bound4brissy

Hi Lisa, That's a shame - I hope he gets something soon - where abouts are you in Oz?

We HOPE to be in Brisbane at the end of June..

Yvonne

PaulandNic

Thanks, yeah we're currently pulling our hair out which isn't good with me being a qualified hairdresser! ...

Hi Lisa, I'm currently working in cabinet making but we already have a guy with us who's doing 'study to PR' and I asked about my son getting a start here and they're full up ...

Just make sure he DOESN'T touch a cabinet making company in Computer Road, Ormeau. I'm sure I can't name them here, but they treated me like shite and I'd HATE anyone else to have to go thru it there!

Keep looking tho, something will turn up!

I'm pretty sure they're in Brissie! ... well, she did say that! ...

The GAP

hello Paul and Nic, thanks for your reply, while we are on a name and shame tell people not to touch on Chatwynd St, Logaholme, now i have read the whole thread how is the PR visa thing going, i hope we make it that far, has it been rough for your family?

Hello bound4brissy, we are in The Gap it is lovely you will love it here just be aware it is not as easy getting the employment as we thought it was going to be, but hey we love it here and though it is hard it is worth every last grey hair. will you know anyone here ? if not you could look us up, people did that for us when we first arrived it is nice meet new people there is Me, my OH and my son who will be 11 when you arrive,just let us know.

PaulandNic

Still waiting! ... and waiting! ... and waiting! ...

One day!

Has it been rough for my family?

Well the kids have loved pretty much EVERY minute of being here ... Me and Nic have too, but we've had a lot of stress with one thing or another and I suppose best to say we've had our high's and low's!

Overall we love here! ... just wish DIAC would get moving with applications, we've been waiting over 7 months now! ...

The GAP

oh wow thats rough, DIAC are a nightmare i understand they are swamped but that is of no consolation to you when your life is once again on hold whilst they give that little piece of paper that lets you stay in the life you have re-made for yourself, it is a cruel time thats for sure you are on a briding visa is that right, do they issue them 6 months at a time? is the PR visa really hard to complete?

Kids are great they adapt well, my son loves it here and he looks so much healthier than back home but then they dont have the financial pressure we have do they, we didnt have much to come what with settling debts in the UK and getting nearly £20000 less for the house than we expected as well we have to for pay cars,for rent, groceries(which are really expensive) for the rest of the course and another years school fee for our son im sure you know that all too well, highs and lows know what you mean and we have only been here 12 weeks ish, seems like a life time ago dont want to go back, i will just have to get the OH to get any kind of job for the 20hrs as we need money coming in, im working though the work is round school hours so at least i wont have child care fees, dont really want to sound like a whinger we have had more highs than lows so far and i wouldnt change it for the world, would you ?

how old are your children, where abouts are you?
LISA

PaulandNic

Yeah it's harsh, but better than HAVING to do a years work exp as a hairdresser! ...

Yeah on a Bridging visa which DIAC tell me can run till they make their decision!

Kids are 17 & 15, and we're on the sunny Gold Coast! ...

Yeah it's been a roller coaster alright, and altho it's been REAL hard at times we wouldn't of changed it for the world! ...

The GAP

thanks Paul and NIC, i like the Gold Coast lost my car keys at Kirra Beach easter weekend dozy mare i am

PaulandNic

Oh hello again, haven't spoke for AGES! ...

Yeah not everyone's cup o cha, but we ALL really like it here ...

mandyp

Hay Lisa, sorry your hubbie finding it hard to get a suitable job, think we must have just landed really lucky. A friend of a friend passed on a number to hubbie, he just offered a 'free' labour coupla days to prove his worth n the guy took him on after the first day. He's fine with the working restrictions n has talked non stop bout sponsoring him!!
Cause he can work full time the now for the easter break, hubbie asked him what hours he would need him next week so that I could give dates to my new place (woohoo, started today!!), his boss just said, tell Mandy to take whatever hours they want her to do n I'll organise work for you round that!!!

The 20 hours thing is a pain tho. Just about workable for us cause we're gettin paid reasonably well and hubbie can work as many hours as he wants during the hols which will help as long as we don't go 'radge' with the extra dosh!!

Hay Paul, positive vibes, always positive vibes!! Circle a date on your calendar n trully believe that your visa will be stamped on this date!! Believe n it will happen!!!!

Take care and best wishes everyone!!

Mandy

PaulandNic

I've given up on picking dates ... ... but we ARE trying our best to be positive ...

Thanks ... and student karma to you ...

bound4brissy

I knew there was a place in Brissy called The Gap but didnt make the link... We dont know a soul in Brisbane. My son is 11 too - will go into year 7 when we arrive and then start high school in January! He was actually born in Sydney when we were over there on a working holiday visa - what an amazing year we had and we have always wanted to go back. We chose Brisbane as Sydney was too expensive. HOw is your son settling in? I was a bit worried because its a funny age and both my kids (daughter age 8 too) are not wanting to go because they will miss their friends and the other stuff they do - dance classes, swimming. My son is in the Glasgow swim team and doing really well so hope to get him into a good team right away.

We are a bit worried about employment - have you got jobs now ok? Was it just the 20 hours a week thing that was hard to work around?

Would be fantastic to meet up when we arrive, thanks for the offer!!

Yvonne

southern-stars

Hello, sorry to barge in but I was hoping you could help us with a couple of questions! We have only been here 8 weeks but we are already thinking 3 years time when we apply for pr. Do you have to prove your solvency in the uk when you apply for pr as we still have loan and credit card in the uk which I can't imagine doing this student route we would have paid off, also was wondering if you are on a bridging visa do you still have to pay school fees etc?
many thanks in advance, julie and lee

PaulandNic

Solvency ... no!

Kids fee's ... yes till you get your PR in passport! ...

I hope by the time you apply they've got on top of things as we've been on a bridging visa for over 7 months now ... :curse:

southern-stars

Thanks for that, good luck with your visa, the kids fees must be breaking the bank, we have four kids so could be nasty for us! Like you say maybe by then it will be quicker, you would expect it to be faster when you are onshore. Thanks again, julie and lee

PaulandNic

Yeah 'onshore' ARE sposed to be processed in 6 months but there you go!

Oh and back to your original question, a UK police check for all members over 18 is all you'll need from that side of the pond ...