Aussieange

Ah, another fellow marketeer - congrats hopingfordbest! I'm going Direct Entry Stream-Marketing Specialist...although I'm going cold turkey without the MA. My employer is in the processing of providing further documentation to the CO, and as they put their application in on 19/06/2013, I really should submit my Visa application soon. I'm stalling on the skills assessment though, I'm imagining a 6 hour sit down exam and failing it! Was it a nightmare?

Thanks guys, it just seems a bit of a daft question when they approved me for a 457 for the very same job with the very same employer not so long ago!

Hi there, My employer submitted their nomination for ENS 186 Direct Entry two months ago, and the CO has written to them asking for 'evidence that the position is currently occupied by a temporary resident' - does anybody know what evidence would satisfy this? We uploaded my employment contract, org chart (with my name in a box) and job description when we submitted the application - we don't know what else they require. Thanks, Ange

Yay, girlie friends, thanks ladies. I'm liking the vino/vodka lunches idea too Jules, I'll send you my number on a pm...my Son is finding it hard to make friends, so it would be great for them both to hang out round Sydney! Hanging out with his Mum is doing nothing for his street cred, and I'm always the one getting the beers in! Ange x

Hi there, Are there any over 40 pommie women who have a get together now and again? I've been so busy with work, and settling in since we got here I've not had chance to make many new friends. Socialising with your Son is NOT the same! I'm a young 44, here since last October with my 19 year old Son and black labrador on a 457 visa currently going through the 186 ENS Direct Entry process (what, another long arduous process you say? <groan>). If anybody can help, I'd appreciate it - I may even buy you a drink Thanks, Ange

Hi there, My Son and I moved to Sydney last October, and he's finding it hard to make friends - where he works they are all married and don't speak the best English (they're all Brazilian for some reason!). I was wondering if there were any pommies out there in the same boat - I think he's getting bored hanging out with his Mum all the time Thanks, A

Oops, my extremely well behaved old black labrador bitch is often walked off lead all around my suburb and surrounding areas - been doing it for ages and nobody has ever said anything! My dog got attacked by a border collie which was actually ON a lead at the time, just saw my dog and went for her, taking the owner by surprise - it ripped her ear in half, it cost me a fortune at the vet. My friend has a yellow labrador dog, and he gets very aggressive when he's on a lead - he weighs 30kg, and could pull you right over if he saw a rabbit in the distance! You take him off the lead and he transforms into a very friendly licky waggy tailed puppy!

Wow, that's expensive, I hope that's absolutely everything included in the price - I paid about £2200 for a 9 year old big black labrador with Golden Arrow from London to Sydney. They were excellent, very professional and I highly recommend them. She was in quarantine for a month, and I paid that separately directly to the quarantine station for about $1300 - this has to be paid up front to secure the place. The import permit was £210. A little springer should be cheaper being smaller - good luck! P.S. I totally messed up with her rabies vaccination, I didn't realise that she wasn't allowed out of quarantine until 180 days after the blood sample, which meant I had to leave her behind in the UK with a friend for a long 4 months before coming out to Australia.

Hi k8bug79 - I'm in Sydney and on Telstra at about $125 per month ($90 is for 200GB broadband, $20 for subscription TV and $15 for the T-box). I was told that I needed a landline to have broadband (like the UK). I have a teenage Son who is ALWAYS using the broadband, and 200GB is plenty for us. Get iPhones on contract, then you can use Facetime using wifi at home (Skype can be a bit random). Good luck settling in!

Hi Everyone, I'm in the same boat as you guys, so have been reading your posts with interest - my info is as follows: ENS 186 Occupation: Marketing Specialist Option: ENS 186 Direct Entry Location: Parramatta Timeline: Applied for Nomination - 19th June 2013 (non DRC and no MA) I'm waiting to submit my visa application until the nomination comes through, I don't want to spend $$$ and my company not get their nomination approved. After two months of submitting the nomination, we've received a letter from the case officer asking for some documents which were already uploaded online <sigh!>. We'll send them hard copies with our response to the letter. BUT, they have asked for evidence that the position is currently occupied by a temporary resident - seriously?! Of course it is, they approved my 457 last year! Is this a daft question or am I missing something? Do I just send them a copy of the visa label in my passport?! The letter goes on to say that there is a large demand of applications and they are continuing to receive a large number of applications - good luck to everyone! Cheers, Aussieange

I'm loving all this train/railway talk you know, as I work for Network Rail (well, for the next 5 weeks anyway) and am a secret trainspotter! I've never lived in a city and it'll be great to use a much cheaper & reliable railway than the UK's...and having no car will be liberating! Just found a bargain of a place in Strathfield, short term let $425 per week fully furnished including elec/wifi/foxtel, right next to the station too. I've read that Strathfield is a nice area, so maybe worth a long term rent there - I think Newtown is a bit too young and trendy for me. And although I love the idea of staying in a pub, it may be too much of a distraction at the end of a long day and it would be rude not to partake in a few bevvies! Penrith looks quite far out, is that a 2 hour commute everyday for you? From the CityRail map, the rail network looks pretty well connected.

The YHA is in The Rocks, and Circular Quay is the closest rail station...CityRail says it takes about 37 mins to Auburn. I commute through London Waterloo regularly, I can imagine Circular Quay gets mad busy, and I want to get away from all that! So, off to Bounce I bounce, which is a whopping 15 mins closer to work. How I'll ever get my head round the fact that I'm in Oz to WORK just seems surreal at the moment!

I'm sharing a twin room with my 19 year old Son at the YHA (I'll be having the queen bed thanks & he'll be having the roll away!)...that's if they let me in for being over 40 I'm going to 'bounce' for my 3rd & 4th week, as it's closer to work (near Auburn) - I just hope I can get a long term rent in the Inner West area in those first 4 weeks of landing.

Hi W8ENN, I've actually given up now! I've taken snifter up on her suggestion and booked the first few weeks in a hostel (http://www3.yha.com.au/) and will look for a long term unfurnished rent when I get there. I'll have no furniture, but I'd rather sleep on blow up beds than pay the $1000 per week. Luckily it's just me and my 19 year old Son, so we don't mind slumming it for the 10 weeks it takes for the furniture to arrive I hope you find something soon x

Hey Rob, can you I'll be honing my BBQ skills in Oz, which isn't really cooking is it. I took a leaf out of your book and booked a YHA overlooking the harbour for the first couple of weeks. Still not cheap, but who cares with this view!