themaccas

Moved over nearly 5years ago on a bit of a whim, saw an advert for nurses and midwives needed in NSW and booked an appointment in London with the recruitment team. Was offered a job and permanent residency sponsorship on the spot so decided to go through the process to see where it took us. 9 months later we were in Sydney and haven't looked back since. We love our life here and jobs and careers have worked out bette than we could have hoped for. We have just been approved for citizenship and we are in the middle of building a house, buying a home has taken far longer than we had hoped due to the crazy Sydney housing costs but we will be in our own place by Xmas. To all those considering it...take the chance you never know where it will lead, we have been back to the UK for visits a few times and each time we have looked forward to coming back home to Aus! We are here for good!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Everything is more expensive in Aus except petrol!! Although....when I was visiting the UK last year I was very surprised to see how much things had increased in price. Clothing...food...entrance prices. Sent from my iPhone using PomsinOz

I think that will be tough going, everything is more expensive in Aus. When we moved over 4 years ago we had 3 dependent children and I was taking home $1500 a week, rent was $750 a week (Sydney) and our food budget was and still is $300+ a week now with 2 dependent children, petrol is about the only thing cheaper than the UK. Not sure if prices are more expensive or the same in Tas, many things will need to be transported there for sale but it is a beautiful place! Do you need to pay for school fees? Some states make you pay for public school fees on a 457...NSW do but Victoria doesn't! Good luck with your application try and make it work, it is so worth being here!! Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

We do!!!! Family season ticket holders :-)

I moved out here in June 2012 followed by our children in August 2012 then hubby 2012. We have never been risk takers, always played things safe but hubby was in the RAF for 29 years so we were used to moving every 2 years to new towns/cities starting new schools and jobs so emigration was a thought from about 2008 when I qualified as a midwife. We put it aside for a few years as life was good in the UK and kids were settled and we bought a lovely house in Cambridge. Then...I had some 'me' time in 2011 (from my lovely husband that lasted just three weeks lol) but I came out to Aus to visit friends in Melbourne and Sydney. Whilst here I visited a few hospitals, by thought hmmmm maybe we would come here and live, I had a great time. Back home I discussed it with hubby, and OMG....it was like a perfect storm, everything slotted into place!! I looked discovered NSW Health were going to be in London interviewing nurses and midwives for sponsorship at the same time we had already booked a London break, submitted my CV, was interviewed and offered a job at just where I wanted us to go, my AHPRA registration was approved in just 6 weeks, our PR visa took just 3 weeks to be approved, the hospital I was going to contacted me and asked me if they could interview me for a manager post which I was then successful in getting, hubby was medically discharged from the RAF on a full medical pension (tax free too) our eldest graduated from uni and decided to come with us, we sold our house (lost a LOT of money but still had equity to come to Aus with). We are now living in our rental in Sydney been here since July 2012 and hopefully we will buy a home in 12 months time after we have saved a bit more. Hubby landed a fantastic job 3 months ago and I was promoted again in June this year. Our eldest got a job in North Sydney using his degree qualification and moved out 4 months ago, our other two children are loving it here and joining in everything thats going on. We have season tickets to Aussie Rules Footy and for the Sydney Opera House, we have travelled so much since being here and we have found most aussies lovely, welcoming and friendly. On my first day at work I was given a little pack by the midwives at work, it consisted of English tea, lamingtons, vegimite, bottle of shiraz and a Boags beer and some aussie flags. I love the pom/aussie banter and have a lot of fun with everyone about it. Financially we are better off than we have ever been sometimes we look at each other and can not believe how good things have worked out for us. Outside of work I run with a running group and we have all become really good friends, hubby has joined the BushWalkers search and Rescue team and we are determined to integrate and not live an 'expat' life. That's not to say we have not had our challenges, emigrating takes enormous resources, mentally, emotionally and financially. So the negatives....well my mum has become seriously ill and I am going back to visit her next May but may need to bring the flight forward. I miss not being able to jump in the car and drive to see her. I miss my friends very much too and whilst the wages we earn are nothing like we could have got in the UK, everything is so expensive in comparison (except petrol). However, this is our life and we are NOT moving back, we are so pleased to have made the move, so happy we took a risk. We are looking forward to getting our citizenship and hopefully buying a house but not looking forward to the huge mortgage that will come with it here in Sydney!! I have loved reading all the stories.