Marisawright

On 13/04/2024 at 05:49, 5Evns said:

we have thought about moving to other parts of Aus but my family are in sydney and our jobs are great here so commuting is too difficult especially with young kids. Eg we considered the central coast but there’s no childcare vacancies and DH doesn’t want to commute everyday. We thought about Brisbane, Perth etc but the pull is having my support network in sydney. 

What about Newcastle (NSW)?   Could DH get work there?   I know Sydneysiders rubbish Newcastle but it's based on a very outdated  concept of the city.  

3 hours ago, jessi said:

What about sunbury do you know? 

Would that be a nice neighbourhood for children and teens would anyone know? I see it was mentioned up above.

I see a few kids have recently gone missing around sunbury but then again that could be runaway teens long back home. It's so hard to know without actually being there.

Sunbury is a suburb these days, not a rural area, but (like Caroline Springs) it's right on the very outskirts of Melbourne and still has a country-town feel about it. 

5 hours ago, TheBs said:

Sorry to jump on this, but what about those in their 40s? Assuming time frames by the time we get out I’ll be 40-41 and my husband 45-46.

we have the points as it’s my visa we would apply on so I’m still in the age bracket (just) what about him for finding work? He currently works for the council finance department 

He'll find work, he may just not get the chances at promotion that he would in the UK.

45 minutes ago, Ken said:

If it was the only property he owned (he said he used the money to buy a property in Australia so I'm assuming he didn't already have one) then provided he lived there within the last 6 years, it was still his main residence and so CGT exempt regardless of being rented out.

I know about the exemption, was just trying to keep it simple.  Anyway, I thought that if he bought another property and has been living in it, the UK house can't be claimed as his main residence any more?

4 hours ago, GerryM said:

Did you have to delcare the cash here in Australia and get taxed at all or simply transfer from UK and use for purchase of house here? In similar situation and weary of getting hit with a unexpected tax bill further down the line.

Did you sell your own home, that you were living in before you moved, or was it rented out?

If it was your own home, then there are no Australian tax liabilities.  If you rented it out, even for a short time, then it's an investment property and you should've been declaring the rental income already.   I'd advise using a tax agent to work out what your liability for tax would be, but bottom line is that it doesn't matter because how or when you transfer the money won't make any difference to the tax liability. 

9 hours ago, Rob Frain said:

Airbeds for two weeks(!) 

Actually, beds are the one thing I wouldn't be taking.  They cost a lot to ship compared to what they're worth.  Also, mattresses, sheets etc are not the same size in Australia. 

7 hours ago, YogaLilly said:

I’m ...worrying about such a major life change for her at a young age when there’s no guarantee it would work? 

At your daughter's age, it's going to feel a bit frightening at first, but she'll soon adapt and is likely to find it a wonderful adventure, whether it becomes your forever home or not.   In fact, I'd say it's a good time to give it a try, because you certainly wouldn't want to be moving her once she's 14 or 15 and about to enter her most important years at school.  Right now you have a window where she can recover from the double upheaval if you end up moving back again.

However, I am a little worried about this idea of "work out a schedule where she would come and visit for extended periods".  The Australian school year runs from February to December.  The only opportunity for an "extended" stay would be the summer holidays.    I guess it could work if you both fly back to have Christmas in the UK, then you go back to work and she stays until school starts in February?   It would mean she'd miss out on most of summer in Australia every year and that might affect her friendships here, since she'll miss out on all their summer activities. 

7 hours ago, YogaLilly said:

...and the cost of living is ridiculous.

The cost of living in Australia is higher than in the UK, especially housing if you have to live in one of the capital cities.    That's offset, in some occupations, by higher salaries -- but it's not the case for every occupation, so check out the salaries in your field and make sure you would be earning more, because you'll need it. 

Also research the cost of childcare (before and after school care, holidays etc), which I believe is higher than in the UK.

4 hours ago, jessi said:

The job is near Deer Park/ Caroline springs area. 

Any insider info on a nice village feel neighbourhood commutable? 

Ah that makes a huge difference.   Caroline Springs is right on the very outskirts of Melbourne, almost in the country already.  

https://www.homely.com.au/caroline-springs-melton-melbourne-greater-victoria

5 hours ago, jessi said:

I wouldn't have a clue on how much food would cost each week or car insurance, fuel, kids activities and schools, electricity bills, bins etc. 

I'm not sure if @Cheery Thistle is still around, but she did some thorough research recently and could give you some idea.  People coming from the UK seem to find food expensive, but I think that's partly because pre-prepared food is limited and much more expensive here.   When I was in the UK in 2015, I got so used to buying meal deals in Marks & Sparks and Tesco, it was a shock to come back to Oz and have to start cooking my own meals again!

Quoll makes a good point about the salary.   For senior roles, it's common to talk about a "salary package" rather than a salary.  So that $200,000 could include superannuation, which means it's actually $180,000 salary and $20,000 super (i.e. pension contribution).  It could even include the lease on the car.  So worth checking exactly what the 'base salary' is. 

2 hours ago, MuratGloris said:

Here's my advice. Many migration agents offer free consultations or assessments of your situation. Take this opportunity to talk to several agents and evaluate how they can help you.

I used to recommend that, too.  I don't recommend it these days.  Many of the best agents have stopped offering free consultations because they're far too busy.  Also you'll find a free consult is always very general and they still want you to pay to get an accurate evaluation of your specific circumstances.

2 hours ago, maximum said:

Thanks for the help, I am 44 in September and I know 45 is a age of concern. I will contact an agent and go from there. 

Actually, a much bigger problem is that Firefighter is NOT on any of the current occupation lists.  Paul Hand (who posted above) is a migration agent so he knows what he's talking about.   If your occupation is not on the lists, you cannot get a visa, and there's no way around that. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

2 hours ago, maximum said:

Thanks for the help, I am 44 in September and I know 45 is a age of concern. I will contact an agent and go from there. 

Actually, a much bigger problem is that Firefighter is NOT on any of the current occupation lists.  Paul Hand (who posted above) is a migration agent so he knows what he's talking about.   If your occupation is not on the lists, you cannot get a visa, and there's no way around that. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

20 minutes ago, EJMac said:

Woodend/Gisborne/Macedon is rural and an hour into city on train, similar time to drive but longer in peak hour.

I agree, if they are willing to look at areas which are an hour's commute by train, then there are plenty of lovely rural or semi-rural areas around Melbourne.  

The problem is the driving time.  It isn't just 'longer' in rush hour, it can be very much longer, because once you hit the suburbs, you can get very held up. I wouldn't like to take on a property in those areas assuming it'll be a manageable commute by car.  It would get old very quickly IMO.

@jessi, check realestate.com.au for house prices, and be aware that real estate agents here are crooks -- they shamelessly photoshop the images they post online, so always  assume that the photos look better/bigger than the real thing.  Also bear in mind there are good areas and bad areas in every town and city, so if you see something that's unusually cheap, it's because it's in a bad suburb.   Homely.com.au can help you check that out with their suburb reviews:

https://www.homely.com.au/find-places

7 hours ago, jessi said:

My husband has gotten a good job offer in Melbourne. 

At least I think its good. It would be 200.000 aud per year.

Would we be living ok as a family of 5 on that starting money? We have 2 teenagers and a 5 year old.

If he did accept we would like to live as rural as possible within an hours drive into Melbourne, as he will have to commute. Geelong distance would be good but geelong is a city so far too big for our liking.

Plenty of countryside within the same distance as Geelong.  Look at the stops along the Ballarat or Bendigo railway lines. Alternatively check out the Dandenong mountains (not to be confused with Dandenong the suburb).  

However as BendigoBoy says, if you mean "an hour's drive from the centre of Melbourne at peak hour", then there's nowhere rural within that area.  You'd still be in the Melbourne suburbs.  Melbourne is a sprawling city.  Your oh could certainly get from Geelong to Melbourne in about an hour on the train, but driving in rush hour, it could easily be 2 hours. 

If you go to Google Maps, you can check out driving distances at different times of day by choosing "directions" and selecting the day and time you want to travel. 

Having family and friends in Oz doesn't help you get a visa, so don't worry about that.

How old are you?   If you're young enough to get a Working Holiday Visa (WHV) then that's your best choice, because it will give you two or three years to decide whether Australia is for you.  

If you're too old for that, then you need to find out if you're eligible for a visa.    There are lists of occupations that are wanted in Australia.  If your occupation is on the lists, you can apply for a visa. If it's not on the lists, you can't get a visa, full stop.  So that's the first thing to find out.

As it's a complicated process, the best thing is to book a consultation with a good migration agent.  It will cost you some money but it means you'll know exactly what your options/chances are.  Try Suncoast Migration or Go Matilda.

5 hours ago, mrdgoode said:

I can imagine its going to be an exuberant cost depending on how much involvement we want but, how do you find a reputable migration agent/company?

Asking here is a good start.  There are some agents who visit these forums and are generous and supportive with free advice.   They are Suncoast Migration, Go Matilda, Andre Burger & Associates and Pinoy Australia.  Your agent doesn't have to be in your city as everything is done by email and phone these days.  You can start by asking them for an indicative quote. 

Years ago, few people used an agent. Nowadays it's such a complicated process, it's very wise to use one, even if you're not busy.  Anyhow, as BendigoBoy says, if you can't afford an agent you certainly can't afford to migrate, as it's such a small part of the overall cost.

4 minutes ago, Ausvisitor said:

I guess my experience is different, it's a structured promotion process and everyone who gets the role starts on the same base pay regardless of age.

So if I'm 50 and there is a wunderkid at 25 we will both be paid the same (give or take - this wouldn't happen in reality it's 20 years to get there) so there is no cost change between the oldie or the youngie

Nice to see an enlightened employer, but pay is not the whole story, as the examples above show.  If you are not already in the job, and the 25 year old and the 50 year old would cost the same, most employers will pick the 25 year old (strange to say).

On 09/04/2024 at 06:33, Quoll said:

There are plenty of op shops

Do op shops (charity shops) in Canberra do furniture?   Most of the ones in Sydney didn't when I lived there and there's only a couple in Melbourne that I know of.   They can't afford the rental so their shops are generally too small.  Second-hand furniture shops are unknown in both cities, unless they're high-priced retro.

On 08/04/2024 at 19:35, Rob Frain said:

We have temporarily delayed the Movecube. We have so much stuff. Some people say bring everything you can some people say bring hardly anything and sell it.

That's because different solutions suit different situations.

The easiest option is "bring hardly anything" but it will cost you by far the most, in the long run.  As you're discovering, you'll get peanuts for your existing stuff, and you'll have to replace all of it in Australia.  In the short term, you can keep the cost of replacement down by buying second-hand, but in the long run, you'll give the second-hand stuff away and buy 'proper' furniture, so overall, you'll end up shelling out more

As Lavers says, sit down and do a pretend shop at Harveynorman.com.au. Don't just browse, actually choose what you would need to buy and "Add to Cart", then when you're done, go and look at the total.  That will put the cost of shipping into proportion and help you decide if it's worth it. If you're going to be in a major city, and you're happy with IKEA, then you could do the same on their Australian website -- but do check that there's a branch in the city you're going to, as they're not everywhere by any means.

Have you had a quote for a shared container and compared it to Movecube?  Movecube used to be a great option but the prices have gone up a lot recently.  

Of course, the big downside of shipping everything is the waiting time.  There's not much point in shipping, if you end up having to buy new furniture anyway because the container hasn't arrived.   If you can borrow furniture from friends and family in the UK, then you're sorted -- get an estimate of how long the container will take, and ship early, so you won't have so long to wait at the other end.   

Having said that, it's worth noting that furniture stores here (except IKEA) don't keep stock.  Buy a sofa from Harvey Norman and you'll have to wait 6 to 8 weeks for it to arrive.  So leaving everything behind because you'll be able to furnish your new home quicker here, isn't necessarily true. 

7 hours ago, Peter said:

"You must travel to Australia before your Initial Entry Date (IED) or Must Not Arrive After (MNAA) date. If you can't travel before this date, you will need to hold an alternative visa to travel to Australia"

This means that I can make my first entry to Australia between Initial Entry Date (IED) and Must Not Arrive After (MNAA) date? If not, is there any way to do this? 

If you don't arrive before the Initial entry date, you lose the visa.  However as Paul said, you just have to visit for a holiday, you don't have to move permanently. 

Once you've made that first visit, you've got until the MNAA date to make the actual move.

10 hours ago, Dravest said:

I arrived in Australia in 2014 and have been living here continuously since then.

However, my residency visa expired on the 19th of March 2019, and I'm now unable to apply for a Resident Return 5 Year (subclass 155) visa.

My situation is complicated by the fact that I come from a third world country where civil war has disrupted documentation processes.

As a result, obtaining essential documents like a birth certificate or citizenship proof has been challenging.

Currently, I have limited forms of identification, such as a learner's permit, Medicare card, debit card, and bank statement.

Unfortunately, these are not sufficient to meet the requirements for obtaining a Tax File Number (TFN), leaving me taxed at a higher rate of 47% for my work  I'm seeking advice on how to navigate this situation.

Any suggestions on obtaining necessary identification documents or alternative solutions would be greatly appreciated.

If you had a valid 189 or 190 visa, it doesn't matter that the travel facility has expired.   As long as you don't leave Australia, your visa remains valid and you don't need a RRV.  You need a RRV only if you want to leave Australia temporarily (e.g. for a holiday).  

If you have your foreign passport you can apply with that

https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/tax-file-number/apply-for-a-tfn/foreign-passport-holders-permanent-migrants-and-temporary-visitors-tfn-application

6 hours ago, Celia said:

By the way I am still a British citizen with a British Passport.

Citizenship isn't relevant I'm afraid, it's residency that matters, and you're no longer a UK resident. 

I have the same situation in that I'm locked out of the Barclays website but that can happen for all kinds of reasons. It doesn't mean they have closed the account.  I'd suggest contacting them again and seeing what they say.  If that fails then contact the ombudsman as Philip suggests.

1 hour ago, Ausvisitor said:

That's a very dated view, maybe if your skills are poor and therefore a younger person is as good as you then yes, but for those with actual skills and ability mid 60s is now the normal retirement age.

What does retirement age have to do with it?  We're not talking about people already in a job.  We're talking about people who are trying to find a NEW job in their 60s.   

It's nice to hear that in your field, there is a better attitude, but I can assure you that in many occupations in Australia, ageism is still widespread.  I worked in a male-dominated field so I had already done well to achieve success, and I had a great track record and stellar references. But when I was trying to find a new job at 56, i was told by two recruitment agencies that I stood no chance because (although they'd never put it in writing), all their big clients had an upper age limit of 50 for candidates.  That was a few years ago  now,  but I am told by ex-colleagues that it hasn't changed.

It's highly insulting of you to imply that because I, Quoll and several of our acquaintances have encountered age discrimination, it must be because we were unskilled or bad at our jobs.  What a horrible thing to suggest. I am offended. 

https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/older-people/older-australians/contents/justice-and-safety

https://www.dewr.gov.au/newsroom/articles/ageism-awareness-workplace

20 minutes ago, Paulined said:

Thank you yes we have declared the rental income. I do have an accountant but to be honest he did not seem to be confident what he was telling me.

If the accountant's usual clients are only in the UK or only in Australia, it's very unlikely they're familiar with both tax systems. 

As it's an investment property, you'll just declare it exactly as you would declare the sale of an Australian investment property, but you'll also declare the tax you paid in the UK.  

https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/investments-and-assets/capital-gains-tax/calculating-your-cgt