Joseph Rydell

Yeah but the new company must then sponsor you. It's harder to get a job if you need them to take on your 457.

Rents are bloody expensive I've just been checking.

I was in Oz at the time so used a local agent: Honestly at the time I thought it might be worth doing it myself - I tend to like to ignore advice and do things myself you see - but after slogging through a few forms I realised I was out of my depth, so I used this agent who were recommended to me by someone else I knew. It all worked out smoothly.

Can you use an agent? They are experts at knowing the best route to go down. That is what I did for my PR.

Problem is not just the deficit or a recession it is also the long term debt overhang. This is a major fiscal and structural problem, it's going to burden a whole generation making them work harder for less.

Sounds like a real headache. I guess I was very lucky. I suppose if you can't get it sorted you could wait two years or try some other visa in the interim. Or can you appeal? Thing about Saudi is if you were a criminal there you would be deported (after prison if you are jailed) and you would have an anomalous exit stamp I think? It would be fairly obvious. I would never advocate breaking the law but I wonder how immigration could ever check if you said you were resident somewhere else during 2001-2005. I mean what if you banged your head and suffered amnesia and thought you were resident back in US? during that time?

Ah ok. I did all this in 2009 and their embassy or consulate in ACT? took care of it after I wrote to them. I had to get some paperwork from my old employer IIRC to say who I was sponsored by when I was working in Saudi. There is some rule about where you need a police check from, might be 2 months in a place to qualify? I was resident in Saudi for a while and did three month hitches there so needed it. I visited other countries too but not more than the odd week. Were you resident in Saudi? For me they allready had fingerprints etc cos of that and the Aramco card business. I dunno if that made it easier?

Can I take my Golf to Australia? I only bought the car in June last year. I am presuming this is a problem? it's a 60 plate and got less than 10k miles.

You might be right 'cos of the exchange rate. When I talked about the heat I meant the tune. I think the Oz WRX's were rated a slightly lower power than the UK ones. You don't have to tune for 50 deg air temps in the UK. I'm thinking of moving back but I'm a bit gutted as I bought by Golf in June lol. I dunno if I can store it 'till June then have it shipped lol?

How are you finding Mandurah? It's quite a long way from Perth. Does the train go there? It's not easy moving somewhere on your own but you are only 22 and being young helps.

The grass is always greener I think. From a rational POV Oz is the way to go as the country is in much better economic and fiscal shape than the UK. This will make a difference when we are older and want to retire, although of course one needs to provide one's own income from a private pension but it still depends on the overall economy. I'm also finding the UK very crowded and dirty these days. That's a generalisation of course but it's a real contrast to how I remember Perth. Worst thing about Perth for me is its isolation of course, but if you have friends there and a partner, kids etc there is no reason to feel isolated. Weather wasn't a problem for me. The heat up north is crazy but Perth is cooler. The hail that bashed all the cars in and roofs in in 2010 was pretty mad though.

He he I've moved to Perth twice on my own and twice moved back to the UK. Now I am thinking about moving back. Sounds daft eh? The first move was quite daunting as obviously I had no idea what to expect. I didn't have things like a bank account etc. Just sorting out all the little things is a PITA. You need a driving license, tax registration etc, there is the visa stuff. Obviously though Australia is not too different than the UK in many ways and I didn't have to re-oriente myself too much. I was helped though by the company I was sponsored by and who I was employed with. The paid for my move, flight, a couple of weeks in a staff house, help finding a flat. This was a massive bonus at the time. If I go back now I won't have a job though and will have to do everything myself. I have no idea where I will stay. However I know what to expect so shouldn't be a big deal. One thing about moving somewhere new is you have very little idea where is good to live. I had some help here but otherwise would be hard. I'd spend a few days looking about etc, see a few houses/flats.

I kind of felt the same thing when I was in Perth and that is why I left in 2010. Having spent over 2.5 years in the UK now I am regretting it. The UK is hardly cheap, everything is going up, like fuel costs for example. I do agree that Perth is over priced but otoh the lifestyle is so much better than the UK and Perth makes the UK look like a tip. I'd think about Adelaide or something but really I'm tied to Perth 'cos that is where my industry tends to be based...but not always. I might live out way, way in the 'burbs next time, like far North, or the hills.

I've got two guitars two I might bring with me. One is a cheap Squire strat, the other a genuine Les Paul. I'm contemplating hand carrying the latter actually. Both are obviously wood with the Les Paul having some mahogany.

Taking a car over isn't very cost effective IMHO and also cars in Oz are tuned for the heat and have beefed up A/C (I think in most cases).