RussnBecks

Thank you, yes we got 40kg each unlimited number of bags. Used IOM on recommendation from POI, so flying Emirates at a cost of I think £715 each, very good service I would say.

Thank you, Im in the southern sector flying out of humberside. My profession is a plater (boilermaker) working as an offshore construction superintendent. So hoping I can find something on the other side. The North Sea has been good to me and I will miss parts of it for sure but in general no !

Finally done it !! How to feel ? scared, excited, anxious all those things and many more. We have the container booked for our possessions on August 7th, and fly out of Manchester UK heading for Dubai then onto Brisbane on the 20th ! My partner handed in her notice this week, Im currently offshore in the north sea for my last trip. Its sad in a way but this is what it was all about and I cannot wait for the challenge ahead. Staying with friends in Jacobs Well for a start, going out without jobs but with a permanent residency visa which gives us as good scope as we can have. Any experience/help/advice that any of you guys have would be greatly received. No turning back now :biggrin: Russ and Becky

Hi, I did my assessment there last year and there was security at the gate to the college but people were parked in the college. I used the tube which takes you to the overground and its a 5 minute walk from there, cant help with hotels Im afraid as I stayed with some friends. Hope that helps ​Russ

And your point with your so called nasty party was ? You really don't have a valid argument as all the things you mention above were inherited from one party to another, but you did forget to mention 100's of millions of GBP and devastating losses of lives in an illegal war as well. The facts are we are stretched beyond our financial capability and something needs to change, I think public opinion puts benefits and immigration at the top of the list. It is inevitable that people will be unhappy with any decision but change is what this country desperately needs.

No actually I'm not I don't bother with any of the tabloids its forced media, I have the ability to make my own decisions and form my own opinions as well as having rational thoughts on what I consider right and wrong, I believe you are missing at least the last one. As you have no idea where I live or the cost of housing in my area you also have no idea on the housing situation, just because I pay 40& tax does not mean I am buckled with money and living in my ivory tower looking down at all the poor minions ! I am in that bracket of people supporting both the rich and poor of this country. And sorry that's just nonsense most people I know who are claiming benefits are not prepared to work as they would only be marginally better off then they are taking benefits, where exactly do you get these figures that most unemployed want to work ??

See I can understand where your coming from but as mentioned earlier in the post you are only seeing it from one side of the argument what about families who dont have enough bedrooms is it fair for them other people living above there basic needs on welfare which is what its supposed to be. And please lets not forget about the working class who due to recession or other circumstances have lost the house they may have lived in for decades is that fair? The welfare system needs reform and while there should be concessions for some this bill is one way of levelling the playing field. As a 40% tax payer its infuriating seeing people on benefits living sometimes in better homes then I can afford. Its not jealousy or I'm alright Jack but it should e a welfare system that provides basic needs and encouragement for those who can work to get into work and improve there own standard of living.

You will have the date printed on your visa its one year from date of issue Cheers Russ

Paul, thanks for that there is a lot of the information I was looking for there. I understand the decision is ours but other peoples experiences are always helpful. Your right money isn't everything we understand that with the situation we are in now, we see ourselves as fortunate that we have never struggled for money but the time i'm away I can never get back, plus we would love to start a family but I am not sure I could handle having such limited time in there upbringing. Thanks again Russ

Some great replies there, thanks to all. Although my work now allows me to not have to worry so much about money, I don't really have any freedom with it. I get very little time off to enjoy it or take holidays, which is part and parcel of being self employed. Im not sure I would want to carry on with this work if I went to OZ I would like to stay in my trade but try to be somewhere I can commute. I am planning on keeping hold of our house for 2 reasons, house prices are too low at the minute and it does give me a safety net which I guess can be good and bad. It is so difficult but a common theme is if we never try we never know. Thanks so far Russ n Becks

Great reply thanks very much, we will definately go I just wondered what other peoples views and experiences. Thanks again 132 views and 1 reply ! How strange Russ

Hey all, We have, not what we would call a dilemma, but a nagging doubt which I am sure most people get when considering such a big move ! We were granted our 175 skilled independent last year and need to cross over into Oz by September of this year. Now some people will no doubt say we are mad others maybe not and were not looking for the answer on here just opinions or experiences. My job currently is Construction Superintendant with an offshore oil and gas service company, my background is boilermaker/metal fabricator. Now the company I work for employee me for contracts and I work through my own limited company I always have work both on and offshore but offshore obviously means being away from home for up to 4 weeks with limited contact back home and onshore is always staying in hotels for a week at a time. The perks of it are the money my company charges out at £35 an hour so an average trip offshore makes £3k a week and I am the only benefactor in the company. Sounds good but I miss my OH when I'm away and its very tough on her too also the hours are long the conditions not great and your not always made welcome on the rigs. But, the UK is small and Australia big so will I face the same problem of working away all the time or is it possible to find local(ish) work in my trade in nice areas and be able to afford to live. I would like a career change, as I'm sure many other people would but this may be a dream rather than a reality. Anyway that's the long and short and we would really appreciate peoples opinions and experiences. We chose Australia for lifestyle reasons we would like to make a little more than we need to survive but are not looking to be the next Del boy ! Thanks in advance Russ n Becks

Couldnt disagree with this more, I was very fortunate to gain an apprenticeship as a Plater (Boilermaker) when I left school, I did a four year technical qualification with 4 days at work learning hands on and 1 day at college and gained a City & Guilds apprenticeship I then had to do a further 1 year on an improvers rate. While all my friends were earning more money and seemed to have more spare time then me I stuck at it thinking it would eventually pay off. Now, dont get me wrong it has because it is this qualification along with over 20 years experience that has helped myself and my partner gain skilled independant visas but after finishing my apprenticeship I was made redundant and have not had a job for a period longer then 5 years since, mainly due to the wages being, what I would consider, below average. I couldnt afford an average mortgage and lifestyle in the UK on my standard wage so have more often then not worked 60+ hours a week just to get by. There has been no investment in mine and several other trades over the last 2 decades only radical decline, retail is all the UK seems interested in. If industries such as ship building and mining had been protected black trades like mine would be thriving and more investment into the Uk would increase, these industries were both making profit when our goverments sold them off. I am currently working offshore on 84 hour weeks where I cannot see my partner for 3 weeks at a time and if I need to talk to her I need to buy a phonecard for US$25 ! The irony of it is I am a Project Supervisor for projects and maintanence and my work team are Polish, the reason for this, we have a shotage of tradies, so the work still exists but the opportunities for school leavers dont. Not every family can afford for their children to go to university to study for an engineering degree and if they do, do they actually stand a better chance of employment ? Possibly yes but I know a lot of uni leavers with degrees and masters who are working minimum wage jobs to get by. There is an unlimited amount of unskilled workers in the UK and not enough investmnent into skills anymore. Rant over, if you made it to the end thanks lol Russ

To be fair most of there focus has been on maintaining an economy on the back of the previous goverments ridiculous borrowing. It could be worse from that point of view as it across some of Europe. The investment into employment goes way back much further then a single term of goverment.

Thanks for your reply. Russ