Moving to Oz in August - what do I need to do?

[Lisyloo725]

Hi ladies!
My husband is within touching distance of a job offer in Oz, in a role that they are allowing ‘into Oz’ at the moment (there is a priority migration list). The company sort the visa and pay for quarantine etc. They expect it will take circa 3 months.

So, on about 18th Aug, I could be on a plane out there. I have two kids (7 and 3) and one on the way (due October). We have a house we intend to rent out. We have a car it’s not worth taking.

What do I need to do / plan / buy over the next 12 weeks? As soon as the job is offered I’ll want to pounce on my list - and I’m coming to you all to help me compile it (please) 🙏🏻

Any tips/thoughts appreciated

I completely agree with spottygymbag about everything, particularly the part about checking there is air con before you sign a rental agreement. We were very naive and didn’t check, but were lucky that it did work, we had a few 38 degree days 2 months after we arrived, which was a bit of a shocker for us!

You may have already started your visa application @Lisyloo725, if not, we needed original copies of DH’s qualifications degree certificate etc. I also needed mine when applying for my qualifications to be recognised here and I didn’t have them with me so I needed to order replacements, that was annoying and expensive.

Are you thinking of getting agents to manage your U.K. house OP? We were hesitant because of the cost, but it has been brilliant. Our tenants are quite demanding and I couldn’t cope with them calling directly endlessly over our night without someone managing them!

One thing that really helped me was to set up a regular Skype/ FaceTime/zoom with my family, so every week we speak at the same time. This has been really helpful during the pandemic, as I haven’t seen my family in person now for 3 years, which was never the plan when we left

I guess one thing just to consider is cost and ease of traveling back and forward. I've lived in Asia for 15 years and got used to coming and going (used to go to UK 2/3 times a year plus numerous other work trips). That now seems like a whole other life. I expect Asia (incl Australia) to maintain covid quarantine restrictions for some time, albeit not at the current level, so once you're there, you're there. Obviously, it's not a bad place to be stuck, but just bear it in mind.

Hi ladies
I’ve spent today drawing out all the things I want to keep together from this thread and writing into our note book. So many great tips!
Thanks @TheSandgroper for all the links; @colgatewhite and @Remaker for your opinion on them letting me have another c section (both my kids are autumn babies (all three will be - what does that mean for school year then? Big one would be going into Y2 in Sept - but will he go into Y2 in January instead?) ; @Newcastleteacake - my concern is that here I have to have a birth options ‘interview’ where I explain my reasons for wanting / needing a section. I did VBAC with my second you see. But pushing for the 1h allowed - there’s no way. That’s when my placenta stuck and I lost 1.8L blood 😞
@Cormoran thanks for looking into the certification for me. @walkingintherain23 great that you don’t have to pay school fees in SA. We will have to in Nsw. @MoppaSprings we do want PR - and wondering whether it’s best to apply now (sooner) or wait til we are ‘internal’ (if that’s the right word) - actually there in Oz on our temp 482.
I’m a science teacher and hubby is computer developer so we are needed I think. DH is on that priority migration list at the mo. But I think that’s only for temp visas. And finally @spottygymbag - great tip to put a profile on domain- I’ll look into that!!
Thanks to all the others too - I couldn’t take note of all as wanted to focus on writing things you said down!!
X x

@Lisyloo725

We went from 482 to 182( I think) earlier this year. It was very quick to be processed once it was submitted, the thing that held it up was waiting on the medicals. We are not on the priority list either.

What age is your husband, under 45 is fairly straightforward ( that’s the path we followed). You do need your employer to back you for this way.

If he is over 45 it gets a little more tricky but still achievable.

Once PR they give you a 5 year return visa, after that you do need to pay for return visas if you travel abroad.( or you can become a citizen)

If going down the citizen route, you need to be in Australia at least 4 years, with at least 2 of those years as PR.

There are definite benefits to becoming a citizen, ( especially if either of you work in defence!)
I think should your children go to uni they can get access to better loans as a citizen ( or something like that)
You would no longer have to pay for the return visa aswell.

Sorry it’s a 186 visa that we are on not 182

On a more personal note, when my dsis visited, things she took back were boots from m&s and a decent waterproof coat. She would have taken kids shoes too if she had room, as she aid they are expensive there. Oh and some nice wool jumpers, it’s true about the lack/cost of good ones. And yes it gets cold, we had electric blankets there, but never here. I’d stock up on heat tech stuff from Uniqlo which is currently on sale, small and light to pack.

There is some good advice from other posters (and some crappy advice too but that has been called out already). Spottygymbag covered a lot of important stuff.

Re: certification of documents - is this for rentals? I have never needed to have anything certified for rentals. More and more agencies are using 1form or similar. You upload all of your documents once and reuse the application for as many properties as use that system (but you can customise it slightly for each property). I suggest you get this set up as soon as you start looking for rentals as the market is very competitive. Agencies that don’t use 1form tend to value personal interaction more so if you are an ‘iffy’ candidate due to lack of rental history or finances etc, you can make a good impression on them at the viewing and then be in the running.

It is really easy to get documents certified in Australia - there are loads of Justices of the Peace who will do it for free. You can Google the ones in your local area and either make an appointment or find out when they have a desk at your local library or mall.

I suggest planning carefully for quarantine, especially for the kids. You’ll want to pack lots of crafts and books etc depending on their ages but bear in mind that you will have to keep your suitcases with you in the room so, at the same time, you don’t want the, to take up too much room.

It gets a lot cooler and windier in Sydney than you would imagine. You will still need lightweight coats. The temperature range is much bigger (sometimes 18 degrees of change in a day) so a cool morning can become a hot day. Layers.

Wollongong would not be my idea of a reasonable commute, even if you have friends there! You might want to try something closer to the CBD.

You said you would be renting out your house - that suggests you might move back to U.K. If so, think carefully about what you want to ship over. Personal stuff, ornaments etc, I understand, but think about your furniture and whether it would be worthwhile or not. You might want to consider selling it in the U.K. and buy new here. I’ve moved a lot and I ship antique furniture but have always found it better to buy mattresses, sofas, soft furnishing etc in the new destination. You might want to price up all new furniture from IKEA and then decide whether shipping anything is worthwhile. Look at Harvey Norman and the Good Guys for appliances and electrics. Also keep in mind that you will need adapters because Australia has different plugs that the U.K. even though both countries operate on 220/240. Again, I buy all new appliances when I move (still really miss my US fridge!).

Shipping your personal effects - clean, clean, clean everything! The shipping company will give you advice on this but I have heard stories (urban legends?) of entire shipments being delayed because of a pair of muddy hiking boots. Australia takes biosecurity Very, Very Seriously!

Good luck with the move!

Is there any more specific advice you would like?

@colgatewhite

*Some people mortgage their house for cancer care or take loan for surgeries which are classified as elective even if you are unable to walk. * Rubbish. Absolute rubbish. Why do people talk such nonsense when it comes to Australia.

I've lived here my whole life, know a few people who have had cancer treatment (including my mum) and none of them have done any such thing.

You won't be forced to try for a vaginal birth since you've already had a c section.
Get private health cover, it won't cover for baby as there's a wait period but you'll need it for other things. If you want to give birth in a private hospital you can but it will be expensive without the cover.

Otherwise the public system is fine. You won't have to take out a loan

We just 18 months of cancer treatment and very minimal out of pocket expenses. All public hospital and no private health for us.

I'm in NSW- in the Northern beaches.
Will you definitely be able to come- i thought only PR/citizens are allowed in currently- i know if you are here on a temporary visa and you need to leave you have to get special exemptions - I'd double check. Plus the airlines are prioritising limited spaces based on what people have paid for tickets.
They are a lot more flexible re school years here- lots of parents hold their children back. DS did what you intend- he was in year 4 in UK having started in September and just went into year 4 starting in January- lots of people were a lot older than him . Public schools where we are were massively oversubscribed and they wouldn't let DS start until we had actually moved in to our long term rental
Sort out your rental at home- that takes a while- remember to tell them you are an overseas landlord.
declutter- it takes ages- we ended up moving with our stuff...
Bank accounts- i just used HSBC and then I could set it up in UK. i still have a uk credit card as well which makes a lot of things easier
And if you have pets- this is the thing that takes ages!

Other things

Aussie bed sizes are different from UK- So check this
Rentals- its hard to rent in advance - unlike uk- you need to be ready to move in a couple of weeks- we found it a pain as we wanted to do it in advance. I also think it is difficult to rent somewhere without viewing although I think you can sign a disclaimer
You need private health insurance often as part of visa requirements and/or to reduce tax

Also just watch out for cultural differences... Looks the same on the surface but they're subtly there... IME attitudes to women, people from minority ethnic groups, politicians, anyone 'foreign' all raised an eyebrow with me... I was impressed however with attitudes to the environment and pubic service. It's definitely not Britain on sea!

you can't prepare for the cultural differences....!!

My experience of birth as similar to your history: I had DS1 in Sydney through the public health system & had retained placenta/3 litre bleed. I was recommended at the time to have a c-section for next birth, but for DS2 a couple of years later I had to go to a teaching hospital outside my area for antenatal care & the birth due to previous experience,& then was told a c-section was not recommended as paradoxically there was a greater risk of bleeding. I had DS2 without the section and "only" lost 1.5litres. I think a lot depends on where you go/who you see. I don't think they have an equivalent to NICE guidelines.

Thanks @HauntedDishcloth
These babies!!!!

So, last night - hubby’s job offer came through!!! The process the visas in 30-45 days - so we could be on a plane by the end of July (would need to finish the year as I work in a school and would like DS to as well.

So absolutely LOADS to sort out!!
I was surprised to find out they do give us a healthy relo budget and pay for quarantine - and healthcare is included. They have someone who sorts visa things so we won’t need a migration agent. Bonus.

We did the sums last night and it looks doable!

How did anyone go about reserving a day for packing up and shipping belongings before the visa is through?
Do I have to risk it a bit - reserve a sensible date?

Also, I’m 20weeks pregnant today - so have been looking at the calendar thinking we really need to ship things three months before the due date at the latest!!

Any advice on anything is appreciated!!

Congratulations, how exciting for you!

Now the real work starts....

Book your movers well in advance. They can do as much or as little as you want them to. (Tip - more is better, they will insure what they pack, they may not fully insure what you pack). They can be quite flexible so contact them early and perhaps pencil in a date subject to later confirmation. It is easier to change it later than find something new at short notice.

You have a relocation budget - does the company recommend a removals firm? Contact them first. Personally, I recommend Allied Pickfords based on (lots of) experience. They have handled most of my moves.

Do you use Pinterest? There are loads of house moving and packing tips on there. Great way to waste a few hours.

My best tips - make the place as tidy and organised as possible for when the movers come. You need to have packed up anything you don’t want them to pack and anything that you will want to use before you unpack at the other end. Keep that completely separate so there is no confusion.....Completely. Separate.

Once you have a moving plan, get started on your rental plan for your house in the UK. Talk to a few agents about letting costs. And make sure you talk to the property managers as well as the actual sales/letting people. The property managers will be your main point of contact once you have moved.

Accept that you will be ‘living out of suitcases’ for a while, both in the UK and Australia. The sooner you move to that suitcase mentality, the easier it is to pack.

What kind of phones do you have in the uk? Do you need to ‘unlock’ them before using them in Australia? Buy an appropriate travel adapter for your devices now, before you get stuck in quarantine without it. Suggestion - buy one travel adapter and use it with an extension cable/power strip. Cheaper and takes up fewer plugs in a hotel room which probably won’t have as many as you want.

You are going to generate a lot of paperwork in the next few months. Buy a folder and some sleeves for all your paperwork. Keep all the immigration stuff together, all the shipping stuff together, all the personal important documents together. Get an envelope to fit in the folder with all your passports in. This will be your bible. Consider downloading an app like genius scan so you can scan documents using your phone or iPad and create an electronic copy of your file. The shippers will need far more documentation than you think possible, a lot of which will be stuff you have to send to (or get from) immigration as well (passport copies, immigration status details etc).

Good luck!

www.agriculture.gov.au/travelling/moving-immigrating

Best of luck with your big move OP

As mentioned by a PP, your children will need to have records of their vaccinations and be on a recognised catch up schedule to be enrolled into any child care service.

As soon as you are able to book a GP appointment, get the catch up schedule arranged so that you can provide a copy of the catch up plan to any childcare service provider while you wait for Medicare to issue you with the Australian government “immunisation history statement”. Do not accept a random printed list of the child’s existing vaccinations from the GP, make sure they complete this form and provide you with a copy of it:

www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/organisations/health-professionals/forms/im013

More info:
immunisationhandbook.health.gov.au/catch-up-vaccination

www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation/Pages/immunisation-in-schools.aspx

I work in an early childhood admin role and I’m amazed that GP’s can be so unaware of the legal requirements of immunisation status. We frequently have delays starting children born overseas because doctors give the wrong information to newly arrived families.

Get an Australian driver's licence. Go to the RMS (equivalent to dvla), but they have centres everywhere.

This is the main form of id. I couldn't even get a job without. DH who doesn't drive got a learner's one which still counts as id.

Congratulations @Lisyloo725! Exciting! We had packing and shipping included in DH’s assignment. We had a visit from the movers who worked out how long it would take to pack (3 days) and then we waited until the visa came through before we actually booked them. We left exactly 3 weeks after our visa was granted. Have you found movers you want to use now?

Also think about that you need to do in the UK. Subscriptions, utilities, phone contracts etc can all take six weeks to properly cancel, so actually need to done done quite soon. Banks and credit cards need to be told, and some will make you close your account when overseas, some just need telling so your cards will still work. Renting out your house means you need to change your mortgage and find an agent, which can take time. And make it rental ready, which can sometimes be a lot of work.

For your job as a teacher, you have two days left to resign, right? Although I don't know how that work with your maternity- what happened if something goes wrong and you stay in the UK but have resigned and don't get maternity pay? Explore that quickly.
If you're going to want to teach in Australia after your baby grows, research.know what you'll need. Get a transcript from your university if you don't have one, and letters from your employer certifying how long you've taught, what subjects, to what ages, etc. Much easier to get whilst you're here than from overseas two years after you've left!
Make some memories with your kids, to help them process the move. Moving to another country can be traumatic if not handled well, they may well play up or withdraw or have lots of fears that you need to address. There's other posts on this board about how to handle that.
Decluttering takes ages. Get on a local free cycle page and start putting stuff there, and find out what your local charity shops want. Be ruthless, and organised. I'm doing a room per week at the moment, and one item from every other room per day at the moment!
Sort out a post redirect and unsubscribe from any mailing lists (real and electronic) that you can.
Sell your car, but as late as possible.
Find out what the company will pay for for flights and choose the option that let's you take the most stuff. Two suitcases each will be a pain to travel will, but a lifesaver in quarantine and your first hotel and short term rentals if your kids have a few favourite toys and clothes, etc.
And finally, get excited! Ita a great opportunity for you and the whole family so start reading about Sydney and start making lists for what you want to do when you're there. Top ten sights for first week, first month, where you're going in your first holiday, etc. Get the kids involved in that too.

Bleugh sorry that turned into quite a list! I'm gearing up to my 4th move abroad so just tried.to think of what my priorities are at the moment

@Lisyloo725 did you make it over?

I was just scrolling the rough my following threads looking for all the present ideas ones be saved and came across yours.

Hi @beingsunny
We made it!!!! It was mega stressful towards the end.
We booked flights which we were then bumped from. We then booked some other flights but they went via KualaLumpur and required a change of terminal which wasn’t allowed without quarantine so we had to cancel them (and do a chargeback from our credit card co on the basis that we were sold a package of three flights that were impossible to take).
So by the end of July when we were supposed to fly, we’d rented our house out, and hubs had given notice at work to leave end July.
So if we didn’t fly wed be homeless, jobless (apart from my mat leave pay) and wed likely have to stay til after baby arrives in Oct.
anyway, we ended up getting first class return tickets for less than lots of other economy tickets we’re going for. We never need use the return part!!
So out we came at the end of July.

Quarantine was great in Sydney. We had 2bed 2 bath apartment with balcony (28th floor I think so little chance of a virus particle landing on a street Walker!!). Really well fed (adults) kids less pleased with their provision but I did a food shop for delivery - basics I knew they’d eat/I could add to other bits.
We brought two 120L bags of toys/Lego/craft etc for them - and to be honest we were hardly bored at all. We had a countdown on the fridge that we ticked off every night after evening meal. The days soon became in single figures.
Having got out of Quarantine we spent two weeks looking for a place to rent longer term while staying in two air BnB’s. We settled on Northern Beaches - very happy with our lot!!!!

Thanks to all the ladies who contributed to this thread - your advice and ideas were so helpful along the way!!!

Wishing you all good fortune and health!!! X. X x

Im glad you made it @Lisyloo725. It's such a great country to live in. It's a shame you had to arrive in lockdown, but you will enjoy everything opening up soon. I am very jealous having recently moved the other way from Melbourne back to London. I'm glad you are happY!

Fantastic update 🎉