[Tash1508]

Hi all, this is my first ever post on here so any replies really would be welcome!
We are just starting out seriously thinking of finally making the move to oz. We have talked about it for years & finally going to give it a go!!
What i need to know is what is the very first step to make?
Don't know if we should get the ball rolling & start to apply for visa first or wait till we have been to oz in may next year? Am sooo confused don't know what to do first
Also is it best to wait till we arrive to get jobs or should we be applying before we come, I work in a bank & hubby is a joiner/carpenter?
We are going to an australia expo in a few weeks, has anyone ever been to one & are they helpful??
Many thanks to anyone who can give us any help with starting out x

 

[kaz101]

Hi Tash,

Welcome to the forum.

How do you eat an elephant? No I haven't lost my mind One bite at a time and it's the same with moving to Australia.

There are sticky posts at the top of the forum and the 'PLEASE READ....' has links to the visa wizard to see what common visas you and your hubby can get in with.

Have you been to Australia? If not would you be happy moving to a country that you haven't visited?

We went to Australia on the holiday of a lifetime in 2002 and loved it so much we decided that we wanted to live there.

Personally I could never move to a country I hadn't visited but that is me and others on here have moved across without a visit.

We've been to the Expo at Sandown twice and we found it helpful on both occasions but for different things on each occasion.

Actually the very first step is to ask yourself why you want to move to Australia? I think that helps set your expectations and improves your chances of settling in.

Hope that has helped,
Karen

 

[hari999999]

Tash.......
You really like Australia.
So you have to start the processing work as early as posssible.

If you dont have a general idea this forum will help you.
But the problem is rules are changing every quaterly. So its better to consult an agent and see how your occupation is in demand and how long wait is needed.
Regards
hari999999
.......................................................................................................................
Applied Visa 175 April 2008 (Paper visa MODL, CSL ,)
Got CO and Medicals July 2009
MEDICALS and PCC finalized July 30th 2009
Job Verification November 10th 2009
175 VISA GRANDED 22nd December 2009

 

[Halo]

Hi all, this is my first ever post on here so any replies really would be welcome!
We are just starting out seriously thinking of finally making the move to oz. We have talked about it for years & finally going to give it a go!!
What i need to know is what is the very first step to make?
Don't know if we should get the ball rolling & start to apply for visa first or wait till we have been to oz in may next year? Am sooo confused don't know what to do first
Also is it best to wait till we arrive to get jobs or should we be applying before we come, I work in a bank & hubby is a joiner/carpenter?
We are going to an australia expo in a few weeks, has anyone ever been to one & are they helpful??
Many thanks to anyone who can give us any help with starting out x

My 2p - Start the ball rolling as time waits for no man and the worst thing that can happen is that you lose a few hundred quid.... (then again you're going to spend a couple of grand on the holiday so no big deal, right?).

Find a good agent and go through your options... (investigate online at the same time) - Start the process.

 

[Tash1508]

Morning, thanks guys for your replies. Think we are going to look into applying for visas. Am hoping we will have more of an idea of what's what once we have been tonthe Australia expo next month! We have 2 small children, aged 4 & nearly 2 so I guess our main reason is togive them a nicer place to grow up. We both have family connections in Perth & having done a bit of research on the area it looks lovely with everything we would be looking for. Have to say though I am a overwhelmed with everything, there is so much fab info on this forumit will take me a while to digest it all! Thanks again x

 

[Halo]

Morning, thanks guys for your replies. Think we are going to look into applying for visas. Am hoping we will have more of an idea of what's what once we have been tonthe Australia expo next month! We have 2 small children, aged 4 & nearly 2 so I guess our main reason is togive them a nicer place to grow up. We both have family connections in Perth & having done a bit of research on the area it looks lovely with everything we would be looking for. Have to say though I am a overwhelmed with everything, there is so much fab info on this forumit will take me a while to digest it all! Thanks again x

My kids are 4 and 2 - OZ is great for kids as long as you keep telling them its not the real world

 

[Tash1508]

My kids are 4 and 2 - OZ is great for kids as long as you keep telling them its not the real world

How do you mean, not the real world??

 

[Halo]

How do you mean, not the real world??

Its a little tongue in cheek but being so far away from Europe (home of western civilisation) they kinda do things in their own way leaning heavily on the USofA (I call it the 51st state of America). Remember the film Pleasantville, well, some of it is like that.

Things to watch out for here "tall poppy syndrome" - Its the land of mediocrity - While everyone has a good life and all, it's a little strange.... But that's what you get from being in the arse end of the world I suppose BUT it has other benifits such as more discipline, less crime and you don't feel like you're going to be the next al qaeda target.....

And did I mention the kids love it

 

[Dolly]

I bet your counting down the weeks until you leave, aren't you? :lol:

Dolly

 

[Halo]

I bet your counting down the weeks until you leave, aren't you? :lol:

Dolly

Not really, I just don't fall into the subjective category - People come here and pretend that the not so good stuff doesn't exist... BUT it does, I have loads of friends here, some of whom are British ex-pats who came in the 80's/90's etc who's kids grew up here and I get the low down.... not some filtered, watered down version.

People that come here NEED to know what to expect so when it hits them they are prepared.

I'll be here for a few more years, I hope, (if the wife can take it) before I decide what to do. Its now summer and I'll be fishing, swimming and just enjoying life a little in the 80's.

 

[Dolly]

All joking aside, I thought you'd had enough and were leaving Australia within a couple of years???

Yes of course those who are thinking of moving over need to know what it's really like here, it's just that you are always so down about the place that I can't fathom why you still want to live here.

Dolly

 

[Halo]

All joking aside, I thought you'd had enough and were leaving Australia within a couple of years???

Yes of course those who are thinking of moving over need to know what it's really like here, it's just that you are always so down about the place that I can't fathom why you still want to live here.

Dolly

Probably, can't live in lala land forever but for now its a place to live...... an one of the best places in the world I might add. Great food, decent weather and most of all security..... Maslows triangle and all......

Its not down, its called being objective. I have mentioned many of the good things but it seems that most people glaze over those....

 

[Dolly]

I guess if you say the negative things enough it does tend to stick - that's the way it is.

I'm all for being objective, it's not all "beer and skittles" here by any stretch" - nowhere is, therefore to get the not-so-good info is great (it's just sometimes you seem relentless about the negative is all). Sorry if you think that your positives have been 'glazed over'.

Dolly

 

[Halo]

I guess if you say the negative things enough it does tend to stick - that's the way it is.

I'm all for being objective, it's not all "beer and skittles" here by any stretch" - nowhere is, therefore to get the not-so-good info is great (it's just sometimes you seem relentless about the negative is all). Sorry if you think that your positives have been 'glazed over'.

Dolly

Besides for the moderators who have moved here the majority of people I see posting are those that are looking to come here.... (obviously) - I think you have forgotten the many that have returned (or want to) home for various reasons. I just like to call a spade a spade and tell people what Australians are really like..... Next time you take a cab in Melbourne and get a white taxi driver, ask him how he feels about things..... Behind closed doors and everything......

Many of the things here WILL appeal to many.... I for one love bits of it but as a whole its a bit creepy in some respects. Just because you've moved somewhere doesn't mean you have to switch off your perception and sing Kumba-Ya.

I always said right from the beginning that we came here for a passport and to see what its like..... we're doing exactly that!