angphil

Just a quicky really. We are happily living in Aus, after arriving to live here with a PR visa on 3/8/12. However, we came and activated our visa in April 2011. Does anyone know if we can apply for citizenship when we have clocked up 3 years (as we are allowed to be out of the country for 12 months) as we previously activated our visa, so August 2015. Or do we need to wait until August 2016, when we have actually lived in the country for 4 years? Cheers

We moved last July and love it here. We have left nearly all our money in the UK. We didn't want to give our UK house away, so it is rented out. We are making a small profit on it each month, which should pay for any maintenance. We are now saving up to buy here, we plan to build and with the $23500 new construction/first home buyers grants, we'll be good to go in May. In the UK my husband worked for himself and did quite well, I was a senior teacher in a large secondary school and we were always hard up working. Now my husband works for someone, comes home at a reasonable time and I only work 3 days a week. We are far better off than we were in the UK on a weekly/monthly basis. But the main thing is we spend so much quality time together as a family. Our kids love it here and so do we. if the house prices in the UK pick up and the exchange rate improves we will sell up in the UK and pay off our very large Aussie mortgage. But for the time being when we buy here, with a small saved deposit, we will only be paying $30 per week more than our rent AND our kids are growing up with us not working 24/7!

totally got the wrong end of the stick, we need both! Gutted

Hi, we are just getting our quotes for removals and have been told that we could have a sole use 20 foot container for around £3800. But all our stuff will go in part of a container, the quote says £800 (hope it is not a typo). Just wanted to kniw if anyone had gone down the shared container route and if so what are the pitfalls. Thanks

We got some info through about it, but I don't think my OH will go as there wasn't much for SA.

We were the same, my OH has done the ATRC (but he can't get the certificate until we get to Australia) and then he needs to to the PEER exam in SA and apply for his class A licence. It is different for different states and it is all changing soon too - just to make it more complicated! We are in Bingley, so round your way. Where are you off too?

I'd make her a deal, good AS grades and she can stay if not she's on the plane! Just think if she gets her A levels she'd probably be going to Uni in Autumn 2013 anyway.

Hi, Please can you see what you think about our car. Details below. Cheers 1) 2007 Renault Scenic 1.5dCi 106 Dynamique 60K mileage with aircon Diesel Manual 2) Market value in the UK £6300 3) Market value in Australia $13 000 to $15 000

They wouldn't send my OH's out without evidence that we lived there (like a bank statement or rental agreement). My OH wanted his sent so he had it when we arrived.

I feel sorry for people who are negative. At least we have the guts to give it a try. I got upset about people telling me how upset my Mum and Dad are, how they couldn't leave their family, how they couldn't put their children through the trauma of leaving everyone they love/know. We are doing what we think is best for our family. We see the glass as half full and if nothing else it we will have had a once in a life-time experience. SOD THEM!!!

I don't think it does. STEM is normally Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths. There are loads of IT teachers in the UK and many struggle to find work and you'll need to do your year induction before you move to Auz or you will not be a fully qualified teacher (you only have a few years to pass your induction year in the UK). If you have Maths or Science you may be better doing that as there is not enough decent teachers in these subjects. Physics is really in demand and I would definately reccommend that if you are confident in the subject. I got state sponsorship through SA (Maths teacher), but we are not going until August, so I can't comment on what it is like in Auz.

Get yourself off. These opportunities don't come about that often. Good luck

I have passed my atrc and at the moment I am doing the distance learning peer course for the wiring regs. We are planning to move to south Australia at the end of July (as my wife is a teacher and won't leave until her students have done their gcse and a level exams)! My concern is that at the moment in SA I just take my atrc (which I can't get the certificate for until I reside in auz), my peer certificates (after I pass the exam), credit card and collect my class a licence. But they are changing the system of gaining your class A on 1st July 2012, so all states are the same. Does anyone know what this will be? I'm hoping it doesn't mean I have to do the log book route too. Any advice on what's happening would really be appreciated. Paul

Hi thebacons, Would be great to hear how you get on with the course, my oh has done ATF and just stared the distance learning course. He's hoping to get booked in for the exam around end of March, before we move over in July. Good luck

We have got our visa (per res 176) through my job and OH has done his ATRC already, they will only send certificate out to Australian address, so it helps if you have someone who you can send it too, if you are not over there already. We have 2 kids, so OH is going alone to do course (wish we could all go too). 2 weekends is much better than 7 weekends. We went to Perth with on our validation visit and it is amazing. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

My OH is an electrician and we were in the same position with Tradies Down Under. My OH has decided to do the SA correspondence course and then take a trip to SA to do the test and have a reccie early next year before we move over in July. We are also in Yorkshire (Bingley) and the thought of the cost of 7 weeks Fri, Sat and Sun travelling and staying in London + the £3K was just too much. The correspondence course costs about £900 and then with flights £1000, a small car hire and cheap accommodation (YHA) for a week/10 days, it will work out cheaper. He's been in touch with the people who issue the licences and they have said he only needs his ATRC, PEER course passed and pay the fee and then they'll do his licence. However, they are chaning the regs in July 2012 to make it standard across Australia (which is why he's going over before hand to get it sorted). It's also nice to think that my OH will have had a good look round at areas so we have some idea of where to get our short term let etc. If Tradies Down Under had done a course up north he'd have probably done it with them though.

My Aunt lives on the edge of Pendle and used to take part in a run over Pendle (where people dressed up as witches), she'll love this. Thanks

The night safari was fantastic, our youngest (7 at the time) said it was best thing he'd seen. There were a few toddlers who oooed and aaared all the way round. Me and hubby enjoyed it too! Went to sentosa island too and would go back with ours (now 8 & 11). We all loved Singapore and would go back again. Enjoy!

Fantastic Post about your hols. We did Adelaide to Melbourne section and a week in Perth at Easter and completely fell in love with auz. Totally agree about SA countryside, we thought it was like Cornwall. Aussies so friendly and welcoming. Also shocked at amount of fast food places, our kids thought it was fab though!

I've just looked for it to sky+ the series and can't find it. If someone could let me know channel and time, I'd be eternally grateful. I'm probably being blonde, but I've checked bbc1/2. It will cheer me up after work

Thanks for these, I am undecided on what to do with mine, but the thought of only being able to claim half of it makes it much more appealing to move it to Auz.

Hi, I was wondering if it is possible to get an Australian PO Box before we move down under. We have been doing lists for all the people/companies we need to let know we are moving and there are 100's. I thought it may be better to set up a PO Box so we are not giving a temporary accommodation address and then having to send letters from Aus to change it again to our rental, to do the same again when we buy. May save us a bit of time and stop me forgetting to tell people! Thanks Ang:biggrin:

Just received an email from PEER saying, Also just so you are aware there has been discussion on a National Licensing system being introduce from July 1st 2012. It is unclear whether SA Licensing will change their process on gaining a SA Electrical License. Each state have not yet come to an agreement on which process they want to introduce, as other states don’t like the TRA method and want to keep the log book in action, however South Australia want to keep the TRA method. Either way Licensing goes you will still require to do the Wiring Regs course, just wanted to keep you up to date on what’s going on.

The 176 is a PR visa and you get free education and access to medicare etc. The only thing is you are promising to live in the state that sponsors you for a minimum of 2 years once you get there. We have 2 children so, I agree with you, wouldn't go without a PR visa. With state sponsorship it means you get extra points (hence not needing the VETASSESS) and your visa gets processed quicker than a 175. My OH runs his own business and says he's OK about working for someone else (I'm not sure he's been 100% honest). We are both looking forward to having a wage and not doing paperwork though!