Marisawright

I'd say if you have what's needed for permanent residency, you should go for that. If it's just a temp job then the appropriate visa is a 457 - but that means if you love Australia so much you want to stay, you'd have to apply all over again, and that leaves the way open for all kinds of things to go wrong -not to mention the cost.

 

wondering how feasible would it be to come across on what looks like it would be the 457 Visa Off my own back as I doubt I would get sponsorship...?

 

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Not possible, you can't get a 457 visa without a sponsor. The whole point of a 457 visa is to let Australian employers hire foreign workers to fill temporary vacancies.

I'm pretty sure the requirement is just that you've lived in Australia legally for 4 years. That includes any kind of visa - you don't have to have PR for that whole time, just as long as you've got PR when you apply.

Once you apply you'll have to wait until you get a date for the test. After you've done the test, there's nothing to stop you going overseas for a holiday, provided there's some way for you to receive the approval letter. However, if immigration gets the idea that you've left permanently, they can cancel it, so be careful what you say!

You must come back to Australia to attend your citizenship ceremony - you're not a citizen until you've attended a ceremony. Your approval letter will tell you which one to attend, but you can ask for the date to be changed. If you don't attend a ceremony within 12 months of applying, they can cancel your citizenship altogether.

Maybe because she hasn't been there before and wants to be 'Central' to everything going on, whatever that may be! Everyone has different ideas of what fun is, some people like to be in the centre close to Bars etc

Ah,but that assumes the best bars and restaurants are in the city. They're not. The pubs and restaurants in Sydney's city centre are aimed at corporate types, except the ones down the south end of town near the cinemas, which are often full of drunks and yobbos.

The best bars, restaurants and cafes are in the Eastern Suburbs - lively areas are Surry Hills near the city, or Coogee or Bondi (where you also have the benefit of being right on the long sandy beaches). There's also a decent amount of hospitality work in those areas.

No medicals and no blood tests, but I realise now that we were probably naive and what we thought would lead to PR is not necessarily the case!

It does sound like it, and I can't emphasise enough that the official purpose of a 457 is to allow temporary workers to fill temporary vacancies, and that's it. So even if an employer promises PR, if he doesn't keep the promise you have no recourse because you never had any legal right to the PR.

With that in mind, personally I think you need to think very carefully about whether you should risk moving out to be with him. If for some reason your husband loses that job - the business gets into difficulties, goes broke, or does a restructure, or he has a disagreement and leaves, whatever - you will have to leave the country. He will get a grace period to look for another sponsor but if he doesn't find one in time, you'll all have to go home. The government won't care if that happens while your daughter's in the middle of exams, you'll have to go.

I am going travelling to Australia in March 16

 

I am looking for a hostel that is quite central

Why is everyone so desperate to be "central" and what do you mean by that? There's a couple of good hostels near Central Station which is handy for the central business district - but most of the fun to be had in Sydney is NOT in the city centre. That's a bit like saying you're going to London and therefore you want to be in a hostel near the Shard.

I'd have thought most backpackers would want the one thing the UK can't offer - long sandy beaches, lively cafes and restaurants and all within easy reach of the city centre if you want to do office work. Most of the people who live in Coogee, Bondi, Bronte and the surrounding suburbs work in the city!

http://www.hostels.com/sydney/australia

Thanks for all your help. Unfortunately February is the only time my parents can visit due to work commitments/my work commitments. Based on the feedback above, the itinerary has been changed, with less time in QLD and a focus on flying between places rather than driving.

 

The new itinerary, is looking as follows (ish);

 

4 nights Sydney

2 nights Blue Mountains

FLY: SYD-MEL

3 nights Melbourne

2 nights Apollo Bay & Port Fairy

FLY: MEL-BRIS

3 nights Byron Bay

FLY: BRIS-CAIRNS.

4 nights Port Douglas

3 nights Daintree

FLY: CAIRNS-SYD

 

I'm a Sydneysider but I wouldn't waste my time in the Blue Mountains. Australians are proud of them but compared to European mountains or the Lake District or Scotland they're nothing special, and there's not a lot of wildlife to see. On a limited trip I wouldn't even bother. Sydney is beautiful because of the harbour: four days is plenty to see it.

Melbourne is a lovely city but again, I can't see there's enough there to justify flying all the way down there. If you've seen Durdle Door,the Great Ocean Road is the same!

Given that they really want to go northwards, I'd suggest hiring a car and driving up the coast from Sydney, they could stop off at the Hunter Valley wineries, Port Stephens for the dolphins and sand dunes, and a few other stops up to Byron Bay.

Although it's hot in February, driving in New South Wales is fine if you have an air-conditioned car. The concern for Queensland is that it's cyclone season, and the further north they go the higher the risk - do they really need to go all the way to Cairns or could they go to the more southerly islands?

That is where the difference might lie because my husband has already passed a skills assessment test. Does that mean that he does have permanent residency then instead of the 457 visa (I have not been able to talk to OH yet to confirm)?

It probably just means your husband's employer is serious about sponsoring him for PR eventually - but that still does NOT mean it's guaranteed. The employer is still under NO obligation to proceed with the sponsorship or even to continue employing your oh until the end of his contract: if times get tough, he can be terminated at any time.

Hello , we are moving over next year when visa comes in, we was going to take all our furniture and stuff, but after shopping on line with local stores the price of just taking some of it is outrageous , and to kit a house house for 5 people I summed it all up to about £5000, and that is from everything from tea towels to bbq cutlery and pegs, beds sofas TV and kitchen stuff. If your furniture is expensive then worth taking, but if you want it to be there roughly after 3 was of getting there need to send it about 5-6wks before you go. Check out theses stores to see prices , thegoodguys , fanstastic furniture and there is many more too, plus if buy in bulk you can get the prices down too and freebies. Just make sure all foot wear is clean and if taking bikes there are clean good, use jeye fluid as you can smell it lol

The trouble with shopping online is that you can't check quality. If you're happy with Argos furniture then Fantastic Furniture is fine - if you prefer quality furniture that's going to last, it will cost you three or four times as much.

A better approach is to work out how much it would cost you to replace your furniture if you had to replace it in the UK. That way you know you're comparing the same quality of stuff. We've had some long debates about the cost of household goods between the two countries and there are pluses and minuses depending on where you live and where you're going - so work with what you know, not the unknowns.

The other thing to consider - which I didn't think of when I left my stuff behind - is the sheer time and hassle involved in having to trek around and buy everything new, at a time when you've got enough other stress on your plate already.

You're going to have to book holiday accommodation airBnB or a house sitting for a month when you arrive anyway,while you look for a rental, so the waiting time for your stuff isn't as long as it sounds, especially if you're able to send it off a few weeks before you leave (something that isn't always as hard as you think, if you can borrow stuff from family/friends and "camp" in the house).

My hubby is actually working in Riverwood and I guess we just looked at a map to see what places were in and around that area. It is very hard to make a decision without actually going out to see the place for myself. My daughter and I are planning on travelling out at Christmas for a holiday and to have a bit of a recce. I am also planning on going out before the Ozzy schools break up so I might be able to go and view a few schools. So my question is, where would be a good place to live within a 30-45 minute travelling distance of Riverwood NSW, but has fantastic schools, a friendly community, and is reasonably rural, although I do want shops. I do not want to live in the middle of nowhere lol! Any recommendations?

Riverwood is south-ish, I used to live not far from there in Oatley. There's an exit from the M5 there which is why your oh has looked at Campbelltown - it's a direct run. However the M5 can be at a standstill in rush-hour and it's a very long run if that happens!

You can use Google Maps to work out travel distances. Personally I'd be looking further south rather than going west - part of the Aussie lifestyle is the beaches, and in Campbelltown you'd be a very very long way away from them!

The Sutherland Shire and St George are the areas to look in - not rural, but leafy.

I think my OH looked at Campeltown quickly and thought that the property prices sounded fairly reasonable, but I think that my main consideration now will be to go to an area that has a school offering the IB as I do not want her to suffer at all with her education. I feel that way she will cover off all of her options.

Be cautious about the IB because my sister took the same route with her children, because they were thinking of moving to France. They decided to stay in the UK and when I talked to her recently, she was regretting the decision to put them through IB. I can't remember why but will talk to her.

Been here over 2 years yes.

 

As mentioned above , things can change down the track, but if I was to go back to the UK and not return in that 5year period, can I extend it?

 

 

Right now, yes I believe you could extend it. But bear in mind, that could change at any time. The rules used to be much harsher - when I arrived 30 years ago, if I left Australia for more than two years I'd lose my PR and wouldn't be allowed to re-apply, end of story. Who knows, there's nothing to stop them going back to that regime if they feel like it - and if they do, you're stuffed.

Looking back at your other threads, you were so thrilled to get your PR, what's changed? Could you make some changes to your life in Australia that would make things more bearable?

Is the area ok where wake up is?

That end of George Street, right down near Central Station, can be a bit dodgy late at night but otherwise you'll be fine.

Firstly, let me say thank you for all your response which are much appreciated. Now somewhere along the line my hubby mentioned permanent residency so this is a point I need to clarify: are we on a 247 or PR. Obviously that would make a huge difference on where we stand.

 

We will be living in Sydney which I believe is really expensive for housing. My husband had a quick recce in Campbelltown and said it seemed nice and a lot cheaper.

It's very possible your husband has mentioned permanent residence even if he's on a temporary visa: it's common for employers to say that they will sponsor for PR further down the track. However, that has to be treated VERY cautiously because it's not a "will" - it's just a "maybe".

It's exactly the same as when you get a temp job in the UK and the employer says it will become permanent eventually. The employer is under no obligation to fulfil that commitment - if business is bad or needs change, you're just a temp and therefore the first to go. These forums are full of people who were "promised" PR and found themselves forced to leave the country when their 457 finished.

Yes, Sydney is expensive. Campbelltown is much cheaper and if you like rural life, it may suit you - but it is a very long way from Sydney proper and as an ex-Sydneysider myself, I don't really consider it Sydney.

I agree with Jacaranda, one country isn't better than another, they're just different - and different people like different things. So some people love Australia whereas others hate it.

My biggest concern in your case is the fact that your oh is on a 457 visa - for a couple of reasons.

One, that's just a temporary visa - if you move out there and then he loses his job, you'll all have to leave the country. Having a temporary visa doesn't give him or you any special rights to apply for a permanent visa and stay - if you didn't qualify for a permanent visa applying from the UK, you won't qualify just because you're in Oz.

Two, on a 457 visa you get no benefits or allowances, and I believe you'll have to pay school fees and must have health insurance as well. It would be wise to find out how much the school fees would be. If your husband is on a good wage and you're confident you can afford those extra costs then it could be a great adventure for the family, but as you say you've got to be sure it's affordable. Good luck!

Hi this is my first post haven't got a clue if its right so here goes ,I'm moving to perth with the family and need a bit of advice on shipping over all the house stuff were coming over late November and need all the help I can get on sorting house rentals as well cheers in advance

Welcome Altheglaze. It's unlikely you'll be able to get a house rental organised before you leave. It probably wouldn't be practical anyway, because your furniture etc. will take at least a month to get there and probably longer, so you'd be sitting in an empty house with no crockery, cutlery etc (Australian houses are rented unfurnished).

What you'll need to do is organise holiday accommodation, airbnb or house sitting for the first month or so while you look for a rental.

As for shipping, start decluttering now as there's no point paying to transport junk! You may be surprised how much you've collected so don't assume, take a good hard look in all your storage areas.

I am travelling with my boyfriend so really it wouldn't matter much to me, I'm not worried about people in the area its more noise and how busy it is, wondering if it's better to stay somewhere a bit quieter. I am thinking of staying centrally for the first few nights to maybe a week and then heading to a beach resort, maybe Bondi or Coogee?

It's a matter of personal preference but I like Coogee better. Bondi is a bit too popular for its own good, whereas Coogee has just as many restaurants and cafes, the beach is just as good and it's a bit cheaper.

I guess it depends what you're planning to do in Sydney. If you're just going to sightsee then I can see the point of starting out in town to see that area then moving out to the beach - if you're planning to work, then I'd suggest making straight for Coogee or Randwick so you can get settled quicker. It's still close enough to the city to do all the sightseeing you need in your spare time.

I've noted down coogee as a place to live after you mentioned it Maria

It's gorgeous, like Bondi SHOULD be! Bronte is also lovely. Both can be expensive though - Randwick and Kingsford are a lot cheaper and still very easy to get to the beaches at Coogee, Bronte and Maroubra.

I do love Tassie and one aspect that I love is the cooler weather...... When I moved over my company offered me the choice of Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra or Brisbane. I chose Brisbane due to the weather and it's taken quite a few years to be over it....Now I love the winter and am a bit 'Meh' about the summer. I am hoping that I have got over my need for sunshine, but without experiencing long periods of crummy weather it is difficult to know. Frost seems as exotic as the pebble beach in Brighton.... But it really could be the rose tints......

My oh is very much the same as you and has been relishing the cooler weather ever since we arrived in the UK (though all the locals are moaning about what an awful summer it is!). However over the last week or so we've had several days of cold windy weather with lashing rain, and he is starting to get a bit worried about how he'll cope with the winter. He comes from the Adriatic and migrated to Oz as a small child, so he's never known really horrible weather.

He's starting to talk about staying in So'ton until spring rather than moving further north, in case he finds winter is more than he can handle!

@Vaszx, I've deleted your post with your email address on it, for your own safety! It's never a good idea to reveal your email address in an open forum, because it will get picked up by spammers and you'll get lots of spam emails. ThePomQueen will send you an email via the forum's messaging system.

Yeap

but I have no friends there

A lot of people say it's hard to make friends in the big cities of Australia, but smaller towns and the country are very friendly and you'll have no trouble getting to meet new friends IMO.

Are there any hostels on this one street or near by the alleys which you would avoid, im not bothered about the people looking for places to sleep, saying that.. im not really that bothered about prostitutes either but i guess if there is anywhere to avoid it would be this street?

I think you're focussing on the wrong thing. Even if you avoid hostels that are down the wrong alley, you still have to walk through the streets around it to get to places. MaryRose and Paul are right, King's Cross is really not that frightening most of the time - but they're both men so it's a bit different for them.

I used to work in an office in Potts Point - in Tusculum Street which is a lovely genteel looking street. But you should've seen the syringes littered down the alleyway at the side of the property. Knowing that, when I had to work late I used to practically run through Potts Point until I got to the bright lights of the Cross!

I'm still curious why you feel a city hostel is more desirable than a beach one?

I agree, get an agent. It's a nice idea to arrange it all with another family and it all seems nice and cosy because it's through PomsinOz, but at the end of the day, you still don't know that family from a bar of soap, and you won't be there to keep an eye on the house while you're away.

Get a small self-storage unit and put all your valuables and stuff you care about in it, then let the house furnished. Furnished lets are less common in Australia but they do exist and you will get a tenant. Even with an agent, there's nothing to stop you publicising its availability on this forum.

thank you all. the advice i have been given clearly is not good and they were registered. I shall ask my fiance to follow up with a complaint his end since it was a migration lawyer in Australia that provided us with this information. I would never knowingly do things outside the correct process or cut corners. I hope it has not come across as such. This has been really useful feedback from you all.

I don't think anyone is suggesting you're trying to be dishonest. The fact that you said migration lawyer was a bit of a red flag to some of us, because you don't have to be a lawyer to be a migration agent - and someone can be qualified and registered as a lawyer (not as a migration agent) and still know f*all about correct migration procedures!

I've been told by a lot of people to try to avoid Kings X if possible.. and to be honest, it does sound a bit much! ... I've heard a few people stay somewhere called Gleebe? I think it was.. is that correct? And if so could anyone advise what its like/is it close to places etc? I don't want to end up miles away from everything

Glebe is nice, but have you thought about beach suburbs? Coogee/Randwick area is great, lots of cafes to find work, easy to get to the city too. Bondi can be a bit rough and more of a trek to town, plus it's so popular you might have trouble getting in.