I applied for my skilled Migration Visa at the age of 44, i.e. just in time. I"m a chemical engineer by trade, so was on the list of those skills in demand, even though my experience is not oil, gas or water, which is what everyone wants. Myself, my wife and 2 kids got our visas approved, and we validated them in 2010.
At the time I was spending 1/2 my life on an aeroplane or hotel room, so the money was good, the work / life balance was shot. One of my colleagues got a job out here in WA, and I was his telephone reference. I asked the agent if there were jobs going, and after a few months one potential position came up just outside Perth here in WA. I was lucky with the telephone interview, on line testing, references etc etc and got the job. That was April 2012.
By that time the kids were in Uni in the UK, so last August we said goodbye to everyone got on a plane and arrived in Perth on a cool August evening. We had a car and accomondation for 6 weeks, but still struggled to fine somehwere to rent. We ended up in a Fibro home in Medina, and only got that on condition we adopted their pet cat which the owners couldnt take!!.
Those first few weeks were stressful, kids on their own, my wife alone, and with limited money, looking for cheap cars etc etc.
We did sell our own house in the UK 3 months later, brought a small 3x1, and are currently completely renovating it inside and out. Lynn has a good social life, and the cat has been joined by a stray, and my job is alot easier than before, so are we happy. Well yes, but its easy to foget why we came, and we take time to enjoy the weather, local haunts (Freo, Rockingham) as well as starting to go further afield.
Financially we are no where near as well off, but we are quite happy with a small house, and simple life, and so far plenty of visitors from the UK. When asked, if we are returning to the UK at any point we say no, we've been there, we'd rather pay for relatives to come out here.
Even though I had a job and support here in Aus, it was still stressful, but that should be accepted as part of the move, and not something that you can avoid.
Best part so far, Christmas day, laying under the trees on Rockingham Foreshaw. 40 deg.C, lots of families enjoing themselves, and no cooking - wonderful
Positive Emigrating To Australia True Life Stories
in Aussie Chat
Posted
I applied for my skilled Migration Visa at the age of 44, i.e. just in time. I"m a chemical engineer by trade, so was on the list of those skills in demand, even though my experience is not oil, gas or water, which is what everyone wants. Myself, my wife and 2 kids got our visas approved, and we validated them in 2010.
At the time I was spending 1/2 my life on an aeroplane or hotel room, so the money was good, the work / life balance was shot. One of my colleagues got a job out here in WA, and I was his telephone reference. I asked the agent if there were jobs going, and after a few months one potential position came up just outside Perth here in WA. I was lucky with the telephone interview, on line testing, references etc etc and got the job. That was April 2012.
By that time the kids were in Uni in the UK, so last August we said goodbye to everyone got on a plane and arrived in Perth on a cool August evening. We had a car and accomondation for 6 weeks, but still struggled to fine somehwere to rent. We ended up in a Fibro home in Medina, and only got that on condition we adopted their pet cat which the owners couldnt take!!.
Those first few weeks were stressful, kids on their own, my wife alone, and with limited money, looking for cheap cars etc etc.
We did sell our own house in the UK 3 months later, brought a small 3x1, and are currently completely renovating it inside and out. Lynn has a good social life, and the cat has been joined by a stray, and my job is alot easier than before, so are we happy. Well yes, but its easy to foget why we came, and we take time to enjoy the weather, local haunts (Freo, Rockingham) as well as starting to go further afield.
Financially we are no where near as well off, but we are quite happy with a small house, and simple life, and so far plenty of visitors from the UK. When asked, if we are returning to the UK at any point we say no, we've been there, we'd rather pay for relatives to come out here.
Even though I had a job and support here in Aus, it was still stressful, but that should be accepted as part of the move, and not something that you can avoid.
Best part so far, Christmas day, laying under the trees on Rockingham Foreshaw. 40 deg.C, lots of families enjoing themselves, and no cooking - wonderful
Nick / Lynn