Piewie

We're gone end Jan back to my old job yipee but still I will miss certain aspects of Auz.

We have a dog box that we used to bring our small Labrador from the UK to Australia. We have no need for it now, but as it is in such good condition it seems a waste to trow it away, especially as it cost so much to start with. Size 22" x 38" x 32" High. Our dog was about 22kg a small Retriever/Labrador. Free to anyone who wants it we are in Perth.

Anyone have any new ideas here. I have managed to sort out container in Perth and shipping to the UK. We are going to do the packing etc. Then in the UK we have a problem as we have yet to secure the help of a broker there. Any ideas?? Please help money is tight need to save every cent. Many Thanks

Try Freemantle Customs Brokers 94305744 he has quoted us $3695 for the Container, Port Fee, Delivery and Collection and his arrangement fee + some GST on about $1000. Obviously packing it is our concern. Does anyone know any good brokers on the otherside that can do the arrangements and transport from Tilbury?

I have just realized our licences have expired. Are we allowed to drive on our Auzzie Licences until we get our UK licences renewed?

Hello everyone. We are returning to the UK after 5 years. Basically got my last job back with fairly reasonable salary. In trying to budget I was wondering if there was any sites out there that can accurately calculate my Tax and NI contributions. Any help appreciated. Kindest Regards

He does not know the words for the National Anthem!

The law says you cannot pay for a 457, that is a cost that must be born by the employer. If your husband has a trade he will be doing many skills assessments as Australia does not like other qualifications and will want you to re-train.

Five years ago it was very quick a week or two, I'm not too sure about now as I think the 457 draw card has more or less expired. A word of advice 457 is a work permit by another name be very sure about the company etc. inquire from them about your path when the visa expires and how they will help you then.

Hi Shelly I think your friend ment 28cubic metres, which is a 20ft container. I have just spoken to Chess and without packaging I am looking at around 9000. I will be calling Pickfords in a bit. Thanks for the advice though

What a load of BS. They list Air conditioning and Refrigeration on a skills shortage list? These sort of people are over represented in the Unemployment Sections especially as the bad ones are now returning from doing nothing on the mines as the jobs have dried up. The likes of Hays are now offering about $30 an hour for these jobs and on a temporary basis self employed.

Thanks Terry The electoral role is an important item and we used this last time. Cheers

Thanks peterc1983 and Quinkla I remember back then, that I looked at this form P85 but in my mind this was for claiming back tax. Because I did not believe I was due any tax relief I did not fill it in. When we arrived in Auz at the end of the UK financial year I completed my tax return online (because my mail from the UK was redirected for 6 months I received postal notification)and changed my address to my Auz address. Subsequent to that I had various tax stuff arrive at this Auz address. The following UK financial year I did the same when the notification that it was due arrived direct from the tax office. However I subsequently moved house and state and only redirected my mail for six months, so the next notification never arrived at my new address. So I never filled in a tax return. My thinking then and now still is that I had been out of the country for two years and not earning any UK pounds and only a couple of pounds in bank account interest. Originally I was offered a contract for 3 years and a 457 visa for 4 years. I thought then that we would come have a look and return. After a year I was seriously cheesed off with the way I was being treated by my employer but was not ready to return so we applied for permanent residence which was granted within 6 months. We have now stayed the 4 years that was originally planned and I have a job offer back in England and the WA economy is in a definite downward spiral. So I am just checking out my options to clear the ground in case we decide to return in March. I like Qunkla s statement "I work on the basis that there is little anyone can do to me once I have gone and it would be easier to ask for forgiveness than permission should I return." I also spotted an advertisement outside our local Wespac Bank which said that the transfer of UK Public Sector pensions would be banned from April 2015. This got me thinking that if we stayed my better half would need to get on with transferring it here. So hence that is why I am here now. Thanks for the responses so far and any other would be appreceiated.

Hello Everyone We have been in Auz nearly 4 years now. I was recently reading a post and there was mention of informing HM government that we had left. Do you have to inform the Government that you are leaving? If so how can we correct this now and what are the implications if any? Especially if we were to return in March, which might happen. This would have been a little over the time of our original 457 work permit. Any answers appreceiated.

As you have received your visa pre-grant notice at this stage, pick up the phone and call the human beings at DIAC they can be very helpfull. As the visa's are all electronic now (I never ever had my e457 stamped in my passport) and I have managed all sorts since I got here except you cannot get finance for a period longer than your visa validity. I changed my Pom drivers licence to an ACT one and then when anyone asks for your id you are free to use your drivers licence. On return from NZ I had no problem changinging my Visitor Medicard to a Green Medicard and all they wanted was a copy of my visa grant . I did however decide when in NZ that I wanted the visa label for prosperity reasons so I paid the money and we all have it in our passports. No it is not FREE. The process of going to NZ was as simple as walking down the street. We pre booked our flights and let DIAC know they said they looked ok. We confirmed the flights and paid the money. We left on a Wednesday very late arrived in NZ around midnight. We prebooked a hotel in Auckland on the top of the hill. The next morning at around 10am we went walked to the place (they had just recently moved) so we were re ditected to the building one block down. There we sat in the que for 15 min. Handed in our passports paid the money. That evening around 7 the email arrived in my yahoo box with the Grant notice. We went next day at 10am fetched our passports and job was done. We could have caught a flight back the that evening but we were booked in so we stayed around for another week. Our case was very simple and could have been done a lot quicker but we were happy to rather be safe than sorry so we allowed a bit more time and it was all good. Like I said before the DIAC immigration people did a great job and the system worked really well. But one should always build in a little leeway for just in case. Plus Auckland is a very friendly city and they have great seafood.