MrTee

I can get her permission Cheers for telling it how it is. When the Gorgon project was being built, they were desperate to get Brits out there ... was offered work frequently with offers of arranging a visa ... seems its not so busy out there now. If i could go out there with my equipment and job about as a contractor that would be my preference, though my understanding is the sponsored visa is only for work with the one company. I am happy to pay for the visa out of my own pocket.

I'm a welding inspector and Phased Array/ToFD ... id expect to take a huge cut on day rate to move to OZ, as id be going from contractor who hires out equipment .. to PAYE employee. Best wages and conditions are in Norway, nowhere else on earth comes close. 2 weeks on 4 weeks off, for full yearly pay, on rigs that can be like hotels with masses of fresh food to choose from ... and no sharing rooms. Yet just a few hundred metres away in UK sector its 3 on 3 off so people are shattered ... and always sharing rooms, often with someone on he same shift ... and can be 3 to a room .... plus deep fried everything served by a grimacing Glaswegian.

Yes no issue on that score ... she moved back to her country of origin without even telling us! (had separated years earlier)

Thanks, for that ... and thanks to all others offering advice. Wil search for a migration agent.

Hi thanks for all your replies. I can move to Thailand as my daughter has a passport for there ... but its too hot most the year, and i couldnt imagine spending the last 1/3 of my life there .. plus the opportunities would be limited for daughter. Can move to the USA, but its too violent. Canada is too cold. NZ is too far if i need to work in Europe, the extra few hours are a killer. Northern Europe is less fun than England, and has similar problems, plus Brits don't move to Europe at working age even prior to Brexit due to not speaking the lingo. Basically Australia as the language / climate / job prospects for kid/ safety to live an OK life. Contacted several companies, since i initially posted, a few have got back to me .. but as soon as i said im 49, they go quiet ... not sure why as it was only a short time ago that i was 25! I'm not too fussed about getting PR for myself, its more a case of getting my kid out there, and getting her settled whilst she is almost young ... as she is academic, id imagine in time she could get PR, after studying at Uni, then the 2 year working holiday visa ... at which point i can pay for the parental visa which i see is very expensive. More a case of getting the 4 year work visa for myself, which just about sees her finish pre uni education.

Im one of the many who has had enough of England, and looking to OZ as a possibility. Though, it seems my age is against me (49), and i'm a single parent to a soon to be 14 year old girl. My qualification as a Welding Inspector/NDT tech seems to be on the list for skilled immigrants. Is it viable to move out there with a Student visa for my daughter and put her into private school ... and initially get the relevant parental visa to allow me to stay in country .... then attempt to get a temporary visa for 2/3 years to work as a Welding Inspector/NDT tech? Ive a fair chunk of money i.e. best part of £450,000, so can afford to buy a house, and have some spare to tide us over ... plus I can work overseas on short contracts earning 4 figures in USD a day. Realise as im coming up to 50, there is no chance of permanent residency, more a move to give my kid some fun in the rest of her childhood, and to put down roots for her so she has a better place to live in the future. IMHO England/UK is screwed and is only going to get worse, so desperate to get out.