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Living overseas

Whether you're considering emigrating or an expat abroad, you'll find likeminds on this forum.

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Original poster

Anyone who has emigrated to Australia? I have lots of questions

20 replies

SupersonicDave · 07/02/2011 17:24

Hello.

We are quite possibly going to emigrate to Australia. There are several jobs there my DH is applying for.

I am petrified! All i know is that it is going to take a lot of organisation, but i don't really know where to start - apart from the obvious of DH actually get offered a job!

I am not one of those people who has had a lifelong ambition to travel/live abroad etc, so this really is terrifying for me.

Any tips/info/words of wisdom very greatly received!

OP posts:

Original poster

SupersonicDave · 07/02/2011 19:51

Some questions i have are:

How does the schooling work out there?

What is considered a 'good' wage? (for a family of 4 to live off)

What made you make the decision to go for it?

How easy was it to fit in? Are people friendly to foreigners? Or is it very apparent you are an outsider?

Erm...there will be more

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chloeb2002 · 07/02/2011 20:22

Schools are different to the uk. They seem to have different priorities which suit my kids. Lots of vicarious learning , more sport, more vocational learning in high school. Kids more often go to Uni locally and live at home. More kids go to private schools, although I guess like the uk if you find a good state school it's stil good. Private schools are cheaper than the uk. We pay $3000 a year for primary. Well worth it!
Wages.. Harder to say. Depends where you live and what your family classes as quality of life? Dh arrived on 90k a year and we lived without me working for 12 months. ( family of 4) however we wanted to save quickly to buy a house and my income of $40k a year meant we did that in 18 months ( and improved our lifestyle) private school, kindy, more family stuff... Etc.. So it really depends. Where you live also affects your required income.
It would be hard to call British or south Africans 'foreigners' in Australia as there are so many of us here. And yes Aussies are a great bunch! I think I only have a couple of English friends here but it is possible to live in areas where there are all English / Vietnamese etc.. Depends what you want!
The only way at the moment to get into aus is to be sponsored so the first step is to get a job :0) then take it from there.
No we have no regrets about moving to Australia. We were very realistic about why we wanted to come and what we would gain/ lose by coming.

Original poster

SupersonicDave · 07/02/2011 20:47

Thank you for your reply. Very helpful.

Our situation atm is that there are quite a few jobs that are perfect for DH, but the thought of moving so far away where we have no family or friends is completely terrifying. If it was possible to have the same job prospects here we would definitely stay. Is the perfect job and a 'better' lifestyle enough iyswim?

We do feel that if we were to emigrate then now would be the best time, our children are small (3yrs and 6m) and DH and i are still fairly young.

It is such a huge decision. Do you think you would have done anything differently?

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Original poster

SupersonicDave · 07/02/2011 20:49

Oh, and another big worry is that DH and i are quite reserved, not very outgoing so i think that would be quite a big challenge too.

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slipperandpjsmum · 07/02/2011 20:57

HiSuper we are at a similar stage to you and I think I feel alot of what you are feeling but I really fancy an adventure. We are thinking of going for a year or two and seeing how we like it. Which areas are you looking at?

Original poster

SupersonicDave · 07/02/2011 21:00

We are looking at the Gold Coast, Hunter Valley, and near Sydney and Melbourne.

DH has said that if we go, it would have to be for a minimum of 4yrs.

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slipperandpjsmum · 07/02/2011 21:08

Have you been before. Are those areas relating to work

Original poster

SupersonicDave · 07/02/2011 21:11

I haven't been. DH travelled through Australiaon gap year. All the places are where the jobs advertised are.

The thought of going makes me want to cry (or get very drunk!), but when i picture myself there i am smiling i know i sound mad!

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slipperandpjsmum · 07/02/2011 21:15

Are you going to sell up and buy? We have been looking into renting.

Will you visit before you go? When are you thinking of going

Original poster

SupersonicDave · 07/02/2011 21:18

I think we will rent our house out, then rent to start with. Won't be able to visit beforehand Will go if and when DH gets a job there.

How about you?

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slipperandpjsmum · 07/02/2011 21:27

We thought we would rent to. It would be my job that would get us out there and we would be tied in for two years. My dh has been but I haven't.

We would like to live somewhere semi rural rather than a city.

Scary isn't it!!

I am worried about the heat to! We are going to an expo in a few weeks to try and get some contact companies to help us get the full picutre.

Original poster

SupersonicDave · 07/02/2011 21:29

Fucking terrifying!

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slipperandpjsmum · 07/02/2011 21:33

Ha Ha - whats Hunter Valley like? They are all fairly busy areas aren't they?

Original poster

SupersonicDave · 07/02/2011 21:36

Erm...full of horses? They are all next to racetracks (for DH's work) Still has to apply of course, so may not go, but he is going to apply, then take it from there, but need to be prepared.

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slipperandpjsmum · 07/02/2011 21:38

Oh now that sounds good!!! Was hoping to get a pony. Its on my list of we won't go if we can't .....

We may not but like yourselves, still going to apply!

giggly · 07/02/2011 23:45

slippers are you going to the expo in Glasgow?

elvisgirl · 08/02/2011 04:55

IMO the best strategy is to go cos otherwise if anything shit happens (even something like a random rainy day) you'll be thinking oh we should have gone when we had the chance. But give yourself a time limit as to when you will re-assess & say do we like it here enough to stay. The minimum of 4yrs your DH has said would be good, as most expats say it takes 2-3yrs to get fully comfortable in a place & 4 yrs is the minimum time to get citizenship here.

Nothing can prepare you for what it is actually like living in a new place day to day - except maybe a minumum of a 3mth stay - so I wouldn't bother overdoing it on the fact-finding other than for practical stuff or stressing that you haven't visited it first. Just watch Neighbours!

gregssausageroll · 08/02/2011 13:54

TBH I'd see what type of visa you qualify for first (very hard) and if you are likely to have a visa granted before you consider it.

It sounds like a 457 visa from what you have said. Please be aware of all of the restrictions imposed on you on this type of visa including the particularly scarey on of having just 28 days to find another sponsor to have to leave the Country if the jos he has doesn't work out.

gregssausageroll · 08/02/2011 13:55

I'd also work out what sort of package your husband will get and how much that is in your pocket each week. Australia is a very expensive place to live.

Original poster

SupersonicDave · 09/02/2011 20:12

Thank you all so much, very helpful.

DH and i have had a good long chat and think we are going to stay put this year, trying to get life a bit more in order and rethink next year.

Thanks again

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