Ever wondered hope you would cope in an emergency in a foreign land? Remember there is no NHS outside of the UK!

While this post is a little tongue in cheek in places it does bring home the need to adapt to your environment and also to learn how the accident and emergency system works, wherever you are.  This particular post refers to Australia but it could be any country in the world.  A health diet, plenty of fluids and knowledge of how to call an ambulance in an emergency is vital.

The post also tackles the subject of charges for calling out an ambulance and the need for health cover in the land of your choice.  Don’t just assume that the medical profession works in the same manner as the place you left to move to places such as Australia – this is ever more vital for those who come from the UK where the NHS picks up the bill for all residents.

Health insurance is a must for anyone who is moving overseas and something which should be one of the first things that you do when you land.  You never know when you may require medical assistance and how much this might cost.  When the stress of an illness or an accident builds up the last thing which you want to be thinking about is money!

These are the kind of posts which look fairly tongue in cheek on the surface but actually highlight something that many people may overlook.  Health insurance should be near the top of your list when you are emigrating!

Continue reading ‘Life In Oz With No NHS’ »

While there are many process which in theory should be very simple and very quick, it seems that gaining your Australian visa may not be as simple as many would have your believe. This thread covers the process by which you apply for your Australian visa to move there permanently and brings up a number of elements of the process which you need to be aware of!

The main focus of the thread is medical examinations and police checks which are a vital part of the entry process into the country. However, there is some confusion as to whether you should look to have these reports available prior to applying for your visa or after your visa process has begun. The problem seems to evolve around the fact these reports are only valid for one year and may be invalidated if your visa and other paperwork are not completed in time.

Even though the Australian authorities have decided to try and automate the system as much as possible some people are wary and nervous about making their applications online. A great number seem to prefer the traditional person to person route at an early stage rather than having a case officer assigned to your case further down the line.

There seem to be a number of potential elements which can drag on and cause problems for those looking at quick professional visas as well as those looking for the more traditional visas. Many have highlighted one particular automated email which is causing concern as it suggests medical records are required at the outset, while a case office confirmed that it will be requested at a later date. Cutting corners in this system could be counterproductive but some people seem happy to take that chance.

Continue reading ‘Moving to Australia - Paperwork, Paperwork and More Paperwork’ »

While this thread is based on a move to Australia the basic principles are the same for any area of the world. To say the list is extensive is an under statement and if you ever find a more helpful thread on any forum you are doing very well!

Some of the areas covered in the thread include bank accounts, public transport, car rental, house rental, mobile phones, finding employment and medical care to name but a few. The information is well presented, easy to read and has obviously been put together by someone who has been there and done it.

The beauty of this thread is the fact that there are even opening times for many of the governmental departments you will need to contact and rough timescales for certain procedures. However, more interestingly the thread, and the subsequent comments, also contain warnings as to the potential pitfalls you may encounter and how best to avoid them. One such example was the registration process at Centrelink (the government agency which looks after job seeking and social security payments) where the author of the thread was forced to register 3 times!

Apart from the more formal actions required, such as registering for social security, etc, the thread contains details about a mass of publications which will give you the low down on the country, what is happening and allow you to keep up to date with new rules and regulations. This list seems to cover everything which you could ever think of!

Continue reading ‘A list of things to do when you arrive’ »

As far as advice about emigrating you can get that any where on the internet but a list of things to do before and after emigrating, you will not beat this massive list which covers everything that you will ever need to know!

While the number of people emigrating to the likes of Australia from the UK continues to rise there are more nightmare stories about paperwork, finances and official clearance than we have space to cover. Have you ever really sat down and thought about what you need to do? Have you spoken to someone who has been there and done it? This thread is probably the most comprehensive list ever posted on the forum and covers literally everything.

There is information on flights, employers, banks, pets, CVs, references needed, change of address notifications, DVLA, post re-directs, shipping of goods, prescriptions, refunds and much more. The beauty of this post is the way it is formatted and the fact it is so easy to read and more importantly understand. No wild goose chases, no vague comments just good old fashioned facts and figures from people who have done it and learnt all of the lessons.

The post is aimed at those people looking to emigrate to Australia but it serves as a great basis for people looking to emigrate to any country in the world. The information sounds so straight forward, so easy to remember but when you put it all together it takes away much of the pressure of moving and that niggling doubt you may have forgotten something. Continue reading ‘Emigrating? Leave Nothing To Chance With This List’ »