I know this thread has been discussed before but I always find it fascinating to read replies on this brilliant site from UK based migrants who are hoping to emigrate to Australia and emigrants who are already residing here and their reasons for emigration, especially if they haven't visited or never visited the country beforehand. This always intrigues me, I always consider it a desperate or a very brave move to emigrate to a country that you have never visited for at least a holiday. I first came to Australia 18 years ago and lived here temporarily for a year, travelling around the whole country. I visited a further 3 times for holidays over the next 18 years before deciding to take the plunge and return to live here permanently. So I believe I was more qualified than most in knowing what to expect. Although it has all gone reasonably smoothly, the move has been no party on the beach. Certainly where employment has been concerned, even though I gained my permanent visa on the back of my qualifications and have more work experience in the IT/Comms industry than you can care to imagine. When I first landed on Australian soil I was surprised to see that the runway wasn't gold plated after what I 'd read and heard about the country but at the same time I fell in love with the charm the country had to offer. I must say that living here permanently and working full-time (if you are lucky enough to find reasonable full-time work) is completely different when you have a family to support. At the cost of over £5000 and a process of over 4 years from starting the emigration process to finally setting foot in Australia I finally arrived with my family in August 2007. My reasons for leaving the UK were similar to those posted on this site, in that I was fed up with politics and crime in the UK, the weather, indoor lifestyle, rising prices, UK immigration policies etc. I too, told many people of my intentions for moving 10,000 miles. I knew that I wasn't running away from modern day problems because I 'knew' that they existed here in Australia. The move can be so daunting and stressful many people can't handle the changes and return within months. I think that you have to understand that Australia has as many if not more problems than other parts of the civilised world. Drink, drug problems are rife, other serious crime offences are widespread. Hoons, (joyriders) are a big problem, limited low paid job opportunities, poor standards of driving, high road death tolls, high interest rates, Australian politics, employment licensing (you need a license to sneeze) in Australia, long working hours (beach visits after work - really?), limited and outdated fashion approaches to technology, poor banking, building and other standards etc. Apologies for sounding negative but that is reality here in Australia and if you can put up with this and other massive changes that you can expect then you have come to one of the most beautiful countries that exist on this planet. I think that when you come to Australia you have to expect that it is different from the UK, not necesarily greener or better, just different. We have to fit in and accept that the way of doing things is different. When in Australia, do as the Australians do. If you don't like something, have a whinge to another ex-pat. As the Aussie saying goes....If you don't like it...leave! Australians are not shy in telling us to leave when we whinge.
I believe that is why there is such a high percentage of UK emigrants who return to Blighty because they hadn't done their research or their expectations were too high.
At the same time I am also surprised at people on this site who want to return to the UK after living in Australia for a number of years. My Uncle, who emigrated to Australia on a £10 boat passage in the 1960's and now lives on the Gold Coast still believes the UK is the same place he left behind all them years ago. He finds it difficult to accept that it has now changed beyond all recognition from the country he left behind. He wouldn't touch British soil before turning around and climbing back up the steps to the returning aircraft.
Believe me, I still love the country and lifestyle and have no plans to return. If you can put up with the differences then you have made the correct choice.
THATS THE MAIN REASON LOL ..... NO EXPECTATIONS .... AS ANYTHING HAS GOT BE BETTER THAN THIS !!!!!
MRS KEILY
__________________ TRA SUBMITTED 17/05/07 RETURNED UNSUCCESSFUL 13/06/07 ..RESUBMITTED 26/07/07 ..PASSED 30/08/07 VISA LODGED 31/08/07 .. FULL ACK ..17/01/08 PC26/03/08 MEDS 23/04/08 C/O 11/04/08 VISA 30/05/08
Employment licensing (you need a license to sneeze) in Australia,
While waitng for reply for permenent job's
I applied for temp casual job advertised installing network cables
Now this is not exactly rocket science.
I have 1 years experience as an electrician and over 20 years in electronics manufacturing
production assembly, testing, customer support, R& D protoype testing.
Apparently I do not have the required experience!
I have since looked on the Internet I require a cabling licence
To get this it is a one or two week course followed by 15 weeks as a trainee
And the licence only lasts 2 years.
Australia is for some but not for me. Were planning on being home in March. I suppose I'm lucky as I never hated England I had a great life style and money in my pocket. I feel sorry for the people who left England (UK) because they hated it in thier case it's a must that Australia works.
I know England is not perfect but there is not enough about Australia to replace all we had in the Motherland.
can't beleive your coming back already, i remember you going, don't even think it's been a year has it???.......................surely that is not giving it a fair crack?, you see that is exactly what the aussies hate about us poms, is the fact we don't give it a fair go, it was the same in the 60's, hence the term 'whinging pom', what are your exact reasons if you don't mind me asking and where are you based?
I must say though the thing that scares me the most is the fact i've always got work and money here in the uk and feel well off, and even when i went over to oz last year, the money and oppotunities didn't seem the same and i would definately have to work longer hours for less money in oz, that is a 100% fact. But then i think of my kids future and try to weigh it up and come to the conclusion they would be happier kids for longer in oz, what do u think as you have that experience?
jason
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Stacy ,Jay, Joe (3) and Summer (2)
Last edited by stacybird123; 09-01-2008 at 10:08 AM.
Location: From Bury,Manchester To Jimboomba, Brisbane
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Stacey ,it dosnt take long to realise money isnt everything when you live in such a beautiful country.We ,like you, had a fair whack of 'spare' cash lying about ,we werent rich but could have our treats and were lucky enough to own outright a house in spain as well as one in the uk with a small mortgage on.We sold everything and piled ALL our money into what we have today.It has enabled hubby to only work 4 days and me to work basically when i want.We scrape by week by week and havnt much cash lying around.If we want something we save for it and you know what ,,i couldnt be happier!!! the extra time i spend with my family more than makes up for a fat wallet.You can have a good family day out for very little dosh,,life really is fantastic.dont worry about having no spare cash here,as long as you can cover your bills youll do ok !! good luck with everything
Cal x
There are many things about Australia that annoy or worry me, the 2 that are rarely mentioned are the constant sunshine with extreme UV levels and the requirement to slap on sunblock every day, straight after your shower, before you dare set foot outside. And then having to regularly repeat the process. It's even more of a nightmare with small children. It's a major worry and a major health risk.
The other is the crap health care. If you live outside one of the major cities the smaller hospitals are totally inadequate and you will end up being helicoptered elsewhere, probably to somewhere that is still fairly basic. Give me the NHS any day (I worked in the NHS and in private medicine for 20 years, although it is undoubtedly on it's last legs) And we still have heaps of problems getting a GP appointment. And then you have to pay for it. Great!
These are not problems I anticipated before I left (yes, I had been here many times before)
Just thought I'd mention it.
I'd disagree with a lot of the things you said Gazzer, my husband's job was easy to get, is as well paid as his job in London, and his hours are far, far better. Drink and drug problems are much less common here than back in my part of the UK (London and S Wales) and crime is minimal.
There is LOADS of casual/low paid work up here.
It depends where you are from, what your experience of the UK was, and where you end up over here. It is a HUGE country. You can't generalise.
I love it. But who knows, we may move on in a couple of years, maybe back to the UK, I don't dislike living there at all, or maybe somewhere completely different.
The children are having a far better childhood than they could ever have had in the UK. They can stay children for longer, are safer and have more fun. I Don't quite know what people mean by children having better opportunities here than in the UK though. I'd disagree with that too. But I think on the whole they will be happier with less pressure to get the highest paying job in order to secure a huge mortgage on a shoe box. That being said, house prices are just as beyond people's reach up here as they are in London. But they might just end up doing a job for the love of it rather than for the money. I hope so.
Yes the banks are crap. The driving isn't as bad as I anticipated, yes the roads are dangerous, but it's so much better for the soul than the commute into London and the associated risk of terrorism.
We chose to live a quieter life, away from cities and traffic, and we've achieved that, but it's swings and roundabouts. As I already said, you can't generalise and the move is different things for different people.
Ax
Australia is for some but not for me. Were planning on being home in March. I suppose I'm lucky as I never hated England I had a great life style and money in my pocket. I feel sorry for the people who left England (UK) because they hated it in thier case it's a must that Australia works.
I know England is not perfect but there is not enough about Australia to replace all we had in the Motherland.
God save the Queen
Hi Essex to Aus
England may not be perfect and either is Scotland but dont feel sorry for us mate as I do hate Scotland and Australia MUST not work for us but it does simple as.
Like other people on this site we didn't come with rose tinted specs on & have no expectations and as the Keilys say the sun shines it makes all the difference well to me anyways as we don't get much sun in Scotland.
At least you came over and gave it a go & I think its a harder decision to make to return home. But at least you will not have the what if's all your life. I wish you all the best on your journey home.
Janette
Last edited by Mrs Braveheart; 09-01-2008 at 11:30 AM.
as we don't get much sun in Scotland.
