Gethsemene

I don't know if I qualify as 'about your age' anymore (am 28), but there are quite a few young brits about Hobart. Where abouts will you be based? The closer into the city the easier you will find it to socialise. Ben

Not sure if this is the correct thread, but I came out last year on a temp visa and then applied and got permanent residency. When I arrived I searched online for private health insurance and went with HIF, not because they were the cheapest, but because they had the best package. On the phone I explained my position as a resident for tax purposes, but on a temp visa and gave my medicare details (reciprocal card at that point), what was never explained to me was that the cover they gave me (temporary resident cover) does NOT cover me for tax purposes with reference to the medicare levy. I discovered this today having received an additional bill of over $2k surcharge for not having private insurance. Lesson learned, but advice for those coming out, check your cover exempts you from the medicare surcharge, or you may regret it!!! Ben

Which door, just got here wearing dark shirt and wool coat....

Hey I am up for that as well, I don't finnish work till 7pm so could meet you guys in Salamanca if that's ok?

I'm currently prancing around the playhouse stage in Peter Pan, but am happy to meet up after our run......

Melbourne, now my only decision is whether to get evidence in my passport or not, doesn't seem much point to me tbh.....

Just to blow people's mind, I just got my confirmation of Visa approval, I applied on the 30th of January 2013 and was approved dated 15th of April! Submitted DRC through a migration agent (shout out to Andre at myaustralianvisa) with more points than the west coast mainline, but still nice to get it so quick!!! Ben

I'm not so sure they are taking advantage, if they are looking to employ a casual (by the way I would check the award, $19 seems low for a casual) they are unlikely to give a casual a company vehicle full time and therefore need it collecting from the depot. Remember it is not the companies fault where you guys live, I would advise taking the job for CV purposes, but as others have said your husband needs to do what he thinks best.....

Just in case you haven't seen I have left you a profile message with my details (just click on your name) to find your profile....

Just to add my (fairly new) timeline: Applied DRC through MA 30/01/2013 instant acknowledgement email + bridging visa grant, not heard anything and not expecting to for a few months

I'm in Sandy bay, huge exchange about to be upgraded to NBN, currently kicking out 20mbps on cable through live connected pretty cheap and uncapped.......

My experience in the UK was with regional hospitals, for example Kings Lynn serviced less people than Hobart does, Melbourne and Sydney I'm not sure tbh, however Newcastle NSW (John Hunter) for example worried me with the standard of care in the public system (no consultant available inexperienced registrar on call), however the private eye hospital in the same city is probably the best venue I have ever set foot in for ophthalmology (including Moorfields) and is run by one of the best ophthals I have ever met.......

Absolutely I'm not claiming ultimate authority and I also agree for the uninsured the NHS is FAR better than the australian equivalent, my only point is that the private system is better IMO than the UK system so for the majority of the WORKING population they are better off.

Fixed that for you :wink: I dread being an inpatient anywhere!! I was an inpatient in a neurology ward for 5 days in the UK, on two days our ward was forgotten for dinner, on days when it did come I wished we had been forgotten! The NHS is good, but not great I feel no bitterness people are doing the best they can, but the NHS is not the paragon of excellence it is held up to be!

At the risk of sounding repetitive which sector did they work in? As to it being my opinion, you're of course right, however it is an opinion based on facts, I have worked in both systems and am therefore aware of the treatments and drugs available in both the NHS and the Australian private sector. I will concede that perhaps nurses are in a (far) better position to judge patient care at ward level (although if the NHS is better I hope I never end up as an inpatient in Australia!), however for speciality care and management (specifically for ophthalmology, but I would assume it will transfer) I believe I am in a better position to judge on the availability of treatment options.

Which health service? As I made clear in my last post Australia has two... If you're talking about the private sector, then in my field (ophthalmology) your statement is laughable, over here we have technology, drugs and most importantly TIME with patients that NHS consultants could only dream of....

My experiences are based from both working in and being a patient of both systems, there is no doubt if you don't have health insurance then the NHS is better, HOWEVER for the people who do (about 50%) the health system is far better. Even private in the UK is far inferior to private in Australia, here in Hobart there are two massive hospitals on the same road, the royal Hobart and Hobart private. At the end of the day I suppose it comes down to your philosophy as to whether you believe everyone should be treated equally, or that people can use the resources they have earned to grant themselves a better quality of care. Interestingly with the medicare levy there is a ring fenced tax for high earners who use the system, or you can opt out (by having insurance) and therefore remove strain on the public system freeing it up for people who cannot afford private care.

In other shocking news, turkeys vote to reject Christmas.... I have worked for the NHS, I find the Australian system far superior, he NHS needs to change and the changes will not be popular.....

The problem is that it would be VERY expensive, not because of the extra contributions, but because increasing the minimum old age pension is not THAT expensive because pretty much all of the money is spent and goes back into the economy/tax system. Any money shipped to Australia would not have a positive impact on the UK economy. This may be unfair, but it is an unfortunate reality....

Hey welcome to Tassie I'm based in Sandy bay, moved over here on my own in August, up for a pint at some point (and welcome to the only place in Australia you can go for a pint).... If you need any help shoot us a PM and I'll see what I can do....

You can keep paying the loan from Australia, however if you take out a loan just before leaving and STOP making payments it is one of the few situations where technically the debt could follow you as the loan company could call it fraud.....

The form for extension of work rights form gives these as valid reasons for extended right to work beyond 6/12: Exceptional circumstances might include remaining in your current job for one of thefollowing reasons: for a very short time (days or weeks) as you are critical to the completion of a specialisedproject that has unexpectedly gone over time (this generally only relates to highly skilledactivities, such as a lawyer in the middle of a trial or a doctor who plans to operate on apatient they have been treating) performing disaster recovery work following a major disaster such as clean-up, re-building or emergency management activities following a major flood remaining in your current job while a decision is being made on an application for a visawhich would allow you to continue full time work with your employer without leavingAustralia. Example: Subclass 457 - Temporary Business (Long Stay) visa, subclass 820 – Spousevisa.

As soon as the application is lodged you can apply for a bridging visa and or an extension of the right to work for one company, neither of which should be an issue getting granted. Obviously getting the paperwork in sooner is preferable, but don't panic.....

Another vote for Tas for me, I have been here for approaching a month now and love it, although having moved down from NSW it is chilly!! The thing about Hobart is that pretty much everywhere has a beautiful view of either the Derwent or the Mountain, both are lovely, but any view of the mountain drops the temp by about 10 degrees!!!!