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Apologies in advance for the long post but after some advice or people’s opinions, in case we are missing something or being crazy here. Myself and my partner have been back and forth from Australia for the last 7 years or so, probably have spent 4 years total over there. Currently back in the UK, have a permanent visa application approved (186) and when we applied for said visa, intended our current life in the UK (jobs, house etc.) to be temporary until it’s granted. We’ve unexpectedly been doing ok and are reasonably happy. Would we rather live in Australia (we love the country, weather, outdoor life etc), sure…. but we both earn quite well and are comfortable in the UK at the moment, partner has own business where he’s earning what he’d earn in a week in Australia in a day in the UK, I’m on 40k at 28 which I never thought I’d earn right now, and have some promising further career progression in the next few years. We are renting a nice place in a nice area and could probably buy in a couple of years. Our end game is to be in Australia, but if we had it our way we’d do it in a few years once we’ve had a baby in the UK (with family nearby), got in a better financial position and felt completely ready, and maybe got an investment property in the UK under our belts for back up in future if ever needed. Unfortunately the visa won’t wait longer than a few months from now. For a bit more context we are both wanting to start a family soon due to age (28 F and 37 M) of my partner mainly. Also keen to get a house and settle or make a base somewhere. Our permanent visa application was successful as partner’s old Aussie job agreed to sponsor the permanent visa, but if we reject it now it will be on me and some further education/ work to apply for a permanent visa in a few years when we’re ready, as all his Aussie work experience we used to get the visa will no longer be valid by then. Of course a risk exists that if the skilled lists/ anything else changes before I have everything needed, we might not tick the right boxes in future and lose the chance altogether. The other factors we are considering are that the work I do is quite niche and isn’t really a big thing in Australia at the moment (data protection), and the company he has to work for for a couple of years as a condition of the permanent visa, isn’t great so it will be a bit of a slog until he can leave and until Australia catch up in data protection to create more jobs in the field for me. In the meantime I’d most likely have to pick up unrelated work or struggle for a while to find something. I also love working remotely which I do currently, and heard this is much less common in Australia compared with the UK. The big question is, do we throw this visa opportunity away, which has taken years to get and is notoriously hard to get granted and stay in the UK with the risk of not being able to apply again in future, but be able to settle for a while, have a child and get in a better financial position- or- do we say ‘you only live once’ close partner’s business, quit my job and move to australia with unknown job prospects and feeling not quite ready but loving the country we live in? If we had it our way, we’d put the visa ‘on hold’ for a while as our end game will always be to end up in Australia as we simply love it, as it seems crazy to jump right now but also a risk to wait and throw away this visa. I know only we can truly know all the ins and outs and make the decision, but opinions are very much welcomed as we are totally stuck and worried we are missing something or the bigger picture! To jump or not to jump? Thank you for reading if you got this far

Hi, Me and my partner are looking to move to Australia. We have 2 children also. Any information and help would be much appreciated. Thanks

Firstly hello Forum, this is my first post and thanks in advance for any replies that are given, no doubt you're answering the same questions over and over. I wont go on forever, I'll keep it short and sweet. Just got back from Brisbane and Melbourne on a scouting trip to see if me and my family like Australia, we do and would idealy like to move to Brisbane, but we're prepared to move anywhere initially. I went for a job interview whilst in Brisbane, got the job on the basis i get to Australia lol, the business owner will sponsor me but ideally I'd prefer to just come on and be free to choose myself, wht are peoples thoughts on that? I've passed the points test, my job title is either construction project manager or fitter, the whole thing is way over my head hence why im looking for suggestions on a register agent, I will answer any questions, be gentle!! thanks james

I wonder if an artisan working on bones, horns and woods can have any job opportunity in Australia? has anyone have any idea?

Australia is a land of sunshine, blue skies, sandy beaches and seemingly endless economic growth. No wonder so many people want to move there. With more than 28% of its population having been born overseas, Australia is the clear immigration leader among major developed countries. Only tiny Luxembourg and Switzerland score higher. Data: OECD. *Information from 2013. But a new survey released this week reports that more than half of all Australians want lower levels of migration, with nearly three-quarters agreeing that the country is "already full." The survey, conducted by the independent Australian Population Research Institute think tank, suggests that many Australians are concerned about the pressures immigration places on housing, hospitals and transportation infrastructure. According to the survey, nearly two-thirds of Australians also believe that immigration puts "a lot" of pressure on jobs. But the Australian economy has famously gone more than a quarter century without a recession -- a modern record. So why should people be concerned that immigrants are stealing jobs in Australia of all places? Perhaps the Australian economic miracle isn't all it's cracked up to be. In fact, the secret ingredient in Australia's growth strategy isn't good economic management, the overhyped commodity super-cycle or even the rise of China. It is immigration. For the last several decades, rampant immigration has driven such rapid growth in Australia's population that annual population growth has completely overwhelmed the ordinary business cycle. Define a recession as two consecutive quarters of negative growth in real GDP (adjusted for inflation), and Australia's last one was in the first two quarters of 1991. Define a recession as two consecutive quarters of negative growth per capita, and Australia had two more recessions: in the second half of 2000 and in the first half of 2006. And though Australia technically missed a recession during the Global Financial Crisis, it recorded alternating quarters of per capita growth and decline from late 2008 through early 2010. Data: Reserve Bank of Australia, Australian Bureau of Statistics. Note the per capita recessions in 1990, 2001 and 2006. Since 1990 Australia's economy has powered ahead with a 3.0% rate of compound annual growth. Take out population growth of 1.4% per year, and the economy has only grown around 1.6% per year in per capita terms. Australia isn't an economic miracle. It's a demographic miracle. Population growth Since 1990 Australia's population has grown from 17 million to nearly 25 million, an increase of nearly 50%. Most of that growth has come from immigration. A child is born in Australia every 1 minute and 44 seconds. Someone moves to Australia every 53 seconds. The main sources of long-term immigration to Australia are permanent migrants, refugees and people on business long stay ("subclass 457") visas. Permanent migrants are allotted 190,000 places a year, of whom about two-thirds are admitted on the basis of skills and another one-third for family reunion. Refugee flows come to a little less than 20,000 a year. And until recently, 457 business visas were granted at a rate of around 100,000 a year. Read more on Forbes: Is Australia The Land Of Opportunity For Migrants? Until recently, because the 457 visa program will be abolished in 2018. The program, originally established in 1996 to meet targeted skills shortages, expanded dramatically in the mid-2000s. Allegations of abuse led to a crackdown in 2013. Now the category will be eliminated entirely, to be replaced by a new, more restrictive Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa program in March 2018. The 457 visa program was designed to help business fill critical positions when people with appropriate skills couldn't be found in Australia's limited labor pool. In more recent years, the number one 457 visa occupation has been "cook." That's not even "chef" or "restaurant manager," which are both further down in the top 20. It means a cook, usually at a small family restaurant or cafe. A cook prepares a cabbage dish in the kitchen at Aubergine restaurant in Canberra, Australia in August 2015. (Photographer: Mark Graham/Bloomberg) Addressing abuses in the 457 program, which was widely considered a backdoor to permanent residence and ultimate citizenship, the new TSS program is designed to make it much harder for people to stay in Australia. The government has also attempted to tighten up English language requirements for existing permanent residents who want to become citizens. Though it has faced major opposition in the Australian Senate, the Turnbull government plans to push forward with a watered down version of its proposals to limit immigration. (Full disclosure: I am myself a permanent migrant to Australia who initially arrived on a 457 visa as a university lecturer, though I have no plans to apply for Australian citizenship.) Always room for more? Luxembourg and Switzerland may have more immigrants than Australia, but most of their immigrants come from neighboring European countries like Germany and France. Their immigrants share a culture and usually a language with the host population. As recently as 2010, the same was true for Australia, where the United Kingdom was the leading source of immigrants. But in recent years the picture has changed dramatically. Since 2011, first China and then India became the leading sources of permanent migration into Australia. Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics. Note: New Zealand immigrants are not included. This shift has coincided with a huge run-up in home prices in Australia's state capitals, with Sydney and Melbourne in the lead. Over the last six years the median home price in Sydney has nearly doubled to breach the psychologically-important mark of $1 million Australian dollars (about $770,000 USD). Rapidly rising prices have inevitably led to concerns about existing residents being priced out of the market. Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics. Skyrocketing home prices can combine with visible, culturally distinct immigrant populations to produce a recipe for conflict. Anti-immigrant sentiment in Australia is nowhere near the levels seen in Europe, but anti-immigration rhetoric is rising. Hate crimes against immigrants are rare in Australia, which is a country where most people bend over backwards to make immigrants feel welcome. But even Australia's famously cheerful welcome may be about to come to an end. With more than 118,000 permanent residents already in line for Australian citizenship, it's not clear how many more Australia wants. Opposition to immigration has become a kind of political taboo in some quarters, but Australia could cut immigration by half and still be one of the world's leading immigrant countries. Lower immigration would certainly hit economic growth in Australia, but that seems to be a risk most people are willing to take. The Australian growth miracle may end not in a burst bubble of capital rushing to get out but in a long line of people waiting to get in. Salvatore Babones is the author of American Tianxia: Chinese Money, American Power, and the End of History. Follow him on Twitter @sbabones.

Bolivia… that’s in Europe Right? “I thought it was in Africa?” “It’s in the South of Europe I think?” “Ah that’s next to Cuba!” Migration is difficult. Especially when it’s from a small land-locked country no one really thinks about, or even knows what continent it’s located in. A country where the hours are completely far apart, and a 3 day journey plus $2, 000 ticket is the price to pay for a visit home. It’s a long journey, but every trip to and back is worth the work. Immigration is difficult for everyone, and it was incredibly difficult for my family over 30 years ago. Bolivia is a land-locked country located in the heart of South America. The languages spoken there are Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara. There is a distance of 13,321Km between Bolivia and Sydney, and the time difference is approximately 13 hours. These are all facts I grew up knowing, in order to keep connected to my country and to my family overseas. When my parents arrived here for the first time, they knew little to no English, they didn’t have internet access, and had difficulty finding jobs. My mother was raising my older brother and sister, who where toddlers at the time, whilst my father went out to look for labouring jobs. There is an incredibly strange feeling, arriving on an alien content, where everyone stares at you for doing things you find normal, where everyone thinks talking louder will help you understand them. That feeling wasn’t good - it was lonely. My parents worked hard through the 1990s and booked a trip home. During the 3 year stay home, I was born, my grandfather passed away, and my parent’s realised how important an English speaking country would be for their children's’ future. My brother and I both had asthma, whilst my sister suffered from a vision disorder. At 15, 12, and 3 years of age, my parents took us all to the country where they had felt lonely for the longest time, in hopes of staying and creating a bigger life for us all together. The alien planet still existed when we arrived. I didn’t want to speak English. I stubbornly refused, I wasn’t familiar with anything. However, having my older siblings encourage me to watch cartoons in English helped me subconsciously. It was a lot more difficult for them as they where older, and hadn’t practised English in a long time. My family encouraged me to learn to my full potential, taking me to libraries and play groups. I became incredibly advanced for my age, skipping pre-school all together and entering into a gifted program when I started kindergarten. Migration has always forced us to work hard, to be able to accomplish everything we’ve wanted to as we have the opportunity to by living in this country. By that age, my elder brother began working part-time, doing everything to help my parent’s afford the rent. A small apartment in the Western Suburbs, close enough to shops, hospitals and schools, but far enough that my father took hours to travel to-and-from work. Despite all the labouring jobs, I was never ashamed of anything my parent’s worked as, because each of their jobs where done out of love, and it’s something I appreciate to this day. Since money was tight, we enjoyed activities as a family that involved trips and adventures to different national parks. Despite coming from a country with no ocean, we did adapt that very quickly. Fishing was a favourite pastime amongst out family. Where my father would wake us up at 5am on a Saturday morning and tell us to get dressed and pack towels, we didn’t question where we would go, we just went. Over all those years of adventures, I discovered so many hidden beaches, so many tiny coves where the water is clear, and beautiful, and the sand is warm. We discovered areas where you can catch a specific type of fish, areas where there are a lot of crab, and meet a lot of other migrants and their families doing the same things. The diversity of the country still astounds me in the best way. There are so many people from all over the world coming to the country, sharing their own culture, and allowing us to learn from them as well. European, and Asian migrants especially, there is so much community between immigrants in general and it’s so easy to befriend others who have been on the same journey. The diversity and freedom to learn and celebrate another culture is something so beautiful that can only be found in Australia. The Latino community in Sydney’s Western Suburbs is minimal. All migrants tend to find people who speak their language, who know their customs and norms. There aren’t many Bolivians in Sydney, if there are, there is a big chance I already know them. Because of that, most South Americans’ would befriend each other, with a similar shared experience. Here was a community where we could share our traditions together, share our language, music, and food. Despite all the distance, there was so much community it made us feel right at home. As time went on, each of us adapted to the country that helped us in so many ways. Spanglish is still the most common language spoken at home. The internet, phone cards, and WhatsApp have been a powerful array of tools to help us talk to our family no matter what the distance is. Every time I speak to friends overseas, I tell them all the adventures I plan to take them on once they arrive. To all the parks, the beaches, and iconic landmarks that my family discovered in our earliest days in the country. To all the places that helped us belong a little bit more. I am very proud to be Bolivian, but I am also very proud to have grown up in this beautiful, diverse, country that I can also call home.

I can tell you that moving to Australia from the United Kingdom is one of the best decisions I have made in my life. No doubt, I had a great time living and working in the United Kingdom, it gave me the best education with its standard education system, and you cannot doubt the standard of living in the United Kingdom, but I needed some change in my life, something thrilling and different from the United Kingdom and I chose Australia. I am going to highlight something you will need to know about moving to Australia from what I have experienced living in Australia for the past six years. And I am sure this will help you make up your mind about moving to Australia. Securing Your VISA In my experience and as a citizen of the United Kingdom, obtaining my VISA was an easy process, and the VISA was awarded by the Australian government. You can visit the Australia embassy in the United Kingdom to get more information, and I assure you that it will run smoothly. Australia is a country that welcome immigrant especially expatriates that are willing to work. This is because there are enough jobs opportunity available in the country and the government needs the expatriate to boost the economy. Living In Australia is Like Being On A Vacation Australia is the seventh largest country in the world, and I can tell you that the country has beautiful landmass, dominated by natural beauty and scene. It like being on vacation, living and working in Australia, You wake up to the fresh breath of air unlike the overpopulated and polluted cities in most of Europe. I can tell you that the environment is one of the main reasons I choose to relocate to Australia and that reason has been justified since moving to this country six years ago. The country is an island surrounded by the ocean, and you have lots of beach, resorts and beautiful place to relax and have fun. Since moving to Australia, I have enjoyed and come to understand the meaning of the great outdoors. I enjoy great outdoor activities like fishing, viewing the wildlife, mountain climbing and other activities nature has to offer. Living in Australia is different from living in the United Kingdom; I have become very in tune with nature and appreciated what nature has to offer. It has some spiritual impact on my life also as I have come to appreciate some of the little things in life such as the singing of the birds, insect singing at night and the smell of flowers as well. It Offers Job Opportunities And Have A Thriving Economy With the present economic situation in the world, Australia is a country that still has enough jobs to offer to immigrants coming to the country. Australia boost of one of the lowest rate of unemployment in the world and when I moved here I had a job waiting for me, and more than 90% of the immigrants I have met here are working, all of them at different skills and level of expertise. The economy of Australia is one of the most stable and biggest in the world, it is a very wealthy nation and stand toe to toe with countries like Switzerland. It is a developed nation, so you have all the necessary amenities that made the standard of living high in the United Kingdom. There Is Relatively Safety Living in Australia The life expectancy living in Australia is very high with good and quality standard of living. There is low-stress level living in Australia as people seem to enjoy living and working in this country. The crime rate is relatively low compared to some other part of the world as you can only hear of minor crimes and they are few in between in the country. When it comes to safety, I have traveled to many parts of the world, and I think Australia is one of the safest locations in the world, as most people are employed, and there is a culture that frowns against crime. The Purchasing Power In Australia As I said, that I will mention some things you have to know relocating to Australia from the United Kingdom, well, living in Australia is less expensive than living in the United Kingdom when it comes to certain utilities. I will have to admit that common things are less expensive in Australia than the United Kingdom, as the price of a Toyota corolla in the United Kingdom is over £18 000 is a little £14 000 in Australia and a meal at a restaurant goes for £12.00 in the United Kingdom and £10.89 in Australia. So if you compare the prices of most stuff in the United Kingdom to that of Australia, it is less expensive living in Australia compared to living in the United Kingdom. However, in Australia prices in restaurants are cheaper than that in the United Kingdom, while local purchasing power is higher in Australia than the United Kingdom according to statistics. The Australian economy has an edge in that Australian has more purchasing power over the United Kingdom, thus you can buy things easily here in Australia. The People Living In Australia When I moved to Australia, I thought I would engage a tremendous cultural change, but contrary to what I expected, I noticed many things are British like. This is because, during the colonization period, the British encouraged most of its citizens to move to Australia. Thus the British culture remains relevant in the country. And also, in Australia, you will find a significant number of foreigners as I have mentioned earlier, the country is very open to immigrants. So you will meet up with people of various culture and tradition. The people of Australia are very happy and welcoming people; they are very cordial to people visiting the country. And they like to share their culture and traditions with foreigners, as they welcome you to take part in their traditional activities and making you feel part of the community. I will encourage you to move to Australia and come and enjoy the best that nature has to offer, in a secure and safe location. Everyday life in Australia is like a holiday, and with its relative safety and stable economy, you can plan your future in peace. You should look on more fact on www.pomsinoz.com as I found it very useful in making research when planning my relocation to Australia.

I was 11 when I moved to Australia with my family. Now I’m sure I can vouch for Indians, living in Australia is like a holiday. A cleaner, less polluted, far more less corrupt country, a fair, just salary and the list goes on for the many amazing benefits of living in Australia. My family and I resided in Tamil Nadu in South India. We immigrated to Australia in 2004 through. My Father bought my family to Australia on an Independent skilled visa My family decided that moving to Australia would give me and my sister better tertiary education and a much better lifestyle, opportunities and facilities than India ever could. Now if you are Indian you understand exactly this situation. I was only 11 but I fully understood the extent in all aspects in moving from a very underdeveloped country to a beautiful well developed country. My Father said to us, ‘’this will be just like an experiment to see if we like the Australian life style’’ We had heard only good things about Australia. We heard that it was clean, not corrupt, little homelessness, safe, everyone was treated the same no matter what gender. In India, not all parts, there are some very well developed parts but a lot of it is all full of corruption, genders are not treated equally as they are here in Australia. In India women are put down lower than men, and have lesser opportunities for work and education, and just all round female culture compared to female culture in Australia is completely different. In Australia women are treated equal, and that would be probably one of the highlights for me. I may have moved to Australia when I was young but I still do have Indian culture with my family and some parts of the Indian community in Australia, so I can talk from a standing point as and Indian child that immigrated to Australia and lived and grown up in Australia, and I have adjusted my Indian culture to fit into the Australian cultural way of life. We came to Australia and we took in what my Father had said to us, so we just took it as a holiday. The moment we stepped into Australia we moved to Brisbane, it was like a breath of fresh air. It was so clean, there people just minded their own business, which was refreshing because Indians sometimes have a tendency to stare at people and not mind their own business. We were shocked to so many random smiles from people we didn’t even know. I think I can speak for my family that this instantly felt like home. The holiday feeling had gone and we were all so excited, but at the same time we couldn’t make the ultimate statement and say this is home, as there was a lot of cultural differences and customs that we had to get accustomed to. As I was only young I can’t give advice on Indians or other nationalities moving to Australia as a student or an adult, but I can speak from a point of view of as Indian in particular or a another nationality and how I adjusted to Australian customs and culture. Australia has given my family hope and a much better life than we could have ever imagined. As my family was Indian we still held our Indians views, culture and customs. The person that found it the most hardest to get used to Australian culture was Mum. As I said we all loved Australia once we came here, my Mum included, but being the very cultural Indian women she was you could she had a bit of a culture shock. I remember my Mum arriving in Australia wearing her saree and catching the taxi and seeing many Australia women wearing shorts, singlets, skirts and dresses above your knees it was quite different for us me included, as you would never see an Indian women wearing any of the clothing that here in Australia, because we weren’t allowed to in India we have a certain dress code that women have to follow and aren’t allowed to cross. We would see the odd foreigners in India dressing this way but to see in real life was very strange and different. When we came to Australia it was the Christmas holidays so we had a chance to learn a bit more of the Australian culture and learn more about this country we would call home before we had to get enrolled a school. My Dad had an Australian Indian friend that had lived in Australia for 22 years so he helped us a lot in enrolling in schools, finding accommodation bank accounts, immigration etc. He linked us in with some multi-cultural companies that would help us with all our needs us well. My Dad’s friend had introduced us to some Indian communities and some Australian people. The people in the India community here very different to how Indian people are in India. All I am speaking of now is as an adult now rather than my actual thoughts or feelings than as a child as I now understand and can explain my thoughts now that I am older. The Indian people here seemed a lot better spoken and more educated than in India, to me at the time I thought they were very strange because I was used to seeing Indians as very closed off and somewhat arrogant, but the Indians here just minded their own business and were very down to earth, which was very odd to see in Indian person. The Australian people we had met, I should add that my sister and I went to international school so we knew some English and was ore fluent in English than my Mum and Dad so we translated and the would have to ask bus drivers, train, shops questions on behalf of our parents. The Australian people my Dad’s friends were just so lovely, they were so welcoming and were very eager to know of India and our culture. One of the best things about the Australia culture is that it such an open culturally diverse country, so that’s definitely one of the beauties of Australia, the different cultures and races, just the multi-culturalism of Australia is just beautiful. The people here in Australia here in Australia are just so down to earth so open minded, they have some of the most caring hearts in this planets. Feeling welcomed to Australia was just exceptional. My family had no issues in feeling welcomed here, the government organisations that we were linked with helped us so much, and helped us from the bottom of their hearts not just as a job, which is sadly the sometimes the cases in India workers work just for money and for the title of their job, but here workers do it for the love of their job and the community. We didn’t experience any racism or negativity when adjusting to Australia. When we moved into our new house the neighbours were lovely and minded their own business where as in India there’s a lot of gossiping around neighbours and villages. For my sister and I there wasn’t much problem in adjusting into Australian customs and cultures. For my Mum as she had lived in India all her life as a traditional Indian women, and she was used to the general Indian wife/mother duties, but the good thing about my parents, my Dad in particular he was very opened minded and understand that were now living in a new country with different laws, cultures and customs, so he was really calm and understanding with my Mum. My Mum was a little bit lost at first as the culture was just completely the other way round. My Dad had told her to let lose a bit and to not feel so guarded and that she wasn’t expected to live fully under the cultural ways of an Indian women, which is very different. Indian women are a lot more labelled as the house wife/mother that cooks, cleans and looks after the kids and house. India women don’t generally smoke and drink like men do especially in public spaces in India, in Australia women are smoking anywhere, drinking in bars etc., wearing less restricted clothing, so for my Mum it was a bit hard to fit in and get used to Australia. I remember she would wear a saree for most laces she went. She went to English class and her English was getting more fluent. Slowly you could see a big change in her whole persona. We would often get invited to our neighbours for dinner and I remember she would often wear saree’s, in her mind it was like a party or like a very fancy dinner so she would treat it like that and war a saree. Until she gradually started changing her clothes from saree’s to salwar’s which a very traditional Indian dress. When going out my Mum would get me or my sister to translate, but as time passed she got more confident in her English and her style had turned more western her whole attitude turned from the cultural Indian Mum we were used to this a little bit in a way less strict cultural Mother. She was slowly starting to adjust and get used to the Australian way of life. School was very different to India. It was cleaner, actually everything in Australia was cleaner, shops, trains, busses it was all so clean. The kids were very open minded for their age. They were so interested in who I was and where I was from. They were very nice and I made lots of friends easily. I think this is where I first encountered racism you know how kids can be very cruel at this age and tend to not have a filter. That was personally the only negativity I received in Australian society. As I got older though I did start to see a bit of racism and a bit of cultural implications as I was growing up as an Indian girl in Australia. My dress expectations were a bit hard as we I getting to that stage where girls start to change their looks and dress style. I still had the Indian respect but I didn’t know how to present myself, is it wrong for me to dress in the accepted outfits of tight skin skirts and dresses and shorts and go against my culture and traditions, or fit it and wear how I like. My parents were not strict on how dressed but they did except some level of Indian culture at other Indian events, parties or dinners. For me I found problems when I got to my teen and early adulthood stage as I was still figuring out who I am and where I fit in. I still had my Indian customs and cultures and I would dress according to events, uni I would wear just casual clothes, shopping and going out with friends would be a mix of casual clothes and the occasional modest shorts and skirts. I figured I was worrying to much about my culture and how to act as an Indian woman forgetting I’m living in Australia. I worried too much on my attitudes and presenting myself as a cultural Indian woman, but for me it was not working as I was not being myself, and people around me could tell. I found when I didn’t worry about to much of my Indian culture and customs, well of course I would have to on some level but not to let it take over you. I think us Indians living in Australia we have a lot of exceptions of Indian customs and restrictions and we are living too much like we are in India in Australia. That’s the beauty of Australia it so open and free and you don’t have all these expectations to live by. Everyone is fair. The advice I can give to fellow Indian or other nationalities moving to Australia is, by all means keep your culture and customs but do not go to bed with it. Be open to new things. I found asking lots of questions people wold love to answer and give me lots of advice and cool tips about the Australian way of life. Ask questions and take advantage of the many career opportunities rather than just centrelink. Most of the newly immigrated families and individuals that come her, come here for a better chance at life in many aspects that would not have a chance at in India or other countries. Australia is a chance and opportunity, it is not just a treat it is a privilege. Get out try new things. Enjoy the beautiful clean beaches, the beautiful environment. Meet new people of different parts of the world living in Australia. The Indian community in Australia is quite large, and there are many Indian meet up groups, where you can meet fellow Indians living in Australia. I am living in Brisbane and for any Brisbane readers that have just moved here not just Indians all nationalities, if you reside in Brisbane, chances are you’re or you’ve been linked in with MDA (Multi-Cultural Association), if you aren’t or haven’t been with them then I highly recommend them. They are fantastic and helped me and my family so much. They can help with accommodation, connecting with centrelink, they run courses like hospitality, which I completed through them, they run many free course options, counselling and they just help with general newly immigrated or if you haven’t got your visa yet they can help. They have many resources and that help people that have just come to Australia. Don’t take your life here in Australia for granted, be grateful you live in such a well-developed safe country. Make the most of it. Study, focus on your career let the advantages of the Australian education and work force to achieve your goals in your career and life. I am forever grateful for my Dad’s choice to immigrate here. Australia has given me so much hope and amazing times and memories. Moving to a different country can be scary and unpredictable. I can say us an Indian to other Indians please let go any worries about culture or customs in living in Australia. First of all of you want to live in Australia with your set hold Indian customs by all means do that, the great thing about Australia it is a multi-cultural country so here are millions of other nationalities living and a crap load of Indians. Most people don’t judge here so don’t be afraid to keep your long held Indian culture in how you act in society. To be honest no one pays attention and the majority don’t care. If you want to come here and live a bit differently than you do in India and you feel more comfortable with the Australian culture then be free. Just be yourself, and don’t worry about what other people think. Make the most of Australia and appreciate its culture and customs and respect and appreciate it as a country.

Poms in Oz is hosting another live webchat session with leading experts in banking, currency exchange, financial/pensions advice, international removals, pet shipping and vehicle importation. The chat event will take place on Thursday 20th November from 19:30-21:30 (UK Time). National Australia Bank, Moneycorp, PSS International Removals, PetAirUK, Vista Financial Services and IronLady imports will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about your move. If you have an account on Pomsinoz, to participate, login, then 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. If you don't have an account of Pomsinoz, you can still participate by 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 any of the chat-rooms. NB: If you have a device which doesn't use Flash eg: iPhone or iPad, you can join us in the chatrooms via this link or by downloading the free 123Flashchat app from the Apps Store via this link and entering 921 as the chat ID. National Australia Bank [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/nab180.png[/img2] Peter Kerr will talk about the Australian Banking system providing you with some insights as to what is different between the UK and Australia. He 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/newmc.gif[/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] Bob Ghandour, Veterinary Consultant and Director of PetAir UK will be on hand to discuss any aspects of shipping your pets to Australia. 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. Vista Financial Services [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/vista-financial.png[/img2] Andrew Williams is both a UK qualified and Australian practising 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 Lady Imports [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/banners/ironlady.jpg[/img2] Iron Lady 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!).

Hey everyone! In September 2015 I'm moving from the UK over to Sydney for 1 year to experience the country, but also to expand our UK based Digital Marketing Agency in Australia. Currently we run everything in the UK, with several online stores and many UK based clients whom we work for. My question is whether there's any restrictions to setup a Business in Australia, seeing as I'm on a 1 year working Visa. Also whether there are any extra difficulties when compared with setting up a Ltd company in the UK, or if you have any helpful advice. Primarily our business is B2B, but we also have several consumer based products we wish to launch in Australia. Appreciate any advice or guidance!

I want to apply as university lecturer. I can't decide if i should go for an skilled assessment right now if the profession university lecturer has been dropped from the skilled occupations list. Any help or suggestion?

Dear All, Me and my husband have been trying to get the Victoria-Sponsored Visa but for some reason they did not accept his candidature. Both my husband and I are looking to find a job in Australia (/New Zealand) at this moment so that we may try to get an Employer-Sponsored Visa. We're both highly qualified individuals, my husband has two post-graduate masters and quite extensive experience in Pharmaceutical and Food Science/Technology. He is a Chemist by profession as his first degree is in Chemistry. I have two degrees plus a MBA with Distinction and I have experience in the Online Gaming Industry at high managerial roles even at a consultancy level. We were quite taken aback when we saw Victoria-Sponsored Visa did not accept our submission even considering the Chemist was one of the Skills required in the region of Victoria, he is 31 years old and his English Skill Assessment was with an average of 8.5 which grants you the highest points for the Visa Assessment. My question is whether anyone knows whether there is a list of Employees published somewhere who can accept and can sponsor foreigners so maybe we can send them our CV? Our search on seek.com.au was not successful as most of the posts had a requirement that the candidate must have an Australian/New Zealand Visa in order to apply for the job... therefore it is getting very difficult to fulfil our dream of going to Australia. Also any suggestion to the way forward is appreciated. Best regards, Amber

Hi people, I don't know if it's right place to post on this forum but i hope so. Here is a little story. And I'm sorry already for any typos I'm making since I'm from Sweden and english is not my main language. Last year i've met a girl online and we started to chat and soon we felt huge attraction between each other. We already talked about who would move where and she told me she would move here. I've decided to go and visit her in Australia and i really liked Australia, but when i came there 2 weeks after she told me she couldn't move from Australia since she was too attached to her parents. She told me she would like me to come to Australia and we could live anywhere. So i came back to Sweden and thinking what to do. 3 Months later we met again in Thailand and had great time and then she told me she couldn't move anywhere in australia except to be in the city where her parents lived. So that a short version of every thing. Now the ball is in my hands. I could get off 6 months of work to work there and i have already applied for working visa. I have really good job in Sweden, working as project manager for big company, having good sallary and having alot of friends and quite attached to my family. I've asked her if i didn't like it in Australia would she move with me she said no. I've asked her what if we have kinds and i don't like it would she move she said no. That means it's one way ticket to aussie country. I'm thinking australia as warm country and that's whats in my mind compared to Sweden where where you wake up and you have a cloud above your head. What i like about sweden is that we have a free healthcare and free schools, including university. But i hate alot of things with Sweden also, actually i hate more things then i love them. What would you do? I imagine Australia as i did when i was on hollyday, but i guess all those palms, treas, kengroos, oceans become everyday life which you don't think about as i do now.. Would you leave everything for a person knowing it's one way ticket? She is already talking about kids. Also everybody is telling even if i go for 6 months i will be stuck since she will do everything to make me stay and that i would regret it after couple of years. Those who have moved there, do you miss your family alot? What is your opininion.

Hello everyone, I'm moving to Australia a week Tuesday. As you can image I'm excited and also nervous as I don't know anyone. So basically this is my attempt to get in touch with someone who is or will be living near the Gold Coast who is around the age of 18. Hope to hear from someone soon, thanks.

Hi everyone,:biggrin: This is my first time posting on this forum. My husband and I are considering a move to Australia in the near future. His occupation is currently on the 'list' (hopefully it will stay there ). We do not hate the UK, far from it we think there are many things great about it but want a bit of an adventure and to experience a different lifestyle. We have a young son and another baby on the way, which is mainly the reason why we want to wait a few years other than making sure we are in a good position financially should anything go wrong. The thing I am most worried about is leaving family behind. I do not currently live that close to my family but am still very close to them and am worried that the distance could feel huge as Australia is so far away. I will not be able to just pop in the car and drive and see them if I need to. We live near my husbands family and see them fairly regularly. They are great but my husband doesn't get on particularly well with his mother, which can be stressful. His parents are divorced and his mother has been on her own a long time and unfortunately feels the need to criticize my husband every time we see her. He looks like his dad and is punished for it. His brother moved abroad a couple of years ago and she is forever comparing my husband to him which gets him down, I feel I am forever refereeing things between them. :wacko: We have looked at moving elsewhere in the UK and are considering trying that before making such a drastic move but we have always wanted the adventure of living in a different country and the only thing that has stopped us previously is the guilt of taking our son from his grandparents. Any advice or experiences would be greatly appreciated and I'm sorry for the essay, I promise the next post will be shorter (I hope).

If so, don't forget to check out our live chat with the experts tonight http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/migration-issues/150471-moving-australia-live-webchat-industry-experts-tuesday.html Its great for finding out how to get the best exchange rate, what you can and can't ship, how to open a bank account online, bringing your pets and working out if you can get a mortgage, what to do with your pension etc.

Hi Me and my Wife and our 2 children and her sister & fiance are trying to emigrate to Australia. I am a rental sales coordinator for pressure control in the oil & gas industry, I have 6 years experience in pressure control working on & offshore. My wife works in an after school club in our local area which works well round our 2 children, she has worked there for 6 years and is also qualified as a classroom assistant. My sister in law is a full time Nursery Nurse with her svq level 3 and has 5 years experience and her fiance is a warehouse operative within the oil industry and has 2 years experience in this and has 2 years experience as a banksman slinger also within the oil industry. My children are 8 & 4 so will need to be enrolled in school, once there. We will have equity for coming across due to the sale of our home in Aberdeen. We need information on almost everything, from visas to schooling. We would really like to know how house buying works over there, i.e mortgages and how much of a mortgage you can get with what salary. We are hoping to find work before coming across but dont know if our areas of work are relevant in Australia. Also how does the taxing system work over there and paying for health care etc.. We do not know which part of Australia we would be moving too as yet but would be hoping for west Australia or Adelade etc.. If anyone could answer these it would be appreciated Thanks Tommy

Hello my mother and I may move to Canberra, currently we are residing in London, England and we are both Australian citizens. I'm 15 years old, nearly 16 in March. The thing is I'm currently in Year 11, nearing to the end of my GCSE's but we may move before I've actually finished my GCSE's therefore I won't actually have many qualifications. I have done a few of my GCSE exams such as sciences. What would I need to do education wise in Australia, would I need to repeat certain years or something, I'm really not too sure about the education; things such as housing and stuff are quite easy to sort out for us. But yeah any information about the schooling system and what it would mean for me if I move very soon to Australia. Thank you very much sorry if what I wrote doesn't make sense.

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, shipping your pets, transferring your money into your new Australian bank account and getting a mortgage. Poms in Oz is hosting our first Live Chat session for 2012 with leading experts in banking, currency exchange, financial advice, international removals and pet transportation. The chat event will take place on Wednesday 08th February 2012 from 7:30pm-9:30pm (UK Time). National Australia Bank, Moneycorp, PSS International Removals, PetAirUK and Vista Financial Services 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 Vista Financial Services' chat rooms. National Australia Bank [img2=right]http://www.pomsinoz.com/images/chat-nab.png[/img2] Royce Hort 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/newmc.gif[/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] Bob Ghandour, Veterinary Consultant and Director of PetAir UK will be on hand to discuss any aspects of shipping your pets to Australia. 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. 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.

Hi. I just don't know what to do. I'm 14 and I think most girls my age would hate to be moving to the other side of the world but I don't feel like that! I just want to go as soon as possible now. We have our visas and even had to make a validation trip because the house hadn't sold in time. After visiting Perth in august 09, I just want to go back and live there now!! Everyday I hope that the house sells and everytime we have a viewer I get my hopes up so high and then I'm crushed when we don't sell it! Obviously, I don't want to leave my friends and family but I don't feel happy in this country and want to leave like asap!!! I'm also in year 10 and I think that if we go soon, it will be better for me to settle into school and make friends instead of going when I will have to go straight into doing loads of exams! Does anyone else feel like this? Love From Elizabeth xxx

Just wanted to wish you all a Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!! Hope 2009 brings you lots of happiness and joy and visas (if your still waiting) Kate:wubclub: