emigrating to the USA or Australia

bluenoseam

Sounds like he really doesn't want to move & feels like you're trying to pressure him into it, if i was in his shoes i wouldn't be budging either - he's working for arguably a top name in motoring in a skilled position, probably in a safe job right now, simply put in his eyes there's no reason for leaving that security behind in an unstable market. This might sound hard for you, but ultimately HE is right - you'd want him to give up everything he's worked hard to keep stable to satisfy YOUR desire to move to a different continent for zero security, so ultimately you're asking him to sacrifice everything for you because of something you think you want?

I know it's difficult to understand, but do you actually know what living in the US/Australia is like or have you just watched a few too many episodes of Neighbourse/Home & Away/Friends and thought it looks nice? Do you know the localised areas for example how good the schools are, how stable the job markets are, what the demand for panel beaters is, what the local community is like, what's the local healthcare set up like, would you be able to afford to live off one wage there? I don't doubt you know this, but there's more to emigration than just upping sticks and moving, the instant costs are one thing, but the secondaries are what gets you - and in the case of australia, i'm fairly sure they don't allow you to migrate without having a 100% set in stone job to go to.

Then there's the other thing, you're saying OH is good at his job, but how much of that is down to the fact it's your OH - do you know his work is actually as good as you THINK it is, perhaps that's why your OH is reluctant to move, because he understands that his work is of a high standard but nothing that any time served workman wouldn't be expected to produce. Again it's not something i doubt you in, but ultimately OH will be a better judge of what it means to be a REALLY good workman and be coveted - you are not in a position to know this and as such CAN'T judge if he'd be sought in another country.

I think you need to see this from his perspective rather than being selfish - and the ultimate thing to remember, you can move as far away as you'd like, but your issues are called "baggage" for a reason, they'll always be there regardless as to where you go, just in a different setting only if it goes wrong, you're thousands of miles away from reinforcements with the bigger problem of figuring out how you'll get back to them!

hcb42

I dont think you have a chance with USA.

Panel Beater is on the Australia list of skills in demand. However a lot depends on age etc - as hubby has 24 years experience I assume you are over 40 so time could be running out.

You will need a lot of cash to apply.

AS others have said the grass is no greener. I lived out there for 2 years and I would go back - my sister lives there now. However I would be going back with my eyes open, I am also 43, exchange rate is absolutely awful compared to 10 years ago, and I would need to apply in next 12 months or so. If we went out there, wages are lower for the role I do, and housing in Sydney is extortionate, we would be well out of city, so facing the same life problems as here i.e. long commuting etc. Cost of living is not as cheap as Brits typically perceive, especially not now.

My cousin emigrated in 2000, (also a panel beater). He is self employed over there, and I believe they are doing ok. My friend (a nurse) went at same time, but she was homesick for years, essentially her relationship unhappiness went with her . The same cousin's brother (obviously another cousin!) also went out in 2000, but they came back before their shipment even arrived in Australia as they really didnt settle.

Have a good old read of www.britishexpats.com as there are plenty of tales, good and bad, and you will also get a handle on costs. As I always say to people (as it gets discussed as I lived out there) then you need to go and have a good holiday first, to see if you could really settle there, before you go half away around the world to face the same problems.

Oh and the rainfall in Sydney is about twice it is here!

notsorichandnotsofamous

I agree with the above poster about the grass not always being greener on the other side,although I never got the chance to move to Australia,my sister in law her hubby and 2 girls moved there 3 years ago.
They had had enough of it within 12 months but thought they should stay and give it a bit longer.
They bought a house the 2nd year but have now sold it and move back here next month.
The cost of living there is very expensive and although she has a very good job I think she just misses home so much.

I_know_my_ABC_and_my_CMYK

I think we sometimes forget that the recession we are in has affected the world, not just here and the U.S


If you can go for a holiday then go at least you will know what it is like, but please don't just jump and leave, I saw many do that and within 6 months they were heading back home to start again.

kingfisherblue

If the OP has a disabled child, I think that should be first priority. My son has complex needs and a few years ago, I was asked by a British support group to contact someone in Sydney whose child had some of the same rare conditions that my son has. They had contacted the support group because there wasn't a similar group over there, and they wanted to speak to a parent who had a slightly older child with the same or related conditions.

One thing that I found out during our email correspondence was that the parents had to pay 50% of the cost of medication. That sounds ok if someone doesn't need much in the way of medicines, but my son has nine different medicines a day, plus prescibed high calorie milk. I checked the prices of his medications, including the milk, a few years ago. Total cost was around £500 a month :eek: - and that was about eight years ago.

Thank goodness for the NHS, despite the problems it has.

I would also be concerned about the future for my disabled child - what about transferring hospital records? Would he be accepted in a different country? What about schooling? His future?

Britain, along with the rest of the world, has its problems, but personally I would not move abroad. England is my home, where my family live. If my son is ill, my relatives are all within five hours travelling to come and support me (my mum is round the corner and my sister is 30 minutes away).

I would not want to leave my family and friends, they are a fantastic support network. I wouldn't want to transfer my son's care to someone across the world - but having said that, my son has an unusual combination of rare conditions as well as the more common Down's syndrome.

OP, I suggest that you take a long, hard look at what you have written. You seem to want your husband to move abroad when he is not comfortable doing so. You can't afford to move. Could you adjust something in your life over here to improve things? Is wanting something that is likely to be very difficult, if not impossible, worth creating a problem between you and your husband (which may well happen - he is happy as he is, and doesn't want you to push him from his comfort zone, from what I read in your post).

Sambucus_Nigra

Have you ever been to the USA or Australia?

starryshell

As others have said, you'd not have much chance to get a US visa.

However, in the event you would, consider this:

Healthcare is extortionate in the US. You'll need health insurance (which is extremely expensive), and you'll pay for every doctor's visit, each individual prescription, hospital stay, ambulance ride, etc. on top of your insurance fees. Getting coverage when you have a pre-existing condition (from high blood pressure or low thyroid on up to more serious conditions) is either impossible, extremely expensive or you'll end up being insured for anything except what might be caused by the existing condition.

Vacation time - Americans are not entitled to a single day of vacation by law. Most employers will give some time, but usually starts at 1 or if you're lucky 2 weeks after your first year of employment. Many employers these days are combining holiday time with sick time - so if you get sick, you don't get your holiday time. (You'll be given 10 days to use per year, as you wish, but it is for both sick and vacation time).

Hammyman

Remember that in the USA there is basically no social medical care and health insurers look to get out of paying, especially on pre-existing conditions. The USA is THE LAST PLACE I would take someone with disability who needs medical care. Plenty of Americans have been made bankrupt by medical bills and 1/5th of the population of the richest country in the world has no medical cover.

cashbackproblems

Most employers provide medical insurance in the USA its not that much of an issue, its only if your not working or working in a low skilled job, and a panel beater doesnt sound like most skilled/in demand occupation especially with machines doing alot of that now

hcb42

uSA is difficult to get into, unless you are related to the president just about.

In Aus though, panel beater scores 60 points, the max available, (along with lots of trades)