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We have been in the process of applying to move to Brisbane. We paid £1,100 to one agent, who has now passed us to another who want a further £1,400. They also want to find us a job, but we're not sure please advise.....:arghh:

Good chat tonight with the industry experts, lots of info gained!

Plan ahead by moving overseas with the experts! Moving to Australia is not without its ups and downs. To make sure you stay ahead of the game, it pays to be well informed. Everyone wants to start their new life down under with as much money as possible and there are a number of things you can do to ensure you make the most of your funds. Key topics always discussed on the forum include moving your possessions, shipping your car, transferring your money into your new Australian bank account and getting a mortgage, shipping pets and transit insurance. Poms in Oz is hosting our final Live Chat session for 2011 with leading experts in banking, currency exchange, international removals, pet transportation & insurance and these sessions will take place on Wednesday 07th December 2011 from 7pm-9pm (UK Time). National Australia Bank, Moneycorp, PSS International Removals, PetAirUK and Insure Your Move will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about your move. To participate, click on the 'chat' menu option at the top of the page. Clicking on chat will launch the chat software. There will different 'rooms' for each of the different companies. Unregistered guests can participate by following this link - Chat with Industry Experts, then, once the chat software has loaded, tick the 'Guest' option at the top of the chat window, then choose a username and click 'Login' and enter the 'Moneycorp, NAB, PSS, PetAirUK or InsureYOurMove' chat rooms. National Australia Bank [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/chat-nab.png[/img2] Lynette Masters will talk about the Australian Banking system providing you with some insights as to what is different between the UK and Australia. She will also talk about how straight forward it is to open an Australian Bank account before you leave home and some of the services you should consider. Moneycorp [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/chat-moneycorp.png[/img2] Whether you are moving to Australia, or living there already, John Kinghorn will bring you the latest updates on the Aussie dollar and provide insight into the key factors influencing market movements. Exchange rates are constantly fluctuating and transferring your funds at the right time, via the right channel, can make a big difference to the amount of money you actually end up with. PSS International Removals [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/chat-pss.png[/img2] One of the key ingredients when you are moving overseas is the planning of your removal. Liam Witham will be on hand to offer advice and answer any questions you may have regarding the packing and shipping of your household effects, including what items you can ship to Australia, Australian Customs procedures and AQIS. PetAir UK [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/petair.png[/img2] PetAir UK is a unique pet travel service run by specialised vets for ultimate peace of mind. We will transport your pets safely and comfortably - worldwide. No matter what the journey, we will remove the stress of complicated pet travel arrangements and ensure the best possible service to our clients and their much-loved companions is one of our highest priorities. We operate a 'one of the family' policy, where all animals are treated with the same respect and care as our own pets. We know how much it means to you that your beloved pet arrives safely and by using PetAir UK you can assure yourself you are providing the very best care for your pet. We offer truly comprehensive packages which provide absolute continuity from start to finish. Every client is allocated one of our personal veterinary consultants who will oversee every step of the process. From complex documentation and import permit applications through to last minute flight changes, nothing is a problem for our competent and dedicated team. Insure Your Move [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/insure_your_move.gif[/img2] Insure Your Move provide some of the most competitive insurance rates for removals to Australia and New Zealand. The Policy is underwritten by the Royal & Sun Alliance plc and the coverage afforded is second to none. If you want to know more about the actual cover or why it is important to take out insurance then please feel free to ask John who has over 15 years experience in the moving industry working with both removers and multi-national corporate clients.

Plan ahead by moving overseas with the experts! Moving to Australia is not without its ups and downs. To make sure you stay ahead of the game, it pays to be well informed. Everyone wants to start their new life down under with as much money as possible and there are a number of things you can do to ensure you make the most of your funds. Key topics always discussed on the forum include moving your possessions, shipping your car, transferring your money into your new Australian bank account and getting a mortgage, shipping pets and transit insurance. Poms in Oz is hosting our final Live Chat session for 2011 with leading experts in banking, currency exchange, international removals, pet transportation & shipping insurance and these sessions will take place on Wednesday 07th December 2011 from 7pm-9pm (UK Time). National Australia Bank, Moneycorp, PSS International Removals, PetAirUK and Insure Your Move will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about your move. To participate, click on the 'chat' menu option at the top of the page. Clicking on chat will launch the chat software. There will different 'rooms' for each of the different companies. Unregistered guests can participate by following this link - Chat with Industry Experts, then, once the chat software has loaded, tick the 'Guest' option at the top of the chat window, then choose a username and click 'Login' and enter the 'Moneycorp, NAB, PSS, PetAirUK or InsureYourMove' chat rooms. National Australia Bank [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/chat-nab.png[/img2] Lynette Masters will talk about the Australian Banking system providing you with some insights as to what is different between the UK and Australia. She will also talk about how straight forward it is to open an Australian Bank account before you leave home and some of the services you should consider. Moneycorp [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/chat-moneycorp.png[/img2] Whether you are moving to Australia, or living there already, John Kinghorn will bring you the latest updates on the Aussie dollar and provide insight into the key factors influencing market movements. Exchange rates are constantly fluctuating and transferring your funds at the right time, via the right channel, can make a big difference to the amount of money you actually end up with. PSS International Removals [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/chat-pss.png[/img2] One of the key ingredients when you are moving overseas is the planning of your removal. Liam Witham will be on hand to offer advice and answer any questions you may have regarding the packing and shipping of your household effects, including what items you can ship to Australia, Australian Customs procedures and AQIS. PetAir UK [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/petair.png[/img2] PetAir UK is a unique pet travel service run by specialised vets for ultimate peace of mind. We will transport your pets safely and comfortably - worldwide. No matter what the journey, we will remove the stress of complicated pet travel arrangements and ensure the best possible service to our clients and their much-loved companions is one of our highest priorities. We operate a 'one of the family' policy, where all animals are treated with the same respect and care as our own pets. We know how much it means to you that your beloved pet arrives safely and by using PetAir UK you can assure yourself you are providing the very best care for your pet. We offer truly comprehensive packages which provide absolute continuity from start to finish. Every client is allocated one of our personal veterinary consultants who will oversee every step of the process. From complex documentation and import permit applications through to last minute flight changes, nothing is a problem for our competent and dedicated team. Insure Your Move (tbc)

Hi Guys, I am Irish, living in Ireland, and I have just received my AQF3 cert from Master Builders and I want to apply for a state sponsored 176 Pr visa. I also want to claim points for my years of experience in the business. I am just trying to find out the following: Is it compulsory to do the TRA points advice if I want to claim points for years of experience? Which TRA assessment do I apply for? Thanks for the help!

Anyone with some good ideas about how I can get my husband back to UK quickly? I know as an Aussie he can come back for 3 months (and that might be enough to get us over the current crisis) However - anyone want to have a guess about whether he is a UK citizen by descent or not? His mother was born in UK in 1917 and emigrated as a child. He was born in Jan 1949 - I know they recently changed the rules but does that make him a citizen by descent and could he, therefore, apply onshore for a UK passport if he has entered as an Australian tourist? Alternatively, I know he can get an ancestry visa which he has to apply for from Australia but they are taking 50 days to process according to the website (thank you Manila) and I really really need him here before then! Any magical suggestions, I would love to get him back here by the end of next week!

Can you advise how much LAFHA i would get on rent of £850

Has anyone used or know anyone who has used the migration company called Destination Oz? If so would they recommend. Thanks so much

Hi Hope someone can help please. I am a secondary school teacher in Scotland with 9 years teaching experience so I thought I would be able to get a 175 visa. However, I have been told that 12 months prior to applying for the visa I would need to work a minimum of 20 hours per week. For the first 6 years I worked full-time but have had 2 babies in the last 3 years and so I've been part-time. I now wish to increase my hours but I'm finding it difficult to do so due to the recession. Where does this leave me? Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can get to oz? At the minute, we're trying to get sponsorship for my hubby as that's all I can think that I can do. As well as that I'm planning to apply for jobs that come up as surely if I have a job to go to I'd be able to get a visa. I hope someone with some knowledge will be able to help.

Plan ahead by moving overseas with the experts! Moving to Australia is not without its ups and downs. To make sure you stay ahead of the game, it pays to be well informed. Everyone wants to start their new life down under with as much money as possible and there are a number of things you can do to ensure you make the most of your funds. Key topics always discussed on the forum include moving your possessions, shipping your car, transferring your money into your new Australian bank account and getting a mortgage. Poms in Oz is hosting Live Chat sessions with leading experts in banking, currency exchange, international removals, financial advice & vehicle importation and these sessions will take place on 04th July 2011 from 8pm-10pm (UK Time). National Australia Bank, Moneycorp, PSS International Removals, Vista Financial Services and Iron Chef Imports will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about your move. To participate, click on the 'chat' menu option at the top of the page. Clicking on chat will launch the chat software. There will different 'rooms' for each of the different companies. Unregistered guests can participate by following this link - Chat with Industry Experts, then, once the chat software has loaded, tick the 'Guest' option at the top of the chat window, then choose a username and click 'Login' and enter the 'Moneycorp, NAB, PSS, Vista Financial Services or Ironchef' chat rooms. National Australia Bank [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/chat-nab.png[/img2] Rebecca Joils will talk about the Australian Banking system providing you with some insights as to what is different between the UK and Australia. She will also talk about how straight forward it is to open an Australian Bank account before you leave home and some of the services you should consider. Moneycorp [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/chat-moneycorp.png[/img2] Whether you are moving to Australia, or living there already, Jonathan Griffith will bring you the latest updates on the Aussie dollar and provide insight into the key factors influencing market movements. Exchange rates are constantly fluctuating and transferring your funds at the right time, via the right channel, can make a big difference to the amount of money you actually end up with. PSS International Removals [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/chat-pss.png[/img2] One of the key ingredients when you are moving overseas is the planning of your removal. Liam Witham will be on hand to offer advice and answer any questions you may have regarding the packing and shipping of your household effects, including what items you can ship to Australia, Australian Customs procedures and AQIS. Whether you are importing household effects or just a vehicle, it is never too early to start researching or to start the process. Vista Financial Services [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/vista-financial.png[/img2] Andrew Williams is both a UK qualified and Australian practicing Financial Adviser and Mortgage Consultant specialising in advising UK expats in Australia on the transition and development of their financial affairs. From assisting clients with securing their first Australian mortgage through to working with them to understand whether transferring their UK Pensions is in their interests, Andrew is able to help answer your questions and concerns on a wide range of financial planning matters. Iron Chef Imports [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/ironchef.gif[/img2] Iron Chef Imports is a small, Australian-based business that specialises in arranging transportation of vehicles from anywhere in the world to any port in Australia. For a fixed brokerage fee, we can help arrange your vehicle's import approval paperwork, shipping, customs clearance and registration in Australia. Aside from our fee, all other costs are invoiced to you directly - no hidden markups! We're also happy to advise you if it's worth bringing your car over before you start (that part's free!). PetAir UK [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/petair.png[/img2] PetAir UK is a unique pet travel service run by specialised vets for ultimate peace of mind. We will transport your pets safely and comfortably - worldwide. No matter what the journey, we will remove the stress of complicated pet travel arrangements and ensure the best possible service to our clients and their much-loved companions is one of our highest priorities. We operate a 'one of the family' policy, where all animals are treated with the same respect and care as our own pets. We know how much it means to you that your beloved pet arrives safely and by using PetAir UK you can assure yourself you are providing the very best care for your pet. We offer truly comprehensive packages which provide absolute continuity from start to finish. Every client is allocated one of our personal veterinary consultants who will oversee every step of the process. From complex documentation and import permit applications through to last minute flight changes, nothing is a problem for our competent and dedicated team.

Plan ahead by moving overseas with the experts! Moving to Australia is not without its ups and downs. To make sure you stay ahead of the game, it pays to be well informed. Everyone wants to start their new life down under with as much money as possible and there are a number of things you can do to ensure you make the most of your funds. Key topics always discussed on the forum include moving your possessions, shipping your car, transferring your money into your new Australian bank account and getting a mortgage. Poms in Oz is hosting Live Chat sessions with leading experts in banking, currency exchange, international removals, financial advice & vehicle importation and these sessions will take place on 04th July 2011 from 8pm-10pm (UK Time). National Australia Bank, Moneycorp, PSS International Removals, Vista Financial Services and Iron Chef Imports will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about your move. To participate, click on the 'chat' menu option at the top of the page. Clicking on chat will launch the chat software. There will different 'rooms' for each of the different companies. Unregistered guests can participate by following this link - Chat with Industry Experts, then, once the chat software has loaded, tick the 'Guest' option at the top of the chat window, then choose a username and click 'Login' and enter the 'Moneycorp, NAB, PSS, Vista Financial Services or Ironchef' chat rooms. National Australia Bank [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/chat-nab.png[/img2] Rebecca Joils will talk about the Australian Banking system providing you with some insights as to what is different between the UK and Australia. She will also talk about how straight forward it is to open an Australian Bank account before you leave home and some of the services you should consider. Moneycorp [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/chat-moneycorp.png[/img2] Whether you are moving to Australia, or living there already, Jonathan Griffith will bring you the latest updates on the Aussie dollar and provide insight into the key factors influencing market movements. Exchange rates are constantly fluctuating and transferring your funds at the right time, via the right channel, can make a big difference to the amount of money you actually end up with. PSS International Removals [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/chat-pss.png[/img2] One of the key ingredients when you are moving overseas is the planning of your removal. Liam Witham will be on hand to offer advice and answer any questions you may have regarding the packing and shipping of your household effects, including what items you can ship to Australia, Australian Customs procedures and AQIS. Whether you are importing household effects or just a vehicle, it is never too early to start researching or to start the process. Vista Financial Services [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/vista-financial.png[/img2] Andrew Williams is both a UK qualified and Australian practicing Financial Adviser and Mortgage Consultant specialising in advising UK expats in Australia on the transition and development of their financial affairs. From assisting clients with securing their first Australian mortgage through to working with them to understand whether transferring their UK Pensions is in their interests, Andrew is able to help answer your questions and concerns on a wide range of financial planning matters. Iron Chef Imports [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/ironchef.gif[/img2] Iron Chef Imports is a small, Australian-based business that specialises in arranging transportation of vehicles from anywhere in the world to any port in Australia. For a fixed brokerage fee, we can help arrange your vehicle's import approval paperwork, shipping, customs clearance and registration in Australia. Aside from our fee, all other costs are invoiced to you directly - no hidden markups! We're also happy to advise you if it's worth bringing your car over before you start (that part's free!).

Just a quick reminder that we'll be holding one of our regular chat events tomorrow evening. Plan ahead by moving overseas with the experts! Moving to Australia is not without its ups and downs. To make sure you stay ahead of the game, it pays to be well informed. Everyone wants to start their new life down under with as much money as possible and there are a number of things you can do to ensure you make the most of your funds. Key topics always discussed on the forum include moving your possessions, shipping your car, transferring your money into your new Australian bank account and job hunting. Poms in Oz is hosting Live Chat sessions with leading experts in banking, currency exchange, international removals, job searching & vehicle importation and these sessions will take place on 22nd March 2011 from 8pm-10pm (UK Time). National Australia Bank, Moneycorp, PSS International Removals, Hire A Migrant and Iron Chef Imports will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about your move. To participate, click on the 'chat' menu option at the top of the page. Clicking on chat will launch the chat software. There will different 'rooms' for each of the different companies. Unregistered guests can participate by following this link - Chat with Industry Experts, then, once the chat software has loaded, tick the 'Guest' option at the top of the chat window, then choose a username and click 'Login' and enter the 'Moneycorp, NAB, PSS or Ironchef' chat rooms. National Australia Bank [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/chat-nab.png[/img2] Rebecca Joils will talk about the Australian Banking system providing you with some insights as to what is different between the UK and Australia. She will also talk about how straight forward it is to open an Australian Bank account before you leave home and some of the services you should consider. Moneycorp [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/chat-moneycorp.png[/img2] Whether you are moving to Australia, or living there already, John Kinghorn will bring you the latest updates on the Aussie dollar and provide insight into the key factors influencing market movements. Exchange rates are constantly fluctuating and transferring your funds at the right time, via the right channel, can make a big difference to the amount of money you actually end up with. PSS International Removals [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/chat-pss.png[/img2] One of the key ingredients when you are moving overseas is the planning of your removal. Liam Witham will be on hand to offer advice and answer any questions you may have regarding the packing and shipping of your household effects, including what items you can ship to Australia, Australian Customs procedures and AQIS. Whether you are importing household effects or just a vehicle, it is never too early to start researching or to start the process. Hire A Migrant [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/hireamigrant.jpg[/img2] Jamie Smith will answer questions about how Hire A Migrant can find your next employer while you remain at home with family - and your existing employer . Learn how Hire A Migrant makes direct approach to targeted employers, avoids unhelpful recruiters, impersonal job boards and taps into the 75% of jobs that are not advertised in Australia - so you can keep earning a wage in current employment and keep your family together. You'll also find out the true costs of doing-it-yourself to find a job in Australia. Iron Chef Imports [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/ironchef.gif[/img2] Iron Chef Imports is a small, Australian-based business that specialises in arranging transportation of vehicles from anywhere in the world to any port in Australia. For a fixed brokerage fee, we can help arrange your vehicle's import approval paperwork, shipping, customs clearance and registration in Australia. Aside from our fee, all other costs are invoiced to you directly - no hidden markups! We're also happy to advise you if it's worth bringing your car over before you start (that part's free!).

Just a quick reminder that we'll be holding one of our regular chat events tomorrow evening. Plan ahead by moving overseas with the experts! Moving to Australia is not without its ups and downs. To make sure you stay ahead of the game, it pays to be well informed. Everyone wants to start their new life down under with as much money as possible and there are a number of things you can do to ensure you make the most of your funds. Key topics always discussed on the forum include moving your possessions, shipping your car, transferring your money into your new Australian bank account and job hunting. Poms in Oz is hosting Live Chat sessions with leading experts in banking, currency exchange, international removals, job searching & vehicle importation and these sessions will take place on 22nd March 2011 from 8pm-10pm (UK Time). National Australia Bank, Moneycorp, PSS International Removals, Hire A Migrant and Iron Chef Imports will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about your move. To participate, click on the 'chat' menu option at the top of the page. Clicking on chat will launch the chat software. There will different 'rooms' for each of the different companies. Unregistered guests can participate by following this link - Chat with Industry Experts, then, once the chat software has loaded, tick the 'Guest' option at the top of the chat window, then choose a username and click 'Login' and enter the 'Moneycorp, NAB, PSS or Ironchef' chat rooms. National Australia Bank [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/chat-nab.png[/img2] Rebecca Joils will talk about the Australian Banking system providing you with some insights as to what is different between the UK and Australia. She will also talk about how straight forward it is to open an Australian Bank account before you leave home and some of the services you should consider. Moneycorp [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/chat-moneycorp.png[/img2] Whether you are moving to Australia, or living there already, John Kinghorn will bring you the latest updates on the Aussie dollar and provide insight into the key factors influencing market movements. Exchange rates are constantly fluctuating and transferring your funds at the right time, via the right channel, can make a big difference to the amount of money you actually end up with. PSS International Removals [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/chat-pss.png[/img2] One of the key ingredients when you are moving overseas is the planning of your removal. Liam Witham will be on hand to offer advice and answer any questions you may have regarding the packing and shipping of your household effects, including what items you can ship to Australia, Australian Customs procedures and AQIS. Whether you are importing household effects or just a vehicle, it is never too early to start researching or to start the process. Hire A Migrant [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/hireamigrant.jpg[/img2] Jamie Smith will answer questions about how Hire A Migrant can find your next employer while you remain at home with family - and your existing employer . Learn how Hire A Migrant makes direct approach to targeted employers, avoids unhelpful recruiters, impersonal job boards and taps into the 75% of jobs that are not advertised in Australia - so you can keep earning a wage in current employment and keep your family together. You'll also find out the true costs of doing-it-yourself to find a job in Australia. Iron Chef Imports [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/ironchef.gif[/img2] Iron Chef Imports is a small, Australian-based business that specialises in arranging transportation of vehicles from anywhere in the world to any port in Australia. For a fixed brokerage fee, we can help arrange your vehicle's import approval paperwork, shipping, customs clearance and registration in Australia. Aside from our fee, all other costs are invoiced to you directly - no hidden markups! We're also happy to advise you if it's worth bringing your car over before you start (that part's free!).

What type is it?:GEEK: And how nasty??:wacko: [ATTACH]2668[/ATTACH]

Hi all, I am new to this site so please bear with me....My family and i are looking to emigrate to Perth or the Gold Coast, however to find out more information regarding visa's, schools, housing and jobs we are looking to sign up an agent..Is this wise and if so which one would you reccommend? Kind regards Louise x :unsure:

Just a quick reminder about tonights chat session. Plan ahead by moving overseas with the experts! Moving to Australia is not without its ups and downs. To make sure you stay ahead of the game, it pays to be well informed. Everyone wants to start their new life down under with as much money as possible and there are a number of things you can do to ensure you make the most of your funds. Key topics always discussed on the forum include moving your possessions and transferring your money into your new Australian bank account. Poms in Oz is hosting Live Chat sessions with leading experts in banking, currency exchange, international removals and tax. These sessions will take place on 16th November 2010 from 7pm-9pm (UK Time). National Australia Bank, Moneycorp, PSS International Removals and Xpnsit will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about your move. To participate, click on the 'chat' menu option at the top of the page. Clicking on chat will launch the chat software. There will different 'rooms' for each of the different companies. Unregistered guests can participate by following this link - Chat with Industry Experts, then, once the chat software has loaded, tick the 'Guest' option at the top of the chat window, then choose a username and enter the 'Moneycorp, NAB, PSS or Xpnsit' chat rooms. National Australia Bank Sarah Doherty will talk about the Australian Banking system providing you with some insights as to what is different between the UK and Australia. She will also talk about how straight forward it is to open an Australian Bank account before you leave home and some of the services you should consider. Moneycorp Whether you are moving to Australia, or living there already, Jonathan Griffith and John Kinghorn will bring you the latest updates on the Aussie dollar and provide insight into the key factors influencing market movements. Exchange rates are constantly fluctuating and transferring your funds at the right time, via the right channel, can make a big difference to the amount of money you actually end up with. PSS International Removals One of the key ingredients when you are moving overseas is the planning of your removal. Liam Witham and John Moynes will be on hand to offer advice and answer any questions you may have regarding the packing and shipping of your household effects, including what items you can ship to Australia, Australian Customs procedures and AQIS. Whether you are importing household effects or just a vehicle, it is never too early to start researching or to start the process. Xpnsit Find out what you need to know about personal tax in Australia. Jim Gurieff from Xpnsit will be on-hand to offer advice and answer personal tax questions. Find out how to file a tax return, when you need to do it and most importantly how to get more of your money back! In Australia there are hundreds of personal allowances and tax deductions and understanding what you are entitled to claim now can make a big difference at tax time.

Hi guys, I am almost ready to fill out my part for a 457 visa. Most of it we are managing to work through but I am stuck with one section regarding my employment history. I understand you must provide employment details for the last 3 yrs ..... is this correct or do they look back further ? The problem I have is that although I have been with my current employer for the last 2 yrs and 3 months previous to this I went through a bit of a rough spell and struggled to hold a job. In the previous year I worked for three companies unable to settle in any due to travel issues or just not liking the place. In each case I either left under a cloud or was dismissed. It is highly unlikely I could get a reference from 2 of these firms as one I seriously fell out with and the other I have just heard are going into liquidation. What can I do to satisfy DIAC ? Any help would be most appreciated ... I would love to hire an agent but can't afford the fee's right now :sad:

Can anyone help with advice about creating a PDF file please? We are not very IT literate and our friend is trying to create an electronic file of her skills assessment to upload for a state sponsorship application (when the SMPs are finally released!). We had a look at the application form before applications were stopped and the maximum file size was 2MB. We have a scanner but this does not give the option to scan as a PDF file. We therefore created a jpeg file which ended up about 5 mb. We downloaded a free programme to convert this to a PDF but each of the two pages came out at about 3 mb plus. We would appreciate any help.

Hi, I was on the Moneycorp live chat last night, and asked the question on how long you have to transfer your house sale money over to Oz as I had heard somewhere something about 6 months otherwise you were hit with tax to pay. They didnt know the answer and suggested I speak to a tax expert. Can anyone clarify this for me? If I sell before I move, can I just leave my money in a UK account, or Oz account in sterling, and wait til the rate increases? I will probably rent for a year so wont need it for a deposit. Thank Shaz

First of all sorry if I have put my topic in the wrong place. I am very new to looking at moving to Australia & would be grateful if someone could help with some questions. 1. How can I check whether we are eligable for migration? 2. We would go over on husband's skill as a maintenance engineer, is this on their "wanted list"? 3. I have read that it is taking 12 months plus for visa's to be granted. Once granted is there a time limit that you would have to migrate? 4. We were looking at employment with a car manufacturer like Ford which I understand are based in the Melbourne/Victoria area. Are there any other locations for Ford or other car manufacturers? 5. Last but not least, the cost for applying & moving over? Thanks in advance for your help.

Experts, please helpppppppppp I lodged my 175 application 1 year ago with Industrial Engineer occupation (non-CSL, non-MODL, not sponsored), and my application is one of the last priorities. Today I received Victorian government state sponsorship for another occupation (plant engineer) which is in CSL. Now I am double minded whether to lodge a 2nd 176 CSL sponsored application with plant engineer occupation or not? Necessary to add that I have sufficient skills and experience in both occupations and my final destination in Australia is Victoria. I have also checked with DIAC and they have confirmed in writing that it is possible to have a 175 and a 176 visa application in parallel, however a separate application fee needs to be paid for each. Please kindly advise, Siavash

Please can someone tell me how the residential rates are calculated (council tax equivalent). I just read that the rate is So if I've understood that correctly, a property valued at say $275,000 has rates payable of $11825. Surely not! :shocked: The rate was taken from the City of Perth Gov site.... Please can someone advise. Thanks so much

Hi All, We are moving to Australia in October this year and most things seem to be going OK. Only problem is where to live! Family consists of my wife and I, 2 boys (18 and 20) and our 12 year old daughter. We currently live in the country and although I will be working in the CBD we don't want to live in the city or any busy urban area. Two areas have caught our eye so far; area between Penrith and Richmond and St Ives. We would welcome advice on both areas, particularly; Schools, Uni, Hospital (my wife is a midwife), access to a marina, transport to CBD, housing (is it rural etc?). Many thanks.

My Husband who came to OZ on a Sub Class 856 Visa which is permanent sponsored by emplyer. Anyway he got made redundant 5 weeks a go and I have started looking into this visa he has been working for the company about 14 months now on this visa well i looked on Immigration website and it says one of the obligations of the employer is that they make the job available for up to 3 years, is this right, did the company have the legal right under immigration to make my husband redundant, he was the only one from the installation team made redundant, the company is a global company. Also because we have not served our waiting period of 104 weeks we cannot get new start allowance. Is there any lawyers or immigration experts out there your help in tihis would be very much appreciated, I feel he has been treated pretty awful by this firm, they asked him to work for them so we sold everything in england and gave up good jobs to come here.:mad:

Hello my husband and i are totally confused! if anyone can advise us you are superstars cos we have tied ourselves in big knots! i'm an australian citizian so the plan was for my husband to apply for a spouse visa. however we think he will only get temp resident visa as we havent been together for 5 years and havent much proof to show how long we've been together - tho are married and expecting baby (june 2009) so big upset one is the temp visa now we're panicing because we need to be able to prove he is fully qualified as an electrican. we were planning for him to do distance learning and exam at peer college in adelaide (where we want to migrate to) however he needs to prove to get onto that course that he is actually qualified as an electrician!!! we know that most peeps do this thru VETASSESS but what do you do if you don't want to or need to apply for a skilled visa???? can you apply to be assessed by Vetasses even if you arent applying for a skilled visa? also peer college apparently only accept TRA applications for their course, but the TRA no longer assess general electricians but pass them onto VETASSESS! so if we go thru VETASSESS we cant go to peer college adelaide BUT we cant apply thru TRA as they dont accept overseas general electrician application! i'm sure this is totally confusing to anyone who reads it! we are very confused! if anyone can shed any light on the above please help! we really dont want husband to have to apply for skilled visa cos of money, time etc (we want to go october this year) thank you