ItchyFeet76

My sentiments exactly, Sprinter! Plus we've hardly every used it (touch wood!) so here's hoping we won't ever need to, but it would be good to know where we stand, just incase... Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

As the title suggests, really. Do we need to renew our EHIC cards? I'm giving my parents' address for banks, doctor and dentist so if we come back to visit and need to see a doctor or dentist, will they even guess that we're no longer living here? Do they strike us off their books if we don't go for a couple years? (I've gone years without seeing a doc before and am still a patient). How would they make us pay when they can't seem to make health tourists pay?? Would they send a bill to my parents' house? By the way I'm rarely ill (touch wood) and not envisaging anything, it's more for if the unexpected happens whilst we're visiting family... We'll be on a temp visa in Oz and will have health insurance but don't know if it would cover us for return trips to the uk... Cheers ?

Yeah fires do concern me, but a lot of the houses we've seen (on Domain) look (from Google Earth / Streetview) like they're in quite built-up areas and not actually 'in the bush'...?? Oh has been looking on Facebook pages about Caroline Springs and unearther some rather disconcerting information (kangaroo tails found in bins, hoons racing up and down the streets at night, unsavoury characters casing joints, high burglary rates, etc.) - is this something you've experienced and would you let it put you off (if you didn't already live there) or would you (as I do) assume it doesn't make it a bad area but is probably actually indicative of it being a GOOD area because it's attracting burglars - bad areas have nothing worth nicking, iykwim! Or does that sound stupid...?!

Different how...?! Thanks for your comment, Kezzles, my oh is very pro-CS because of the upcoming station and lovely houses, but I also like the idea of Upwey and Ferntree Gully (or Diamond Creek, perhaps) - somewhere more rural and with more chance to experience the Australian bush (and wildlife!)... Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks for the tips Petals, sounds like good advice. The older houses we've seen look a lot smaller and with smaller gardens though??!! (Maybe it's just the area?). We don't mind open plan as our uk house is big but with lots of small rooms, so we're actually looking forward to fewer (but bigger) rooms [emoji4] We've checked the commuting time and they're not too bad (around 30 mins) with the newish light rail system. Looking forward to getting over there and seeing these houses / areas in person! [emoji39] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-caroline+springs-121961810 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So. We've been looking at houses online and have seen some awesome McMansions out west (Wyndham Vale, Taylor's Lakes, Keilor, Caroline Springs, etc.), all within 40 mins' commute from the CBD and with decent reviews online (not that you can trust all reviews, mind ?). Most of the houses look unloved in, with no clutter or belongings, bare work tops, empty shelves, but all furnished and made to look like show homes - absolutely stunning, in some cases. So we're just wonderi what the deal is with all these places - are they all investment properties that are barely lived in and have been staged to sell, or is there a mass exodus for some reason, and people are just seriously decluttering to make them saleable?? I-F ?

Congratulations! Remind me what exactly you do again...? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah I guess. Well hopefully they will meet the training benchmark if we decide to go down that route (just reading about it now). I think being a 457-approved sponsor should mean they meet that requirement...? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah I guess, but then a 457 is also a commitment to you, isn't it? Anyway we don't know what to do yet as it's not where we want to be so are in a bit of a dilemma... Think we'll concentrate on trying to sell the house and see what happens![emoji6] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ah ok, no worries, you've been jolly helpful anyway, thanks [emoji4] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ah ok, I missed that!

Thanks Isabel, that's good to hear. We want to start the PR ball rolling before the skills expires so just need to sell the house and decide on the job, I guess (dont suppose you also know for how long the skills needs to be valid?).

One needs us by June, the other can wait but would ideally like my oh to work remotely from the UK until we go (which we've vetoed because of the tax implications and hassle with HMRC). I guess i really just wanted to confirm that if we just did the 186, we'd have to stay here until it comes through; and if we can apply for a 457 on day one and a 186 (direct entry) on day two...?

Thanks, that's nice of you

Potentially. We have a job offer (in the wrong location) but haven't accepted yet as waiting to hear about another (in our preferred location)...

Thanks, yes it's fantastic and we have put a lot of work into it (digging out 8 tonnes of clay between the two of us, for starters!). However we need the equity to take with us and don't want the hassle / worry of renting from the other side of the world (plus when / if we get PR and decide to sell, the hassle and expense of CGT).

Pretty sure Qld don't charge school fees on a 457...unless the rules have changed?!?

Hi, If we apply for the 186 Direct Entry route to PR offshore (from the UK), can we move to Oz and start work whilst waiting for it to come through? I would presume not as we wouldn't have any working rights, in which case my next question is, can we then apply for a 457 whilst we're waiting? Or should we just go for the 457 first and then immediately apply for the 186 so they're both in process, and once the 457 comes through (quicker than the PR one), go over and start work? My husband's skills assessment expires end April but does that matter, provided we apply for the 186 before it expires (or does it have to be valid until PR is granted)? Hope that wasn't too confusing! Thas in advance for any useful comments ?

We put our house on the market a couple weeks back and I thought word-of-mouth would be as good as RightMove (inspired by JUBICK's recent thread), so if anyone is MBUK and looking for a large detached house with good-sized garden, garage, parking, BBQ retreat / log cabin, conservatory, study, 6 bedrooms, in a fantastic part of this wonderful little market town (featured in the Telegraph's Best Places to Live on several occasions!) then look no further! It's on for £425k but we're open to (reasonable) offers  Ps no chain, obviously!  http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-52889287.html http://arcticcabins.co.uk/medium-bbq-cabins-10m-barbecue-hut/

What a fab idea! I'm going to do the same if you don't mind me copying!

Ps congrats on the job offer, MereCat! Hope your emigration plans go smoothly ?

Hi MereCat, Yes that's right - I've actually changed it quite a bit as it was rather rough around the edges! I'll try and post it on here when I get a sec. Was it the cost of living stuff you needed? Bear in mind x-rates have changed and certain prices may also have changed in the last couple years... Do you have a house to sell? We out ours on the market a couple weeks back but still haven't sold and are getting impatient now!!

Blazingsunbeam congrats on your job offer and subsequent emigration! Hope all goes smoothly. If you have any probs I wouldn't worry too much, 90 days is ample time to find another job. Just enjoy the ride and make some good memories along the way [emoji106] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Jeez, I hope not - we've only budgeted for 1 car! And we hope we can get by at first and not buy one straight away (defo whilst in serviced apt in the cbd anyway). If we find a suitable rental, are they usually ready to move into straightaway? Will 6 wks be long enough in temp accomm? (Worried we might find something in week 4 but not vacant for another 4 wks) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk