[sparklysue]

My partner and I are looking into the prospect of moving to just outside Brisbane Australia and I was wondering if anyone could answer a few questions for me...
I am diabetic and I was wondering if that will affect my application for emigration? (My partner is a pharmacist and on the occupational list and I would be accompanying him on his visa).
I know that I will have to have a medical - how long is that valid for? - Also I have a ten year old daughter who would be coming with us - does she require a medical also?
When we get to Australia, how does their healthcare system operate? I know that it is not the same as the U.K. where I receive all my medication for free.
Any advice woukd be great thanks...

 

[anj1976]

diabetic doesnt hinder your visa approval. just make sure it isnt too high when you go for the medicals.

medicals are valid for a year and your initial entry date depends on teh meds and PCC.. the same should be taken wehn asked for.

as for your daughter, she will have to go for the meds as well but the docs do a very basic checkup for kids.

 

[sparklysue]

Hey thanks for that...do you know how the auz health care system works? Will I be able to get private health care insurance as a diabetic..Australia dosen't have a N.H.S system like the U.K. does it?

 

[kaz101]

Hi sparklysue,

Check out the medicare website since that is the healthcare system here.
There are links to private health insurers in the 'PLEASE READ....' post. Some of those websites may be able to answer your questions.

I'm not a diabetic but so far I've had to pay for everything (even some stuff that would be free in the UK) - prescriptions and medication.

Regards,
Karen

 

[claireanddaz]

Hi sparklysue,

welcome to THE forum!

everything you need is in here, just needs finding, we knew nothing about..... 4 wks ago and we were researching EVERYTHING! and i can tell you, theres no place better to find info and opiniums( i cant spell) lol so any thing you wanna ask, its prob all here and friendly too!

i can also say ive been told med cond are ok as long as they are under control, ie medication, my friend has diabetis and my partner high bp and it seems both will be fine for the medicals,
as kaz said if you do a little research about medicare you will get all your answers, i know dental care isnt inc... and thats a diff from the uk, so you have to get private health care which ive read in other posts can be $100-$200 +plus and that you pay 1.5 % of your wage in australia to medicare, for all major treatment etc,( think its sim to ours really,)but you pay for presc and ambulances! also most other forms of treatment like speech therapy, and alternative therapy is ie acupuncture and stuff such as non essential cosmetics surgery not covered by medicare, from what i understand its just the emergency treatment thats covered,but again,im not 100 %

hope you find out what you need
claire

 

[anj1976]

we just paid 70A$ (each) for our (me and spouse) insurance here in India for a 4800A$ cover for each.
if it is 150A$ per person, it isnt bad at all. but doesnt it depend on what all you want covered. for Dentals it might be higher.

 

[claireanddaz]

you should check the "stickys" at the top of the forum, there's one about cost of living's and some people have included health insurance there for certain areas of aus,,

 

[sparklysue]

Hi Claire,
Thanks for the advice the more I seem to look into things, the more I seem to have to do and trying to find answers are a bit of a nightmare, so having found this site is an absolute blessing.
My next question (one of at least a million) is...we recently stayed with friends in australia who said that it would be cheaper to buy everything new when we get there...i.e...from furniture to kitchen ware to towells blah blah blah. This is compared to the cost of shipping all our clobber from the U.K
Do you have any idea about this, or does anyone else?
Thanks to every one who has taken the trouble to give me their advice so far

 

[kaz101]

Hi sparklysue,

Try doing a search on the forum because the issue of buying verses shipping over has been discussed before and I think that there is a list of online shops where you can check the prices in Australian shops.

Things aren't as cheap as people think here so do some research on prices and then decide. We didn't bring a lot of appliances over since we'd been planning the move for 5 years and most of our stuff was pretty old.

Regards,
Karen

 

[claireanddaz]

Hi Sue

I have a folder full of stuff ive written down, hints ive picked up, its all good!

Shipping costs, you can pull up old threads love but ive been there so....
anything from £700 for a couple of tea chests i believe to 20 foot containers full of your stuff would cost (aprox) £3,500.
the 40 ft container (prob £6,000) is usually used for a car so prob not needed as what you save is outweighed by the cost of shipping and registering it over there.

Someone has put names of shipping companys on the forum and ive read a full 4 bed house full of stuff,except the wardrobes cost £3,500 ish so its up to you to decide.
we have friends who are planning starting from scratch, but for us,we have good furniture and the kids toys are essential, i feel they will be giving up enough without loosing their stuff bless, so we are looking at £3,500 plus a cat!

electricals, tv and things,the word seems to be that its just plugs that need changing (like if you went to spain) the elec current is the same, but some tellys dont pick up sound so you need to buy an additional top box to sort that.
a good tip ( and i would love it to be mine but i cant claim that rite) is to take a couple of the big long white adapters ...you know the kind you use all over the house at xmas for the bloody tree lights? then you only need to change the one plug when you get to oz instead of all of them at once and you are not limited to what you can plug in. (make sense?)

shipping takes a while though up to 2 mth i believe... correct me if wrong... and to get names of good companys,type in shipping companys in the top search box as ive not noted any names! (my bad)

im happy to share exp and what ive learned

take care
claire

 

[sparklysue]

Thanks again Claire,
This whole thing is a bit of a nightmare, an exiting one, but a nightmare none the less. My other half is busy studying for the Australian Pharmaceutical axams (which he is palning to sit in June) and I am trying to sort out everything else in the blink of an eye!!!...The shipping info will come in very handy, as will the helpful hints.
My next query maybe one you cant help with...I have a ten year old daughter with my ex-husband (who is a complete git to say the least) and if he thought he could scupper our plans to emigrate by refusing me permission to take her, then he most probably would.
Any ideas on this one?
Would ayone know if it would strenghen my case if my partner and I were married (we were planning to marry anyway, but would consider bringing it forward if necessary)
Can anyone recomend a good solicitor?
Thanks again...Sue x

 

[claireanddaz]

Thanks again Claire,
This whole thing is a bit of a nightmare, an exiting one, but a nightmare none the less. My other half is busy studying for the Australian Pharmaceutical axams (which he is palning to sit in June) and I am trying to sort out everything else in the blink of an eye!!!...The shipping info will come in very handy, as will the helpful hints.
My next query maybe one you cant help with...I have a ten year old daughter with my ex-husband (who is a complete git to say the least) and if he thought he could scupper our plans to emigrate by refusing me permission to take her, then he most probably would.
Any ideas on this one?
Would ayone know if it would strenghen my case if my partner and I were married (we were planning to marry anyway, but would consider bringing it forward if necessary)
Can anyone recomend a good solicitor?
Thanks again...Sue x

Cant help you with that one love, i would recomend you talk to an agent who would prob be able to give you advise as they will have been through this a lot of times im sure, you wont be the first. give one a call, from what i have heard some are realy nice they shuld be able to recomend a solicitor i would have thought.

i would try searching for similar posts though im struggling to know what words to search....

type " kids,credit,moving " in to the search box, theres a similar post i just found,
good luck,let me know....
claire

 

[3zooz]

I've been in Australia for 1.5 years now and to be honest I don't find it promising at all especially to pharmacist.
I'm seriously considering a move to Canada !!