Question for geekgirl

[isgrassgreener]

Hi there, I have never spoken to you before, so I hope you won't mind me asking you a question.
I was looking in the moving abroad forum and saw a comment from you about not being able to move to Australia because they would not accept your daughter.
Apart from being shocked and disgusted that this could be the case, I was wondering if you would be so kind as to enlighten me on why they say this.
We as a family have a vague possibility of my husband being offered a relocation to Sydney, my 8 year old has an ASD, he attends the local primary school with a full statement and is doing really well.
Do you think that we could experience a similar situation to you if we tried to get a visa?

Hiya yes, I think unfortunately you (or rather, your ds) could potentially have a very difficult time passing the medical.
They seem to have a blanet ban on anyone who would put a strain on Australia's resources in any way, and that includes things like having extra support in school, having a medical problem (even something reasonably 'cheap' - I know someone who didn't get a visa because her dd has a moderate/severe hearing loss, with no additional SN), or being able to claim stuff like DLA.
Unfortunately, whether either of you can supply skills that are in short supply seems to make absolutely zero difference - I also know a family where the dad is an IT consultant and the mum a midwife, both with offers of employment in Australia, and they didn't get in because their ds has DS - even though he was at m/s and doing really well.

It's shit but apparently all countries do it

Thanks for your reply

Do you know where I can find out information on this?

We do get DLA at middle rate, so will this go against us as well?

God, my husband will be so depressed when I tell him this, he really has this dream of living by the sea in the sun......

There is a good chance that the children would go to private rather than state schools, would that make a difference?

no, it wouldn't make any difference whatsoever unfortunately. And yes I was very upset when I found out - I'd already been looking at Perth property porn online

I just googled autism emigrating australia - I found this for instance.

Another port of call are the Australian autism organisations - they should come across this issue quite frequently and will be able to give you an idea of the current situation.

oh and what's really crap is that the medical comes last in the visa process - so you can spend thousands on all the other stuff, only to fail at the last hurdle.

It's fairly standard for any country. Canada and NZ are the same. I can kind of see their point. DS1's lifetime care costs will be in the millions.

Thanks again Geekgirl, just read the link you listed, how awful for the family who were sent back to the UK.
Well, this is a bit of a crushing blow, but at least we have not spent any money on this.
My husband will have lost the chance of a fantastic job though and he will be so depresses about it.
I am so glad that I asked you this question, as we have been mulling this over for the last 4 months and it has been quite a strain not knowing if we should go for it or not, at least now we know we have to look at staying here.