Matewx

Ok... Am not going just yet... BUT

OH (Who's an Mechanical Engineer) has been offered quite a couple of jobs in OZ & has seen some others he likes... Meanwhile, here in AKL he works in a shop.

So the question comes up, what do we do?

-He's the main earner, but the visa here is from my work (sponsored)
-My contract says if I leave before a year, I must repay all immigration expenses...

The thought of starting this immigration saga again, kinda makes me sick!

On the other hand, we could live appart for 6months or so... after all Oz is only 2/3 hrs flight...


Any thought anyone?

Justcol

1st thought. living apart is VERY hard.
If your already thinking about the possibilities of OZ then that suggests you are not really happy here in NZ.
I would say stick it out for a year and then if you still think its an option go for it.

JAJ

What kind of visa would be available in Australia? Temporary or permanent?

Matewx

Temporary long stay, the good old 457 me thinks...

Psychopandy

If my experience is anything to go by - i would say dont send him away.

It was my idea for my DH to go to NZ job hunting this year alone - to expensive for all for of us to go chasing gooses but i have to say it was the longest 2 and a bit weeks of my life. In nearly 20 years we had never been away from each other longer than overnight.

Never again!!! it was so hard, and almost made harder for chatting about what he was doing and seeing and stuff. i think it would have been easier if he had gone and then nothing.... till he got back off the train. But then again - what do i know.

I would say - keep him close - life is to short to spend so much time apart - see your first year out in NZ - then go together if thats what you both want - if he has lots of job potential, then a few months shouldnt make so much difference eh ?

Well thats the opinion of a Psycho estate agent anyway x

Matewx

We've lived appart for over two years in the UK... Me in Bham & him in London... I know we now look at different countries... But...

It's not that am not happy, it's just that he is the main earner (biggest salary of the two) and he can not get a job here... Plus I work in hospitality & hotels are everywhere...

We may wait a year and see, hoping it's not too late then!

mecheng

If I was your OH I would stick it out for another 6 months or so when your year is up and then go together. I don't think you would want to live apart in 2 different countries as it can't help a marriage.

MnB

hey there Matewx...... one of my dearest kiwi friends has recently gone to live & work in aus for a couple of years...she tells me 'its only a 3hr flight & cost about 130 bucks', I know she has only moved (temproarily) cause the money she can earn means she will be able to retire at 50......so hun, short term pain, long term gain
If you have survived a long distance relationship before then you know what you'll be letting yourselves in for......only you & your partner know if it will work again, lol
B x

Matewx

This is why I like this forum, you can ask away & everyone chips in with their own experiences & thoughts...

At the end of the day, it's up to the two of us to weight everything up & make OUR decision...

But it's great to have some other Expats to give you some feedback & experience...

Cheers to all

luvwelly

A 3 hour flight is to Sydney on the fastest route and I have never seen flights that cheap! The trouble with sending him on ahead is that you'd be paying rent in both countries at the same time n'est-ce pas?

Matewx

Oui we would be... But we'd downside too... A studio would be enough...

And I reckon by planning a month or two ahead, we can sort flight for weekends & stuff...

We're letting this one simmer in our heads for a few days, not gonna rush anything this time... I swear!!

adamlt1972

As someone who was caught out with a dodgy employer on a 457 in Oz I'd urge caution. If the job is awful, or he gets made redundant then the rug would be pulled from beneath you both.
In fact, if you could put up with the living apart while he tries the new job it'd would allow you the time for him to find out if it suited him before you both fully commit.

Robbo25

The temporary visa situation wouldn't appeal to me, as you don't get Medicare and the like, so it could be a very rocky road indeed.

JAJ

Not a great visa, as you may or may not know.

Wooly_Cow

I spent nearly a year in Wellington and my wife and family were in Reading...and there are no divorce lawyers knocking on our door! Our marriage is, if anything, stronger as we both learnt a lot about ourselves and what we meant to each other.

Careful of making generalised statements about how people cope and not