Relocating to Ireland or Australia (Melbourne/Sydney)

[Serioussteve]

We are thinking of relocating to Ireland or Australia once our daughter completes college, so a couple of years (gives me time to finish degree too). My wife is disabled and never likely to work, I'm hoping my health concerns will resolve by then too, I'd be working in the web/IT Industry, entering around mid-level. I have some experience - six years or so but things have changed massively and I'm investing a lot of time + degree to get my skills up to date.

So, what are both Republic of Ireland and Sydney/Melbourne like to live in? I've no idea on wages at this stage, what would I need to earn to be comfortable - clearly renting initially but if we like it in either we are likely to want to stay. How difficult is entry to the two countries? Are there any disability benefits like DLA/PIP my OH could claim?

No need to think about schools as education will be completed, although if DD wanted to move with us she'd be looking at university there.

So really, housing prices, benefit system, cost of living, any information really would be great.

Many thanks :)

It really is unlikely you'll get a visa to Australia. Then even if you do the health care costs will be very big. Fir example a podiatrist is 90 dollars my dietitian is 150, scripts also cost a fair bit I think my DBs insulin is around 100 a month plus strips, and kits extra, pumps are hugely expensive. I had X-rays recently it was about 250, my partners glasses are 300ish.

Australia is lovely but it's not cheap. And health care is expensive.

I wish you luck in whatever you chose to do

Just another thought, your childhood doesn't go away when you move abroad. I wonder if therapy might be a first step, less expensive and less extreme? Just a thought, anyway.

I think you have a rather optimistic outlook on how easy it would be to move to either of those countries, given both your and your wife's health issues. You seem certain that you would be working in a "decent job" but how do you actually know that? The employment situation in Ireland is improving but only in relation to how it was until recently which was dire. There is definitely a surplus of IT/tech types around since lots of the Celtic Tiger companies went bust. Competition is stiff for jobs.

The above may be the case in areas outside Dublin but (obviously) depending on your experience and skill set, you should have no trouble finding work in Dublin. The IT sector is busy and there are plenty of opportunities.

Another saying there is no way you will get a visa for Australia and in the incredibly remote chance you did, medical care would be very expensive for you as it would be mostly OOP. Your wife would not qualify for a disability support pension or for the NDIS.

I wouldn't automatically exclude the ability to get a visa in Australia, although the health requirements are that you do not cause a drain on Australian health resources, and type 1 diabetes does tick that box tbh. I have heard of people with type 1 getting in, but they've used a migration agent with experience in medical issues, such as George Lombard.

If your daughter wants to go to university here, unless she has permanent residency it will be VERY expensive as a "foreign student", same applies to college.

Depending on the type of visa you get, your living costs will vary. If you can come in as PR then costs will be lower. There are various ways of getting PR, based on points - you get more points the lower your age, the higher the education, whether you're happy to live in rural Australia etc etc. You can come into Australia on a 457 visa through employee sponsorship and then apply for PR via your employer after 2 years.

If you only have 6 years IT experience and no degree I think you'd struggle to be able to demonstrate that you have skills not already available in Australia, unless you have a niche skill set that they need.

If you come in on a 457 visa, then you will not be eligible for any benefits. If you come in as PR then you will be eligible but this may be what stops you getting entry, as the health requirements are designed to stop this sort of drain on the Australian welfare system.

There are other ways of getting into Australia - investing, having a relative. I would look at the living overseas board, there are some very detailed threads on the cost of living in Sydney. Look at www.domain.com.au for rental costs (they are weekly!) and bear in mind they will be unfurnished.

It's actually quite a complex, expensive and long-winded process, so do your research. Note too that migration laws can change as rapidly as every 6 months, so if you do go ahead unless you're fast with the paperwork it could all have changed again by the time you are ready.