Should I stay or should I go??

Hi everyone

Just joined the forum and it looks very helpful and friendly so thought I would ask a couple of questions and maybe get some feedback off you guys.

it has been my dream to live in Australia for as long as I can remember, I have been there before and loved it so I'm not shooting in the dark or wet behind the ears so asking more to do with the enjoyment and lifestyle elements of living there.

I have been offered a job in NSW Victoria area and my wage is AU$28 which I think is about £16 an hour which is the same I get in the UK BUT the cost of living in OZ seems a lot more expensive with everything from food to vehicles.

• Is the salary on par with living expenses?
  
• Do you pay for medical?
  
• Do you have to put your vehicle through MOT every year?
  
• I will be renting and coming out with No funds as not got a house or anything in UK to sell so adding this to my outgoings too(+/- AU$300 a week)
  
• what is your average weekly bill for single person shopping/water/electric ...
  

I know and accept the fact that moving and living in OZ is more about the lifestyle and standard of living and enjoying life is more what its about than money but I would like to not scrimp and save but live moderately.

So should I stay or should I go? am I being a fool and wanting to live the dream or should I stay and live what I am used to?:skeptical:

Answers, advice, hints and tips welcome

Thank You

10 yrs ago I would have said "go for it" but with no funds and rental "up front" I would advise you to stay put. As much as I love Oz, I would advise that the worst is yet to come (economy wise) The salary offered ain't spectacular............my 21 yr old son gets $26 working casual at Maccas..................enuff said

Wow thanks the job im offered is heavy commercial diesel technician and they said that was the normal wage between AU$28 and AU$32

The salary is less than $60 a year. You won't be living any dream on that. Just about surviving.

And and you will need some funds. You will need a months rent up front as bond as minimum plus at least a months rent but this could be up to several months in Sydney or Melbourne.

As for lifestyle, sorry, but I think you have a "tv view" of Oz life. People pay their bills, do the shopping, clean the toilet and everything else. Generally people work longer hours and have less holidays.

I replied on the other thread

http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=253039&page=2

Where u plan to live will make it a comfortable salary or not. You will need some money to pay bond and rent in advance for accomodation and also to pick up a car if u need one...also money to see you through to first wage so u cant come with nothing...but people live on less than that....I was liVing in Sydney on $58000 when i first arrived in 2013, I had no problem and afforded everything I needed plus extras...and that job then led to much better paying one. Is employer helping with accomodation? that would make it easier again for you. I don't find cost of living expensive, equal or better than uk to me. Medicare is similar to nhs. There is no MOT here, have a look on main roads website for state u will be in for details of what cars need...I feel that cars are cheaper to run and own here...for me. I live in a regional area now. If it's been your dream, def go for it, you are in a position that many people can only dream of - a job Offer so I would take it

Hi. Thanks for your advice and input yes the company will be organising accommodation and would assist me as well as getting my tools and toolbox over as well as the use of a vehicle till I get sorted. The salary is AU$28 per hour paid weekly which would make things easier based in the outback in Victoria area. I have had 3 interviews and they offered me the position but still have to do me an official job offer to look over. It's nice to that they found me rather than me finding them.

Will wait for job offer and contract before accepting.

I have lived and worked in many places in the world and love the life in OZ just concerned about wage to living ratio. When I was in Australia before I was working in tourism so paid for nothing now as a diesel mechanic and paying my own way it's serious time.

The future prospects are so much better than where I work in UK at moment which in its self seem worth it

One of the things you need to be aware of is that immigration will be as shocked as I am that there is sponsorship being offered for this when there are thousands of heavy diesel mechanics unemployed at the moment due to the mining downturn. They will want to see some good reasons from the sponsor as to why they haven't been able to recruit locally. Being based in rural Victoria will be a major hindrance to their case to pay a well below average wage.

To put that in perspective, my OH was getting that wage as a heavy diesel mechanic in rural Victoria 15 years ago. Is it flat rate or with penalties? As he was on a rotating roster by the time his OT was taking into account it was nearer $80k. Find out what the roster is as it can potentially add a lot of $.

which would make things easier based in the outback in Victoria area.

Where exactly will you be located? Victoria doesn't have an "outback" - not in the way the term is used in Australia. In your first post you referred to the "NSW Victoria" area and in your other thread you said you had been offered a job in NSW. If it is indeed a job in "outback" NSW, your life may be very different from the "life in Oz" you are imagining. So I think you need to be very clear exactly where you will be located.

It is not a high rate. Fine if a backpacker or just passing a bit of time but hardly much considering cost of living.Sounds like the employer is under cutting rates IMO. I guess a 457 ? I would say once the employer withdraws accommodation expenses, which by the way makes the deal look potentially better, but will tie you to that particular employer, or seek out another employer, the full force of the actual cost of living would impact.

I think that is a low hourly rate ,especially if your going to be outback Victoria.. A good diesel mechanic is hard to get so id try asking for a bit more, if they so no, look elsewhere.

Cal x

my wage is AU$28

 

More information about diesel occupation pay rates here - may be useful for you:

http://www.payscale.com/research/AU/Job=Diesel_Mechanic/Hourly_Rate

Wow thanks the job im offered is heavy commercial diesel technician and they said that was the normal wage between AU$28 and AU$32

I get $27.59 an hour basic, and I work in retail, non management and certainly not skilled. I'd be looking at that wage as it does sound very low to me.

Hi everyone

Just joined the forum and it looks very helpful and friendly so thought I would ask a couple of questions and maybe get some feedback off you guys.

it has been my dream to live in Australia for as long as I can remember, I have been there before and loved it so I'm not shooting in the dark or wet behind the ears so asking more to do with the enjoyment and lifestyle elements of living there.

I have been offered a job in NSW Victoria area and my wage is AU$28 which I think is about £16 an hour which is the same I get in the UK BUT the cost of living in OZ seems a lot more expensive with everything from food to vehicles.

 

• Is the salary on par with living expenses?

• Do you pay for medical?

• Do you have to put your vehicle through MOT every year?

• I will be renting and coming out with No funds as not got a house or anything in UK to sell so adding this to my outgoings too(+/- AU$300 a week)

• what is your average weekly bill for single person shopping/water/electric ...

 

I know and accept the fact that moving and living in OZ is more about the lifestyle and standard of living and enjoying life is more what its about than money but I would like to not scrimp and save but live moderately.

So should I stay or should I go? am I being a fool and wanting to live the dream or should I stay and live what I am used to?:skeptical:

 

Answers, advice, hints and tips welcome

Thank You

I see from another thread that you currently earn £16 an hour, the purchasing power of this is well above the purchasing power of $28 and it is very misguided to use the current low exchange rate to make a comparison. You will definitely be worse off than you are now and this is a below average income. I find the questions about whether it is "on a par with living expenses" amd "average weekly bills" to be unanswerable as people will adapt their spending to suit their budget, there is not a standard weekly spend.

To some of your questions, Australia had Medicare, a bit like the NHS but you might pay for some things. Yes we did something like an MOT for the car every year in NSW.

On that, I am puzzled as to where you are moving to though and you may be too. NSW is one state and Victoria is another. There is no such thing as "NSW Victoria", do you have any idea where you are going to be based? I would suggest you find out and research the area carefully, if this is remote Australia it could be a huge culture shock and nothing like the Australia you have been dreaming of.

Overall I am inclined to say that you should go for it and I say that for one reason only, because you have said it is something you always wanted to do and have dreamed of. So here is your chance. I would tone down your expectations over lifestyle though, the country does not make the lifestyle it is you that makes the lifestyle. My lifestyle was identical to the lifestyle I had in UK because, by choice, I went over there and lived a similar kind of life. Actually now I am back in the UK I have been living a different lifestyle because I made the choice to change it.

You say you will rural NSW/ Victoria where about is the job location? Town name would help to give you more information on living costs. We are in rural Victoria very close to the boarder of NSW. I maybe able to help with living costs. Just need more info on location.

It sounds rather obvious to me as being one of those border towns like Albury/Wodonga. Matches the description anyway. The emphasis is on lowering costs most everywhere, hence that is what employers are doing. What better way that enticing those from abroad with employment but at lower rates. I expect some folk will be in for a surprise over time as rates reflect the changing reality with downward pressure. Especially for unskilled/semi skilled jobs but hardly confined to them.

It sounds rather obvious to me as being one of those border towns like Albury/Wodonga. Matches the description anyway. The emphasis is on lowering costs most everywhere, hence that is what employers are doing. What better way that enticing those from abroad with employment but at lower rates. I expect some folk will be in for a surprise over time as rates reflect the changing reality with downward pressure. Especially for unskilled/semi skilled jobs but hardly confined to them.

So true, the push to hire 457 visa's on cheap wages is pretty rampant. Even to the point of getting them to pay for there own visa's from certain countries.

To the OP, the salary you are being offered is low/very below average for a skilled trade in Australia and not likely to progress due to stagnant wage growth here.

So true, the push to hire 457 visa's on cheap wages is pretty rampant. Even to the point of getting them to pay for there own visa's from certain countries.

 

To the OP, the salary you are being offered is low/very below average for a skilled trade in Australia and not likely to progress due to stagnant wage growth here.

There's an industry backing such rampant abuse more to the point, that prefer to stifle debate on the matter. Not only a risk to Australian living standards but a real risk to diversity as well.

I wouldn't blame any individual applicant though, as it is there for the offering, so why not. No I point the finger at all sides of government, big business, as well as other stake holders gaining from reward from the current migration scheme of this country.

It sounds rather obvious to me as being one of those border towns like Albury/Wodonga. Matches the description anyway.

Except that he used the term "outback" and in no way could Albury Wodonga be described as such.

To the OP, the salary you are being offered is low/very below average for a skilled trade in Australia and not likely to progress due to stagnant wage growth here.

The pay rates link given in my earlier post shows the salary he was quoted as the median rate for diesel mechanic. Although, hopefully, at his age and (presumably) experience, he would be earning above the median rate.

While not a great wage, housing etc much cheaper in rural Victoria than the big cities. Probably buy a decent house for 300k around the Wodonga area.

Also depends where you are coming from, 16 quid an hour is probably rubbish in the South East but pretty decent up north.

A lot of those commenting on the wage and suggesting you could barely survive have experience in Perth which is probably the most expensive area for going for a meal/pub etc. I doubt the average wage in Country Vic is higher than 60k.

Except that he used the term "outback" and in no way could Albury Wodonga be described as such.

I suspect poetic license in use a bit there by the OP. Although to be fair, for a foreigner, such a locality may well appear to be the back of beyond.

Hi. Thanks for your advice and input yes the company will be organising accommodation and would assist me as well as getting my tools and toolbox over as well as the use of a vehicle till I get sorted. The salary is AU$28 per hour paid weekly which would make things easier based in the outback in Victoria area. I have had 3 interviews and they offered me the position but still have to do me an official job offer to look over. It's nice to that they found me rather than me finding them.

Will wait for job offer and contract before accepting.

I have lived and worked in many places in the world and love the life in OZ just concerned about wage to living ratio. When I was in Australia before I was working in tourism so paid for nothing now as a diesel mechanic and paying my own way it's serious time.

The future prospects are so much better than where I work in UK at moment which in its self seem worth it

That salary seems low but you say it's outback Victoria so might be good enough for where you will be. Realise though that living in places like that is not the Australian dream you might be thinking of. To be honest I wouldn't live anywhere I couldn't be near enough to the coast to make it easy to get there. There are some country towns on the coast that would be fine but anywhere inland in Aus wouldn't do it for me.

I love Perth and we live 2 minutes car ride away from a glorious beach so, to me and the wife, we are living the dream. If we had to to live in Kalgoorlie or even the other side of Waneroo I know the lifestyle would be totally different.

Moving 20kms in the UK might not make much difference, here it can be like a different world.

$28 an hour for a skilled diesel technician is pathetic. Don't do it - you can do much better than that. They are ripping you off at that rate. In Victoria you don't have to get a road worthy certificate every year (I think that's the same as MOT). In NSW if the car is more than 5 years old it requires annual RWC.

Get on to https://www.realestate.com.au/rent to find rentals in your area or find share accommodation.