and got it by July 2009.

Full DIAC application went in - August 2009 - haven't heard anything since then.

We are using immigration visa lawyers and they say we have to wait for a Case Officer and we may hear by December 2009 or it may even take until June 2010.

Is there anyone else in Dorset or nearby who wants to meet up and chat?

Cheers J P & L

BM615

Well done JLD - it's quite a long process but when it starts moving it can al happen very quickly.

Where do you plan to live and what business are you looking for.

cheers

Bryan & Joyce

JLD

Hi Bunbury is our destination choice. We have family there and also Perth. Business choice... Wholesale/distributor probably, we shall see whats available when we get the visa. A bit worried about stories we have seen where 'Cashed-up Poms' are taken for a ride buying a no-good business. Any help here guys? What has been your experience?
Cheers
J P & L