fortytwo

You can get Opal cards from the newsagent and then register them online. I did so from the newsagent in Erskinville station last week.

We have now arrived in Oz and my wife has started looking for work.

She had a slightly bizarre call with a recruiter who told her you can register in NZBOT and then apply for registration with APHRA without having to do a desktop audit.

Anyone heard of this or got any experience?

From a recent trip

Great idea. Keep them coming. We move out soon so after all the help we can get.

I can relate. Three weeks left until my last day and leaving a job I love with good people and feeling a bit down about it. That said, looking to the future and the adventure ahead and trying to remember this is just one moment in time and the sadness will pass.

Yes the cafe does good food and a real meeting point for locals. My sister in law is in Perth and we go there quite often when visiting. I don't know much about the local area though.

I quite like Quinns rock - bit different. Million dollar houses by old fashioned shacks

I am an art director/designer and head up a small team and we specialise in ecommerce for luxury brands. Not quite sure where I'll end up in Sydney right now though but yes the market does seem good right now.

We spent six months in Sydney back in 2008 and lived in Manly and Crows Nest.

This time around we are thinking possibly going back to Crows Nest area or maybe out Coogee-Maroubrah way.

We're winging it and yes it's pretty exciting stuff.

Keep me posted on how you get on. Always up for a beer!

How old are you? If you're under thirty you could get a WHV.

Could you then come out on a working holiday visa and hook up company sponsorship during that year?

I came originally on a WHV and I came home but during that year I was offered a couple of sponsored roles.

I am web designer/art director working in digital sector.

Do you have a portfolio site?

We're aiming to arrive the beginning of August - anyone else on PIO hitting Sydney around then?

We are both 32. I work in the Web Design industry and my OH is an occupational therapist. Neither of us have jobs sorted yet do very interesting times!

Be cool to meet some fellow PIOs when were there on our lonesome.

If you get a license in one state and then move states do you need to then get another license in your new state?

Hi Bosco,

No it doesn't make a difference, Jenny has looked in to that. Speaking to her sister who came in as a nurse pre-APHRA it used to be that the oz-uk education systems were like for like but unfortunately for us poms now you need to go through this process.

I guess the process is the reality and we will have to deal with it even if that means finding alternative work initially.

Will post any updates here for sure.

Thanks for the advice. Congrats on your offer. I hope it all works out. Where are you?

This is a bit worrying. My wife and I are emigrating to Sydney in June/July. She is Australian born but trained and has worked for a couple of years here in the UK.

She spent last weekend getting her CV in order and doing her OTC rego.

Keep us posted in how you get on.

Great post Quinkla. I just got PR through spouse visa and this was helpful.

How easy it it to exchange your driving license?

Stupid question but... When you actually arrive with your partner visa what actually happens?

Do they just scan and you're in easy as if you're a tourist or is there a bit more to it?

Wow! Got the grant this afternoon.

Lodged on 11 June 2013 and granted today.

Massive thank you to all the people on the forum who have given us advice. A surreal but very excited feeling.

Congrats!

* crosses fingers for a few more grants this week *

Ours lodged 6 June... Still waiting and looking at this thread every five minutes

Well I'm excited to hear of these grants! Congrats to all.

I emailed my CO to let her know I intend to apply for an evisitor visa for next month to attend a wedding. No reply which I kinda expected as her last email said she had everything and that should I need to travel to oz I could do an appropriate visa.

it would just be awesome to use this upcoming trip as an activation trip.

edge of seat!!!

Thanks Snifter I sent a short email today just explaining my situation and I'm keeping very quiet about my plans until I know 100%

Our application was lodged in London in the first week of June.

We are actually going out to Oz mid February for wedding.

As this is so close to the end of the processing window I wonder if I should email my CO to inform them.

I wasn't too bothered but at my current job someone who wold make my ideal replacement has just applied for a job. My work do not know of my plans to leave and they will be sad to lose me but this applicant is perfect. But I do not want to give my notice without knowing I have the visa. It would be a good opp to activate the visa assuming it was granted before.

What do you guys think?

thx