Moving to Perth, Australia from UK

[Moonlight34]

Hi everyone

My husband and myself have been thinking for a long time to move to Australia. We have two little girls and another one on the way. We are looking to move in October, a few months after the baby is born. Although both me and my husband are educated and in really good jobs , we don't qualify for any visa. My husbands mum and sister live in Melbourne but it still does not give my husband any rights. Unfortunately the only way to get there is for my husband to become an international student, luckily we have savings behind us to fund this but we really think this is the best move for us as a family. We understand that our right to work is 20 hours only , I won't be working as I will be on Mat pay.
I doubt we can buy a flat outright there for 100k (house sale) but does anyone know if an international mortgage is possible ?
Can anyone guide us what areas in Perth are suitable for a young family ? We would like to be near the beach / city / amenities but realise that this is most likely impossible.
If anyone can provide any information about Perth , we would very much appreciate it.

Many thanks

m.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-wa-west+perth-138049486

What £100k gets you in Perth......

We live in secret harbour. Absolutely love it. Didn’t have a lot of money or jobs when we arrived with 2 young kids a few years back but wouldn’t want to live anywhere else now, husband got a job after 3 1/2 weeks, got a rental, found schools. It was hard those first few weeks. I have a job now too, which I love! And we’ve bought our home. We have great friends that are family ❤️.
Join poms in Perth and poms in oz. You’ll get lots of info on there too.

*Yesterday 06:42tcjotm

LavenderHills

Australians usually are very lovely and friendly and laid back, but I think this can give new arrivals an unrealistic expectation of how easy it will be to make friends and settle. In my experience, Australians tend to have long-established friendship groups from school/uni/work that go back decades, and often aren't looking to make more friends. They may be friendly and chatty when they meet you, but it can be surprisingly hard to make real friendships with them. That said, it may be easier for the OP if she is able to socialise with family.

Yes, because we tend not to move away for University so we stay friends with people we’ve known since childhood. I’ve met a lot of expats over the years who have said they found it very hard to meet locals. I can sympathise - I moved away from the area I grew up in and might as well be dead to people 😂*

England is exactly the same!

If your husband is an international student much of the 100k will be used up by university fees.

If you're considering Melbourne instead now I have to say... I wouldn't be relocating halfway across the world on a wing and a prayer to bring up a family in Taylors Lakes.

It's a bit... well, it's not exactly well positioned to enjoy the things that make Melbourne and Australia special. You could be in a McMansion in the mid-to-outer burbs of any city anywhere.

I feel compelled to respond to this as I currently live in Perth and work with international students at a university and there's a lot of information being spouted!!

For starters- for sure Perth is very expensive for some things. I lived in the UK for 10 years so feel like I can compare. Groceries and petrol are cheaper. The cost of going out doing activities or drinking etc is very expensive compared to UK. In saying that there are so many free things to do for families that you need and spend much money keeping yourself entertained.

International students coming here on a student visa are eligible to take their entire family including dependents. International student fees can be very costly depending on the university- there are five in Perth.
The children of international students get free schooling which is a massive perk and also 40% discount on all public transport for the whole family. Unlike what a previous poster said about state education the state run schools are generally excellent and most people I know prefer this over private!

International students can work 20 hours a week during semester and as many hours as they like during semester breaks. At the moment there are no limits on working hours for certain sectors ie hospitality and healthcare as we are so short staffed.

After completing studies students are eligible to stay and work in Perth for an additional 3 years, (4 years if there are Masters by coursework student). Many, many students use as a stepping stone for immigration in the future and it's very possible!!

Housing is expensive so be prepared to have a long commute in saying that some University it's offer family accommodation which you should look into. The rental market is a bit nuts right now you're probably wouldn't get anything for less than $450 per week. Average house prices in reasonable suburbs within 20 minutes of the city you're probably looking at $800k +

Also just one more thing to add that our border has been closed for the last 2 years but it opens on the 5th of February for any international visitors who are double vaxxed, with no quarantine requirements.

Our economy is booming- in fact it's the only state in Australia actually grew it's economy during the last two years, mainly because the border was shut and the resources sector could keep operating. There's a huge abundance of jobs and it is definitely an employee market right now!!

A Brickie in 40° heat?!
Do you want to kill him off?!
I hope he has skin that can cope with that

We moved from Surrey to Perth two years ago. Just before covid hit.
It is the best thing we have ever done.
Two children (9 and 4) which have both just climbed out of the pool and are now sitting on the loungers eating lunch! My 9 year old will often thank us for leaving the uk.

We ccame over being sponsored by my DH’s work. We got permanent residency. I didn’t work for the first year and he was on over $110000 a year. That paid for our house rent ($3900 a month- 4 bed, pool, garden) in a rather expensive area 10 minutes from the city but near the beach and all our living expenses. We did watch our money though. Lots to do that is free here. Beaches are beautiful and playgrounds are on every corner. It very geared towards families and children.
Eldest child went from a private school in Surrey to a state school here. We have since moved them both to private ($10000 a year for both) so ridiculously cheaper the Uk! I have now got a job and we are saving for a deposit for a house.

As with everything there are pros and cons. I choose to focus on the pros. It’s hard being away from family, but the lifestyle here cannot compare to the up. I loved Surrey and the beauty of it, but I wanted to live an outdoor lifestyle and now we do. No rain the summer!!!

The people are incredible. I have never met kinder, more helpful and welcoming people than the Aussies here. Of course there are exceptions, but we have been so welcomed and looked after.

We have private medical and are on Medicare. Doctors visits are about $30. Children are free.

I cannot comment on your situation as far as visas etc go. But I can tell you about the family love and areas etc. my friends just bought a 3 bedroom home in Clarkson (north) for $500 000. Far nicer than our house in Surrey which was £700 000!
We are renting until we can get a deposit of about $100 000. That can get you a lovely home here.
Cheaper up north obviously.

We love Perth, cannot imagine ever being back in the Uk, as much as I love it. Our family feels like we can BREATH for the first time in years.

All the best OP, keep researching and see what’s best for your family. It will be a struggle at first, lots of emotions and heart ache. But we took the plunge and it’s worked for us.

Remember heath insurance too- for a family of 5 you could be paying £600 a month.

I've got a lot of family in Perth, so know it fairly well. A few points:

• People are friendly and laid-back when you meet them but be aware that there is a deep undercurrent of racism in Australia and Perth seems to be particularly bad for it
• They have had a lot of problems with crystal meth (they call it 'ice') in Perth, it is absolutely rife in some suburbs and high schools, so you need to pick the right one if you are going to raise kids there
• The weather can be quite extreme as the city sits on the edge of a massive desert on one side and the convergence of two oceans (Indian Ocean and Tasman Sea) on the other. It can be 40 degrees C during the day and crash down to 3 degrees C at night.

And lots of typos in my message. Apologies! I agree with theyoungishman state schools here are generally great!

CakeyCakeyCakeCake

I think you can have a good life anywhere if you have your sort of money.
I wouln't want to tolerate the high temperatures in Australia.
I have a lot of close relatives theer and the heat keeps them indoors for a large portion of the summer months, it's too hot for the beach picnics or playparks.
There are plenty places to breathe in the UK. I live 3 miles from unspoilt coastline surrounded by ancient woodland.
And walking through forests and wild areas is safe- I don't have to worry about venomous snakes, spiders, or cockroaches.
I have space and clean air here.
LK Rowling lives a few miles from me, and with her money could live anywhere in the world. She doesn;t coose Australia- it's not for everyone.
My family have put down roots in Australia, grandchildren etc, otherwise they would be back to the UK in a heartbeat.

@Moonlight34

Thank you for all your honest comments. I guess we are being ignorant about the facts that lie ahead . We’ve been wanting to go for 11 years. Wish we had done it sooner. Now we have to think shall we kill the dream or go and live with my husbands family in Melbourne, we won’t really have any costs. Kids are not of school age just to answer someone’s question previously. My husband recently done a bricklaying course here but he has to have a minimum of 4 years experience to even apply for a visa. We don’t have any costs where we are living now either, not sure if you need to know that , just trying to give all the facts .

It's daft to consider what you're proposing....

You need to do WAY more research... You really just can't rock up with a bunch of kids and live there.

Just a few points... Melbourne is 4 hours from Perth... A bit like saying, I've relatives in London, I'll live locally in Turkey!

Your 'no cost living with family Melbourne fall back' ... Are you intending spending all your 100k...as presumably you have to eat/contribute /be clothed /entertained...?

With NO work visa you'll be living on nothing??

How do you propose to support yourself when any student visa expires...??

Australia certainly wanted to see (a few years back) when you had a student visa, you were intending returning home afterwards....??

Pals moved to Oz several years ago... They involved a visa agency and they both had professions that were in short.supply out there. It took a lot of months for this all to be sorted.

@CakeyCakeyCakeCake

We moved from Surrey to Perth two years ago. Just before covid hit. It is the best thing we have ever done. Two children (9 and 4) which have both just climbed out of the pool and are now sitting on the loungers eating lunch! My 9 year old will often thank us for leaving the uk.

We ccame over being sponsored by my DH’s work. We got permanent residency. I didn’t work for the first year and he was on over $110000 a year. That paid for our house rent ($3900 a month- 4 bed, pool, garden) in a rather expensive area 10 minutes from the city but near the beach and all our living expenses. We did watch our money though. Lots to do that is free here. Beaches are beautiful and playgrounds are on every corner. It very geared towards families and children.
Eldest child went from a private school in Surrey to a state school here. We have since moved them both to private ($10000 a year for both) so ridiculously cheaper the Uk! I have now got a job and we are saving for a deposit for a house.

As with everything there are pros and cons. I choose to focus on the pros. It’s hard being away from family, but the lifestyle here cannot compare to the up. I loved Surrey and the beauty of it, but I wanted to live an outdoor lifestyle and now we do. No rain the summer!!!

The people are incredible. I have never met kinder, more helpful and welcoming people than the Aussies here. Of course there are exceptions, but we have been so welcomed and looked after.

We have private medical and are on Medicare. Doctors visits are about $30. Children are free.

I cannot comment on your situation as far as visas etc go. But I can tell you about the family love and areas etc. my friends just bought a 3 bedroom home in Clarkson (north) for $500 000. Far nicer than our house in Surrey which was £700 000!
We are renting until we can get a deposit of about $100 000. That can get you a lovely home here.
Cheaper up north obviously.

We love Perth, cannot imagine ever being back in the Uk, as much as I love it. Our family feels like we can BREATH for the first time in years.

All the best OP, keep researching and see what’s best for your family. It will be a struggle at first, lots of emotions and heart ache. But we took the plunge and it’s worked for us.

Great post! "My situation is nothing like your is terms of visas, finances etc. and I have no practical advice to offer But let me brag about how I've achieved your dream even though it's unattainable for you, so that you can see what you're missing."

MN at its finest

Also, I’ve never seen a snake in 6 1/2 years! There are spiders here obviously but we just spray them. It’s lovely swimming in the ocean but I am a bit wary about sharks. As soon as the helicopter comes out we move out of the water!

Meanwhile!

www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jan/17/one-hundred-doctors-locked-out-of-western-australia-weeks-before-state-reopens

@Coleswoolies

We live in secret harbour. Absolutely love it. Didn’t have a lot of money or jobs when we arrived with 2 young kids a few years back but wouldn’t want to live anywhere else now, husband got a job after 3 1/2 weeks, got a rental, found schools. It was hard those first few weeks. I have a job now too, which I love! And we’ve bought our home. We have great friends that are family ❤️. Join poms in Perth and poms in oz. You’ll get lots of info on there too.

So you arrived in Australia without money or jobs and two young children? That contradicts what others are saying. Could the OP and her family just do the same?

Oh grow up Sunshine. 😒

We came here with NOTHING money wise. We started from scratch. We were renting in Surrey unable to afford anything and living month to month (the house value was what I said, we didn’t own it!) Surrey is insanely expensive! My point was that even on one salary here we could survive. That’s encouraging to the OP. People are saying Perth is so expensive. Compared to what we experienced in the Uk, it is MUCH cheaper to live.
And her dream is not unobtainable just because you say it is.

I don't think the OP is totally delusional, it would be difficult at first, but worth it to try if that's their dream!! Although expectations must be managed of course. Good money can be made here as a student- hospitality staff recently offered up to $55 per hour (£29) and minimum wage is decent. Self employment as a cleaner will earn you $40+ (£21) an hour and are in high demand and often with waiting lists.
As mentioned, restricted hours for students working have been lifted so earning potential is there. Good luck!

Have you taken leave of your senses, OP? This is madness.

One of my husband's old friends moved to Australia years ago with his wife and child; she's in a well paid, in demand job that got them their visa and he's retrained in another visa-friendly profession. He regrets the move and they were looking into moving elsewhere before Covid happened.

They're a mixed race couple, and the overt racism he's seen directed at his wife and child has utterly sickened him.

There are things they like a lot about the country and the lifestyle, but his overwhelming feelings are anger and regret.

When I came here with my husband we both had average jobs, earnings ~$90k (£47k) for both of us. Within 5 years we are on $235k (£124k). Not professional jobs, no uni education

V good point @hohohosbeforebros
Speaking from experience, the racism and homophobia are endemic. Politically, the country is more like republican USA. They don't believe in climate change (as shown by their actions at COP26).
In 2022 it's a very different culture from ours.

Yep, £7000. Kids pre teens. But my husband got a job after 3 1/2 weeks. It was tight for a while but definitely the best decision we’ve ever made. We have 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, pool, lovely alfresco area, theatre room. Our house cost $370,000. Couldn’t get the same in England for that price. Wish we’d made the move years before we actually did!!

We don’t find it expensive living here. It depends where you shop I suppose.