Australia application process

[twotimestrouble]

We've been pondering for ages but have kind of decided to progress moving to Australia.

Did one of those quick ready reckoners on the internet and we have 130 points so seems possible. However, reading a few threads here a couple of things gave me pause for thought and I wondered if anyone can fill me in:

1. What does the medical consist of - is this with your GP or in London?

2. Someone mentioned temporary workers on Skills Based visas pay much higher taxes. Is this true and does anyone know what that means?

3)A lot of people mentioned house prices are higher than here. I know the mortgage rates are higher and on that basis I'm guessing we'd have about £500k - is this too little for a spacious 4 bed house?

4. If you come in on a Skills Based visa are you entitled to the NHS equiv?

Thanks in advance!

Hi ttt, I'm afraid I can't answer your questions as dh and I are toying with the idea of emigrating ourselves and are only in the early stages of research. However, house prices vary significantly across the major cities as they do here. I believe Adelaide is the cheapest city for property and Sydney the most expensive. Even within a given city the price of a 4 bed house will obviously vary hugely. Do you have any idea which part of Australia you wish to move to? Have you looked at property purchase and rental prices on domain.com.au. The British Expats website has quite a lot of useful information regarding Medicare and health care in general. I hope someone else is able to offer you some more useful information than me. Good luck with your proposed move.

1. medical is undertaken by medical officers who are approved by the embassy. I know dh had to go to a specific doctor to have his medical done. There would be one in your area - I think there was a list you could look at to find the nearest one to you. We lived in near Chelmsford but dh had to go to Southend on Sea for his medical.

Medical consists of full medical check up and a chest xray from memory - it was about 5 years ago that dh applied.

1. can't comment on taxes as dh came on a spousal visa and was granted permanent residency immediately rather than having a temporary residency for two years before having to apply for permanent residency.

1. depends on where you want to live and what you want in the house.

1. you are covered anyway as the UK and Aus have a reciprocal agreement covering health.

There are other who have come on different visas that may be able to help you with those questions further.

Hi there, I've not much to add to what has been posted above. Just wanted to say that we've done it (and without the help of a migration agent!)

Best of luck!

we have come on a temp nres visa and are in the process of changing to pr. You dont so much pay higher taxes, you are classed as a resident for tax purposes but are unable to claim tax perks that would make a big difference. If you are coming in on points then i guess you are applying for PR anyway? otherswise jsut as eidsvold said..
as for house prices we have found them cheaper for what we want to buy but like anywhere cities are pricey...

bloody hell, you have $1.25 mill to spend on a house! You could just about get one in each state if you wanted to. Where on earth do you want to live?

1. No, your medical will not be with your regular GP. We were given a list of the Dr's they use & choose the closest to us. We were in Herts & went to Northampton.

We paid 150 pounds each. And DD [then 2] was 75pound.

Our medicals consisted of
Eye Test
Blood pressure
Weight
Height
Posture
Blood test [for HIV amoung other things, although HIV isn't a auto rejection]
Hearing
Ear/nose/throat exam
Urine test
Abdomen investigation
Questionaire for medical beackground

Dd was all except bloods & urine.

We also had chest xrays for TB. But not Dd.

2. Not sure about taxes, but it would mean that your dh/you are taxed a higher rate on your pay.

3. House prices are higer here only because wages are lower. Our place would ba about $220k, so that would be 90k gbp for a 3 bed house, kitchen, sep diner, rumpus [play room], bath, sep toilet & laundry. But that is South Australia, Sydney will be much more.

Also be aware that we were told that people on certain visas cannot buy property here. We were told we are OK, as on a permanent resident visa.

4. Here we have medicare, which means that we pay our doctors & claim 80% back from Medicare. You also have to pay for children for some treatments too. I was told that only permanent residents are entitled to that. But I could have been told wrong. So I think you will have to pay for medical treatment.

Thanks everyone. Superjo, $1.25 million makes it seem like loads but when I did a quick search in Melbourne and Sydney, it didn't seem to get you much! Of course I don't yet know good from bad areas. I'm guessing these cities (and maybe Brisbaine) will have the most work for us. Would hate to get there and find we were worse off overall (as I keep telling DH we'll be in a better position).

Sandcastles - do you know how you fail a medical (for example I have v high BP since had my DS1).

Chloe - I'm still confused as to whether Skilled Migratory Visas = permanent or temporary residency. Has anyone gone for one?

Copycat, thanks for the websites I'll have a look.

ttt, I'm don't think you can "fail" a medical, unless you have TB. I'm sure HBP won't hinder your application.

Here's the immi webpage which should help.

www.immi.gov.au/allforms/health-requirements/index.htm

Also, I have a "skilled - independent" visa, which is a permanent visa. Not sure if that applies to all skilled visas.

On the house issue, even in Sydney you would be able to get a spacious 4 bdrm house in a nice area so long as you don't want water-views or acerage!

If you apply for a skilled independent visa (previously a 136, don't know what they called it when they changed it recently) that gives you permanent residence which is the most secure thing to have. You will be covered by medicare, won't have to pay fees for state schooling (you don't have to in all states, but you do in NSW - approx $4,500 per child), will have no hassles coming and going and once you move and meet the residence requirements can apply for citizenship. (Since 1st July you have to live here for 4 years continuously to apply, previously it was 2).

Lots of people come in as skilled workers, but on business visas, or 457s. If you find an employer who will bring you in on one of these they can sometimes sponsor you for PR after a while. You can claim Living Away From Home Allowance which gives you some tax breaks, but you will have to pay school fees (see above) and you will need private medical insurance (though if you're earning over a certain amount it makes more financial sense to have it anyway). The big downside of a 457 is if anything goes wrong with the job, i.e. the company goes bust, you have 28 days to find a new sponsor or leave (sounds drastic but it happened to friends of ours who had moved lock stock and barrel with 2 young kids and 2 large dogs!).

Your house budget will get you a nice 4 bed on the north shore. You can buy in decent areas for less, equally you can pay a hell of a lot more! If you are on a 457 visa there are some restrictions on what you can buy, though these don't seem to cause a major hassle for most people we know.

Your best source of specific info would be the British Expats website - the people on there are a great source of advice and info.

Afaik, failure is unlikely.

I had high BP, c section, pre eclampsia with dd & I passed flying colours.

Dh has anxiety & he was OK too.

Brilliant info everyone. So good to get advice from people who've been through it or are going through it. SunnyD seems we should come in on the Skilled Independent - does that stop you getting a job in advance?

if you can Pr and get the points thats the best way. I wouldnt apply for jobs till you have the visa because it can take up to a year to be approved. Thats why we choose to come in on a 457 then apply.

chloe did you move without having found work?

No DH had a job offer as a 457 requires sponsership. I dont have a job yet but am a nurse so shouldnt have too much touble getting one! waiting for Ds to be born in the very near future.. then back to the grindstone. DH actually found his current employer at one of the australia expos where we had gone for me to look for work! and he earns double what i would... not fair eh!

Thanks. Think we might go to an expo, do you think they are worth it?

we found it worth while but then DH got a job! other friends came with us and had no joy but her DH is over the magic 45 so they are still trying to find a door in!

Is it mainly employers who attend or other people?

there were a variety there. representitives from aus immigration, pension fund people, loads of nursing people, state representivies and alot of employment agencies. Dh's current employer was there. they are an IT company who recruit alot of uk applicants as there is a big shortage here. depends i guess what job you are looking for? but the agencies will offer all sorts.
www.expo-australia.com/jobs_at_expo.aspx
this is the current expo web site for this year with a few coming up. we went to one in manchester but they all seem to offer the same, gives you an idea of who will be there.
Are you looking at moving to any particular area of aus? we found it easier to decide on that first although DH's comapny is multi state by choosing brisbane over sydney or perth we opened up more choices.

Thanks Chloe. TBH not sure where we'll go. I used to live in Perth eons ago and I don't think we'd go back. Thinking of Melbourne or Sydney but not been to either (have you?)

DH is a v senior exec so not sure we'll find a job through the expo but just need to know where to start. Last night spent soem time looking at international recruitment agencies and didn't find any vacancies that paid what he gets here - which worried me a bit. Is it the case that salaries are a lot lower in Aus? Cost of living seems to be v similar?

TTT, it might be worth having a look at the Australian Financial Review. Many of the most senior exec roles are advertised there and it might at least give you contact details of the agencies who are recruiting them so your DH can call and discuss what opportunities are out there.
Salaries are generally lower, but cost of living is also lower especially if you are out of Sydney.

bubba, is that a mag too? I looked online but couldn't see any vacancies?

twotimes there is an expo on the 15-16 March in London, look here:

www.immi.gov.au/skillexpos/overseas.htm

lived just outside melbourne for a year and sydney for 4 years. I wasnt a great melbourne fan but have friends there who love it! I loved sydney but DH although very impressed on a holiday front didnt fancy it as somewhere to live. So far Brisbane has offered us everything we could want. Dh's salary is about the same as the uk cost of living here id def lower than uk. Lots of silly things add up. No car MOT for example.. we are renting and not cheap to rent but also managing to save $2000 a month with a tight belt attitude to put towards house deposit.
there always seems to be a broad spectrum of jobs in the career one website? may be worth a look.