Jon the Hat

On 27/06/2022 at 08:02, Blue Flu said:

Okay then explain to me why so few young people will do hospitality jobs?. I live in one of Perth's prime going out areas and there are shortages galore. Plenty of young people of Uni status rent in the area as well. Few are interested in such roles, but home a lot. 

If there are other jobs you can do and have your evenings free to go out why would you? Hospitality is bloody hard work and the hours are crap.

We are a family of 4, who frankly don't exactly live frugally, but with the current cost or power, food and fuel, we are spending I think about 4500-5000 a month after rent, and before clothes etc.  If you needed to you could trim 1000 off that, but not a lot more without making significant changes.

11 hours ago, dharmaqueen said:

We left in 2013 and waiting for my 19 year old to do the same!

Would need to register for Medicare as well. 

We suspended our medicare to avoid lifetime loading (or whatever it’s called) when we left but not sure if that would apply to someone leaving as a child and returning - either way, a trip to the medicare office (perhaps worth having travel insurance in place for transit & until he gets registered) 

The lifetime loading only kicks in at 31.  It is a scheme designed to encourage people to take out hospital cover insurance, essentially by loading 2% on top of your premiums every year after 31.  

11 hours ago, newjez said:

What's lifetime loading?

18 hours ago, pob said:

I was discussing this with my wife and I have a fair bit of grey in my beard and I told her that when I go for my first job interview I will shave it off that Morning.

As I was shaving my head yesterday I looked in the mirror and looked at the tan on my head and it suddenly occured to me that if I was to shave the day of my interview I would turn up with half my face as white as a sheet! Or worse pasty white with a touch of sunburn?

So when we arrive the deal is that I will shave as soon as we get a car, that way I can get a tan on my chin that will match my forehead.

I am planning on starting my job clean shaven, stubble for the first week and then just start shaving my head and grow my beard out again.

If it makes you feel any better I am 45 but have completely silver hair and it didn't stop me getting a job.

23 hours ago, Blue Flu said:

Finally the WA government has bowed to the inevitable and appears about to legalise the use of Marihuana in this state. About time IMO. 

Is this based on the dubious article in the West Australian about the proposed bill by 2 independent pro legalisation MPs?  McGowan has already quashed it.

Also worth noting if you are looking at a popular high school you may have to sign a 12 months property lease to be able to enrol.  We certainly did.  They have a problem with people "moving" into catchment for a few months.

22 hours ago, Ken said:

In Australia the tax free allowance is pro-rated (so you don't get the full year allowance for a part year) but for all the other tax bands you get the full amount so you'll pay a lower average tax rate than for a full year.

Thanks Ken, I think though pro rated from when you arrive and become tax resident rather than the months you are working?

We chose to move in September.  Logic was I had a bonus paid that month, it is half way through the UK tax year so I get a rebate in the UK, and also in Australia I start work partway through the year and get a rebate as well.  This is due to tax free allowances and tax bands applying for the full year even if you only earn for part of the year.  Benefit depends on your income level, but it all helps.

Weather in Perth was nice Spring, not too hot and improving - got us all used to the heat gradually, not arriving in Jan to full 40 degree heat.  We also got to enjoy UK summer and skipped a winter   

As Quoll said the kids got a couple of months of school pre Christmas break which means they and we had made some friends before the 6 weeks holiday.

Work wise it took me 4 months to secure a role, but I was looking at a senior level where they are not that many around.  Patience paid off.

3 hours ago, ramot said:

When my daughter returned from UK recently, immigration wanted the certificate on her myGov account on her phone, rather than the printed copy. No idea why

They want that everywhere you have to show the certificate now -  hospitals etc. You can forge the paper, you cannot forge the app with the moving tick.  

4 hours ago, Nebsy said:

I can’t use pet air right now as they don’t have a flight that will accommodate my dog breed at this moment unfortunately. Thanks for all your help though, You’ve all all answered everything I was querying. Thanks again. 

Good luck!  Its a stressful time.

7 minutes ago, Nebsy said:

No problems as such no. They just don’t currently offer a route for my dog unfortunately as he’s a chow, but even Pet air included they were unable to include the quarantine fees as they must be paid locally… Any other recommendations would be fab. 

Pretty much all import agencies work like this - we had the same importing our car.  I expect they will send you the invoice for quarantine if it needs to be paid in advance.

On 26/05/2022 at 19:34, Toots said:

That was my thought too.  Wasn't the travel facilitation letter for Covid reasons only?  No excuse now.  Could be lucky though I suppose.

They might have already missed the normal 12 months enter by date, and need the facilitation letter to cover that.  

On the dentist front there is no need to go anywhere near the NHS, many many private dental practices around, and I am sure with experience working here she should be well placed.

Travelling as a dual citizen (homeaffairs.gov.au)

As far as I can see it is possible to enter Australia with your citizenship certificate - they legally have to let you in as you are a citizen and have that right - however the airline might be more difficult to manage.  Generally they don't let you board without an AU passport or a foreign passport with a valid visa.  When you got your citizenship you PR visa no longer exists, and you cannot apply for another visa once a citizen.  I would suggest talking to your airline to see what they say, and also making very sure you get their very early when you fly as they will no doubt want to call immigration in AU to ensure they are not going to get a fine for letting you fly.

Family is important, but only you can decide if it is enough to have to start everything else from scratch.  For some that is exciting, for others a nightmare.

On 04/05/2022 at 18:02, Ausvisitor said:

Thanks that makes sense, I get the week 1/month 1 concept so now I know that it's just normal and not incompetence on my company's payroll team.

Looking forward to about the third week in July

Ha yes me to.  And my final P11d in the Uk so I can get that tax back too!  Tax bonanza in July!

On 30/05/2022 at 04:48, Goinggoing said:

Any views on bdhSterling, bdhTax, Pickfords and Iron Lady?

Have engaged with these organisations. Interested in other views of those with recent experience of these organisations.

We’re a family of dual AUS/UK citizens looking to move to AUS in the next few months for pension, tax, family and lifestyle reasons after three decades in UK.

Cheers!

I used Iron lady to move my car from the UK to Perth in September.  Hassle free and no concerns at all.  Used the top level service.

33 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

Are you a teacher?  I am not a teacher but I come from a family of teachers and my ex-husband is a teacher.  They will all tell you that they chose their specialist subject(s) because they like or even love that subject.  Because they love the subject, they love teaching it to others.  They've spent years studying it so they can do that to the best of their ability

For them, there is nothing so soul-destroying as being shoved into a classroom to teach subjects they know little or nothing about.  And of course, they will then have to spend hours of unpaid overtime reading up on said subject so they can teach it intelligently.  Sure, they know how to control a class, but that's not why they wanted to be a teacher.  And it shows a lack of respect for the many years they spent studying their specialist subject, as well as a lack of respect for the subject they're being asked to teach.

Yes absolutely, I was more thinking in the context of wanting to move to Australia I am sure plenty of people do something a bit different.  I am not suggesting that love of their chosen subject isn't important or that they should be expected to switch to random subjects against their will, just thinking out loud.  I accept your depth of knowledge on the subject!

On 05/05/2022 at 05:33, Ausvisitor said:

Point of the story is make sure you double check with the mortgage provider that they absolutely will honour the offer they make.

And I guess always make absolutely sure your offer on a property is subject to finance approval.  This might be standard in some states, but I am not sure it is everywhere.

On 18/03/2022 at 04:41, Marisawright said:

They may manage once they're in a job, but a far more important question is, how did they get a visa? 

Given how competitive the process is, I find it hard to believe an Immigration official will look at an application and say, "Hmm, this teacher is qualified in Modern Studies.  Not taught in Australia. Never mind, a teacher is a teacher.  And she has done a bit of Geography and we do need Geography teachers.  We'll just ignore all these applications from specialist Geography teachers and pick this one.

I'm not hugely convinced that's what would happen.

Clearly if there were specialist teachers you would expect them to get priority, but I am increasingly convinced that being a great teacher is less about knowledge and more about how you engage and communicate, and also these days control a classroom.  If you had a successful public school teacher with some experience that is probably a better bet that say a specialist subject teacher who only worked in a small private school.

34 minutes ago, Parley said:

What sort of car did you bring over? It would be an issue if the model is not sold here and you will struggle to get replacement parts.

For expensive cars it might be worthwhile given the Luxury Car Tax payable here on new cars over $70,000. However this 33% tax may still be payable if you import the car yourself.

Most mainstream UK cars are the same as here now I think, although of course there are exceptions.  We imported a Landrover Discovery 4, probably saved ourselves $10k on the equivalent car, and more than that on not buying a newer one with house money burning a hole in my pocket!  The only change on our car was the speedo facia for about $200.  All parts the same etc and plenty of main dealer and independent support.  

14 hours ago, Ausvisitor said:

Similar timeframes for most new cars in the UK at the moment too, in England Audi are 18 month waiting list for a number of models (and not just the rate ones some of the standard A3 models)

 

In Aus we looked at a Corolla and told nothing not already sold coming into the country before July and there is a waiting list for those

It is really worth considering importing your car in this environment.  We did and haven't regretted the 5Kgbp it cost for a second.  Cars are crazy expensive here!

We moved to Perth last September, and despite the crazy rental market did in fact find a rental in a week or so, so it can happen.  You do have to be ready to compromise though, or indeed accept a longer time in the airBnb.

Another thing worth noting is that the good public senior schools we were looking for all required a 12 month lease in the catchment to enrol a child.  Primary schools were ok with 6 months.

On a 309 you can come and go to and from Australia as much as you like.  Assuming you plan to continue to the 100 visa after your 2 years, you should be aware that a significant break in relationship would be best supported with evidence, so if you are going without your partner, It is probably worth keeping evidence of your regular communications.

1 hour ago, Ausvisitor said:

I applied after my 44th and still got in before 45 with a 190 visa.

As John mentions don't underestimate how expensive this move will be. I've posted before but by the time I started work we had already spent well over $80k in visas, travel, temp accomodation and a car.

Yes we didn't scrimp but we also didn't go over the top.

Those figures don't even include some of the UK costs involved in selling house and loss of value in car when selling there etc...

Yeah we've easily spent that much.  Probably $100k all in by the time you add in living costs to first paycheck.