MilesF

Hi all,

At the time of writing this my wife and I are looking at our options for moving out to Australia.

To start with, a little bit about us which may help with advice offered down the road:

I am 32, my wife is 34
no kids (yet)
I have family in Sydney who have been there over 40 years (so have citizenship)
we are both full time police officers
we own our own house and would be renting it out (at least initially)
my wife has a degree, im thick so only managed college
we both have savings to help out (to a degree)
we are willing to risk alot to get out to Australia

so, the reason for this post and asking for advice is we are at a point where decisions need to be made. My wife and I have both traveled Australia in the past and have for the past 8 years been desperate to move over there.

The reasons are varied and wide ranging but most of it centers around wanting a better quality of life, a much warmer climate and a better future for any kids we might have.

The various state police services have not recruited for the last 5 years and we don't anticipate them starting again any time soon

Alongside that given our jobs, both of us are more than happy walking away from that side of life, iv had my fill of hate and anger from other people.

we are currently talking to Pathway to Auz and discussing going to study at a TAFE college on the gold coast. This includes coming over on a student visa and I would be the student studying a level 3 in Carpentry.

There are considerable cost implications involved with this pathway as have been discussed in forums before (20hrs cap, rental prices etc etc) and we are not naive enough to belive that after those first two years ill just wander into another visa.

That being said, the agent we are talking to, salesman or not, is telling us that after completing a job ready program and as long as points wise it stacks up I should be able to apply for a graduate visa and from there state sponsorship.

In regards to the above, how much of that is him filling our heads with magic? I know that given our ages and lack of skills on the desirable list we have limited options, hence the reason to study.

As I understand it without an equivalent qualification to lvl 3 Carpentry I would need to prove 5 yrs full time employment in the Carpentry field. Even with one I would need to prove 3yrs full time employment in the Carpentry field.

As I don't have the qualification the timescales are the same, 5 years either way. So it makes sense to us to train in Australia and if it works out stay on (I know that the prerequisite for the student visa is for it not to be a permanent intention)

We are prepared to go pretty much anywhere and do pretty much anything to migrate out to Auz permanently. That being said we are also aware that its a long shot.

As they say, nothing worth having is ever easy getting.

Any thoughts or advice are welcome.

Thanks in advance everyone

Miles

quoll

I wouldnt be banking on moving from a student visa to a permanent one (have you got lots and lots of money?) and what are you going to do if you decide to start a family in the mean time? There wont be any maternity benefits or financial support as students and trying to subsist on one 20 hour week would be very tricky. Surely a better option would be to train in UK and then get a permanent visa. It's going to be a long term plan anyway. I would do away with the "better life" thinking thing for starters - it's just another first world country with all that entails and there is no guarantee of a "better" future for any kids - it'll be pretty much the same as any other first world country. The weather is a matter of personal preference, you may enjoy being hot, many of us dont, especially when you have to work in it - it isnt like being on holiday when the nicer weather is a glorious relief. If you want to move, do it because you have a busting desire for adventure by all means but, in answer to your question, and putting a very pragmatic hat on, yes, I think you are being filled with magical thinking.

MilesF

Hi Quoll,

Thanks for the reply, can I ask why we shouldn't be banking on the student visa route in particular? Are there any other visa options out there that you have heard of/would recommend. We are doing our research this end but may have missed something.

Re retraining over in the UK, as stated to fill the skilled migration visa requirements it'll be 5 years minimum by which point we will both be nearer 40 (as I point out all the time my wife is closer than me!) And would suffer points wise as a result.

Thanks

Miles

Pollyana

One reason not to bank in the student visa - none of us have crystal balls and there is no way of predicting what skills will be on the list by the time you finish your course and are ready to apply for PR. Over the years there have been several people on here who have trained in a specific skill, only to find that its no longer on demand and so they have to head home.

MilesF

Ah yeah, get you now.

That However presents a catch 22.

Suggestions like train in the UK present the same problem. I would need more years experience in the UK to get a visa compared to training and working in Auz so arguably if I'm following the skilled migration route I have more chance in Auz as long as we are willing to foot the bill.

we end up in the same position if that job does fall off the list and the training I get in Auz is arguably better then a tech college here. Either way I end up with a qualification I can't use

I suppose this boils down to are we willing to risk the student visa route and the costs involved for a chance (however small) to move to a country that for us holds promise for a better life (in our eyes).

The argument about it just being another first world country just doesn't hold water for us. We both have friends out in Auz and have both traveled extensively in country. In all that time we haven't found anything suggesting the UK has a patch on Auz. But that could just be an outsiders perspective.

Because of our ages and professions this route seems to be the only one open to us unless you guys think of anything else?

quoll

Sadly, not everyone who wants to get into Australia is going to be wanted by Australia and sometimes there just isnt a way in. If you've got £100k to burn then go for it. It'll be a nice adventure/holiday and if you can take unpaid leave from your current positions just in case it doesnt work out then you havent lost too much except your cash and you might get a bit of change from 100k but it's always good to have "just in case" money for the unforeseen. As long as you go expecting to have to come home at the end of your student visa you should be OK. If it works out differently you win but if it doesnt, you wont be disappointed. Edited to say - would your wife's degree give her any capacity for applying for PR?

verystormy

Just be very careful on such a risk strategy that your reasons are sound. It is pretty much agreed that Oz doesn't offer a better life, just a different one. You are moving from a first world country to another. Hence about half of Brits that move move back.

MilesF

Hi Quoll,

Yeah, you are completely right, its a gamble and one that may cost us some cash but thankfully Greater Manchester Police are fairly accommodating when it comes to career breaks (about the only thing they are generous with)

We can both take up to 5 years out and return to current posting. We would still be in the same position property ladder wise in the UK.

I'm hoping we are both savvy enough to go into this with our eyes open. If we come home, as you say, it'll have been an adventure and something to bore friends and relatives with! If by some miracle it works out and we stay, win win.

Regarding my wife's degree, its in English language and we would be in a similar position with regard to re training (in her case as a teacher). She would need a year PGCE, then an NQT year and then a few years experience before any school in Auz would seriously consider her.

I suppose it boils down to are we willing to role the dice and loose some cash for either stories or a new life. We end up with one or the other. Guess we have to find out which!

old.sparkles

I did post yesterday, but deleted it as I realised you had covered some in your initial post - costs, post study grad work visa, etc.

Anyway, as a UK passport holder, studying in Australia does not bypass the need for a skills assessment - it just changes the pathway.

Vetassess is one of the more common RTO's conducting trade assessments. Info on Pathway 2 (Australian Qualification) here - https://www.vetassess.com.au/Portals...-29-152441-940

In addition to the qualification, you also need a minimum 12 months full time work experience in your occupation before you can apply for assessment. The assessment is two-fold - once your qualifications and experience is accepted, you will also need to pass a technical interview.

The grad work visa lasts 18 months so you won't have too much wriggle room time wise.

As you will be aware, both you and your OH will be limited to 20 hrs work / week and as temporary residents finding work may not be straightforward.

From research, there would be other options for study in QLD other than Gold Coast - https://tafeqld.edu.au/courses/17746...i-in-carpentry May be worth investigating where best work opportunities would be, housing costs, etc.

Finally - do you want to be a carpenter, or do you just see this as a possible pathway? If it's not something you enjoy, will you be able to hack 2 years FT study, being skint possibly, then having to do that job in heat / wet / humidity FT for 12 months?

Other info -
general Vetassess trade site - https://www.vetassess.com.au/skills-...de-occupations
student visa - https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visa...ng/student-500
grad visa - https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visa...y-graduate-485

MilesF

Again, thats opinion based on a personal experience, suppose its for the individual to make their mind up

MilesF

Hi Sparkles,

Thanks for all the links, iv had a good read.

I have retyped this twice now as I tried accidentally to post links and It wouldn't let me!

I was going to post a few pics of my work on here, just as background for the choice of course but ill have to write a thousand words instead!

I do build furniture and outdoor decking/bar areas for our house and friends/work colleagues as stress relief from work so doing site work full time seems like a good choice for me as i love the work already.

Studying at TAFE gold Coast offers two benefits from what I can see:

1. I get 5 extra points for study in a regional area
2. TAFE sort me out an onsite placement and from what iv read lots of the students get to do their 20hrs paid work with the same company placed with. That'll help toward the required hours for the skills assessment.

Re getting the wife a job, she has previous sales and retail experience so hopefully would be able to pick up something fairly soonish. As they say, you never forget how to stack a shelf!

Thanks for all the advice so far everyone!

old.sparkles

Work before qualified will not count for the skills assessment. Also, if any work placement is not mandatory, any hours count against your 40 per fortnight. Info here - https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visa...5%C2%A0%C2%A0#

ETA - you can study cabinet making at QLD Tafe - not sure if it's on the list though.

MilesF

ah sorry, may not have explained myself properly, I meant the two years worth of working 20hrs placement (mandatory for the course) and hopefully 20hrs paid will only help me prep for the assessment. More knowledge is never a bad thing. I would be building up the required 12 months only after graduation and within that 18 month period.

And cabinet making is on the list, I just fancied the site work as I'd rather keep part of my hobby as just that with the hopes it still releaves stress for me!

That and the way I figure it, you will always need the chippies before the cabinetmakers as a lovely piece of furniture is useless without a roof over it

old.sparkles

All good

Certainly sounds like you've done all your homework. Hopefully it all works out once the borders re-open to international students

MilesF

thanks sparkles, you've been a great help!

Finally managed to upload a pic! Beside tables in european and english poppy oak with parquet floor tops. My latest foray into cabinetry