Danmon

We were in the same predicament as your colleague. We've ended up bringing over the minimum deposit required and got a mortgage that lets us pay interest only for 5 years. After the 5 years it reverts back to repayment mortgage but by then house prices and the exchange rate hopefully have gone up and we can either bring the rest of our money over or sell the house and do a bit better on each one.

It's difficult to open accounts in the UK if you're not resident but not impossible. Maybe you can do better than 0.5% by shopping around

 

I fear your options are limited unless you want to use it to invest in other things with a higher risk (like shares) to try and get a better return. As a cash deposit you're pretty stuck. Any GBP account will have the same interest rate issues wherever it's nominally held

 

I too would be reluctant to bring to Oz at current exchange rates, I came over in 2011 (with equally crap rates) and held out until late 2013 when I could get it out at about 1.8 but we're back in 1.5x territory again now. I have a colleague at present who's stuck between a rock and a hard place - doesn't want to throw money away at current rates to bring cash over to buy a house, but every day he delays in Sydney the housing is getting more expensive.

 

Feel for you

Same with me Goldyshell, I applied 22nd October, got the confirmation email in a few minutes and nothing since.....

Applied for citizenship in October 2016 in Bunbury online, had automatic acknowledgement but not a peep since!!

 

 

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Anyone here applied from Bunbury WA? I applied at the end of October and got the confirmation email on the same day but have heard nothing since.

Danny

I've just been stung for an extra 34% on the policy for my family. I was on a 457 from 2012 until 2014 with a reciprocal agreement. We had private health which I just found out didn't include hospital cover, everything else except hospital cover. Just went to upgrade so we are covered and have been told that where I didn't obtain hospital cover in the twelve months after I was registered for Medicare I will have to pay the Lifetime Health Cover loading of 2% for every year over 31 years of age even though I've only been in the country for 4 years. I'm 46 and my partner is 49 so it averages out at an extra 34%. Quite a whack when you add it all up.

Just another way for the government to get money from you.....

We've just came back from the Uk. We flew via KL with Malaysia Airlines which were great. Had a 380 airbus on the long leg from KL to Heathrow which is why we chose it. Managed to get in the upstairs economy section which made boarding and getting off easier.

Hi all,

Are there any Rugby Union coaches or budding coaches wanting to get involved in the local Junior Rugby Club for this coming season in Bunbury.

We are the Bunbury City Bulls Junior Rugby Club and have age groups from under 7 to under 17 and are looking for people to get involved with us. We are a very friendly, forward looking family orientated club and would love to have you on board.

If you are interested please let me know and I can give you more information.

Thanks

Danny

Hi everyone,

I've just got my PR after being on a 457 for two and a bit years and I was wondering what I have to do now. Are there any Gov agencies or departments I have to notify? I have two kids at school so was wondering about Centerlink, ATO and Medicare etc. I'm from England so I'm covered by the Medicare reciprocal agreement but do I need to notify them I'm PR now?

thanks

Danny

I went to an expo in London but only because I knew that there was a company in my field who were there. If there were no companies there that would take on someone with my skill set then I wouldn't have gone. I met the company reps with my CV and ended up having a theory test and interview there and then. Shortly after I was offered a job and relocation package.

In that respect the Expo was excellent as I don't think I would have stood a chance if I had just emailed them. Being able to speak to someone face to face was a lot better for both me and the company. If they weren't there or I didnt know they were going to be there I wouldn't have bothered going just on the off chance...

Just heard today from an unofficial source that the school fees will be post phoned until 2015. Good news if its true..

Hi all,

 

We (me, OH and toddler) are very soon to go to Oz on a 457 visa. We were about to open an account with Westpac, only to be told that, because we are on a 457 and in serviced accommodation for the first couple of months, we won't be issued with bank cards (either debit cards or credit cards until we have a permanent address in Oz). This will leave us unable to access our money from ATMs throughout this time. This is despite being able to prove that we have a permanent work contract and a significant monthly salary and despite being told at the Migration show we attended in the UK that this would not happen. Same story with NAB. I can sort of understand the rationale for credit cards in case you leave OZ with unpaid bills, but for debit cards used to withdraw money out of your own account?!?! Then the story changes each time you speak to a different bank rep. All we want is to be issued with at least debit cards as soon as we arrive so we can access our money at our convenience and for written confirmation of that being the case to be given before we open an account with whichever bank we choose, but that seems quite a tough thing to achieve. Has anybody encountered this and how did you get around this? Thanks for your help.

I opened a Westpac account while I was still in the UK. I called their London office and they were able to send my EFTPOS cards to me at my UK address. Might be worth giving them a call.

Hi can anyone please help me?

 

My husband is arriving in Perth on 16th June, he needs to get a HR license sorted ASAP for his work. I am so confused and really struggling to understand the quickest way to do this.

 

He has a UK car license, which they recognise, so from what it says on the WA transport site does he just need to go in and obtain a learners permit to be able to take the HR course and tests? Some people are saying he needs to convert his license to a WA one, but other and the website imply that actually he just needs a learner permit for the HR, and as long as he can drive a class C and has done for more than 2 years from a recongised country he can get the lerner permit and do his test?

 

the problem is that to convert his UK license to a WA the ID they want in the 'C' section wil take months to get!

 

any help really appreciated

 

thanks

I think it depends on what classes of vehicle you have on your UK licence and when you got it. I had groups B,C and D on mine, never driven them in my life but they were on my licence as you were allowed to drive them after you passed your test in the UK.

All I did was I went into the Department of transport office in WA with my UK licence and swopped it over to a WA category C licence which covers you for normal cars. I then did the online theory test (the answers are on the wa dept of transport website) and got my HR learners permit. It was a very easy process. I did a two day course with the test at the end and got my HR licence.

I did mine in Bunbury and there were a few lads who had come down from Perth to do the HR course here as there was a big waiting list for courses in Perth. It might be wise to make a few enquiries with some training schools just to see what the waiting time is.

hope this helps

Danny

Probably

In England if you've committed an offence (no matter how minor) the Police have the power to ask your name date of birth and address. This is so you could be summons to court at a later date. If you fail to give any of those details or the police are not happy with the details you give them then yes they have the power to arrest you until they can determine your real details. Yes they can drag you down the station kicking and screaming. I'm sure it's not too dis similar in Qld, otherwise people could do what they want and not have any comeback...

Hi folks,

 

We've arrived in Aus and all is good so far. I start work in a week. In the meantime we are preparing our application for Family Tax Benefits A & B, as we have a little girl, whilst my girlfriend looks for part time work.

 

I've worked my way through the online application but just have one question, probably the main one, relating to income.

 

I know the Aussie tax year runs from the end of June. My position in Aus starts at the beginning of Feb so I assume i'm not putting the total salary for 2012/2013. Do I therefore just divide my salary by twelve months or weeks by 52 x the number of months/weeks until the end of the tax year rather than my annual salary.

 

There is reference to foreign income. I assume this is the income that we would have obtained back in the UK until this point. If so, how does it work in terms of the tax year is it just from July to Jan and based on gross income, or after pensions/child care vouchers etc. Last question how does it work in terms of calculating foreign income/tax as we may have a small tax return. How have most people dealt with this situation. What evidence has been sought in terms of foreign income.

 

Many thanks for any advice. Nothing is simple hey. I had assumed it would just be based on my Australian salary. :confused:

 

Cheers,

I arrived March last year and did my tax return via a tax accountant. I didn't have to declare any UK income and only declared my Australia income from the day I arrived. They said as I hadn't been a resident of Australia before I didn't have to declare UK income. If I had been a resident previously I would of had to declare it which would have been very difficult.

They specialised in tax and know what they are doing and I didn't get any queries from the tax office.

hope that helps..

Hello, would anyone know what if any financial benefits there are for having PR rather than being on a 457 visa. The reason being is that with the loss of lafha it has become more difficult to live and I'm debating asking my employer if they would change my visa.

Thanks

Sorry to hijack this thread with a slightly off-topic question. Can anyone tell me if the DVS centre will give you a licence without proof of WA address. When I arrive I will be staying in temp accommodation for the first couple of weeks and wont have proof of address until such time as I find more permanent accommodation.

Is it better to wait?

Just use your temp accommodation address if you can get some proof of it ie name on a rental agreement or such like and then when you get a more permanent address just let them know. It takes about ten days for your licence to be sent to the address you gave so depending on how long you'll be at the temp place will dictate if its worth swopping licences just yet. You don't want to have your licence sent somewhere if you've moved on and someone else can get hold of it. The licences are valid for 1,3 or 5 years. I got a 1 year licence as I was also in temp accommodation for two months and would need to renew after I got HR licence. I found a permanent rental and informed the department of transport. All they do is update their records and send you a change of address sticker to stick on the rear of your licence. When you renew, the new address is printed on the new licence.

you can still drive cars and motorbikes on your uk licence and don't have to change to a WA licence if your a temp resident..

In the Uk I have a full licence, and also a full bike licence, on my car licence I can drive numerous vehicles including 7.5 ton & trailer etc (yes one of the older licences) when I change it over in Oz will I also get the same categories on.?

I have had a search and looked on the WA drivers website with no luck in finding an answer.

i have just changed my licence over. I also had one of the old licences allowing me to drive up to 7.5 ton and trailer and when I transferred it to a WA licence all I was given was a c class licence which is anything up to 4.5 ton ( cars, small trucks etc). If you have HGV classes you cannot swop them straight over but have to do a test run with someone from the DOT before they will give you the equivelant WA licence. It appears that you can only drive anything up to 4.5 tons (LR light rigid) irrespective of what ever licence you have already until you are assessed by the department of transport. I even asked if I could drive bigger vehicles using my UK licence but was told no and if I was caught I would be prosecuted.

i transferred my motorbike licence over at the same time with no problem.