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Just to let you know I received an e-mail today from the ANMAC to say that they will continue to assess UK Diploma in Higher Education (nursing) as comparable to an Australian Degree after 30th June 2011. Gives peace of mind to all us Diploma Nurses!!!

I have always been a thinker, brain never shuts down, constantly on the go. This inevitably, in my case, brings me to think about my problems quite a bit and when things are not so good (like now) I find myself dwelling on my situation more and more, lying awake at night, feeling uneasy. It is not healthy and it drives me crazy. :wacko: I would like to know if anyone has any good tips for relaxing the mind? I am not taking the Michael, this is a serious question!!! I have tried relaxation classes in the past, breathing exercises, that type of thing and found it to work fine when I was in the class, but hopeless once I tried at home. Would love to hear from people and find out any good tips or suggestions. Am not too keen on taking any type of relaxation drug and no, I don't know how to grow my own :unsure:(the cat would have a go at it anyway...) but I know there are also other herbal remedies, Valerian springs to mind, Bach Flowers. Has anyone used these and found them to be effective? Please share with me! Thanks

..My OH s ex signed a dec form infront of a solicitor allowing us to take his 3 children...Jenny 13..Sam 10..Jemma 8 i also have a signed dec form from my son s Father to take Tristan 16 yrs..Andy s ex told the children she will miss them but wants the children to go to have a better future..she s shown the children pictures on the net where we are going and promised them they will see her in the holidays and they will come home for holidays to the uk!! Now we have been given a case worker and been asked to apply for police CRB s and Medicals in the next 28 days!!...His ex has now changed her mind after she realized that with out the children she would not get any money from child tax credits or my OH!!..We had to attended court today they did nothing for us...his ex gets legal aid..we couldnt afford to pay a solicitor with my ex still paying off his divorce bill and just having paid our agent and visa s its all been to much..The thing is what do we do next ? The children still think they are moving with us to Australia! The judy today says the mother can change her mind right up till we leave!! we now have to return the childrens passports in 14 days and they must not attend a medical!! The judy says once we have our visa s we can appeal? they will re look at the case!! i just dont get it...Jenny 13 yrs phoned her dad tonight very upset and confused she wants to live with us in Australia...what can we do? we need to go for our medicals or we lose our visa s :-((( with out our medicals we will not be granted our visa s :-(( How can after 4mths she be allowed to change her mind?? please if anyone understands how ive wrote this..( sorry im stressed and very tired) got any help, advice..know what we should do please,please reply :-(((((((((( wendy xxx

just had my daughter come and tell us she's decided not to come with us after all, I'm totally deverstated as we fly to Perth on Saturday, can't beleive she has waited till now to say she's not coming, everything we have is already out there as we sent out container 6 weeks ago so we would have all our belongings as soon as we arrive, not going now is not an option but how do I leave her here. sorry for any mistakes cant see throught the tears

Hello everyone! I am looking for a bit of advise here, we have just started the visa process going down the 176 route. With this in mind the state which is most likely to sponsor us is WA, we are more than happy with this but would like the views of people in WA regarding areas that are best suited to UK Expats with a young family (3 kids 10, 7 & 3) We have started to reseach the area on more detail and have been drawn to Fremantle and Bunbury, can anyone give us feedback on these areas / suggest alternatives. Getting the family settled is one of my main drivers along with work so any information with regards to Oil and Gas, Uitlity, Pharma and Chemical industries in WA would also be very helpful. Thanks Ewan:wink:

We have been granted our Visa through an Agency called OV Australia. can ANYONE please let me know if either you have heard of them or even used them yourself. We are parting with alot of money for them to deal with our application. I have researched them myself and found them to be genuine but it would be reassuring if i know that someone else has used them. Please help i'm really stressing out here! thank you.:unsure:

ive been reading the replies from different people and im still not sure about the education system. if im a temporary resident, will my children be eligible to free state schooling? year 11/ 12 to be exact. if yes, are there uniforms? are books, stationary, uniforms quite expensive? i will be moving sometime in january and i have no idea where im going to put my children and will i be able to afford it! thanks so much in advance.

Hey everyone! My name's Harrison and i moved to gold coast from UK just over a year ago! it was a big decision and a lot of stress but we made it! so if any of you want to talk or anything else like that about anything just send me a message and I'll be happy to help! Thanks guys Harrison

Monday morning feels so bad Everybody seems to nag me Comin' Tuesday I'll feel better Even my old man looks good Wednesday just won't go Thursday goes too slow I've got Friday on my mind Can't be bothered to list all the lyrics and, not working, the lyrics don't have any resonance with me any more. I MUST stop my bludging existence!

Im not sure if this should be under 'Dilemas' but hey ho I just need to vent. Im 3 weeks away from the biggest move of my life and I feel like I have been on the big dipper roalercoaster for the past year. I thought that the hardest thing for my family would be getting the visa, but it has turned out to be everything afterwards is proving to be the hardest. 2 sales have fallen through on our house and I have had to admit defeat and give up my dog of 9.5 years as its just too much to take her. I accepted a job to start on 20th Oct and I accepted it as the house was going through the first sale process. Because of this I stopped taking on new clients (im a hairdresser) and stopped booking in my regulars. Then I cancelled my sons pre-school (which took a year on a waiting list to get into) and Pickfords are coming to take all our things next week. To make my emotional rollercoaster even harder my mum had become quite sour about the whole thing as she feels like my mother in law is gaining everything from the move and she is jelous. Now me and my husband have agreed that I will go over with my son and live with his family until the house sells here and he can join us. Im not sure how I feel about being away from him for a few months as we have never been apart like that and Im worried my son will be upset. Now I have written it all down it doesnt seem quite as bad, however Im still struggling to sleep at night, and I find that Im really excited in the day but start having doubts in the late hours of the night - is this normal?:unsure:

I'm planning on travelling to Perth - and from there maybe the rest of the country later - for between 3 and 6 months and was wondering whether i would need to get a visa for this? I'm 30 years old and would be looking for a job preferably as either a kitchen fitter or a painter/decorator but would be willing to try most things. Regards Saexon

Hi all, This is my first post as I only discovered these forums last Friday. A little background on me I moved to Australia (Sydney) as a single man about 15 years ago. Since that time I married an Aussie girl and have two children aged 8 & 6. I work in the Banking industry as an analyst and earn OK money here and have a small mortgage and live quite well. As a family we would now like to move back to the UK (at least for 4 years) toi the Midlands area as this is where my family live. I am truly worried about this move and also very excited as I am very home sick for lots of differenet reasons. My main concerns are as follows; Salaries seem quite low and I am worried I could not support the family and have a reasonable lifestyle Schooling, worried my kids would not fit in, not make friends I am worried I could not find a decent job Would love some advice and your thoughts on this just to ease my mind more than anything. Many Thanks Andrew

Thought I would stick this one up, talking to myself really here, normally helps,:goofy:. But the old saying goes that travel broadens the mind, not sure about that one, as I get older and travel more I get more grumpy and stayed in my ways,:no:, but one thing that never cease to surprise me is how travel heightens the old senses or rather brings many, many happy memories back. The reason this post was thought of was simply this. I have lived in Australia on and off for thirty years, and in that time I lived in the tropics (FNQ) and had many a dalliance with the local wildlife. Anyway last night I fell asleep on the sofa, and as normal because my idiot of a dog snores so badly and tends to sleep on my head I had my iphone ear plugs in. Up I get around six this morning, and my earplugs were no where to be seen, that time of the morning I am NEVER good, and thought little of it. Off I went to make a cuppa and as I lent toward the tap 'something' came rolling down my shoulder and hung under my chin. I jumped and nearly reached heaven, ahhh, that old 'WTF is it, is it going to kill me' feeling from Australia came back as strong as ever. As my ear phones are black, and they had become twisted overnight you can imagine I hope that they 'looked' like something out of the rain forest. My heart was in mouth for a split second before I regained my composure and started laughing at myself, but it just goes to show how your sense can be influenced by travel. They say that smell is the sense that brings back most memories, and I would have to agree. Each country I have been to has a unique smell. The one odour that I love and this is going to sound strange is the smell you often get in the far east on a hot day. A sort of musty thick smell, and one that I don't really mind in all honesty. I guess it may have something to do with the heat, smog etc, but to wake up in the morning and see a haze on the horizon and 'that' smell is a wonder to behold and feel. The outback also has a unique smell, a smell of 'nothingness I guess, clean, crisp, and no tangible odour really, but to smell nothing, if you know what I mean is still wonderful to experience. Or the smell of the beach after a big storm, that rather iodiney/metalic smell, really wonderful to soak up. And then there is the smell of the English countryside on a summer morning after the dew has dispersed, fresh, tangy and a joy. I guess what I am trying to say is this. When we arrive anywhere we take little conscious notice of the smell of a country, we tend to 'see' 'feel' and 'hear' more. But many years after travelling ONE small thing can bring those memories flooding back, yes we may have videos/photos etc, and these are great, but at times it takes one whiff of something and we (I) am back there again. If I could bottle the smells of all the countries I have been to I would indeed be happy, maybe one day I will,:goofy:. Just my thoughts and ramblings people. Cheers Tony.:wink:

Hoping all you members on the sunshine coast are going to reply with your knowledge. We've been set on moving to the Buderim etc for a while but at the last minute I am having doubts as to whether this is the right choice, I have been there several times and also Perth but with each visit I have treated it more like a holiday than the so called "rekkie" as we were never on a time scale to get there. Now we are, my eldest is going to be 9 in June and personally I don't want to leave it any longer. My concern for moving to the Sunshine Coast is the amount of things to do as the kids get older, we currently live half an hour from a city but near a seaside resort in the UK, we often travel the 2 hours into London to go to the Science/History museums etc, my eldest horse rides, 2 are in the local cycling club and all 3 in the local swim academy. So we like a varied choice of things to do. Sorry to ramble on but are we going to be much more limited on the Sunshine Coast as they get older, and I know its a few years in the future but with regards to Uni, employment etc for them. Any help and info would be really appreciated as my mind is very MUDDLED at the moment.

Hi everyone, please could i ask for some advise and help. OH is currently trying to do his first part of the Vetassess process where you have to write statements and get current references from your employer. We are using an Agent near London but it seems we are not writing the statement the way he wants it or the way it should be. We have done it three times and now i am at my wits end and also now feel completely stupid. Please could any Motor Mechanics share what they wrote in their statements that you had to send off for the theory part of the process, we are running out of time and i just dont know what to do. Please help me!!!:cry:

Hi All, Please can you help us. OH is starrting the process of Vetassessment and we are using an Agent near London. We have had to write a statement outlining what he does work wise in detail. We have done it three times and the agent is still not happy and says we are not doing it right and putting the right info. Please help us we have little time on our side and i am now at my wits end and feel completely stupid and incapable. Hit a real low and only at the starting point. Hubby is a motor mechanic. please could you give us an idea or pm us what you wrote for your statements. Please please help!!:cry:

Some of you may remember this but it was a year ago today that a young 18 yr old man called Rory tragically lost his life through sudden illness. He has been on my mind all week as have Val and Baz (PIO members and Rory's family) for any new members who are interested these were the threads regarding what happened http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/dilemmas/71824-18-yr-old-son-coma.html http://://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/news-gossip-chat/73875-18yr-old-coma-update.html Rest in Peace Rory Daniel

Hi I am a little confused! I am currently living in Hong Kong and sadly have very recently spilt from my husband. I dont want to move back to the UK but dont want to stay in HK either- I need a fresh start. My Dad lives half the year in Oz so I am thinking this will be perfect place to lick my wounds and enjoy the sun but...... I am confused about how to go about it. For hong Kong all we needed to do was get a job and the school (both secondary teachers ) did the rest. Can anyone tell me if this is the case for Oz too? I am looking at independant schools as I have seen that public ones are more difficult to get into and you can be sent anywhere and have seen a couple of jobs in the independant schools already - will I need to sort my visa before applying for such jobs or will the school do it as a sponsor? or does it not work like that at all? do I have to get the visa and then find the job? I have also read a lot of people saying they have taken upto 3years to get a visa - why would this be? ANY help/ advice would be very much appreciated. As feeling quite bewildered by this and life at the moment C x :arghh:

Hi, Has anybody ever had a Subclass 457 granted only for them to change their mind at the last minute? If so, what were the repercussions? My Subclass 457 visa was submitted to DIAC today and I’m starting to have second thought about moving to Australia. Any response would be most welcome.

Hi everyone. I applied for a spouse visa which was recieved on 21st April. I send medical and police checks around the same time. I was asked for a little more info also on the 21st (finicial support proof) and sent it that same day. I e-mailed a month later to double-check everything had arrived and was given the standard '3-4 month' reply. It's not been nearly 4 months since my aplication was recieved and I'm starting to get concerned. From the stats I've seen on this site most applications were granted within max. 2months (mostly sooner though) I am considering contacting my CO again although don't want to pester him. Has anyone else been in this same position? Is this the standard waiting time in 2010 so far? Should I contact my CO? Thanks in advance guys, this forum has been a constant source of information and support. Liz

Hi guys Could I ask for your honest opinions?! Really confused about what to do at the moment! Would you leave a secure job in the UK to search for work and sponsorship in Aus?! Are we mad to consider it?! Since the recent SOL changes, our plans to join my Sis and her Husband, with us on a 176 visa have unfortunately been shelved, job sponsorship is really our only hope! My Sis is sure we would find sponsorship within 3 months but I am scared to take the plunge....What do you think?! Thanks for reading Claire xx

Lots of these have of course been said before but for what it's worth try to remember the following: *Australia is a long way from the UK. Returning to the UK for a visit is a massive effort financially and emotionally and physically. A friend from school who now lives in Canada popped back to the UK for a friend's wedding recently. He stayed for just a few days. You probably won't be able to do that sort of thing if you go as far as Australia. *Australia is NOT CHEAP ANY MORE. Australia USED to be cheap, yes, but those days are largely gone. Do not let people who have got some kind of agenda about Australia and the UK tell you otherwise cos they are wrong. It started to get more and more expensive about a decade ago and nowadays it's pretty damn expensive in most departments. Housing is just about as pricey as the UK now. In actual fact, a great number of things are appreciably cheaper in the UK these days. Do not come here expecting a massive upgrade cos you won't get it anymore. *The sunshine suits some people down to the ground but it can be very harsh and intense. Getting burnt here is as easy as getting drunk in a pub. The sun can burn you in the UK but Australia is on another level. *Australia is quite parochial and insular in a 1950's sort of way. Some people seem to like this but for some people it's depressing. *Everything is a long way away in Australia. You'll find that you rarely leave ''your area'' of the country from one month to the next. Getting to somewhere different in the UK is much easier. *Very little is on your doorstep in Australia. Only those who live right in the capital cities have access to a decent amount of stuff. Just a few things that came to mind when reading people's dilemmas. There are, I am sure, more I could add and I am also sure some smuggy Aussie-lovers will tell me that all of the above are invalid. Good for them.

I have been on this site everyday since back in March, my OH and I went to a Live Down Under Show in March. We planned to sell our house, move to OZ permanently no looking back............But OH has changed his mind :arghh: His occupation is on the new SOL Yippee, we also have a family sponsor in Melbourne..yippee But now he,s changed his mind I am down and confused. We have 2 little girls who think they are leaving their friends, family and school to live in Sunny OZ, but now looks like it isnt going to happen, and to boot we have already paid hundreds in agents fees............. I don,t know why I am writing this but this site has been so full of wonderful advice over the last 3 months. A friend of mine said "sometimes too much information can be a bad thing". OH has read all the stories of the people who want to come back to UK and it has scared him. Now he has decided he also does not want to give up his job as it is very well paid and life is comfortable. He thinks life wont be comfortable in OZ as we will have a big mortgage and the cost of living is more expensive so they say? Head is spinning...............what to do:err:

Hi Everyone ! I am just about to accept a Job in Sydney working in Recruitment, it wil be on a 457 visa. I am really worried about applying for the visa, I am wanting to get rid of everything and move to my mums for a month or so to save some more cash while the visa process in going. I have two concerns over getting rejected, 1. I have a bad credit rating and a couple of CCJ's 2 I (stupidly) got convicted of drink driving in 2000 and got a two year ban. Obviously my worst fear is getting rid of all my furniture, (my tenancy agreement is up) and moving to mums, then the above two things stop me getting a visa and having nothing ! ! :chatterbox: I have done some research on this, and thought I would be ok - but have just spoken to a visa agent and they said I may struggle with the CCJ's...He was pushing me all along to go with him, and not sure if it was a scare tactic in order to get me to pay him a deposit ! In any case, my employer would sort all that out, but has anyone got any experience of this ? Worried ! :wacko:

Once approved on a 160 application, can you change your mind on which state you wish to live in? If not, is that the case with all visa types? Thanks.