Should we move to Victoria (Oz)?

[kerloch]

To go or not to go......

We have had a visa (skilled migrant) for a while but decided Australia was too expensive and we would be downgrading not upgrading if we left the UK . But DH is fed up with his job and needs a change and so we are now thinking of it seriously again.

Friends who went out there a few years ago have just come back though saying the skilled migrant visa has changed and now they have to pay more taxes, school fees etc. They said it was totally unaffordable. I wondered if anyone was in that situation over in Oz and could share their words of wisdom!

[hazchem]

I think if you want to live a comparable or better lifestyle you'd be wise to find a job first.
It took OH 7 months to find work and it's still not in his field. We are doing OK and on the whole our lifestyle is similar to the UK but on a smaller income. The main difference is we eat out far less here as a way to economize.

I'm appalled at some of the current governments policies. I think they will fundamentally change some of the good things about Australia and they might be hard to repeal. That said Neo Liberal ideas of economy are probably better for work in finance then the line of work I'm in community and the arts.

But as the add says you never never know if you never never go :)

[cleofatra]

We would never have survived without a big pot of money behind us.

[cleofatra]

oh, and free rent for 6 months was a great help.

[chloeb2002]

Definitely you need a job first! No point moving to one area if aus to find you can get a job in another with a better standard of living! Yes.. As cleofatra says... Avoid education and qld health... Well qld health predominantly offer only offer contract positions now. I am hanging onto my "permanent " position with grim death!

[kerloch]

God doesn't sound promising! DH has a very very long notice period so would have no choice but to resign before he could look for work. Noone in their right mind, let alone the other side of the world, would offer him a job and then wait around for so long. It is such a gamble and I'm not sure which way to jump. So keen to give it a try but we have to go to Vic so we are very limited in job choices.

[cleofatra]

Yes, I had a 3 month notice period but if you decide to go, you need to choose a date anyway and resign prior to that to sort things. Just apply with the arrival date in mind.

[chloeb2002]

My husbands company happily waiting 4 months for him to start. If the occupation is in demand there will be no issue waiting!

[arfishy]

Which industry is he in Kerloch? If you have a look at www.seek.com.au you'll see job listings, which might help you gauge demand. However, I've found in my industry (IT) that online applications don't work. Word is that the recruiters, who are even less ethical than the ones in the UK, primarily invent jobs to harvest CVs. Recruiters find me either in their databases months later on a keyword search, or approach me via linkedin.

You might find that if you change his location in LinkedIn and on his CV (which you should start to circulate) to Sydney/Melbourne, really make his online LinkedIn profile amazing - keywords, all profile completed, key achievements - that the work will come to you. I guess this does rather depend on the line of work, but I get a few approaches directly from employers each month, yet my particular skill isn't on the Governments Critical Skills list (or whatever its called now).

If you do get contacted by an employer who has specifically targeted you then they are much more likely to tolerate a long notice period, especially if it is common in his line of work.

[Reddeb]

Yes my dh approached via LinkedIn and then offered job, he had a long notice period and they were more than happy to wait.

[kerloch]

DH is a Director of a big corporation and has 8 months notice - so I mean it is REALLY long. I think your ideas about Linkedin are really great and I hadn't thought of them though of course he has to be careful because unless he has told his company people are going to notice. Do you know how they search key words?

[kerloch]

arfishy we have been monitoring seek.com but none of the jobs in his field seem to offer his type of pay. Are there any other good websites? Headhunting agencies all say the notice is a problem.

He was actually flown out to Oz at the start of last year for a very promising role and he was the only candidate after SKYPE interviews, psychological tests etc but it transpired when he got to Melbourne that the agent had not told them about the notice (which he would have negotiated down to about 4 months). After a full day of interviews with the CEO, other Directors he mentioned it since they kept saying 'when you start next month' and DH was confused. He said they went instantly cold. Next day feedback, hasn't got the job because 'he didn't seem that keen'. DH had only just flown all the way to bloody Melbourne, taken four days annual leave over my son's birthday and yet he 'wasn't keen' . Agent was v sheepish and DH was furious. Not a sniff of a job since.

[chloeb2002]

That's rubbish! I guess he will have to give his 4 months notice and get on the job hunt trail! Hopefully that way you will get one before you leave? I think it gets harder to emigrate the more specialised and therefore potentially less in demand you are.
My dh is lucky as he is in i.t and I am a nurse so always jobs a plenty!
I think it may be hard if there's not many positions and no way to break his contractual agreement with his current employer.

[saffronwblue]

Kerloch that is a dreadful story. I suggest he really beefs up his linkedin profile and uses phrases like seeking opportunities as headhunters trawl for these phrases.

[kerloch]

Ok I am going to see what I can do with his linked in profile. Do they search the intro section?

[Reddeb]

My dhs new employer have waited over 6 months for him! I think we've been v lucky.

[Degustibusnonestdisputandem]

I'm actually from western Victoria, & know it very well indeed! We are intending to move to Ballarat and build a home there in 4 years or so (well that's the idea at the moment!). It's likely though that I may have to commute to a job in Melbourne, though I have family there to stay with mid week if necessary. The visa stuff I have read a bit about on the poms in oz forums; the 457 restrictions seem quite ridiculous. One thing I will say though, is that the states are all quite different (it was a bit of a culture shock going to Queensland for the first time with my English husband & in laws!)

[kerloch]

Decided tonight to go for it. Unless the economy goes downhill. But won't probably go until the end of the year. Does anyone know about Melbourne Schools?

[echt]

Primary/secondary? Government/ private?

What suburb?

This is a very big question.

[saffronwblue]

I would keep a good eye on the Australian economy. It is very vulnerable to the Chinese economy and is also in a fever of conservative governments cutting education, health, government jobs and universities. I currently have one child in a private school and one in a state school in Melbourne.

[kerloch]

Well I'm thinking independent or grammar (does such a thing exist). Since I think currently we'll start having to commute to the CBD - I suppose any suburb will do.

[echt]

There are tons of private schools; some very selective academically, some not. State primaries seem good, though I'd avoid the ones with mixed year groups. State secondary varies. Some of the most high-acheving have strict zones and very expensive housing as a consequence.

Some secondaries have form for, ahem, encouraging students to move on at the end of Year 10, before the exam years begin.

[saffronwblue]

Example boys elite private school, fees up to $27,000 per year www.mgs.vic.edu.au/

example state secondary with great reputation and tight zone www.balwynhs.vic.edu.au/

example inner city state primary with good reputation www.northmelbourneps.vic.edu.au/

There is huge variation between Melbourne suburbs as to socioeconomic level, ethnic diversity, quality of schooling and community facilities.

[kerloch]

Thanks that's really helpful. Are there any selective state schools over in VIC? DS is very bright and I don't want him to slip educationally.

I myself was educated for some senior years in WA and I've got to say the education was leagues behind the UK (it was an apparently good state hit school ). But that was a long time time ago so things may have changed but I am a bit averse to the Australian state sector because of it.

[kerloch]

PS what would you say are good suburbs - commutable but green and pleasant? I remember driving through Kew which seemed nice but was bounded by big roads. Maybe further out is better?

[kerloch]

Well have been in touch with Melbourne Grammar and DS1 is going to sit their entrance exams. Are there any other good schools in Vic that anyone can recommend. I looked at Balwyn too (thanks saffron) but I guess we'd have to live in that area to get in.