macca10

Finally got my flights booked and I am heading to meet my family in Japan (they leave a week before me) on our way to Oz at the start of January. We are really excited but nervous at the same time. Everything has gone really smoothly and are looking forward to our new lives down under! I am still applying for jobs but it is difficult to get teaching jobs unless you are already there. We are looking to head to Adelaide but could change our plans to the more expensive Sydney if a job comes up. Hope everyone else is heading in the right direction and plans are going smoothly. @Pinkestlady I am sorry to hear of your loss and please accept my condolences.

Thanks for the offer @chatterbox but I am looking to move to Sydney or Adelaide as I have friends in both places who are willing to help us settle in as we have no family there.

@george8181 Thanks for all the information. Can the process to register be started from the UK or do I need to wait until I land? I am planning to hopefully arrive with my family at the end of the year and presume that the relevant authorities will be on holiday and so had hoped to have my registration done! Do you think this is possible?

Can any maths teachers shed some light on the situation regarding eligibility to teach certain levels of maths - for example, extension 1 and 2. This comes up in job adverts and I am wondering with my BSc in Mathematics and PGDE would I be able to teach these, as i would like to write so on any application forms, or do I need to have prior verification of my qualifications before I can put this? Any advice would be appreciated!

Congrats @Southchick! Enjoy the champagne!

For my children all I did was scan the new passport and attach it to our files. However, if you are the main applicant you may need to fill out a form. I remember checking this on the immi site so a troll through there should help.

@shelz I fully expect my siblings and my wife's parents not to be supportive but this decision is for me and more importantly for a hopefully better life for my children! I am that age whereby if I don't go this year then I will loose too many points to get my visa and so will never know if it was for me! For what it's worth, it's your life and we live by our own successes and failures! I wish you every success in Oz and remember your family are hurting that you are leaving them and so don't want you to go. But they are only a flight away and when I left Scotland to go to Japan in '93 my family (especially my mother who was losing her baby) were unhappy and happy at the same time. They visited me five times and had a ball each and every time just as I believe your family will. All the best!

@Pinkestlady glad to hear you have firm plans and good luck with the interviews. As many people have said us Brits have the drive and determination to make it work and I'm sure you fit into that group! So you'll find a job soon enough!

@Pinkestlady thanks for your message! We have lots to do too and with three kids are planning to hopefully move by the end of the year. House to sell and job to quit or if possible take a career break just in case things don't work out. But to be honest once I go I don't want to return. Just need to get a job sorted in OZ now. Where are you planning to go? We are looking at either Sydney ( expensive I know) or Adelaide. Whichever comes up trumps first, I guess!

YA DANCER! That's Scottish for "we have just been granted our visas"!! Got through on the stroke of nine am Brisbane time and spoke to a lovely CO who took the time to check everything on the phone and as she said I have granted your visas I could hear the emails arriving in my in box. If calling I recommend bang on nine am Brisbane time! That's the second time I have spoken to someone there and the are really courteous and helpful! Good luck to those still waiting! Got to sell my house now!

@HarveySpecter congrats! I called too but gave up after the fifteenth attempt. Maybe I should have persisted a little more. Will try again tomorrow!

@Southchick I'm still waiting, too. But I plan to phone as that seems to be the quickest way to get the sought after response. Hope you hear soon and @HarveySpecter, too!

@teachingcouple I too am a teacher and part of the February gang and was just wondering if you contacted the immigration department to ask about your visa or did they e-mail you with your grant out of the blue? Just getting a little frustrated waiting!!

@Pinkestlady I haven't been on for a while and just noticed your post, CONGRATULATIONS! You guys must be ecstatic! :wink:

@Pinkestlady I am thinking the same as you! Roll on July!!!!!

Feeling frustrated! After finally getting to speak to a CO today I thought I might get the 'golden email' following shortly but instead the CO, who was very nice and courteous, explained that the limits were close and she could not give an indication as to how long the process would now take. I received an email from her to this effect, too. The wait goes on!

I am just off the phone to a CO and have been told that things may need to wait until July as they are very close to filling their quota this financial year. BOOOOOOOOO!

Sorry CaptainC I'm of no use now! :sad: I'm sure someone with more knowledge on this matter will be along soon.

Where is your wife from? It depends on this. Any person from a country other than those noted have to prove their functional English. my wife had to prove her functional English by scoring over 4.5 on the IELTS as she is a Japanese national. She scored 6.0 on the general test. Not that I am bragging but she hasn't actually studied for a long time just used it in day to day life. She did a weeks preparation with me. So if she can do it with this preparation then I believe most people can. Your wife may need to jump through this hoop as well.

@Pinkestlady here's one for you! :hug: Just finished a worrying conversation with my OH. Seems like she is getting worried at the prospect of leaving here and possible money worries over in Oz. Still a long way off for us but a short conversation about Oz with someone who was hoping to go has now started her thinking! I'm trying to be positive and forward thinking for the two of us but as we have three kids she is worrying about short/long term financial issues. I keep saying we'll both get jobs and things will be fine but it isn't sinking in. Oh well!

Well that's the final piece of evidence requested sent today!!! Hope we don't have to wait too long on a reply! Fingers crossed!!!

Well I have finally had confirmation today from DIBP that we don't need the Japanese police checks after all as we have not lived there in the past ten years. I had asked for this to be confirmed by my CO when I first received contact but four people later I got the news I was expecting! It is frustrating that when calling you don't get through directly to someone who can answer these queries quickly and that you have to wait. The great thing is that the Japanese do not charge for these checks and we are only going to be out of pocket for the postage. Hope this helps those of you who posted on this thread.

@Birch4, don't give up. Maybe focus on one of the other English tests instead. By all accounts the PTE looks to be a better test to get the points needed - reading into posts on here.

Has anyone recently managed to upload anything to their Immi account? I have been requested extra information by our CO and I have tried several times to upload it to no avail! Any advice? Thanks.

@Pinkestlady Forgot about that. They must be nursing their hangovers - I know that my friend in Sydney is!!! I have also done the IELTS - Academic too for my skills assessment for my teaching certificate. So, I have been trying to impart my knowledge on my wife. The good thing is that she is doing the General test and only needs 4.5 average to prove functional English and on the practices she is doing ok! We too have everything crossed! Remember, positive thoughts only!