Jain

Jin77 it is so nice to know I am not the only one that has had this experience! Jane

Hi Rossmoyne I absolutely loved Perth but I could not get work! I work in medical imaging (which I hate) and am trying to get back to doing office work (which I love). I have a permanent residents visa and recently flew out to Perth, partly as a reccie, and if I found a job I intended to stay. In the UK, even through two recessions, I have got EVERY SINGLE job I have applied for. I have also never come to the end of a temporary job and not been offered more work. I have spent my career making myself employable. However, when I went to Perth I was unable to get a single job, not even an interview! The place where I was staying, the lady who was half Irish, said that it all about WHO and not WHAT you know. She said the most difficult part was getting your foot in the door. She said that when you get a job and people see what you are like then you get more work. Problem is getting that foot in the door! I left after a month as I did not want to waste any more money – I phoned one UK agency before I came home and they offered me the option of two jobs in the UK starting the week after I arrived home. I love Australia and want to move there but I am at a loss in terms if the job situation. I think they want more migrants to fill up the country (the government has stated its aim to increase the population dramatically) but they do not have enough jobs for the amount of people they are bringing in. I have been told in Perth that a lot of people are coming over to Perth from the East Coast of Australia just to get jobs because they can't get them in their own areas. What is going on? I want to go back but am scared of just going through all my money. Jane (who is back in miserable rainy Scotland)

Hi Alien1975 I have just returned from a month reccie in Perth. I am a 40 year old female and, like you, was a little apprehensive in finding accommodation. I did not want to stay at a ymca type place because I like my own space and luxuries (if you can call having your own toilet and shower a luxury) and also because I carry enough gadgetry to fill a Dixons electrical store (ipad, kindle, camera, ipod etc) and wanted somewhere I would feel secure leaving my stuff when I went out. I also like you did not want to find myself in some dodgy blokes airbnb back cupboard (read some horror stories on the internet). Accommodation is very expensive if you are on your own in Perth. Anyway, I booked a month through airbnb with an older couple in a safe posh leafy suburb called Ardross. Here is the link to their accommodation in airbnb: https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/315804 There accommodation is cheap compared to other similar ones on airbnb. I gave quite a detailed description of it being near transport and shops and library (for free internet and cheap printing) on my review of the accommodation but if you want to know anything else just ask. I think you should stay here for a week or fortnight and go and see the hostels before moving to them - some that I saw in Perth (just from the outside mind you) looked well dirty with dodgy looking geezers sitting around the bar and others looked like basic grade hotels with nobody hanging about and just a plain building. If you are going out on your own (Perth generally feels very safe as a city) it probably is a good idea to eventually venture into hostel land as they are a good place for meeting people in the same position as yourself and who may be interested in finding longer term accommodation with you. Have you got a job lined up? Hope this helps Jane

Marks and Spencers are doing free delivery to Australia for a limited period and the icing on the cake is they are having a sale. http://help.marksandspencer.com/faqs/delivery-collection/freedelivery-aus-nz Also moneysaving expert site has a discount code for £5 off when you spend £35 in Markies. http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/bargains-deals-discounts/m-and-s?utm_source=MSE_Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=27-Mar-13&utm_campaign=deals&utm_content=89 So get your knickers before they sell out! Jane

Thank you GeorgeD You have put my mind at ease. I have been scanning the internet sites looking for someone who had gone through without the label on their passport. Thanks for the reply, you have saved me a lot of hassle. Jane

Thanks Rossmoyne i never thought about the not needing to show your passport possibility I'll look that up. Jane

Has anyone gone to Australia via Dubai without the label in their passport. I have looked at past threads on visa label discussions once in Australia but can't find any on problems going via Dubai. On the Australia immigration website it says it is your responsibility to ensure that other countries that you may go through in transit to Australia do not require the label. I have emailed the visa section of UAE consul in London but not heard back yet. I really don't want to risk sending my passport to London in case something happens to it and I am leaving in about 3 weeks time. Read lots of horror stories about people going to Dubai and I'm getting a wee bit anxious as it comes nearer. Not bothered about visa label problems in Australia.