exiled in Wales

Thanks for that, we are keeping a diary as evidence and hope to be able to plead our case with the immigration people if she is sacked. It appears the company is over-staffed and looking to shed the easiest targets - my wife being on probation is the easiest to sack, but I can assure you she is doing EVERYTHING to try to avoid being sacked.

Details from Kaplan: The fees for the Diploma are $1,980 which may be the sticking point at present for me. Also the lady I spoke to at Kaplan said my UK Diploma was worthless as they only consider qualifications from NZ - therefore any UK planners have to start again from scratch.

Sorry all, it is the 187 we are on.

Hi all, We are in OZ on a 187 employer nominated visa. Recently my wifes employers (who sponsored us) have turned nasty and are threatening my wife with the sack. She has only been with them 3 months and the Visa specifies she has to stay with them for 2 years. It says on the forms that if the job is terminated we will have a chance to explain why our Visa should not be cancelled by writing to the Visa people. Anyone got any experience of this issue and what the outcome was ?

We're off to Warragul in September - my wife has already gone, she arrived at Melbourne at 5am on Wednesday. We are married with 4 kids (aged 13-3), the way we are looking at it is at worst it will be a 2 year adventure and then we will come home - house has been Let, our cars have been sold, half our cash transferred to Oz - so we have a back-up plan if we hate it (neither of us has ever been to Oz). My wifes salary is about 60k plus commission as a podiatrist and we got NO relocation costs so are taking a much higher risk than you. I would say a backup plan will help you move forward knowing you can return - BUT - you only live once, better to regret what you have done than what you never did.

Just phoned sevenseas re: medium movecube from South Wales to Warragul, Vic, as website says only available to major cities. I was told we have to arrange transport from Melbourne to warragul & also have to arrange a custom agent ourselves. Cost for 3 cubic meter medium movecube = £669 plus destination charge of 150 - 250 USD per cubic meter, plus whatever charge we have to pay customs agent. All seems a lot more hassle than the original post on this thread suggests - any helpful tips that may help?

We have applied for a 187 Visa - my wife is the primary applicant with a job offer in Vic. We applied September and haven't heard anything since. I will probably look into the rg146 in more detail when we get there. If you find anything else out please let me know.

Hi all, I'm a fully diploma qualified adviser from the UK. My wife submitted our visa app in September -she is a podiatrist and the main party in our application, still waiting (Victoria) for them to even look at our application and send the relevant forms for our medicals to be completed!! I'm gonna look after the kids initially but will probably look at getting back into advice when we are settled after a couple of months. I understand I will need the R146 but does anyone know if the UK diploma is taken into account or will I have to start from scratch? Also in the Uk I went thru all my exams whilst working as an adviser - does this happen in Oz or will I have to pay and get myself qualified before looking for jobs?

My son and I are big fans of a Championship football club and I was wondering if you get Championship games on telly in OZ - I know it would probably be a niche so I would pay for the channel if one was available - we will probably end up in the Melbourne area. I couldn't give a monkeys about the Premier league and wouldn't pay 2p a month to keep up with their overpaid girly players.

You're a few years out of date old boy. We got rid of the mini & maxi ISA, although it's still a pretty similar concept. I wouldn't want to live with one though, TESSA sounds much nicer to live with.

Blobby - I'm sorry it hasn't worked out for you and your family & I appreciated your honesty on the "reasons to leave" thread. I agree entirely with Northshorepoms post - if you are going home in December don't concentrate on the negatives but have the last couple of months as "the end of a long holiday". I'm sure if you all concentrate on what you have learnt and how you have grown as people it won't look so bad. I wish you luck with whatever happens.

It's not real woop woop - just my friend in Melbourne calls it that to wind me up. It's only 1.5 hours from Melbourne by train.

On a similar note do they use the same plug sockets in OZ or do you need an adaptor like when you go to the continent?

Yes Mary, we have heard Sydney is RIDICULOUSLY expensive. We are aiming for WOOP WOOP outside Melbourne, my family have joked that the 6 of us will double the towns population

Quality of life is subjective - it depends which particular Jones' you are trying to keep up with. I'm skint all the time now, so there'll be little difference there, but I'll be poor somewhere new and exciting. A nice cup of tea, a bacon butty with HP sauce = Happy exiled in Wales.