ginger

Thanks all, it looks simple but the price has recently doubled....good timing? Thanks again ginger

Hi my friend is engaged to an Australian citizen, he also has a 1 year old daughter with her. He is currently on a 457 visa and was going to go for an ENS186 but worked has gone down the sh*tter and he may lose his job. What options does he have visa wise or can he stay in the coiuntry due to his exceptional circustance? Please any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance ginger

Thanks all I'll look into that newjez and see what comes. I don't have the cash yet Rupert it will mainly come from sales of cars/furniture etc....so won't have any cash till last minute. ginger

Not going till October but main reasons are definitely to be back with family and for my kids toi grow up with close relatives. Another reason would be the uncertainity of your future...without work for even a small amount of time here could be disasterous to any savings you may have made. Also the fact that you have to cater for very expensive holidays to the UK if you want to see family, then you have to do the goodbye's all over again. Gotta add to this though we've had a great 2 years on the Goldcoast though but can't call it 'home' ginger

thanks for the replies....won't be transferring for a couple of months so praying that the dollar at least stabilises. ginger

Hi all, with the dollar dropping against the pound almost on a daily basis it is really messing up my maths. We were planning on moving $20000 back to the UK when we return. The rates are that bad transferring money is like a minefiled. If I transfer based on todays rates I'd get .57GBP per $. What rate would I get if I took the cash back and changed it in the UK? would it work out better for me? Thanks for any advice ginger

Wha a great post, most of that has hit the nail on the head for me. We left to pursue a better life leaving behind family that were damn close to us.....after nearly 2 years here we are going to return. My son is coming up the his 3rd Oz birthday which makes you realise what our parents have missed out on. We only came on a 457 visa but were thinking of going for PR but due to cost of living here, lack of pay increases etc....we are leaving. The pull has always been there but I suppose the beaches and lifestyle have been a great change from the UK. It's not just the money making us return but it has probably forced us to decide sooner than we would have. We gave it a go, the kids got to see something different but all in all I think the biggest regret I could face is not having been there for mine and my wifes parents as they get older. ginger

Thanks all that's great info, I gave the ATO a call and it all seems fairly simple. ginger

.....sh*t that puts my moving back calculations down by a few grand. So if for example If i earn say 60k over a year and pay $200 a week in tax if I actually leave after earning only 20k my $200 tax a week is still required to be paid? I would have thought that as you've only earnt 2k above the threshold you'd get most of it back. ginger

Thanks Blossom79 I may have to do that. Thanks Rupert, In those 3 or 4 months of work I won't be far above the 18000k threshold but will have paid tax as if I was earning a yearly wage so believe I would be due a refund. ginger

e-tax is the Aus self assessment. I didn't use an agent last year I just used the e-tax tool. I would like to know when to claim back tax for working part of the 2013-2014 tax year as I will have quite a bit of tax to claim back as won't hit the tax threshold from July, Aig, Sept and Oct wages. ginger

Hi all, if we were to return to the UK in October could I claim 2 lots of e-tax (2012-2013 & 2013/2014) in one go? or would I do a 2012-2013 tax return and then a seperate as and when I leave? When would be the best time to make a final claim? ginger

Thanks for the replies all. I can go for the ENS 186 but just think as I earn't about 10k less than my contract said if it would cause me problems. My boss is the one who pointed it out I didn't think it would be a problem. If he just has to prove my earnings are as other employees that should be fine as I haven't had any unpaid leave so far in this second year. ginger

Sorry it is the ENS 186. My employer has to supply my proof of earnings to prove it matches my contract and is equal to other staff. I just wondered how far back he will have to go. ginger

Hi can anyone help? We 'may' be looking at permanent residency under the ENS scheme. The question I have is for one of the years I have been here I earnt less than my contract stated due to family circumstances. This was unpaid leave and I don't have proof (ie: doctors notes etc...) If my employer has to have proof of my earnings for the whole time I have been in Australia I have a feeling this will work against me getting the ok from the visa bureau. If he only has to provide my last year of earnings then I should be ok as it is my first year here that let me down. Any advice would be appreciated. ginger

Thanks, I've worked for them for 2 years but part of that time was on a different visa and not the 457. I just can't be ar$ed with any arguments and really want to know where I stand in 2 different circumstances. (1) I leave of my own accord (2) he relieves me of my duties. I have come to a point where I just don't think we can afford to live here and there is no scope for a payrise....I have been given 2 choices, stay or go...simple. I have a trip to the UK booked for October but it may turn into a permanent trip. Such a shame it has come down to money but hey if you can't afford a life here then so be it.....damn those 3 kids haha ginger

I am in a position where if I leave in October it will be 'me' leaving but I may be asked to leave earlier which I think would mean I was being made redundant. I thought it was too good to be true if the employer had to foot the bill if it were my own choice. Just feel like I'm in a lift at the minute with thoughts and emotions....... Thanks for the advice on the shipping, I did think that would be the case. ginger

Hi guys if I was to return to the UK (am currently employed on a 457 visa) what does the employer need to provide? I believe they have to provide flights etc.....but what about shipping? Any advise would be appreciated. ginger

Me the missus and 3 children live in a gated complex on Hope Island. Lived here for over 18 months, the place is lovely, well looked after and feels safe. You do have to either drive everywhere though or get a golf buggy like most of the locals. Do you have kids etc....that want to be near a park or school they can get to themselves? if so Hope Island may not be for you, local schools are a decent drive and the place lacks in parks. It is very close to the theme parks though and close enough to the motorway to commute. Ginger

Thanks for the reply Genorm.

We did it, though our children were younger. I came here for work reasons and our cons list for Oz was not very long. Now if I do a pros and cons list the UK list is shorter haha. Be mindful of poorer state education IMO, the cost of living is horrendous no matter what conversion you use it does not work out equal to the UK overall as I think you always have to factor in saving to go on UK hols (without that saving it's maybe fairly equal based on higher income), the heat can get relentless, missing out on UK family can be harder than you think. Anyway these are just my opinions from being here just over a year and half. If you are going to have a job, plenty of cash and may get to holiday in the UK to see family I'm sure you'll love it here.

My wife was a care assistant in the UK which is a nursing assistant here in Oz. She has worked with the elderly, young disabled and so forth. She does not have qulaifications here but has 13 years experience. She is only interested in night shift work.....would you have anything available or know anyone who would be able to use her?

Hi, I am wanting an approx timeline from lodge of application to becoming a PR with my employers nomination. My frind who took this route didn't get a case officer for 7 months and the lodge took 2 months. That seems to be alot longer than I anticipated. I thought this was a 2week all in process if you have all your paperwork prepared correctly. Cheers ginger

Thanks for that reply frostie....who is that container with most people are telling me it's about 8k? My biggest problem is I feel in limbo, life in the UK was expensive got a great opputunity here but didn't exactly do alot of research into the cost of living....nearly 2 years down the line I can't see a great future here. I want to buy a house but here on the Goldcoast it's so expensive. Ginger

Cheers...just need some container prices now. I've told it's expensive.