WelcomeIf you are new to Poms In Oz and migrating to Australia or currently living in Australia feel free to say hi to all the other either in or moving to Oz.
Hi
Medicals for us were more expensive than i thought they would be as Lee's (partner) daughter who is 16 but not coming with us also had to have medicals (as do any biological children under 17 who may not be going) so for 4 of us 2 adults + 2 16yr olds we paid £135 for medicals each, £70 for chest xray each, HIV bloods £29 each, Hep B £29 each then our 8yr old just needed standard medical £64 and then they also charge for the courier which is either £14 each or a max of £47 for a family - so all 2gether it came to £1163.00........ i was gobsmacked but theres not alot you can do about it, we were lucky that we had just sold our house so had the money to pay otherwise they wanted a 2 n half % surcharge if paying by credit card. All in all by the time we have finished as we have used an agent who has been worth their weight in gold we will have spent over £5000, but its a small price to pay for a better future for our kids, the first thing you need to do is get your husbands trade recognised so visiting an expo will prob be a good starting point for you. Lees brother lives in brisbane but started off in adelaide and moved upwards with his job and says he loves it - 15yrs down the road with no regrets. good luck and keep us posted
__________________ TRA SENT MAY 07 JULY TRA BACK AND PASSED APPLICATION CONFIRMED IN OZ 13TH AUGUST 07 CASEWORKER ALLOCATED 15TH FEB 08 MEDICALS & POLICE CHECKS DONE & BACK BY APRIL 12TH 08 136 SKILLED VISA GRANTED 23RD APRIL 08
thanks for info, wow that is alot for medicals its something that when you first decide doesn't seem too much but soon adds up. my hubby is a welder so fingers crossed we will be o.k. . this country is getting so violent and no real deterants with the justice system i dont want my daughter growing up here and we live in a lovely part of the country but its getting down to us slowly so its only gonna be worse soon so this has gotta be the better option. its alot to take in isn't it we are just starting so it feels a lifetime away.
Hi asmith, Thanks for the info on the medical side of things, didnt realise they could be so expensive!!!
We are going through the migration expert and so far so good, as we are going on the strength of my qualification i have just started gathering the info to get it assessed.
We have a 13 yr son who is worried about the education system out there, ? know anything. Any info or advice greatly welcomed.
Hi coxey, we are a couple living in Cornwall, and feel the exact same way, dreaming of a better life and escape from this mad country.
We hope it will be the better option, it certainly carnt be the worsed. Keep in touch.
hi kernow001
your the same as us then a lovely part of the country being ruined by thugs yobs and druggies.how far have you got with things and where are you looking to settle, have you been to oz before or are you just gonna go ?
take care
tracey
Hi coxey, we have just started the process, will be sending skills assessment off as soon as i have gathered all the info, we have never been to Oz but i have a uncle and aunt in Brisbane so will head there, he has been back twice and my cousins have visited, and they would never move back to the uk, so i reckon that says it all, we will just go and do our best.
jan
We have never been to Australia before. It's tough if we don't like it when we get there because we are putting all our eggs into this basket. I have spent weeks and weeks reading everything though and now I feel like I've lived there all my life!! lol
My mortgage has a "tie-in discount" which runs out in June this year so we intend shopping around for a remortgage then so that we can release a bit of the equity to start paying for the migration process.
The rest of the equity is our nest egg which we will be taking with us (if we get in). It wont be much, about £50K maximum.
It's all very scary but at least lifes not boring anymore.
I had lived in Adelaide approx 11 yrs ago and loved it and always wanted to return to Oz. Hubby has always agreed in principal but just kept saying 'he wasn't ready'. Finally i mmmm tried to put my foot down...... and then he said he wasn't going to live somewhere he'd never been to before (we weren't together when i was in Oz all those years ago), which i felt was fair enough so last May we went out for a 2 week rekkie, all i can say is that i wished we'd done it sooner cause he is now more enthusiastic and keen than i am (which i didn't think possible)
So really, all i'm trying to say is that if finances and time permit (we left kids at home with grandma) take him for a rekkie, it certainly did the trick for me.
And just by the way, although our application was just a formality, we too used GoMatilda who i couldn't fault in any way, top class service and advise.
Good luck and give the hubby a kick!!!
__________________ LIFE IS NOT A REHEARSAL Syls (old), Marcus (catching up), Jess (16), Jack (2)
Hi asmith, Thanks for the info on the medical side of things, didnt realise they could be so expensive!!!
We are going through the migration expert and so far so good, as we are going on the strength of my qualification i have just started gathering the info to get it assessed.
We have a 13 yr son who is worried about the education system out there, ? know anything. Any info or advice greatly welcomed.
Hi kernow001,
check out
ourbrisbane.com,
about-australia.com,
www.brisbanecitylife.com.au/bcl/schools.htm -
I think your 13yr old should be fine, if hes in yr 7 now he will start again in yr 7 when you get there as they are a year behind, which could be a good thing as it means there will be alot of new friends to be made for everyone starting high school, and i think half of all schools will have english children in the same boat, so fingers crossed he wil settle in fine.
I havnt gone into schools that much as im not sure on areas yet, im still torn between state and private - its one of those decisions i think will be made once we are there and can see for ourselves whats available. One good thing ive heard is you dont have to worry about being in catchment areas like you do here...
anyone else out there with extra info let us know - ta
__________________ TRA SENT MAY 07 JULY TRA BACK AND PASSED APPLICATION CONFIRMED IN OZ 13TH AUGUST 07 CASEWORKER ALLOCATED 15TH FEB 08 MEDICALS & POLICE CHECKS DONE & BACK BY APRIL 12TH 08 136 SKILLED VISA GRANTED 23RD APRIL 08
Think I can answer 3 questions. I will be moving to oz in 8 weeks, never been there before, my husband has been asking me to go for years and after the birth of my second daughter I thought why not better life and all that. I used an agent to apply it did cost alot of money but it was worth it, less pressure and you know the forms are being sent completed correctly. Lastly my husband has no points to get in I work as a Mental Health Nurse and had enough points to get myself, hubbie and my two girls in. We applied for a skilled permanent residencey visa. The process does take some time but worth it. If I can help in any other way please let me know.
...... and then he said he wasn't going to live somewhere he'd never been to before (we weren't together when i was in Oz all those years ago), which i felt was fair enough so last May we went out for a 2 week rekkie, all i can say is that i wished we'd done it sooner cause he is now more enthusiastic and keen than i am (which i didn't think possible)
