hardtochase

I don't think it's that hard to change careers if you're willing to make sacrifices. I did it by going back to higher education for a year, working for free for a month which lead to a job offer, which I took despite being £7k pay cut from where I was before I went back to uni. Luckily I only spent one year on the bottom rung (where a graduate would spend up to 3 years) because my experience from my previous roles helped me progress more quickly. It was important to take that opportunity though to get a foot in the door. That was in the UK and I'd be curious to hear how people have managed it here in Oz. I've always presumed it might be an issue for sponsorship depending on how different your new career is from your old one.

Thanks for your help

For every helpful person on this website there is one who is only here to make others feel small.

I didn't think I could do the skills assessment but maybe I can. I always thought skilled migration meant doctor, engineer, teacher etc as per the list on the immi website.

Woah just came across a much broader list of skilled occupations I've never seen before and different to the one on the immi website. I always thought skilled migration meant doctor, engineer, teacher etc etc. what have I been missing!?

Yes I am working for them. And my job doesn't qualify for skilled migration as far as I'm aware.

I defintely feel the cold more on Sydney than London because they're not prepared for it! Plus in Sydney I find people don't make pans when the weather is bad, everyone hibernates a bit whereas on London you're just as social on Winter as Summer. As for the tube, you don't have to use it. Take the bus, get a bike or walk. But if you do need to use it chances are it won't be for longer than 20 mins or so which isn't the end of the world compared to 40 mins on a Sydney bus to travel the same distance. That said I love living so close to the beach, swimming after work, learning to surf. It's got to be what's right for you.

Hi, I am currently on a bridging visa which was granted on 19th Dec and waiting for my 457 to be approved. It's been 12 weeks, has anyone else ever waited this long??? Also with regards to permanent residency I read up on the immi website and know I need to work for one employer in the same role for two years before they can nominate me. Does this period on a bridging visa still count toward the two years? And does it matter that this will be my 2nd 457 in this role? (1st one expired Feb), it's still the exact same role. Thanks in advance.

You can, my phone is $30 but I went for average costs based on what I pay and people I know pay rather than going for the absolute cheapest price so as to give a more realistic idea - it's doubtful you're gong to find the cheapest deals for everything when you first get here. True about private health, but a lot of people choose to have it for optical, dental and ambulance cover of course.

You will be absolutely fine on that salary. http://paycalculator.com.au/ is pretty accurate for telling you how much you'll take home after tax. Most people I know pay between rent of between $300 - $320 per week per person for (nice) shared place. For a one bed, $650 a week between two would get you a pretty nice place. Other things you'll want to factor in for monthly outgoings are (and these are rough ideas because depends on what you go for) private healthcare ($120), Internet ($60) bills ($150), phone ($50), travel - you'd need to google. Living in either of these places you've mentioned I presume you'd need to get a bus to central station and then a train, so a my multi monthly pass might be best. If you live in Surry Hills that could cut costs as it's walking distance from Central. LAHFA is gone now!

Ooh thanks for this! Definitely wasn't free 3 months ago, I had my Mum go in and buy a few things and post them around Easter!

I don't think anyone can answer this question for you, except you. But I will add my two cents as I've been in a similar situation for the last few months. I came over here for a job opportunity on a working holiday visa, with the prospect of being sponsored on a 457 after 6 months. Well after 6 months in that role I'd had enough and decided I'd look for something else, otherwise go home. Seemed like an easy enough decision at the time, I wasn't in love with Sydney enough to be afraid of leaving. 4 months later and no job and I was falling in love with Sydney more and more each day and the thought of going home seemed awful. I finally made a pros and cons list and started to realise some of the things I love about Sydney are pretty superficial - the biggest being the potential to earn more money. No doubt the lifestyle is great, being able to go to the beach every weekend. The pace is slower, I find I don't 'talk shop' as much at the weekends, the focus is more on life than on work. In London most of my best friends were from work, we worked really hard and played hard too but at the end of the day it was a rat race. Very competitive and it was all about the next achievement and the next material thing, but I strangely missed that. In the meantimethough my friendship group here was growing stronger and stronger and every weekend I'd have amazing times and start thinking I could never leave again. In the end I gave myself a deadline to make a decision and buy a plane ticket and just continued as though I was staying. Just 5 days before my self imposed deadline I was offered a job here with sponsorship. I start tomorrow, a month before I should have been leaving the country and I couldn't be happier. I'm pretty sure now that my feelings of wanting to go back were part of a coping mechanism in case I had no choice to go back. As much as I do miss the fast pace of London, my lifestyle here is much healthier. As for meeting people, I find it so much easier here! In London I was with work friends a lot of the time or in a girl group neither of which are conducive to meeting men. Whereas here I hang out a lot more in mixed groups and we do a lot more activities rather than just drinking all the time. Plus the group is ever expanding and changing as new people arrive. I made a new friend last week from showing people around my flat. I find people are arriving all the time and happy to say 'hey I didn't get the room, but fancy going for a beer'. That kind of thing never happened in London and if it did I would probably think that person was a weirdo. Sad but true. I'm much more open minded to meeting people here and I've found other people are too.

I do plan to if I need to but I am thinking about how tactfully to do it without coming across badly. I feel like throwing the book at your potential employer isn't the best way to accept a job. Though it's useful to know I could throw the book at them afterwards if worst came to the worst and I have to sign something. I asked them to remove the clause so hopefully we don't need to get into the 'this isn't legal' conversation.

Thank you this is extremely helpful to know if worse comes to worse and I have to sign something

Thanks, I already read this. As I said in my original post, I know they are not meant to ask. What I am asking for is advice on how to address it when they do..

Just the cost of sponsorship.

I haven't signed it yet.

Just Visa fees, there are no relocation costs.

Sorry I should have added more information. I am already in Australia so there are no relocation costs. I haven't signed it yet.

Hi, does anyone have any advice as to how to go about addressing a clause in an employment contract that says you may have to reimburse the cost of sponsorship if you leave within a certain timeframe? (I know they are not meant to ask). Edited to add: There are no relocation costs involved.

Try Hays. Pretty much everyone who works there is British and they always seem to be recruiting recruiters. My friend came over here with about 6mths experience (in recruiting but also that was her only work experience full stop) and they would have sponsored her had she passed probabation of 6 months (she left before that as she hated it).

Agencies I've registered with have suggested $20 - $22 an hour, work is quiet at the moment though..

Unlucky for you not finding real friends in Oz but you can't blame Australia for that.

Hi, I didn't know you could cancel health insurance once here, this is music to my ears. I hope to get sponsored in my next job and wasn't looking forward to the $200 a month extra outgoings!

Kids tend to get over these things more quickly than adults do and it only makes them stronger (speaking as a kid who moved around a lot). If they seemed to be coping well before, maybe this is their first "wobble". Everyone has them and Christmas is always going to be the hardest.