Help, still deciding whether to move or not!!

[ma_eire]

HI guys, great to find a forum that has so many helpful members!

I am at the start of the emmigration process. I am still contemplating if moving is right for me. Can anyone tell me if they regret moving, of does not having family and friends there become less painful when replaced with the sunshine?
If I start the process now, I was wondering if there is a need to tell my employer yet? I am a teacher and if I tell my principal of my plans I may hinder a chance of a job in september. As the visa process takes over a year I would like to plan to leave Ireland in the summer of 2009.

I would be grateful for any advice. I am in my late 20's and my partner is 30. We want to take the plunge while we are young. We were thinking of the Brisbane area, but it seems that so many people are moving there, I am wondering if there will be any jobs left!! hehe
Thanks,
Emma

[Jellab]

[HI Emma
I am also from Ireland and myself and my partner are thinking of moving to Brisbane. We have not yet applied but have met with a few agents about getting a skilled migration visa and we can apply for this.
It is just the cost as my partner has to get his skills assessed. We do hope to have started the process before Christmas.
Brisbane is the place to be so they say and it is were all the work is

Anyway I just thought I would say Hi

Majella

[MandM]

Hi Emma,

I am a teacher also, a we have just started the process. we have an agent, and he has advised us that the skills assesment can take 4 - 6 weeks. If you are being sponsored (I am, i need the points!) then that application takes about 8 weeks, after that is the visa. Apparently according to my agent they are taking up to a year even just to look at the visa application, then a further 3 - 4 months to process it (and non sponsored take even longer!) So, after you actually submit the skills assessment (for which you have a heap of documents to collect) you are reaslistically looking at 18mths to 2 years.

Heres the bummer bit - unfortunately, the skills assessment has to go first. For this you need a reference from your current employer! I am just plucking up the courage to tell my headteacher when i go back next week. Even though i plan to give her all the it'll take years, its a long term thing speil, i still expect her to go nuts and not see past the 'i am thinking of leaving' part!

good luck with it!

mandm

[kaz101]

Hi Emma,

I'm not a teacher I moved over to Oz with my husband (Irish) from the UK in July 2007. We did not have any friends in the area and our family are in the UK and Ireland.

Before we left I made sure that my Mum could use my 'old' PC and we set her up with a web cam. We have weekly video calls through Skype (which is free).

Friends won't instantly appear - you have to go and find them. I'm a member of Toastmasters, Rotary and the local skilled migrant group. Our neighbours are great too. You have to make an effort.

I don't regret moving. I'm an only child and close to my family but I fell in love with Australia the first time I came here. I would have regretted not moving more than moving. My parents were out here for a month last year (November), and will out here again in March. They didn't like going back to the UK winter after the fantastic weather out here.

You have to do what you feel is right for you. We only have one life (as fas as we know ) so we have to make the most of it.

Regards,
Karen

[Dolly]

Hi Emma,

Is there any way you could take a reccie trip out here so you could explore Brisbane and see if you like it?

Re your job, TBH I'd carry on as usual. My husband never told his employer until we'd got our visas. When he had to approach his boss for a reference he told him it was for an application to join the ACS (it also helped that he carefully chose which manager to ask and he chose his manager in Germany!!!).

I'm afraid you have to be a bit sneaky....

We've just celebrated our first year here and we haven't once looked back and regretted our decision.

Dolly

[ma_eire]

Originally Posted by MandM

Hi Emma,

I am a teacher also, a we have just started the process. we have an agent, and he has advised us that the skills assesment can take 4 - 6 weeks. If you are being sponsored (I am, i need the points!) then that application takes about 8 weeks, after that is the visa. Apparently according to my agent they are taking up to a year even just to look at the visa application, then a further 3 - 4 months to process it (and non sponsored take even longer!) So, after you actually submit the skills assessment (for which you have a heap of documents to collect) you are reaslistically looking at 18mths to 2 years.

Heres the bummer bit - unfortunately, the skills assessment has to go first. For this you need a reference from your current employer! I am just plucking up the courage to tell my headteacher when i go back next week. Even though i plan to give her all the it'll take years, its a long term thing speil, i still expect her to go nuts and not see past the 'i am thinking of leaving' part!

good luck with it!

mandm

thanks a mil for your info, i can't believe you need a reference so soon from your current employer!! that means i would not have a chance to be hired next year for sure. Do you mind me asking about your sponsorship, how did you get it? I am going to a presentation about western australia today, that includes interviews...however i would prefer to live in Queensland area. Its all very confusing, if it takes 2 years thats pretty crazy.
Thanks for your help.

[ma_eire]

Originally Posted by MandM

Hi Emma,

I am a teacher also, a we have just started the process. we have an agent, and he has advised us that the skills assesment can take 4 - 6 weeks. If you are being sponsored (I am, i need the points!) then that application takes about 8 weeks, after that is the visa. Apparently according to my agent they are taking up to a year even just to look at the visa application, then a further 3 - 4 months to process it (and non sponsored take even longer!) So, after you actually submit the skills assessment (for which you have a heap of documents to collect) you are reaslistically looking at 18mths to 2 years.

Heres the bummer bit - unfortunately, the skills assessment has to go first. For this you need a reference from your current employer! I am just plucking up the courage to tell my headteacher when i go back next week. Even though i plan to give her all the it'll take years, its a long term thing speil, i still expect her to go nuts and not see past the 'i am thinking of leaving' part!

good luck with it!

mandm

hey just went for an interview yesterday to teach in WA, they offer a permanent visa after 3 years of working there, not sure what to do. They offer good money and opportunity to save too and after that time you can move anywhere else.

[MandM]

Originally Posted by ma_eire

hey just went for an interview yesterday to teach in WA, they offer a permanent visa after 3 years of working there, not sure what to do. They offer good money and opportunity to save too and after that time you can move anywhere else.

Hi there,

Good news Emma, however some things for you to consider. WA were only offering regional temp visas when i checked, (and not for my subject) which means that you MUST live in a rural area for the specified number of years - as far as i understand the area they send foreigners to is VERY remote according to my migration agent. What type of visa did they offer? Did they offer visa sponsorship, or a job? or both?

this would still mean you have to wait for the visa application process i described earlier. did they give you a time scale?

Have you looked at any other areas?
decisions decisions!

mandm

[ma_eire]

They offer a job for 3 years, on condition that you stay in WA but after that you have permanent residency. I know that it would be in a rural area, thats why it doesn't seem very appealing, but i guess the fact that they hurry your visa through in 6 months and you definitely have a job and your partner too (who will get a visa too) is a comforting thought.
However, its not my idea of fun to be stuck in the middle of nowhere so it would have to depend on how far the school is from the city!!

So if I go the other route, there is a problem. It takes a long time, my employer will find out now and my chances of work in September will be hindered, and also I have the pay the fee to get the visa( which is included in the other offer).
Its all very confusing..to the point that maybe I'll never get to Oz.

Thanks for your input, you seem to be getting further than me!!

[MandM]

Originally Posted by ma_eire

They offer a job for 3 years, on condition that you stay in WA but after that you have permanent residency. I know that it would be in a rural area, thats why it doesn't seem very appealing, but i guess the fact that they hurry your visa through in 6 months and you definitely have a job and your partner too (who will get a visa too) is a comforting thought.
However, its not my idea of fun to be stuck in the middle of nowhere so it would have to depend on how far the school is from the city!!

So if I go the other route, there is a problem. It takes a long time, my employer will find out now and my chances of work in September will be hindered, and also I have the pay the fee to get the visa( which is included in the other offer).
Its all very confusing..to the point that maybe I'll never get to Oz.

Thanks for your input, you seem to be getting further than me!!

I would ask the advice of an agent. they are usually free initially. It depends on your motives and timescales. Also your preferences. If you teach a popular subject like Languages, maths, science, then you may well be able to go to other states also, its worth checking out the other territories for their SOL lists. I am not worrying about the job part at the moment. The way i look at is is if Victoria are sponsoring music teachers (which is what i teach) then they wouldn't bother doing that if there was going to be no positions! Also, if all else fails, as long I am working, it does not necessarily have to be a school at first.

from what i heard, WA are sending their foreign teachers to Kalgoorlie, which if you look on a map, is 350 miles inland from Perth and about 200miles inland from the south coast. Worth asking if thats where they would send you?

I would seriously look and see if you can get a permanent visa from the start, you may have to wait longer, but that way you are sure? Given the choice, i would rather have a permanent visa, Hubby can work on either your permanent or temporary too, so thats not a problem.

your decisions i guess are:

Where would you prefer to go in Oz?
what is your budget and timescale (realistically!)
Do you want visa stipulations? would you mind, or would you rather have free choice?
Have you taken the points test - do you actually need to be sponsored by a state?

I have come up with a plan regarding my employer, I am firstly going to try another ploy - an application for further study, study funding,membership so something, etc- some do actually require references. Have a think if you could have other reason for needing a reference? its tricky with teaching!

Dont be sucked into something because it is the first offer, no matter how tempting. Make sure you know what ALL of your options are, after all it is a life changing decision!