Nemesis

Still not a criminal conviction

I actually offered to take annual leave at the time, but it was refused even though the leave was available. Had to get unpaid leave approved at a higher level. However, this wasn't my point when I posted, my point was in reply to Dukeninja who seemed to think the public sector wouldn't treat him the way his employer is; I just wanted to point out that the public sector isn't necessarily "fair" either, and that probably applies in both countries, it was never a UK v Oz thing.

And the point of my post was to distinguish between the 309 temporary/provisional visa and a tourist visa.

I wouldn't have needed it if I worked in the UK. Threatening me with the sack if I spent more time than 4 days away (including travel) for my Dad's funeral wasn't humane really.

Brisbane City Council do have very good flood maps, and they are updated after every major event. Be sure to check out their website

Just for anyone else reading this, holding a temporary visa like a 309 on arrival is no barrier to any of the items mentioned. Not so easy for some things as a tourist (though I had no problems opening a bank account as a tourist).

So that would be the same public sector that allows you 2 whole extra days on your mingy bereavement leave because you have to travel halfway round the world? And even then you have to beg for it. Trust me, they give you nothing unless you have achieved Superstar-Godlike status.

Credit ratings don't transfer between countries. Not sure what you mean by a "supermarket card" but if you mean things like Woolies Rewards and Flybuys, they don't have anything to do with credit ratings.

The words "free" and "dental" are not generally seen together in Australia.

I'd echo CalNGary, beware of the flood risk. Bits of Bellbowrie & Kenmore do flood in really bad years (check the Brisbane Council flood maps) but Goodna is much more prone to it and some areas have been badly flooded several times in recent years

Not that I've ever heard of, those only come into play with visas. That link should have all the info you need.

Yes. You don't need to sit the Test. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizenship/become-a-citizen/person-60-years-and-over

Couple of years ago I was going to a Bon Jovi concert in Brisbane; they do free bus travel if you show your ticket. All the kids at my bus stop waved bits of paper and piled on without any of the papers being checked,. When I got on the driver said I had to pay - I showed him the ticket and he said I must have borrowed it from one of the kids as "no old people like you go to rock concerts". Wouldn't let me on till I paid the fare!!

.....and in my personal experience, unless you have a serious amount of money involved, and the company giving you advice can see a large gain for themselves, they will simply brush you off asap to concentrate on their more affluent clients.

I do seem to recall that with a Spouse Visa there always used to be a Health Waiver available, so even if the applicant suffered from some conditions that would bar any other visa candidate, they might be accepted on a Spouse Visa, on the grounds that a refusal could be detrimental to an Australian citizen (the sponsor) Maybe @Paulhand could clarify whether such a waiver still exists?

Remember, if you go, and it doesn't work for you, but your wife decides to stay - your kids will almost certainly be staying too, whether you like it or not.

No skin off my nose obviously if he chooses to lie, but I think he should know the possible consequences.

Any migration agent will tell you - never lie to Immigration If you do choose to lie to Immigration and they ever find out, its visa fraud & could have serious consequences Did you read the replies on your previous thread?

I was advised to put everything not going in the container (including stuff going as luggage) into one room and just close the door and put up a sign saying Do Not Enter! It worked

Mine was a few years ago, $160 for destruction, can't remember the fee for treating it but I think it was higher and the hat would've ended up useless anyway! I would say if you don't use the stuff in the UK it may not be worth the hassle of trying to clean it. Be careful with the Xmas decorations for sure, and if bringing wooden things like kitchen stuff, put it all in one box together - they are less likely to open lots of boxes if they think you are aware of what might need inspection.

Boxes labelled as Christmas decorations always get checked as they are paranoid about pine cones and will destroy any they find. Similar for any decorations made from bark and that kind of thing. They only destroyed one item of mine - a big floppy hat with artificial linen flowers on the front. They reckoned the imitation flowers contained real live seeds, which was just ridiculous, but they refused to listen and wouldn't release the rest until I paid for the destruction.

Interesting choice. Big mining community all over that area, will you be able to get work there? Its also very hard to find rentals up in that region as the mining pushes the prices up.

Which PR visa are you heading for? 186, 189, 190? I'm guessing the 186, but......

As one of those who unfortunately fell in love with an Aussie only for the marriage to collapse after several years, it seems like an odd comparison. Expecting to be able to live in the same country as the person to whom you are married, is a rather different thing from expecting to be able to live in the same country as your parents (once you are no longer dependent of course), especially as your parents emigrated there themselves. In the case of many failed international marriages, by the time they fail there are children involved, the foreign spouse has their entire life based in the new country, all their possessions, their home, their employment - are you suggesting people should stay in a loveless marriage for life or leave the country, abandon their kids etc? Equally, if every person who emigrates to another country automatically as the right to bring their parents, grandparents, adult children etc along too, then you can imagine the chaos........ (Although personally, looking back, I wish the govt had taken the view that being married to an Aussie gave me no right whatsoever to live there - would've been much happier staying in the UK!!)

If that was aimed at me, then a) I was seeing a GP independently, nothing to do with my employer. My boss only knew because I had supplied a sick note for 2 days the previous week. I was paying the bill, naturally. I have never in my life taken stress leave or anything similar. This ailment was nothing to do with my job. Assumptions can be dangerous, thought you'd know that!.