MWJ

Due to the timeline required by my employer we paid the 186 visa fee in full (4.5£grand) due t a change in family circs we may now not emigrate. Although a CO has been allocated we have not submitted any documentation yet. If we withdraw application will I get any of it refunded? :-)

What a well written and useful post thanks. Given your balanced view would be interested to know what the 'liveable' single wage was when u moved to Brissie as my family's income will be fixed due to employment type (ADF) when we arr there in 2015. 120k AUD with three preschool kids?

Thanks all, wil check if the bar code is on my paperwork, don't know if my problems are caused by using an Apple Mac!!! :-)

Snifter that's great thank you!!

Hi guys, just applied having already got the ADF to sponsor me on a 187, can't access the docs checklist to see what applies to me any ideas? additionally, is there a shelf life on the validity of the medical and police checks? thanks and good luck to all!!

Good morning, I am being sponsored on a 196 and have begun the online process. When I completed the 'online immi' it indicates you don't necessarily need to supply ALL the documents, when I click on the required documents link it does nothing, clearly I don't want to waste time and money accruing irrelevant documents, does anybody have the list and advice that the link should bring up or is it particular to the account? Thanks for your time and advice; and good luck !! mike

Good morning, I am being sponsored on a 196 and have begun the online process. When I completed the health section on 'online immi' the automated response shows a page with my Hap id On it and a link to 'print referral letter' the link does nothing, is the page with my HAP ID on it what I need for the medical as it does not look like a 'letter'? Sorry for all the 'm! secondly, the link for required documents does not open, difficult to believe that my. 3yr old and 1yr old twins all need the full medical, is that right? Should I clarify with Australia house in London? thanks for your advice and good luck to all. Mike

Yep transfer complete to ADF- army, just visa to do (just ha ha)

Just a quick post to say hello, we are moving in Aug 15, I join the ADF and wife, 5yr old son (at that time) and 2 yr old twins will likely be in NW BRisbane near Enoggera barracks. Still flapping about finance, whether to take the car and if we can live on the wage but we r coming!!!

Thank you both, confirmed what I am researching but it didn't seem clear cut from the uk on an iPhone :-). I am looking at state for primary then reassessing but as I will be accommodated by the ADF don't really have a choice as to where, likely GAythorne. So my eldest will go to C&K if I can get him in aug til jan then start prep. I have one colleague with a child at Gaythorne state who says its a great traditional small class school, anyone else have any experience of it ?

Ps what primary schools are recommended in gaythorne area

Hi, we (wife, son 5 in aug 2015 & twins 2 in 2015) will arrive in Brisbane in August 2015 and as I understand it my eldest will not start prep until jan 16 as his 5th birthday was post the 2015 jun 30th cut off, is that correct? additionally I understand that children can be enrolled early under special circumstances, would the fact that he had already completed a year primary school in the UK count for this as I do not want him to take a step back? Thanks for any advice

I don't know the feeling but suspect I will, we move in 18 months and one set of parents knows the other does not 'how can you take away our grandchildren' will be the oft repeated cry. Not that I don't sympathise it's the hardest thing we have had to come to terms with but it's a better life for them!

What a fantastic thread thank you!! We (wife plus 3 month old twins and 3yr old) are having a wobble at the minute. Guaranteed job until 60 in the ADF but pay same as Uk and unable to predict post 60 what our pension income will be but the kids will still only be 15! Living on 110$k will be hard if not impossible in Bris and there are do many negative stories on here and so many MBTUK that it makes you wonder when your life in Uk is not bad. This thread picked me up and reminded me why I applied in the first place. Thanks again, M

Like the article thanks Altho with 3 kids still puts me at 49% :-(

That's means tested tho isn't it, up to 170k

Andy, I am in the process of transferring from the uk army to the Australian defence force. I have qualified for a military pension with an immediate pay out of 60k and an snnuity of 14k. As I understand it: i can bank the lump sum and move whenever I like to AUS being liable for tax on any interestaccrued i must decide within 6 months of emigration whether to move the annuity, regardless of whether I move it I will be liable for tax up to the AUS 38% but will benefit from leaving it in the uk as I can move funds at beneficial exchange rates is my understanding correct and are there any major pitfalls I should be aware of, I know that should I emigrate my pension will cease to be index linked. Thanks in advance. Mike

Similar to the op, we will arrive in October 2014 with a 4yr old and 1 yr old twins on a permanent visa, do the nurserys do half day I Brisbane/qld? And what age would the eldest start state kindy?

Kindy / nursery fees for all at 2700 per month for 3 days let week. I will be on a PR and total family income will be 163000, below the 17000 thresher for CCB but I can't get the calculator to tell me what CCB I would get on the sliding scale, can anyone tell me?

Hi. I will have a 4 yr old and 1 year old twins. It's my understanding that I will have to pay for k

Cancel that found it, it's 170,000 but I cannot discover what that's means for me!!

I think out family income will likely be 163000 but we will have 3 children in care, is the ceiling for child be edit still 150000?

Hi, considering bringing a 2013 VW SHARAN 2ltr 140bhp. Automatic diesel with aircon. UK value £23000, can't do Oz value as they don't sell it there. It will e 12 months old by the time we move in aug 14 and will have 15000 miles on, probably intend to keep for long term interested in your advice please?

Great post thanks, am wobbling over coming at the minute mainly because the research I have done indicates that although as a family of three my wage of 100k. would be just about alright we are now expecting twins as well and with only this one income it looks difficult to find a good family balance. Still that's a great balanced post, thanks for sharing.

Mate, am planning my move and compiled a general list based on the averages of all the posts I have read, might be food for thought: Life ins or med care 280 Or health ins 250 Mortgagerent 2000 Council tax? Bldg n contents ins 100 Rates n water 150 Food. 500-1000 Electric 150 Gas 50 Mobiles 100-130 for 2 Petrol 300 Rego 100 Fully comp car ins 100 for 2 Service? Broadband - Telstra ultd for uk tv Foxtel / sky. 120 School fees 200 preschool? Kindy 42 per day based on family of four, happy to hear anyone's thoughts