Cheery Thistle

Hi Simon Things we are doing to try and get a place: Making a PDF rental CV of who we are, with our background, qualifications, pictures of our home in the UK (inside and out), how long we intend to stay, level of savings, weekly rental budget, references (including an Australian reference and guarantor). Check out local Facebook and network pages for anyone potentially breaking lease. Be prepared to potentially offer more rent than advertised or bigger bond or both and /or 3-6 months rent up front. No messing around. I know your brother is on the ground there which is a massive advantage - get him asking around on your behalf - I think in QLD it’s very much who you know not what you know. Be consistent and persistent with agents - they may not be responding to you because you are not yet on the ground and maybe don’t have proof of travel or a job there yet. Once you are there go round agents in person, hand in your rental CV and introduce yourself and check in with them regularly. The rental crisis is a concern but let’s face it you’re at a really big advantage already having family there. This move is huge and is not going to be without challenges - you cannot fall at the first hurdle. Come on, big boy pants on!

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Looking for a qualified and reliable professional to inform on the following: - Tax on property income from UK when Aus PR - Pensions - how and when we set up to keep paying NI contributions for pension stamp in UK so that we can draw UK state pension when time comes - Tax implications of property disposal of UK properties when PR in Aus - Pensions - what should/can we do with occupational and private pension pots from UK Ideally if you have actually used the person and been happy with the info and service provided.

Hi you’d be better looking on Seek and and WA government site for vacancies. A lot of folk on here are retired and in all honestly nobody can really speak to your own job chances anyway. I think you’re probably better on a spousal visa but others might know more about that.

What’s your profession? I used Down Under Centre and they were great for me. My 189 was done in 6 months end to end. They are particularly good with nurses, trades and teachers I think. Others that come recommended are Emergico and True Blue. If you have any complicating factors like medical conditions or children with specific needs it might be best to seek someone who has experience of that. All the best with it.

Definitely consult with one of the reputable agents about your best options - either Alan Collett or I have had some dealings with Emergico on parent visas and they seemed very professional and helpful. As for the rest of it, you seem very far from an idiot and have done well for yourself in your 82 years of life, I don’t doubt you will be able to find relevant information and advice and make good decisions for yourself. Good for you for being up for such a big leap at your stage of life and I hope it all works out for you. After caring for your husband you deserve to think about you and what will make you happy.

Let me know what you think! Interested to see if I’m being dramatic or not.

I think the discussion was about value.

Maybe the mugs are the UK taxpayers for allowing medical tourism!! Haha JOKES! Before you go in a big huff. Well, I’ll tell you one thing, the Aussie butchers are not getting my wisdom teeth!!

I think $6k is not a lot, even a $500k mortgage is going to cost between $3-4k a month. So unless mortgage is low it doesn’t leave much for living. If you’ve paid the London mortgage off you should be quids in for buying something in Aus, at least you’ll have a big deposit if not enough to buy outright. From what you’re saying it’s a no-brainer to move.

You have also openly stated on this forum that you access an NHS dentist on trips home in order to avoid paying for treatment in Aus. Come on now IV, behave yourself!!

You’re right, we’d need to know where they’re coming from, but we don’t so you need to base it on average of sorts. That said, I think rents in any Aus state capital are comparable with London/South England. Purchase prices vary but are definitely overall higher in Aus on average.

That’s because you’re tight! It’s actually a bit different when you have kids as well. There’s other things to consider. OP has 3 children so would need to think about things they might need and weigh up potential costs. A lot of the contributors on here have kids who have long flown the nest! We have private healthcare here in UK so will be pricing and considering it in Aus. As usual a lot of splitting hairs on this forum and bickering which is not helpful to the OP. Main point is, regardless of whether you call it ‘extras’ ‘insurance cover’ ‘ambulance cover’ or just ‘invoices for medical care’, there will certainly be more costs involved in health are in Aus than there are in the UK. Charges for dental care, prescriptions, etc and that is what is relevant to the OP regarding general costs of living.

So, we agree, you need some kind of health insurance! Extras cover, is insurance cover that you pay for. It’s not something you have to pay for in the UK.

How much do you need in the UK? Probably take that figure and add about 25%. From my research houses and cars are more expensive. Fuel is cheaper, but you’ll likely cover longer distances in the car. You need some sort of health insurance/ambulance cover and you will likely have to pay for dental treatment. School fees/levies and contributions exist and uniforms/materials are pricey, with 3 kids that’s going to add up. Have a look into schools in the area you are looking to move to. Kids activities look about the same price or a bit cheaper and there are more ‘free’ or cheap things to do when weather is good. Food is about the same as UK, more seasonal and maybe a bit pricier. Utilities are cheaper (for us but we are in Scotland and pay £££ for gas for heating). All told I don’t think there’s going to be that much in it, I am expecting Aus to be about 20-25% more expensive and hoping that the better salary will help absorb some of that.

It’s relatively low cost to get a skills assessment and submit an EOI. Have a look at the AITSL criteria for skills assessment and see if you think you’ll pass. You need 4 years at uni and to prove so many days supervised teaching. I am a French teacher and got my 189 in 2023 on 65 points so it can be done.

Loads of native speakers score less than 90 in sections of the PTE.

I can’t compare it as I didn’t look at the others, but I wouldn’t call the PTE Academic ‘true to life’ unless you regularly sit and spontaneously describe pictures of the solar system or electric substations in your free time! If you do PTE I recommend completing a couple of mock tests and also using the E2 YouTube videos to help prepare for it. Being a linguist and generally quite literate person I thought it would be easy but I did actually have to study for it. Bear in mind it’s marked by an algorithm so pace, fluency and intonation are really important - I think half the time you could almost be saying anything as long as you are fluent and sound natural!

We have a few options for work I think. I’m quite niche in a way - I’d call myself a learning designer/learning technologist I suppose. Day to day I create online and blended learning training solutions for public sector organisations. There is private and public sector work in my field in Aus - preference would be public sector as that’s where all my experience is in the UK. I’m a qualified teacher and was a middle manager in a ‘good’ state school for some years. European languages is my subject so again, a bit niche, but I would say I feel quite comfortable in English, social subjects, humanities. Less so in science or maths. But I always say you teach children not subjects lol. The visa is on my teaching quals so all AITSL approved and I’m well qualified by both UK and Aus standards. I think my absolute dream job would combine digital solutions and education in some way. Hubby is a self employed gas engineer here. He has had his own business in one guise or another for 25 years. He’s an ex-commando, then had a transport business, then helped run his family business, and has had his gas business for about 7 years now. He’s not going to redo his qualifications so looking at facilities management, pest control or water technician roles.

It’s a wee bit sad. It was always gritty but vibrant. Now we just have the gritty lol. They are also knocking down Buchanan Galleries and St Enochs and Fraser’s is clinging on for dear life. Both Fraser’s and Jenners closed in Edinburgh. Let’s hope it’s another evolution for Glasgow and things will get better. https://www.glasgowworld.com/news/people/st-enoch-centre-and-buchanan-galleries-plans-mark-end-of-an-era-for-glasgow-city-centre-3650547

All booked! Just the car hire to sort out….

I agree. My comment was in response to BB.

Not sure at this point, hoping things will become clearer after our visit!

It’s grim. I make it my mission to avoid the central tunnel on the way to/from work.

Thanks for all the info. My instinct is saying private, possibly Catholic. Will keep you all posted on progress.