Migrating to Aus ...

[Kaloo20]

Just splitting this topic off into a new thread as I haven't had a chance to ask my migration agent why we were quoted 18 months .... from application to completion of our visas. Why have other people got much shorter timelines ?
We are going for skilled migration visas and are heading for just North of Sydney. Need to pay a hefty Gov't Bond for 12 months too. We have no sponsors or jobs lined up.
LOL have never been to Aus !

Thanks for all the info regarding starting school. We are planning to go to NSW and dd's birthday is mid August. So am I guessing that she will turn 5 in August so she will start school in the following January?

Yes. Theoretically you could hold her back but that would put her at the extreme end, and typically girls don't need that late a delay. Most children starting in January are 5.5 - 6 years old, so she'd be spot on.

Thats fine, she is due to start school here in September, she will barely be 4, so think the Australian way is a lot better.

I'm still desperately hoping to make Sydney by January so by holding DS1 back a year he will be starting high school with everyone else. As he has always suffered from his August birthday I think it would be really good for him to be the eldest for a change - and it would only be a few months so hopefully socially he'd be fine.

We're also looking at moving out there, to Brisbane, during the next 4-6mths hopefully, as soon as the house has sold. Well it's moving back for me after 11yrs away and moving there for dh (from Sth Africa) dd1 would be due to start reception here in Sept, having turned 4 in Apr. But with Qld introducing the non-compulsory prep-year now, she can start in prep from next Jan, as long as we're settled in an area we like, as we don't want to change her school part way through the year.
If you are looking at private as well as state, as we are, you might also want to look at specific sites like the one Catholic Education Qld has, where it lists all it's schools & has a load of other info.
Would have to agree with the choc debate, I have grown quite used to UK Cadbury's, however you still can't beat a Violet Crumble or Cherry Ripe
& one tip for those thinking of the northern suburbs of Sydney to live in, v v v expensive, because of why you want to live there, near the beach, close to the city. But if you're taking a load of pounds with you, that will help things along

My friend emigrates at the end of the month to a place in Sydney called Parrammatta. Anyone heard of it? And if so, whats it like?

Yeah..........just to let you all know that we have a completion date on the house of next Wednesday. We will be moving in with dh's Aunt & Uncle for a week, just to make sure everything is done & then flying out to Adelaide around the 20th June!!!!

How exciting. Must get the packing finished!!!!!!!

Oh & dh brought 2 tickets from Ebay for Guns n Roses for tomorrow night, for our wedding anniversary (was end may)>

scully - out to my neck of the woods... cherry ripes - yummy...you now you miss them terribly and you have told people when a student who visits Aus brings you back a hand ful of king size cherry ripes ( this was when I was living in UK) funny they are my favourite choc and I craved them when living in the UK - can't tell you the last time I had one - now I can have one whenever I like - strange huh!

Oooh, how exciting Melissasmummy, do let us know how it all goes, good luck and stay in touch

Good luck melissasmummy - I hope our immigration stuff goes through as quickly as yours did!

Thanks, I will let you all know what happens.

Although I knew all was going too well....someone has just smashed our car window & stole the radio (in dh's work car park!!) too much good luck yesturday, I guess!