I was working in the middle east in 2010 with no intention of coming to Oz. I knew things would eventually end and was making plans for the family and me to go to Canada rather than back to the uk. ( we had all lived in France and were French speaking) when I was abruptly laid off in late 2010, and Canadian immigration was going through a restructure, we decided to put an application in for PR in Australia as a just in case scenario.
We'd assumed it took years, but were totally shocked to get called for medicals 8 weeks later. I'd planned to take a year off ,!!!! We stretched out the medical to buy some time, but ended up with visas by April. Again the plan was to wait, but after a couple of weeks my wife and I were sat in a pub, and just said "sod it" let's get on with it. I flew down in late June with the grand plan of giving it three months to find a job, else go home. Wife and kids to follow when I found a job.
My job finding strategy involved ringing the major property firms HR managers and saying " I'm here, can I see you". Ended up with an interview 24hrs later, and an offer an hour after the interview.
The family was stuck in the UK dealing with our old house, so I had to do the house finding, car buying, furniture buying, etc....hoping I'd picked the right house! Family arrived four months later.
Two years down the line, two promotions later I'm the new SA/NT region manager living in Adelaide. We've no plans to leave anytime soon. The first two years were very tough work and money wise but it's getting a whole heap easier...
We did eventually offered PR to Canada......last Christmas.
Positive Emigrating To Australia True Life Stories
in Aussie Chat
Posted
I was working in the middle east in 2010 with no intention of coming to Oz. I knew things would eventually end and was making plans for the family and me to go to Canada rather than back to the uk. ( we had all lived in France and were French speaking) when I was abruptly laid off in late 2010, and Canadian immigration was going through a restructure, we decided to put an application in for PR in Australia as a just in case scenario.
We'd assumed it took years, but were totally shocked to get called for medicals 8 weeks later. I'd planned to take a year off ,!!!! We stretched out the medical to buy some time, but ended up with visas by April. Again the plan was to wait, but after a couple of weeks my wife and I were sat in a pub, and just said "sod it" let's get on with it. I flew down in late June with the grand plan of giving it three months to find a job, else go home. Wife and kids to follow when I found a job.
My job finding strategy involved ringing the major property firms HR managers and saying " I'm here, can I see you". Ended up with an interview 24hrs later, and an offer an hour after the interview.
The family was stuck in the UK dealing with our old house, so I had to do the house finding, car buying, furniture buying, etc....hoping I'd picked the right house! Family arrived four months later.
Two years down the line, two promotions later I'm the new SA/NT region manager living in Adelaide. We've no plans to leave anytime soon. The first two years were very tough work and money wise but it's getting a whole heap easier...
We did eventually offered PR to Canada......last Christmas.