Sarah and family

Hello All Now I totally understand that location is totally down to personal preference.... BUT..... We need a bit of help please! Now we live in a quiet/nice-ish area with good primary schools (high schools, not so much, which is a concern) and live within a 30-40 minute commute to London, although we are not trying to match exactly our lifestyle here in Uk to the one we could potentially have in Australia we feel the transition would be easier if we could have a similar style. As a brit that has never been to Aus and never lived there we obviously don't know which areas are nice and which are not. (as with an area you live in and know you get to know which are the nice areas and which are the nicer schools!) Our daughter currently goes to a lovely little catholic school within walking distance and our son is due to start there in September. (our main concern is high schools, which are really not great here local to us, the better ones are church ones which are really hard to get into due to us living out of the area!) We have researched lots on the sunshine coast as have a Aussie friends who recommended this area to us, I have my heart set on this area like the sound of Buderim and Moolababa (any advice would be greatly appreciated on these areas) We would love to live near to the beach, however have realised that hubby would need to work in Brisbane and would need a realistic commute so we would have to consider this. We are a young family so would like to live somewhere young and family orientated with plenty to do for children and nice schools. I am finding this part of the Emigration process the hardest! My Husbands colleague here in uk is an Aussie and he has recommended looking into Melbourne, however for no reason is particular Im not so keen on this area. The houses do not look as nice either and are much more expensive. If anyone could give any advice on areas and perhaps comparisons of Melbourne and Brisbane Any advice positive or negative is greatly appreciated Many thanks Sarah and Family xox

Thanks rupert, we would love to but funds and time off work wont allow so soon! My daughter is on half term from school at the end of March and over Easter so thinking this time. Not sure whats our best option really! as if we leave to next Dec/Jan we wont have enough time to sort visas as we hope to have relocated by summer 2014?

Well we think we will look to move to Buderim area but for our holiday/reccie we would have a car so happy to stay in surrounding areas.

Hello All We are trying to book flights to Australia in April for our reccie! (to make sure its where we want to relocate to) Does anyone know of any reasonably prices villas/apartments for rent for 2 weeks? Ideally we would love a pool (not too fussy can be a communal pool) We are combining this reccie with our family holiday for the year so would like somewhere we can relax too Will need to house myself, my husband and 2 children. We will also need to hire a car (so we can explore our new home town!) Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated Many Thanks Sarah xox

Thank you we are looking at booking flights and coming whilst the children are on easter Half term!

Hello All, My husband and I and our two children are in the process of beginning the procedures to emigrate to oz! we are doing a reccie this year and initially wanted to go at height of summer (nov/dec) to get a taste for the weather! (And we want to combine the reccie with our family holiday this year!) however due to time scales re visas Etc we are now thinking we will need to come before this to give us enough time once we have made a decision to tie loose ends in uk therefore thinking of coming in April can anyone advise what the weather is usually like in Sunshine Coast/buderim around april time? And If it would be a good time to come to get a taste of our new life in aus! I Look forward to your reply Many thanks Sarah and family in uk xox

Exciting good luck! I am very jealous I wish I didn't have to wait so long! I want to be there now! Good luck hope all works out well for you xox

How exciting kaz! Where are guys heading? Are you going soon? I don't want to rush into anything but all this talk and brain working over drive I gain as much info as possible I want to go now!! But I really should finish my degree!! (The only reason we are waiting until summer 2014) hopefully it will fly by!

Hello All, I am so sorry for not responding to your reply's sooner, I did post a reply but for some reason it didnt show up! (must of been me! sorry!) Since writing this post I have submitted the skills form to the Visa Bureau, they seem to think that we will be accepted (We even received a congratulations email) but my husband needs to confirm his work, as he has a specialist job title that is not specifically on the list but he is also a qualified electrician (special class) so they are just making sure his job will be accepted for which he may have to take a skills test (which wont be a problem) His job is around in Aus and pays really well, and from feedback of others it should all be ok! they also emailed to say it could only take a 12 months max for completion (quick question here actually, we are planning on making the move in July/Aug 2014, as I graduate then! Once your visa is granted how long do you have to make the move? We will need to know this so we know when to apply for visa!) They have also came back with results for the points and we have 75 (which is enough I believe) I am baffled by the whole process so your feedback has been so helpful to us! Thank you! I felt so deflated when the agent just blatantly said we wouldnt be accepted and wouldnt give a reason! he basically said its too complicated to explain! (hmmm, Strange!) our next steps now are to continue with visa (time scales depending) and they we are booking flights to come to Aus to explore! can anyone advise anywhere relatively cheap to stay? We have been advised to come November time to experience some of your hotter temperatures (to ensure we can handle the heat) would everyone agree that this is the best time to come? (we cant make December) Thanks again all and again apologies for the delay in reply! Sarah (in SNOWY uk! (weather gets worse here!!)

Hello There Just in brief as have posted this on here before, My husband, two children and I are considering a move to Aus near sunshine coast, We have been researching lots and I still do not fully understand the visa process! I feel like I have hit a dead end! I have emailied a visa agent who's details were given to me by someone on here, He has told us we are not eligible for PR visa and would need to go down the sponsored route, This worries me as I have read that if something doesn't work out with employer we would have to leave Aus within 28 days. (even though my husband has never had any issues with his job and has always been in long term employment, This still worries me) If we made the move to Aus, it would be a massive move for us to uproot and start again I would want to hope it would be a permanent one, especially with two children and they are in a really good school here in uk if we took them out and came back we wouldnt get in again as they are a very over subscribed school! I feel really deflated by it all, (I am not giving up so easily) but just feel deflated! I assume that as my husband is in such a good job and in London they are crying out for good engineers in his trade I assumed it would be the same! Can someone advise me, is the Sponsored visa a good route? I know everyone has different circumstances but any information would be greatly received Also is there a number I can call to get more information on the skilled job requirements? because my hubby is also a qualified Electrician so we could go down this route? Many Thanks in advance Sarah and family in not so sunny UK

Thank you, will look on expats I don't really understand visa's enough to be honest, I need to do my homework on them! I wasn't aware you could get work without one and access to schools etc, We want our children to settle as quickly as possible for them and am worried about the uncertainty of not having PR. I've ready some people had been given 28 day notice to leave to country due to no visa (this worries me!) Hubby is speaking to a few men in the industry who also lived and worked in QLD so hopefully this will help him! I am studying an Early Years and Education foundation Degree, I will plan to continue working with children in the Early Years age range in Aus, however will have to top up to BA Hons when in Aus as dont want to wait an extra year in Uk to finish all 3 years, my course is foundation and is 2 years here in uk and after I will have to apply for my 3rd year! so hopefully I can just apply in Aus! Thank you fir useful information xox

ah ok Thanks..I did understand would need to take English test but not sure how to, Think will speak to agent. I did fill in an initial enquiry with one but not heard back yet.. Thanks again Sarah

Ok.. Thank you for this info.. So I have looked on the IMMI points list and from what I can work out we would have about 85 points which s enough.. It says about an English test.. Does anyone know where we do this? The website isn't really clear on which steps to take next..

Thanks so much Rupert.. you have been very helpful on my other post too! I am relieved about money as we should have enough from sale of house etc to cover that! so thats one relief! Your arrival accommodation was a huge chunk of money wasn't it, We were hoping to send hubby a month or two before to settle in his job and take arrival of house contents and we would live out of suitcase with the in laws for then! and hubby would find a house rental by the time we arrive... Thats our plan though not sure from any ones experience if this is a realistic plan! Can I ask.. did you use an agent? we would prefer not to but I have no Idea on the first steps.. I think we have quite a strong skilled visa case so hopefully shouldn't be a complicated visa, as I have reading previous post if your visa is not straight forward, and if your lacking on points then a agent can help with this.. Is there like a way you an check if your visa will be successful without actually applying and costing the 3k! Is there a web page of step by step of what to do? what would you advise I did first? I totally get that a reccie is money we should save on, but I really feel we should at least look at the area we will be moving our family to the other side of the world for.. I want to look at school etc, this all to be done once we have an idea on work with hubby! We need a family holiday anyway this year and may as well spend the money on visiting our new home town! we will need to look for cheap accommodation when there though.. I am unsure how long the visa process will take but I can't go until I have graduated anyway and thats not until Summer 2014 so we will probably go just after graduation! Thanks Sarah xox

Thanks so much Rupert.. you have been very helpful on my other post too! I am relieved about money as we should have enough from sale of house etc to cover that! so thats one relief! Your arrival accommodation was a huge chunk of money wasn't it, We were hoping to send hubby a month or two before to settle in his job and take arrival of house contents and we would live out of suitcase with the in laws for then! and hubby would find a house rental by the time we arrive... Thats our plan though not sure from any ones experience if this is a realistic plan! Can I ask.. did you use an agent? we would prefer not to but I have no Idea on the first steps.. I think we have quite a strong skilled visa case so hopefully shouldn't be a complicated visa, as I have reading previous post if your visa is not straight forward, and if your lacking on points then a agent can help with this.. Is there like a way you an check if your visa will be successful without actually applying and costing the 3k! Is there a web page of step by step of what to do? what would you advise I did first? I totally get that a reccie is money we should save on, but I really feel we should at least look at the area we will be moving our family to the other side of the world for.. I want to look at school etc, this all to be done once we have an idea on work with hubby! We need a family holiday anyway this year and may as well spend the money on visiting our new home town! we will need to look for cheap accommodation when there though.. I am unsure how long the visa process will take but I can't go until I have graduated anyway and thats not until Summer 2014 so we will probably go just after graduation! Thanks Sarah xox