Marisawright

17 minutes ago, tahm563 said:

My four siblings live in Sydney. One with kids same age as mine... He doesn't have private health insurance and he said healthcare is fine. ...
My parents don't have health insurance, my mum had a sudden heart issue a few months ago for which she had to be hospitalised for 2 weeks and the care was absolutely topnotch (I went over to for 2 weeks to look after her).

I agree.   I've been treated in the public system a few times and if anything, I've felt the quality of care was better than in the private system.  If you take private health insurance, it's not because of concerns about treatment, it's more about avoiding the waiting lists.

As @Ausvisitor says, private health insurance is a no-brainer if you're earning over $90,000 a year (over $180,000 for a couple), because you'll be slugged a Medicare surcharge if you don't have it.  it's all explained in that link I gave. However if you are earning under that figure, it's a different story.  

12 minutes ago, Blue Manna said:

The thing I've never really understood about private health insurance is that when you have private health insurance in the UK it pays for everything. You do have to check first, but I've never been recommended for any treatment that wasn't fully covered.

When you have private health insurance in Australia, you still seem to pay an awful lot of money for treatment. And I am talking quite significant sums for major surgery. It can be quite staggering. So don't think just because you take private cover you are done and dusted.

You're right. If you're on a long-term visit to Australia from overseas, you can get Overseas Visitors cover which, like the British system, covers everything.  However the annual premium is substantially higher, and I'm guessing that's why they don't offer full coverage here -- only the wealthy would be willing to pay the premiums.  How do premiums here compare with the UK?

You are also right that the 'gap' payments can be very high, depending on what level of cover/excess you choose.   I gave one example already.  Another example is my own spinal fusion op.  The operation cost $35,000 of which private insurance paid only $25,000, leaving me with a $10,000 bill.  And that didn't include the fees for specialist appointments before and after, scans etc.  

31 minutes ago, InnerVoice said:

I haven't paid a cent for any kind of private health insurance or cover since I arrived here... As for optical, dental etc, we just pay for them when we need them, and (to date) it has worked out far cheaper.

Fair point.  I wear glasses (and I'm fussy about my frames), I'm conscientious about having six-monthly dental checkups, and as a serious dancer, I need physiotherapy etc more than the average person. So Extras cover pays off for me.  Whereas my oh is neglectful of his teeth and sees all physical therapies as quackery, so he only has to pay for his glasses, and that means Extras cover wouldn't make sense for him (though I do wish he'd look after his teeth!). 

17 minutes ago, Cheery Thistle said:

So, we agree, you need some kind of health insurance! Extras cover, is insurance cover that you pay for.

That's true, but when you get here, you'll discover that most Aussies say "health insurance" when they mean the main policy.  Also if you ring up a company and ask for a quote for "health insurance", they'll quote you for the main policy OR a combined policy. It won't occur to them to offer Extras on its own because only about 10% of Aussies have Extras insurance on its own. So it's important to make that distinction, otherwise you'll be in for a lot of confusion.

6 hours ago, Cheery Thistle said:

You need some sort of health insurance/ambulance cover and you will likely have to pay for dental treatment. ....

Just to clarify that:  if you are British and you are happy with the standard of treatment you get from the NHS, you don't need health insurance.  You can choose to have it, but more than half the Australian population doesn't have any.  Of those that do have insurance, many have it just to avoid the Medicare surcharge, or because they want to avoid the Lifetime Health Cover Loading in later life (see link below) -- not because they think it's worth having.

The links below are from Choice, which is the Australian equivalent of Which? magazine:

https://www.doineedhealthinsurance.com.au/

https://www.choice.com.au/money/insurance/health/articles/do-you-need-private-health-insurance

If you're a new migrant arriving in Australia, you're not subject to the Lifetime Loading penalty if you take out health insurance (more correctly called "Hospital Cover') within a year of your arrival.  I'd advise taking that time to decide whether you want it or not.  Just take out "Extras" cover in the meantime, so you're covered for all the things Medicare doesn't cover at all, i.e. optical, dental, physiotherapy, chiropody. Emergency ambulance cover is often included in Extras cover but if not, there are separate policies available. The company will try to talk you into taking a Combined policy instead, but there is absolutely no reason why you can't have an Extras policy on its own.

Health insurance covers you for treatment in hospital only.  Nothing else.  In Australia, visits to a GP aren't always free, there's a 'gap' payment, but health insurance does NOT cover that. Ditto prescriptions. 

If you don't have health insurance, you'll get treated in hospital free of charge, just like the NHS (and just like the NHS, there are crowded wards and long waiting lists for elective surgery).  Health insurance lets you skip the waiting lists by seeing a private specialist -- however, it only covers the treatment they give you within the hospital, and even then, there will be a substantial "gap" to pay.  It doesn't cover visits to the specialist in their consulting room before and after your treatment, or ongoing checkups with them, or any scans or pathology ordered by them outside the hospital.  That's why you get strange situations like my two friends, who had their babies around the same time:  both went to the same hospital in Ballarat, but one went public and the other went private.   For the one who went public, having her baby cost nothing.  The one who went private ended up with about $10,000 in 'gap' fees to pay. Of course, she had the benefit of a private room and her choice of doctor, so I'd say it was less stressful and she may have been happy to pay for that.   It's all about choice and what you can afford, really.

I can't help but are you aware of this forum:

https://www.migrantweb.com/hostelsforum/index.php

 You might find this thread interesting

13 minutes ago, wooddar said:

We are dual citizens living in Sydney planning to move back to Uk and maybe sell Australian property for family reasons/ interest rates  to reduce complexity. We would like option to return later to Australia maybe.  Would really appreciate  suggestions how we could maintain bank accounts etc with no fixed address having sold property in Australia. 

You won't have a fixed address in Australia, but surely you'll have an address in the UK?   There's no obstacle to keeping your Australian accounts while living overseas. All you need to do is notify your Australian bank(s) and superannuation funds of your overseas address, and then keep them updated as you move around.   The easiest way to do that is online, so make sure you understand how to use their online systems, and you may find you'll also need to keep an Australian mobile phone so you can receive SMS messages for two-factor identification.  

You might want to consider moving your bank accounts to HSBC because they seem the most flexible when it comes to overseas customers.

If you were moving back for a few years, I'd say hold onto your Australian property, rent it out, and rent in the UK. However 20 years is a long time to be renting.

1 hour ago, Ferrets said:

I have an option to sell some shares that I got via an employee share sheme, with minimal CGT due to holding for more that 12 months and minimal market price movement.

After my sister lost most of her savings when Enron collapsed, I don't trust employee share schemes!    It's never wise to have all your eggs in one basket, when it comes to shares.

Basically, if you invest in superannuation, most of your money is being invested in shares anyway.  The difference is that (a) you pay less tax on the profits and (b) it's 'set and forget', whereas if you have a share portfolio, you should be managing it actively and that means you need to know what you're doing.

For me, the bigger question is:  are BOTH of you 120% convinced that you are going to live in Australia for the rest of your lives, until you die?   Because if there's any uncertainty at all, you shouldn't put any more into superannuation than you have to.  I say that because one of the main advantages of super is its favourable tax treatment in Australia when you retire.  But if you decide to retire back in the UK or elsewhere, HMRC will tax it.  If you take a lump sum once you're retired in the UK, for instance, you would lose over a third of it in UK tax.

1 hour ago, Simontucks said:

We are leaving one of the daughters bedroom furniture behind as it's not great so that's one thing we are thinking of buying here and shipping,

I would never buy furniture to ship, because you have no idea what kind of house you'll end up with.   The furniture might not fit the rooms.  

I also wouldn't buy a fridge to ship, because kitchens usually have an alcove where the fridge has to sit, and they're not all the same size.  If your fridge won't fit in the alcove, you'll have to either refit the kitchen or sell your fridge and buy another one!

1 hour ago, JMcKie said:

I was once in the same predicament you now find yourself in. I am a Software Developer by trade and wanted to get my own skilled visa whether that was a 189/190. However,..... I also met an Aussie (who is now my fiancée). I...

I wouldn't rule out going down the partner visa route if I was you, but everyone's circumstances are different.

However, two things to note.  Pre-Covid, you needed a very high score (like, over 90) to stand any chance of getting invited for the 189.  In the last year, even people with only 65 points have been invited in some occupations. So the OP might have much better luck than you.

Also, @Ben8899 has only known his partner for 6 months, much too early to be eligible for a partner visa, so that's not even an option.  As you know, they'll need to prove they've been in a de facto relationship (not just dating) for 12 months before they can even apply.

26 minutes ago, InnerVoice said:

On the Go Matilda website it states that they offer a free initial consultation without obligation.....

I can't remember who it was, but I often used to mention that you could get a free initial consultation and a couple of the agents on here corrected me, and said most of them don't do it any more.

3 hours ago, InnerVoice said:

 Most RMAs will provide a free initial consultation without obligation....

That used to be the case, but much rarer now.  Too many tyre-kickers trying to get free advice, apparently.  

That said, there is a difference between an agent charging for a one-off consultation, (which they should be able to give you a quote for) and unscrupulous agents who demand you hire them for the whole visa process sight unseen.

2 hours ago, Ben8899 said:

Hi All,

Thanks for your replies, much appreciated.

It seems that speaking with a migration agent seems to be the best bet as I think my situation is quite specific. And apologies for any offense caused by my tarnishing of the colleagues of your ilk. My experience and that of my fellow students has been that of dealing with migration agents who have been associated with the international colleges

These agents are paid a commission by the colleges to recruit students, so they're not working for the student, they're working for the college.  When you engage a migration agent, they're working for you.  And of course, you're going to choose one that is MARA registered.   Try Suncoast Migration, Go Matilda, Andre Burger.

4 hours ago, Lloyd&Jennie said:

Hi All,

My partner is Swedish and I'm from the UK. We are applying through a 190 visa via myself. Dose anyone see an issue's with her being Swedish, that she cant be an "additional applicant"? she doesn't hold a UK passport either. We also have two children

Makes no difference. 

15 hours ago, cricha200 said:

i am a uk resident, social worker who is awaiting invitation for 189 visa. If this were to be invited and granted, will I be able to operate a 60:40 split between the Uk and Oz (Uk the 60) as I hold property here. Would this be possible or a pipe dream? 
 

As others have said, the question is, how long do you want to do this for?

Although the 189 is a permanent residency visa, the word "permanent" is somewhat misleading.    When you get the visa, you get a 'travel facility', which lets you travel freely to and from Australia for 5 years.  If you let that expire, and then leave Australia, you won't be allowed back in!   You need to either get citizenship OR get a RRV (Resident Return Visa) before the 5 years are up. 

Citizenship is obviously the ideal, because then you can come and go from Australia forever, but it's unlikely you'd meet the residency requirement for that.  So you'll need to go for the RRV -- but even for that, you must have been resident in Australia for at least 2 years out of the 5 years.   And you'll need to apply for a new RRV every 5 years, with the same residency requirement each time. 

7 hours ago, Jules13OJ said:

I spoke briefly with a tax advisor in UK before leaving and he just said 'your UK income will be taxed in UK and your Australia income will be taxed in Australia'   Is it as simple as that?

 

On a permanent visa, it's certainly not as simple as that.  On a temporary one, it may be that simple, but I don't think it's safe to assume.  We've had members end up with fines for getting it wrong.  For your first tax return in Australia, it's always wise to get a tax agent to do it for you anyway, because it's so different to the UK version, so I'd find an agent that knows both Australian and UK tax.   They're think on the ground, but Alan C is one.

8 minutes ago, Caroline01 said:

As soon as she gets her PR (she’s had her invite)   I’m submitting a 143

You can't submit your application until she's been settled in Australia for 2 years. 

Is your daughter expecting you to move out with her?  I suggest warning her that it's not going to be easy, and that it may even be impossible for you to get a visa, by the time you're eligible.  Who knows, it might sway her decision if she knew you couldn't join her.   And if she doubts the Australian government would ever close the door -- bear in mind that if you were an Australian, wanting to join your child in the UK, there simply isn't a parent visa you could apply for.   

I've often said that if British migrants want to bring their parents to Australia, perhaps it would be more effective to lobby for a reciprocal agreement for Australian parents, then maybe they'd have more chance of success. 

7 minutes ago, Adam 005 said:

Thank you to all who posted for the  insight and advice. 

I’m still unsure of what is the right thing to do and not being a decisive person I over think things far to much. 
One thing I am sure of though is some sacrifice has to be made If we want to move forward. 

Yes, that's the difficult thing.  You and your wife can't both have what you want, so one of you will have to make a sacrifice.

The good thing is that your children don't have to make a sacrifice whichever you decide, because they'll be absolutely fine regardless of which decision you make. So it really comes down to the two of you.  good luck!

I would suggest you book a paid consultation with a good migration agent, to get advice on what to do about the 18 year old (try Suncoast Migration or Go Matilda).  It's possible he could be included on your fiance's visa if he applies before the child turns 18.   Although the child doesn't want to migrate now, he might change his mind in future, and once he's 18 it may be too late. Once he's an adult, being the son or daughter of a permanent resident doesn't count for anything, and his only option will be to do all the years of study and work experience to possibly get a skilled visa in his own right, if he's lucky. 

If you include the child in the application, all he has to do is go on holiday to Australia with his father so they can activate their visas together, then he'll have a few years to decide what he wants to do -- and even if he decides not to make the permanent move during that time, the fact that he's already held a PR visa means that he'll be able to revive it in the future. 

As for your other questions:

• Yes, if you can get citizenship by descent for your children, they won't need visas.  I suggest you get that organised now.
   
• Yes, the 309/100 visa is the right one.
   
• No, you don't have to be in Australia to apply for it.  Currently it's only taking 3-6 months for the visa to be granted, if you apply from the UK.
   
• Once the visa is granted, he will have a year to activate the visa.  That means he must arrive in Australia and go through Immigration, but it can just be for a holiday.  
   
• Once the visa is activated, he must move permanently to Australia before the "must not arrive after" date on his visa.  That date is 5 years from the date of grant (NOT 5 years from the date of activation). 

So let's say you apply now, and the visa is granted in April, he (and his son) will have until March 2025 to make his activation visit.  Then they will have to make the permanent move before April 2029.

38 minutes ago, Caroline01 said:

I’m 57, 58 in April. Daughter is in Brisbane due to get her PR soon and I’d like to join her once she has settled down, so in next 3-4 years. 
I’ll still be a way off retirement age.

In that case, I would get your 143 application in now.   

There is no visa that will allow you to move in 3-4 years and continue working.  You'd need to go the tourist visa/864 route, and the bridging visa wouldn't have work rights. So if you want to go on working till you're 67, you'll have to stay in the UK.  And if you apply for the 143 now, it should come through just as you're ready to retire.   

Don't forget that while you're waiting, you can travel to Australia every year on tourist visas for holidays. 

I wouldn't wait in hopes that parent visas will get easier.  If anything, they'll get worse. One reason the government is on such a go-slow with parent applications is simply that they don't really want parents to migrate -- they cost the taxpayer too much in Medicare, pensions and aged care.   The Contributory Parent Visa fees sound high, but they don't go anywhere near covering those costs.  There are migrant groups putting pressure on the government to increase the quotas, but although we think of Australia as a migrant country, the number of migrants who want to bring their parents is not a very significant part of the voting population -- and it's all about the votes with government, as we know!  

45 minutes ago, Caroline01 said:

I’m hoping to move to Australia in next couple of years to be with daughter. I’ve looked at various scenarios including applying for 143 visa offshore then prior to travel 870 visa x 2 (5 years). Hopefully by then 143 will be granted. Or 173 then 143, however both seem to have same ridiculous processing time. Now looking at 651 evisitor, leave at 3 months, come back and apply onshore for 143, then apply for bridging visa until 143 is granted. My question is, is last scenario doable. Chat gpt says yes but I’m not sure. 

Never trust ChatGPT.  If it doesn't know the answer, it makes things up.

If you apply for a 143 onshore, you don't get a bridging visa, which means you'll need to go home when your tourist visa expires. 

What you want is the onshore version of the 143, which is the 864.  If you come on a tourist visa, then apply onshore for the 864, you will get a bridging visa and can remain in Australia until the visa is granted.  There are downsides to living in Australia on a bridging visa, including not being able to work, not being able to leave the country (even for a holiday) without special permission, and having to pay hefty fees if you want to buy a home. So be sure you're informed about all that before you decide.

5 hours ago, Jennyrose Shields said:

Hi would love to hear if anyone has retired back to the UK and got a job over 60 yrs . 

We tried retiring to the UK in 2015 (we changed our minds, but that's another story).  

I don't think you'll have any difficulty getting a job in the UK over 60.      Age discrimination in Australia is widespread -- I 'retired' from my usual profession in Australia when I was 55, not because I wanted to, but because I couldn't find anyone willing to employ me!   I have to say, I assumed that was a worldwide phenomenon, not just an Aussie one, so I was very surprised when I got offered a job without any difficulty in the UK.

12 minutes ago, Ken said:

If you are a non-resident with Australian income then you are required to lodge a tax return. There is an exemption for interest and royalties on which the 10% withholding tax has been withheld.

So, the OP does not have to lodge a tax return if his only income is bank interest and the bank has withheld the 10% tax, right?

The OP did say he is selling off the contents of his old home, but he is not running that as a business, he's just disposing of his belongings.  Surely that wouldn't require him to lodge a tax return?

3 hours ago, Perthpops said:

Hi, we are waiting for a 491 and we lodged in October of last year I think. We have just paid to lodge in 3 other places to give us more of a chance too. When did you apply? 

What do you mean, 3 other places?  You should not be applying to other states, if you want WA to take you seriously. 

28 minutes ago, Blue Manna said:

could they go back to live in Australia for a holiday long enough to declare residency (6 months?) when they are around 65-67 to get a full Australian aged pension? 

No.  You must be resident in Australia for 2 years, either before or after you claim the pension.  

So for instance, you could return to Australia 2 years before you're eligible for the pension, then stay until you claim it, then leave the next day -- and you'll get to keep the pension forever.

OR you could wait until you're of eligible age, arrive in Australia and claim it, but then you'll have to stay in the country for 2 full years. If you leave before the 2 years are up, you lose the pension.

Or anything in between.  But the 2 years is non-negotiable.