kymay

Thank you so much everyone for your warm and helpful replies. I guess I should also have mentioned that I do have an eating disorder which requires me to be on Total Parenteral Nutrition and does complicate things. Thank you Rupert for recommending those agents... I will make some enquiries. I had lived in Southern California for five years then fifteen years in Florida prior to relocating to the UK, so I was eyeing Western Australia specifically as the most suitable locale (too much temperature variance on the east coast). But there is so much negativity about Perth on these boards, it makes me wonder... I know, I know... different strokes for different folks

Iam a British male, born in Hong Kong where I lived for the firstfifteen years of my life. In 1984 at age sixteen I was sent away toboarding school in Scotland. Six weeks into my first term, I suffereda severe spinal Injury while playing rugby at school that left meparalysed from the neck down and thus confined to a wheelchair. Iunderwent rehabilitation in the USA where I then lived from 1985 to2005 during which time I initially completed my university educationand subsequently worked as a software engineer for ten years. In 2005I relocated to the UK and have resided there ever since. I remain aBritish citizen. Movingto the UK has proven to be an epic mistake. The primary problem isthe weather which I find extremely harsh; both autumn and wintertemperatures are physically painful to endure and even summer weatheris almost invariably too cold. Being indoors gives me no respite fromthe adverse effects of the cold. As a consequence of this problem, Iam exploring the possibility of emigrating to Australia under aSkilled Visa. Inpreliminary discussions with a migration agent, I was told that Iwould have trouble passing the health test due to my physicaldisability. The Australian government works on a cost basis,averaging out the cost of an Australian and then looking at anapplicant's proposed cost to the health care system. If it is abovethen they will refuse the visa. They do not take an applicant'sfinancial independence into consideration; they do not considerwhether or not an applicant will actually receive services andbenefits from the government, just if the applicant is eligible forthem. There is no recourse to state that one has the financial meansto support oneself. Iwould be very grateful to hear if anyone with a severe physicaldisability (quadriplegia, etc), previously living in the UK andreceiving some financial assistance (Direct Payments, DisabilityLiving Allowance, etc), who successfully navigated through theAustralian immigration health test and its associated barriers. Whatwere your experiences and what advice would you give? Very manythanks and I look forward to hearing from you.