If you wanted to move abroad would your OH?

gingin_2

I really think you should ask the practical questions on Britishexpats.com. There are literally hundreds of Brits who will have been through the process and will be on hand to anwer any practical questions.

This is the visa you would apply for

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/175/


If you have the visa I am sure you can apply for jobs before you arrive. Remeber the Visa might take a year to process and will cost money. You will also all need to pass a full medical to gain your visa, so if you have any health conditions, that might hamper your application and also a clean criminal record. You will need many references

WA is perhaps the most remote part of Oz. We were weeks away from moving to Sydney when we change our minds. I, personally could think of nothing worse than moving to Perth - hot, isolated, flat land (plus soulless and uncultured but that is my opinion ) - there is a reason why it is cheaper to live in than the rest of Oz. You should definitely, definitely go for a visit before you move permanently.

The fact that you keep mentioning what would happen if you run out of money or don't find jobs is really worrying. You will have 2 children to care for and no rights to benefits initially, also their benefits system is not nearly as generous a over here, we really do have it good in the UK. Health care is subsidised but not free. Have a look at house prices - Perth had a massive house price boom, could you afford to buy there and pay off a mortgage when OH is 45? Or afford to pay for private rentals for the rest of your lives? You also need to consider the cost of moving there - I think £8000 budget for a family of 4, including visa's but also the costs you might need if you were to want to move back.

If it were me, I would make sure we had 2 solid careers, then you are not just relying on OH. 5 years gives you enough time to retrain - nursing, midwifery, teaching are all in demand, or maybe gain some childcare qualifications if you don't already have them and then you could work in childcare.

gabyjane

gingin wrote: »

I really think you should ask the practical questions on Britishexpats.com. There are literally hundreds of Brits who will have been through the process and will be on hand to anwer any practical questions.

This is the visa you would apply for

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/175/


If you have the visa I am sure you can apply for jobs before you arrive. Remeber the Visa might take a year to process and will cost money. You will also all need to pass a full medical to gain your visa, so if you have any health conditions, that might hamper your application and also a clean criminal record. You will need many references

WA is perhaps the most remote part of Oz. We were weeks away from moving to Sydney when we change our minds. I, personally could think of nothing worse than moving to Perth - hot, isolated, flat land (plus soulless and uncultured but that is my opinion ) - there is a reason why it is cheaper to live in than the rest of Oz. You should definitely, definitely go for a visit before you move permanently.

The fact that you keep mentioning what would happen if you run out of money or don't find jobs is really worrying. You will have 2 children to care for and no rights to benefits initially, also their benefits system is not nearly as generous a over here, we really do have it good in the UK. Health care is subsidised but not free. Have a look at house prices - Perth had a massive house price boom, could you afford to buy there and pay off a mortgage when OH is 45? Or afford to pay for private rentals for the rest of your lives? You also need to consider the cost of moving there - I think £8000 budget for a family of 4, including visa's but also the costs you might need if you were to want to move back.

If it were me, I would make sure we had 2 solid careers, then you are not just relying on OH. 5 years gives you enough time to retrain - nursing, midwifery, teaching are all in demand, or maybe gain some childcare qualifications if you don't already have them and then you could work in childcare.

Hi thanks some good points there..i have been on a few sites, expats being one of them and am just confused with the whole lot!..i will ask them on there though.

As for worrying about money/jobs etc is that not normal? surely everyone who does it has huge doubts and panicks over things like that? i dont think id'e be human if i wasnt worried about stuff like that..i worry here so why not there?!

We realsie the visa can take well over a year which is fine..as for health we are at the mo healthy with no probs, we are very rarely ill either. As for criminal records well i am fully crb checked and dh is in the police part time so no worries there.

Perth was not he only area we had looked at or the one we would liek to live in and that talkes some more delving of course we would go out first and investigate though. Melbourne doesn't appeal at all as to me that is the outback with nothing to do etc..Sydney equally too buisy as such think we want a happy medium.

Kids..id'e be taking one of my children with me as haven't looked after the eldest for 12 years now but yes of course a child to care for is a huge factor. Again Perth (not sure where that came from but hey may be expensive so no we probably wouldnt buy, renting again is like here i suppsoe you live to your means and work your way up..yes the age thing does bother me but dh has it in his head he will be working well over retirement age (me too) so what's different? we have set up a savings goal for £7-8k for moving costs although no idea what figure to head for...another thing to quizz on the EP site!

As for jobs, dh being a chef/in the police and me being in childcare sounds ok but again i would have to retrain over there surely? actually surely any job i have here wouldn't be applicable over there? another thing to ask about! again does everyone who moves there have a huge pot of cash just incase they lose thier jobs? if thats so then maybe it wont work as we are not loaded!

Thanks for the reply..i hope some of my comments didn't sound patronising in any way it's just the first thing some people do is put a downer on it..equally people move and hate it and come back but the ones who have done it and love it are forgotten at times..lifes too short not to take the gamble at times. I feel like everyone who moved prob got a hard time but never look back..id'e like to give it a shot i guess.
Thanks again

gingin_2

No, not at all but I am certainly not putting a downer on it for the sake of it. I am probably passionate with my responses because for 2 years I believe I was going to live in Australia. We had everything planned, family were told and it was only the last few months that the doubts started to creep in and we didn't go. It was easier for us as we didn't need a Visa and we had family over there and a lot in New Zealand but still it was too much and I think I am glad we didn't go - OH certainly is.

I don't understand the issue with your children, I thought dd 16 year old was going and 11 year old ds, now it's one? That's a huge decision to leave one on the other side of the world. It's not something you need to explain/justify though.

It's just some of the things you say make me sound like you are trying to escape from a life you are not happy with and you believe Australia will be the miracle cure. Just make sure Australia is not a sticking plaster on the wound because sometimes a sticking plaster can come off and the wound still hasn't healed. If you have issues you have 5 years to sort them and start Oz with a clean slate. I might be totally, utterly wrong though .

Edit : Ignore the stuff I said about the kids - not sure where I got the idea from, think I got myself very confused!

pigpen

I get stressed enough even thinking about the fact my OH's family live 100 miles away.. My mother would be gutted if I even moved that far.. currently I live the street up from here.. we even have the same house number!

My XH always wanted to move elsewhere.. Italy or Spain or somewhere similar and I always said no... I did tell him he could go lol

euronorris

I think it's natural for you to view renting as less scary in Australia, as it is a huge committment to make before you are sure that you made the right decision by moving. Renting would allow you the flexibility to just pack up and go home a lot more easily than if you had a property to sell etc.

OH and I looked at buying a property here. I would love to, tbh. But....OH's work contract is up for renewal in April, and whilst discussions have already started and sound positive, anything could happen. Plus, he hasn't entirely ruled out returning to Belgium yet, neither have I. The town he lived in there is absolutely gorgeous and I have a good relationship with the Director of the dept of the firm I work for there. I know he would welcome me to his team (he's already asked! haha).

Anyway, I digress, renting affords flexibility, but there are pitfalls also (ie, often far more expensive etc). But there are pitfalls with owning also. You have to weigh up the costs based on what your situation will be when you are there, not here. Comparing the two is not a good idea as the situations will be vastly different.

As for the jobs and qualifications, it really depends. With childminding, they may accept the certificates you gained here from the government, or they may ask you to complete a course there first. It would be worth looking up childminders in Aus and sending one of them an email if possible. Explain what you are thinking about doing and ask for some guidance on what would be required from you in order to work as a childminder there. There is probably even a childminder's site with lots of useful information.

As for the hubby, I don't know. I think his chef qualifications would be recognised there, but again, it's worth asking.

Ask the questions now, and then you can prepare as much as possible pre move.

graemecarter

In my experience (I lived and worked in Europe and Asia for periods of time) many people want to live abroad as they are unhappy. However, that happiness will not be found abroad, but within the person.

The unhappiness is especially evident when the goal is "I want to live abroad" as opposed to "I love the French culture and would love to live in France"

The problem with living abroad is that you arrive with yourself, and external things don't satisfy us long term. By moving abroad, you can change your surroundings, but not yourself.

gabyjane

gingin wrote: »

No, not at all but I am certainly not putting a downer on it for the sake of it. I am probably passionate with my responses because for 2 years I believe I was going to live in Australia. We had everything planned, family were told and it was only the last few months that the doubts started to creep in and we didn't go. It was easier for us as we didn't need a Visa and we had family over there and a lot in New Zealand but still it was too much and I think I am glad we didn't go - OH certainly is.

I don't understand the issue with your children, I thought dd 16 year old was going and 11 year old ds, now it's one? That's a huge decision to leave one on the other side of the world. It's not something you need to explain/justify though.

It's just some of the things you say make me sound like you are trying to escape from a life you are not happy with and you believe Australia will be the miracle cure. Just make sure Australia is not a sticking plaster on the wound because sometimes a sticking plaster can come off and the wound still hasn't healed. If you have issues you have 5 years to sort them and start Oz with a clean slate. I might be totally, utterly wrong though .

Edit : Ignore the stuff I said about the kids - not sure where I got the idea from, think I got myself very confused!

Hi thanks for the replys. I understand your points and they are completely valid..i want everyone to throw whatever may be an issue at me tbh!

I see you changed your mind..why? Other than my brother and sister that is the only family i have here..i see them rarely and would miss them terribly but they are always at the end of the phone or online i guess..dh's family is big but again we rarely see them (you would never guess we all live in the same town as there are 3 brothers and 1 sister!)..other than that that's the only family ties we have. Nothing is an 'issue' as you put it and we are not trying to run away from anything..just fancy a different life to what we have now..no i dont like the weather here..that would be better..no i dont like our taxes but i think they are more justified in lots of countries..i don't think the people are particularly friendly, dh is not enjoying his job and been looking for a while with no success..mines good but very isolated..i could go on but hard to explain without going into real depth..nothing huge though..i dont think we are going to move to this fantasy island though and soend our days on the beach drinking cocktails if thats what everyone thinks!!

My kids..my fault think i said the eldest one when i mean the youngest lives with me she is 11..the eldest is now 13 and i havent had her living with me since she was just over 1..a very compicated scenario why but nothing i have done wrong and i still see her but still12 years+ on things are not right and never will be..thats my fault not hers and i beat myslef up about it a lot..but i cant force myslef to be someone im not and people make mistakes so that is why she is better settled here with her 'family' she has.

Earlier i sat in the car with a book reading up on various parts of oz and suddenly thought 'i cant do this' it just seems all too hard..not emotionally either just where to start..got home and dh was by the back door looking out and said 'oh lets just do it..we either book a trip out or just go..looking into what to do for the best as money will be a huge chunk going out and back when we could be wild and see..who knows..how do people ever do these things!

Thanks for the reply x

gabyjane

graemecarter wrote: »

In my experience (I lived and worked in Europe and Asia for periods of time) many people want to live abroad as they are unhappy. However, that happiness will not be found abroad, but within the person.

The unhappiness is especially evident when the goal is "I want to live abroad" as opposed to "I love the French culture and would love to live in France"

The problem with living abroad is that you arrive with yourself, and external things don't satisfy us long term. By moving abroad, you can change your surroundings, but not yourself.

Hi i understand what you are saying but it's not me im unhappy with as such it's here..it's anywhere gloomy infact! you know on holiday (and i know it's not going to be like a holiday) i woke up each morning warm..we got dressed in 5 mins and off we went sunglasses and money..walking round was pleasant..today AGAIN i have been out in the rain and wind..just stood in a playground for 15 mins freezing cold and tbh it never changes..our summers are pathetic and im tired of it all. We need a change of scenery. My friend rung me last night about her skiing holday and i was really pleased she had had a nice time but justthought why? its not enjoyable to me in the slightest being cold and wet! Maybe wather is a huge factor for me..maybe that sounds mad to some and a huge jump just for some sun but hey!

If out of interest if anyone has gone i would be interested to know why you did?..thanks

alleycat`

gabyjane wrote: »

Earlier i sat in the car with a book reading up on various parts of oz and suddenly thought 'i cant do this' it just seems all too hard..not emotionally either just where to start.

You can go to the far end of a f4rt looking at these things.

We ended up doing spreadsheets on the comparable cost of everything from bedsheets and curtains to washing machines with our friends that moved to Oz.

In the end they decided to go into it with their eyes open. Don't try and plan for everything or you'll never ever manage to get on top of it all (and we'll be writing on this thread in 2014) :rotfl:

O and the reason they went:-

They felt that with the work they did they could have a better quality of life and when they started a family they thought that australia gave the "as yet to happen" kiddies a better start in life.

4 years on and they don't regret it at all.

Gingham_Ribbon

Like with most things, it would have to be good for all of us or we wouldn't do it. If only one of us wanted it, it'd be unlikely to happen.