Natnats

Hurray PR granted this week via the 457 transition stream. It took 3.5 months for us.

Hi, Does anyone know what the process is to change from a Reciprocal Medicare card to the permanent (green) one? We were here on a 457 and our PR came through this week. Thanks Nat

Hi Matt, you don't say what visa you are coming on so be aware that if you are on a 457 you gave to pay school fees for your kids. Nats

Hi there, We've lived here over 18mths and have seen a few but in total less than we saw in our house in the UK. The advice about using barrier sprays is good - I would do that anyway as it also stops other bugs like cockroaches (there are loads in Sydney!). We were both worried about spiders before we left the UK so we did London Zoo's Friendly Spider Course. I think it was about 200GBP each but boy was it money well spent. We both held big UK house spiders and a tarantula by the end of the day. All in all don't let the thought of spiders hold you back, ideally you'd just move them outside yourself but you could always just give them a big dose of anti insect spry nod that soon sets them out!

Sorry if this sounds snobby but why buy Bisto when you can make your own gravy and it'll taste 100 times better!

Hi, Does anyone know the last posting dates for cards and parcels to the UK? I can't find anything on the AusPost website! Thanks Nats

I have to be honest and say that I wouldn't fancy that much at all. It's too far with too many very busy roads and could be horrendous even off peak!

Hi there, I think you should both give it two years before you make any decisions. If you've only been here five months then you wont have seen the best of it yet. The first six months are really hard, even if you both 100% wanted to come out here especially through winter but I can promise you that it does get easier with time. Try and encourage him to stick it out as you haven't been here long enough to make an informed decision yet. Nat x

Hi Lisa, My husband and I are mid 30s (no kids) and live in the Eastern Suburbs too. We've been here coming up for a year and are keen to get to know a few more people. We love travelling, the beach and both surf and paddle board. Maybe we can meet for a coffee or something. Nat

Hi, we stayed at the Adina Aparthotel on Crown Street in Surry Hills for our first four weeks. I would highly recommend it. Most apartments have a balcony and there is a garden with a pool and BBQ, and there's a small gym too. There's good public transport and lots around. All the apartments have a fully fitted and well equipped kitchen, washer and dryer, iron & board etc too.

What does he do? A sponsored 457 might be a good option for him?

Hi sharkybabe, What visa are you coming over on? If it's a 457 then you partner is entitled to work too. All you'll do is add them as a secondary applicant to your visa application. Nats

Hi Jess, A great place for families is the Sutherland Shire. It's really affordable and about a 45 min commute from the airport. Areas to look at include Cronulla, Caringbah, Woolooware, Miranda etc. Send me a message if you'd like to know more! Nats

Hi, Furnished rentals are quite rare and when you see them they are often for short periods, i.e. 3 months. If you need furniture look at the Fantastic Furniture website or the Ikea Australia website! Nats

Hi there, A good piece of advice we were given was to multiply your UK salary by 2.5 to give you the same level of income that you have in the UK now. So, if you currently earn £50k then you'd want to be earning at least $125k to have the same standard of living. Sydney is a great place to live but is quite expensive so be prepared and research prices well! Nats