sazm2k12

Things have gone from bad to worse and I am struggling to even get out of bed in the morning. I went to see a doctor last week and am supposed to go back for a follow up appointment and referral. Just wondering if this is all worth it, feeling sick every night, sitting at my desk at work with just a constant feeling of unease, regularly arguing with my partner because he doesn't understand. I got through to somebody at immigration and was told what I knew I would be told that they couldn't pre-assess. I guess I'm looking for advice from somebody in the same situation or who has been. I have 7 months left to do on my visa, but have worked with my employer for over 2 years in total. Do I leave and put myself at the mercy of immigration? I am starting to get scared I'm going to really lose my temper in the office as things are upsetting me so much and every day.

Thanks for your answer Migrate Australia. Do you know what they consider a "genuine effort". The reason I hate it here so much are the people. We are in a 4 person office and 2 out of the 4 are impossible. I have raised the issues with my employer regarding one of the employees (as I'm supposed to delegate work to her and she is consistently rude and uncooperative) but don't feel like I can with the other as she is my superior and we don't have a HR department etc. 2 years on I'm still filled with dread when they come into the office in the morning and I can feel my self-esteem getting lower and lower. The workload is also severely impacting on me as I am doing 2 people's jobs in one. I contacted a recruitment agency this morning and I have a potential interview but I don't want to go and waste everyone's time if I won't be allowed to leave anyway and I don't want to misrepresent my visa conditions. The worst possible thing would be for my visa to be cancelled though and I will do anything to prevent that as my partner has a good job out here that he has progressed in and we have both invested in study out here and I have worked really hard for us to be able to stay here. I don't want it to all be for nothing.

Did you leave your employment Marcus? I would like to leave my employment too as its almost unbearable, it has been from the start but I've got to the point where I don't have the energy any more and can barely get out of bed in the morning and am constantly stressed. I have been working for the same employer for 2 years 2 months now and I've been on the 187 for 1 year 4 months. What do you think would be an acceptable valid reason for leaving Blossom? We have spoken to immigration once before but nobody gave a solid answer - the guy on the phone just sympathised with my situation.

I'm sure this question has been asked before but has anybody changed employers on a 187 visa? I have been unhappy in my job from the start and still have another 8 months left to go until I can leave. I know it doesn't sound like its that long but every day is a struggle at the moment and I am very unhappy. I have already worked for my employer for over 2 years in total now. If I found the same job working in the same area does anybody know if I would be permitted to leave or would the new employer have to sponsor me?

Thanks PNE Pom, I have had a look and there seems to be loads of jobs I would apply for but its just if I would get interviews/get the job as there would probably be lots of competition. I think I will sign up for job alerts though - thanks for the suggestion . Can I ask how long the citizenship process has taken so far? I have no idea how long we will be waiting for it all and when to focus on as a possible moving back date. What has made you decide to move back? We are still not 100% about leaving, we have a trip planned home next Easter anyway so think that will give us more of an insight and we are going to sit on the decision for a while (we have to wait until December until we can apply for our citizenship anyway).

Thanks Starlight, I think in 2 years time we would definitely be ready to leave but I'm not really ready to put my career on hold for 2 years anymore. There are still aspects of life here that we really love so its still quite a difficult decision to make. I have checked the requirements to cross qualify if I did it here and its fairly straightforward I just think its more of if employers would recruit me back in the UK over UK qualified lawyers in a hugely competitive job market. I already have a place at an Australian uni however the careers department are utterly hopeless - they even enrolled me on the wrong course to start with and consistently lose documentation. I work in a law firm in Oz and my boss has told me it would transfer back well but that is just his opinion and he doesn't know the UK market. I would have to sit an exam to cross-qualify back Lady Rainicorn but completely agree with everything you are saying and that is my worry as we took the travelling option rather than the focussing on our careers option when we were in our early twenties and now it may cause problems for us when we go back. We are definitely not in a position either where we could have a job lined up to move back to as there are so many other people who have the same experience and qualifications as us already in the UK. As to alternatives I can't really think of anything I would rather do but will take any job I can get so maybe things will take me in a different direction. It is exhausting trying to reach a decision and even the thought of selling everything to move back puts me off it all. I think the scariest idea is leaving jobs where we both earn ok money and have a fairly nice standard of life (although we've only just got to that point out here) to living in my parents spare room with no money and unable to get jobs or at least jobs we want to do.

Just in case we can come back if we want to one day? Ie if we get back and realise the grass isn't greener. We already have PR as I'm on a regional visa (187) so we were going to get citizenship. Do you think its a waste of time starlight and could you give reasons? Just as if its pointless we could move back sooner

Thanks this is really reassuring, yes we are totally flexible on everything. Our first preference would be the North West which is where we are from and our families are but we are both prepared to move anywhere even if we move to the other end of the country a 5-6 hour car journey is better than a 24 hour flight or however long it takes I am planning on applying before we move back and seeing if anybody will interview me via Skype although think its unlikely thought it was worth a try. Its really positive to hear people who have made the right choice in moving back. How long did you spend in Oz? I feel I'm beyond ready to focus on my career (I was ready 2 years ago when we got sponsored) and can no longer see the point in investing in study here when the long term future we want is in the UK. I don't doubt that I will miss parts of living over here but some of the other things like the loneliness, missing weddings, birthdays, christenings even just a Sunday afternoon BBQ at my mum and dad's I won't miss!!

Thanks Chortlepuss, I think we have made the decision it is now just taking the steps to make everything happen and saving up a little bit so we do have some money when we first arrive. I realised when I went back in 2013 for a wedding that things were a lot better than made out to be - I have a few friends who work in the legal profession and all were doing great. I also forgot how amazing it was to have family dinners and spend time with friends - I have struggled a bit to make real friends out here so have really missed my friends from home. Before we left in 2010 as well I didn't struggle to find work but I have always been fairly flexible and I am happy to take a job doing anything really to bring in an income when we first arrive although will be applying for legal type roles first! Are you staying another 18 months to get your citizenship? We can apply for ours in December so as soon as it comes through I think we will hand our notices in etc. I feel both terrified and ridiculously excited at the same time at the thought of going back.

No I don't have the LPC. My plan was always to secure a training contract first as I don't see the point in accumulating the debt otherwise. We both then decided we wanted to travel, the plan was to travel for 1-2 years and go back home and work on our careers. When we got here we both loved Australia and couldn't imagine leaving and I got sponsored out here so the plan was to build a life out here but somewhere over the last 9 months or so something has changed. I think it was the trip home last Xmas, being around family and friends all of my friends. I have a 4 year old niece and now a 1 year old niece and I've missed so much so far. Thanks for your feedback and it is definitely good knowing we have that support back home and can stay with my parents until we are back up on our feet xx

Thanks for all your feedback. We wanted to stay for the experience (came as backpackers) and I don't feel like we've ever really had opportunity to really enjoy it here since I was sponsored although we did have a great time as backpackers. It has just been one thing after another and it has got to the point where whatever feelings it was that made us want to stay out here aren't really there anymore. Well for me anyway, my partner was always 50/50. The main thing keeping us here now is the fear that we will regret our decision and the fear of not being able to get jobs. It feels like we are stuck in limbo as we don't want to buy property out here and all of our plans are geared back to us going back to the UK eventually anyway. We wanted to take the opportunity to travel and see Asia and NZ out here and I think we would have seen more of the world if we were back in the UK - every major holiday we have taken has been back to the UK apart from a few short breaks to Asia. Were both quite flexible about what work we would do back home although I would prefer to work in the legal profession and try and qualify as a solicitor. A few friends working in the legal profession in the UK have told me to qualify out here and then move back as it is easier to find work as a newly qualified lawyer than a trainee although then I will have the potential problems of being Aussie qualified. We haven't really saved a huge amount either, although my partner has recently got quite a significant pay rise and since this happened we have saved quite a bit. The majority though is being eaten up by study. We also booked our wedding a few months ago for August 2016, it is already a fair way away but if we move back to the UK I imagine we would have to cancel/postpone it until we were settled and knew we could afford it.

Me and my partner have been talking about moving back to the UK on and off for a while now. We have been in Oz for nearly 4 years and as of December can apply for citizenship. We are planning on getting our citizenship and then moving back home possibly towards the end of next year. Neither of us have ever felt at home here and I have been quite homesick now for a while. We have tried investing in study but I am starting to see that it is pointless as particularly my study (solicitor) will gear me for qualification in Australia when all I really want to do is go back home so I feel it is a waste of time and I should probably just try and finish my qualification in the UK. Our original plan was to save up some good money here and go back home but the homesickness is starting to get too much and I have already left it quite a long time between my original degree and qualification as it is. The thing that is putting us off is jobs though. Has anybody moved back and had an experience of not being able to get a job? I have looked on jobs websites and there looks to be a lot of jobs out there but getting one may be a different story. We will be able to move in with my parents when we first arrive so will have that support but it is both of our worst nightmares going from earning fairly good money to being unemployed and broke. Are we making a mistake thinking about this and letting the homesickness take over? Should we persevere for another few years and save up some money first? My mentality at the moment is that we came here with nothing, we gave it a good go and it didn't really work out for us this time and by getting our citizenship we have at least achieved something and could always come back. I should also point out that my partner has already invested a little bit of money in his masters (5k) and I have invested about 3k in my legal studies here but we both have an additional 2 years of study and my partners will cost 30k all up and mine 20k at least so it is a significant investment.

Thanks for this info. No information was given to us really she just said if we don't participate now they may send her back and when I said we are busy she said "ok if you really want to go down this route". She couldn't tell us much about it though just that they had just told her to come. We found a slip in our post box saying they had come round on Thursday and we were to call them to arrange a time but no details of what it was about or anything and the slip was left from her door knocking a previous time. I've just sent an email to the ABS to find out what it was about etc and if we have to participate. The guy who came round previously was also asking my partner really detailed questions about when somebody will be at home which I know is so they can catch us when we're home but my partner works away 2-3 nights a week and it just makes me feel a bit uneasy giving that info out that I'm at home alone.

We just had a lady knock on our door from the ABS on a Saturday morning asking us to participate in a health survey. She also mentioned about taking our blood pressure and measurements. We also had a guy from the ABS a few weeks ago wake us up on a Sunday morning about a survey (guessing it was the same survey). On both occasions we told them it wasn't a convenient time (on the Sunday morning he had woken us up and today we were in the middle of chores and I was writing a university assignment) and today the lady couldn't really give us any information about if we had to comply etc. Has anybody else had this happen? I just did a google search and it came up with all kinds of complaints. Do you know if we have to do the survey as we're not citizens? I guess if we have to we will do it I'm just slightly uneasy about providing this information especially my blood pressure and also in our spare time which we don't seem to get a lot of at the moment!

Hi Ali, My company doesn't have a HR department or any policy on bullying or harassment (or anything) - I think it may say something in my contract though. It is a 4 person office with a head office interstate which isn't much bigger. I put it into writing today telling my boss I felt overwhelmed and we had a brief chat but it was more directed to just how to tackle one piece of work and I felt a bit like he avoided the real issue which is ultimately that one staff member delegates too much and has the whole office in chaos. I have my review next week so think I will have to formally address it then. I'm just worried it will impact on me getting a good reference when I come to leave.

That is my problem with getting sick leave - that I will have to go back eventually and I will feel even worse when I do go back as there will be so much I will have to address. I'm on a permanent contract and have my performance review next week so was considering raising something then I don't even know where to start though/scared I will regret saying something or it will look like I'm not capable and this will be passed on when looking for future employment.

I'm not sure what to do anymore. I've been in my current employment for 2 years now, my 187 visa was approved in June 2013 so already stuck out 14 months of hell on the visa but today I've hit a low point. My workload has been ridiculous for a while now. I went on a short 4 day holiday a few weeks ago and thought I would come back feeling refreshed but to be honest the day I left was so stressful I spent the whole first night/day stressed and upset with how much is put on me and that only left me with 2 days of relaxation as the last day I was also worrying about going back. My work also has a habit of deciding that because I'm going to be on leave they will give me extra work before I go and when I come back. I can kind of deal with the work load but my morale is so low and I hate my job so much that I just can't seem to suck it up anymore and despite having too much to do I spent a portion of my day procrastinating. There have been issues with a bully from the start. We had a run in last October when she reduced me to tears and after that she has lightened up a bit but all of her bullying tactics are now a bit more subtle like delegating a ridiculous amount of work to me in a really short timeframe. I've never really spoken up about her because I wanted to not cause any problems etc but management are definitely aware of how she speaks to people and have shrugged it off as how she gets stressed and everyone has to not take it personally. I don't seem to have the energy for it anymore and I'm tired and unmotivated all the time. I tried to force myself to come in with a positive attitude but the job I'm being expected to do at the moment is impossible. I tried to explain this to my manager today and he didn't really address the workload just told me how to begin. I tried to get on with it despite being super stressed which has led to me losing my temper with a colleague today. It wasn't bad and the colleague was being difficult and I apologised but I feel like things are escalating quickly as I was ready to walk out today. On top of this I'm trying to study at uni part-time and my uni work is taking a hit. Despite all of this me and my partner are finally in a position where we can enjoy our lives and everything else out here is good. I just don't know what to do - anti-depressants or some kind of medication for the final 10 months? If I leave our visa can be cancelled and I will obviously leave on bad terms so the 2 years I've already put in are wasted but if I stick it out I also run the risk of a bad reference anyway because its only a matter of time before work realises I'm under performing/have a negative attitude. I don't have any annual leave I can take either as its all used up.

Hi George, Like The Pom Queen said its quite hard to give a figure as it all depends on lifestyle. Our rent is $530 a week and we try to keep our weekly food shop down to $150 - this isn't that easy though and doesn't include alcohol or any treats really. We do get quite a lot of veg though. I'm vegetarian too so not sure if eating meat would bump that up, my partner eats a bit of meat but we generally eat veggie. I pay $60 per fortnight petrol and $3 a day parking. Internet is $60 a month. Phone bill is about $50 a month. Electricity is about $300-$400 per quarter. Gym membership is $20 a week. If we go out for a meal it usually costs around $80 depending where we go. Furniture is expensive too for when your first setting up your home - there is no ikea up here but we bought a few bits second hand. Just let me know if you have any other questions

Accie - Definitely we've been here for over 2 years and have no immediate plans to leave. We've been in Oz for nearly 4 years (came as backpackers) and tried out a few places and Darwin was by far our favourite as it was just so different and we love its proximity to Asia. Last year we went on holiday to the Philippines and it was less than $200 return each for our tickets. You can quite easily go for a weekend to Singapore or Bali too! Citation - they have a website (think its just Hays.com.au) and they are located on Knuckey Street. There is sometimes casual work advertised on gumtree too!

Hi Austrial, Darwin is very expensive - I don't have much experience of living in the other cities other than as a backpacker so didn't have real bills to pay but Darwin seems very expensive. In terms of living here its an amazing place to live. The wet season is a bit tough (although we were fine for our first one) - but the dry season is amazing and there is loads going on. It also has a real holiday feel about it and there are loads of outdoor activities like hiking, camping, fishing if that's what your into!

Hi citation, where are you living and what type of work are you looking for? There's quite a few job agencies that are pretty good with finding jobs - we both went through Hays and they found us work within the first few days.

Hi Accie, I think short term that $80,000 would be fine for you both to live off and your girlfriend should also pick up admin work quite easily in Darwin! Me and my partner both work in admin type jobs and picked up work within the first week we arrived here. I can give you a breakdown of our outgoings ... we pay $530 a week in rent, $150 a week in food (this is food only and no alcohol and some weeks we do go over), approximately $400 per quarter in power. We have a car and put $60 a fortnight petrol in it and this lasts the full 2 weeks with me driving to work every day. In terms of lifestyle Darwin is great - although we struggle in the wet season with the humidity. There's lots of camping around Darwin and places to go and visit in the dry season. Things are very expensive though generally - we've only lived in Darwin though for any extended period of time but people we know here who have moved from other cities do say its expensive and we have struggled a bit with this. Let me know if you need any more information and if you wanted to catch up for a few drinks when you both arrive in Darwin - I'm here with my fiancé and we're always looking to meet new people

Certainly not me with the xenophobia - hence the fact that I'm living in Australia and spend much of my free time travelling. Probably not much point in posting on here if your just going to try and wind people up :wink:

The xenophobia.

We have lived in Darwin for 2 years now and for this stint have lived in Leanyer and Wulagi. We have also lived in Darwin previously and lived in Stuart Park. Overall Stuart Park was probably the best due to its proximity to the city but have had no problems at all in any of these areas. We live in Leanyer now and love it, the only reason we will probably move will be to be closer to the city as we are a youngish couple and taxi prices home can add up if we both want to have a drink. I think Leanyer would be really good for a family - there is a water park that looks really good and I think its free to use (admittedly we haven't actually been), a little shopping centre with a supermarket, bottleo, takeaways etc and lots of nice walkways. It seems like a pretty safe area too as we have never had any trouble at all. Its also really close to Casuarina (the main shopping centre) and only a 20 minute drive to the city. In terms of prices we pay $530 per week for a 2 bedroom unit with private tropical garden and small pool. Palmerston seems cheaper but its further out from the city and I have heard a few of the areas can be a bit rough. I've heard that Karama is the suburb to avoid (and have heard a few bad stories) but I used to go jogging around there and it seemed fine to me!