estherg

Sorry about whats happened, we have come back to the UK (been back 3 Weeks). We had a nightmare with our daughter (5) becoming v ill and ended up in hospital for a week, when we got to Melbourne the job my OH had lined just said sorry its dryed up here, same thing phoned round and round and nothing now or in a few mths. Taking a low paid job was OK but eating into savings and we had to come home. We feel in Ping POng land because we love Australia and what it offers the Children but work is ditto and why its on the shortage list I dont know (stonemason). We had interviews over in the UK
and went over to Australia on Holiday mths before,it just went pete tong.
OH got job back and kids back to school and I feel really low that our dream just did not work .
Good Luck hope it works out for you . x

JRB

Hi there, hope things are ok. We went through a similar time when we arrived in Perth. I had to wait ages to sit an exam and both my husband and ~I took low paid jobs. We both got jobs in the end which we were happy with but after 5 years we are now back in UK. It depends how much you like Perth and want to stay. If you really want to give it a go, sometimes you have to change careers. One Aussie chap I knew was a tradesman but he wasn't earning much and through an independent college (usually advertised in West Australian) he did mining courses. ~It cost about $1000+ but he did end up getting a fly in fly out 2 weeks on 2 weeks off driving job which paid really well and now his wife doesn't have to work. As the whole mining thing is booming could be worth looking in to, depends if you could manage with him being away from home and if you want to stay here. I think many migrants have found themselves in similar situations and sometimes end up doing completely different jobs. Hope things work out for you, I know how hard it can be when things don't go as planned.

jad n rich

Equally astounding, the qld government has put brickies and carpenters as in demand on some recruitment drive We can advertise for a carpenter or bricklaying gang and get around 40 applicants easily, that would be for jobs on the SC, brisbane, caboolture and surrounds, GC, HB, basically coastal SEQ, which is EXACTLY where any new migrants go.

Heard the same stories about travel agents being on the list, theres a pommy lady here who did all the aussie quals at tafe, shes been going for jobs for over a year, most get hundreds of applicants.

Crazy.

bluekipper

For all those who have came back to the UK-do you think you can ever fully settle? we came back last year and although we`ve got back into work,bought house etc, the pull to go back is just as strong! its sending us loopy as our 2 girls are settling back nicely here, although eldest loved OZ she has a BF now and wants to go back eventually, we think the longer we stay here the harder it`l be to make the move bk to OZ (if that all makes sense)

like to hear other ppls opions on this!

bluekipper

estherg

We would love to go back but we have only been back 3 weeks and only went out for such a short time. But Australia is under my skin , the trouble is that some trades just can not get the work and to retrain with a mortgage and a family back in UK seems to hard, plus like you our children loved oz but happy to be back at old school. I think its horrible to be feeling not settled . Good Luck

bluekipper

Thanks for the reply, its just so distracting having OZ on your mind ALL the time just want to get on with life but its there all the time in our minds!

bluekipper

JRB

Hi there, I came back to UK and feel pretty settled. Australia will always be a kind of second home though as we spent 5 years there, I had my children there and my husband is an Aussie. Also we all have dual citizenship. I didn't hate Perth, I just didn't want to live there long term. I still visit this site and always check what's going on in the news in Aus. I am pretty sure that when my kids reach 18 they will probably want to do the whole backpacking thing out there. I could see us retiring out there (maybe?). It's just such a long way to go, at the moment very much appreciating being back in the UK. Today have been out at the park all day with my kids and in Aus I could never last more than 1-2 hours due to heat and flies. Don't have to worry about sunscreen, hats, shade, covering up etc (well not today anyway, a perfect Spring sunny day about 14 degrees). Also I can let them run around, digging in the garden etc and not have to constantly supervise worrying about redbacks. Initially when we went to Perth one of the reasons was because houses were cheap but that isn't the case anymore. To be honest the way the market is going I reckon houses may be cheaper here soon. I also love the diversity of the UK and there is so much more to do. The suburbs of Perth, although pleasant were very bland and samey. I think the UK gets an unjustified bad press. Really good to be back.

bluekipper

Interesting reply, I feel the same about the UK, the differnces etc, I`m not wanting to leave the UK because i hate it, I just miss the freedom my kids had and the outdoorsy lifestyle, we get too much rain for that here sadly, plus the space & beach, we love the sun you see, it will be hard leaving again, but its the choice you make!

bluekipper

jad n rich

Once you have lived in any two countries I dont think you can ever 100% settle.

Because there will always have bits of one country you miss, or people in another country you will miss, or times when there are things you wish you could be doing if you were in the other country etc etc......

I could live in either, both have many fantastic points and equally as many crap points. There is no way to have the best of both. I miss many things in the Uk and especially people in the UK, if I stayed here 100 years and if I moved back there are equally sides to australia and people I would miss.

The problem is magnified by australias distance, ie mate in spain misses things/people in UK, she goes back for 40 quid. We miss things airfares with taxes cost at least $2000 each closer to the $3000 each in the school hols

sj oldfield

You might have tried this, but have a look in Weds and Sats Western Australia.
there are usually loads of 'Tradies' jobs advertised in there.
I know when my OH is thinking about changing employer thats the first place he looks.
Good Luck!!

mand-jim

Hello, we've just joined this site so only just read this post. How are things now Nic? have things improved over a month on?

confuzzled

nic, i have Pmed you x

yanchep

Ive just read this thread too and would like to know if things have worked out better for Nic as well, would be nice to have an update

mand-jim

Yanchep are you following me? ha ha! Has anyone heard anything from Nic? I'd like to know if things are working out

yanchep