nathan2010 Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 Hi everyone, Im Nathan, Im 26, originally from Warrington, England, now living in Brisbane, Australia. My girlfriend and I were having a rough time in the UK. I was struggling to find work. We couldnt get a mortgage due to the recession and we felt life was passing us by. I thought Id tell you about our experience moving to Australia. It all started in March 2010. I had been made redundant from my employment in the UK as a Mechanic three months earlier, I had been looking for employment everyday during that three months. I had one interview for a job which 10 people were interviewed for. The Manager inerviewing me told me he had not liked anyone he had interviewed so far and didnt even bother to walk them through the building. At the end of the interview he walked me round the building and gave me a pat on the back and told me he would be in touch in a few days. A week passed when i recieved a call to say that he was sorry he gave me the impression the job was mine. He intended on employing me until someone put in an internal transfer from another branch and the position was no longer available. I had not even considered a move to Australia when I recieved a phone call from an ex colleague and friend who had moved to Brisbane 2 years ago. He had heard I was out of work and told me he had spoken to his boss and would offer me employment should I be able to get a visa. I quickly researched Visa options and decided to get a working holiday visa. This wa approved pretty much overnight. My friend told me I was welcome to stay with him until I got on my feet. A week later I found myself in Brisbane. I arrived in Brisbane at about 9am on a friday morning. My friend picked me up from the Airport and took me to his house in the northern suburbs. I was due to start work on the Monday and having just arrived I felt pretty wired. He asked me if I wanted to go into work straight away and get the first day out of the way. I thought that would be good as then I would not have to worry about starting a new job over the weekend. In short the Job was pretty good, Good people, good atmosphere and more than double the pay of the UK! Before I left the UK my girlfriend and I decided she would stay in the UK while I worked out Australia, She had a pretty good job and we wouldnt afford to both go back and have no Jobs! My workplace were impressed with my work and quickly looked into sponsorship for permanent residency. To cut a long story short they decided that they would be happy to sponsor me as long as I covered all costs, which is what I did. It was about 11 months before my PR visa was granted, I missed my girlfriend who had been over to visit and loved it. By this time I was renting my own place. We decided that I would go home just after Xmas for a month when I had saved up my days off at work and that she would come back to Australia on a Working holiday visa. We had never lived together, so we were not eligable for a spouse visa. The plan was we would live together for 12 months in Australia and then apply for her Spous Visa. I also decided that I would ask her to marry me when I visit the UK for that month and saved hard for a ring. We were also organising an official leaving party for us as I had left so quickly I never had a send off, this was also going to be an engagement party which her parents knew about but had to let her believe it was just a leaving party. To cut a long story short she said yes, we had a great party and she came to Australia with me. She found work quickly and we found we were earning way more money than in the UK, We could actually save up to a thousand dollars a week if we didnt waste it. We saved for our wedding and bought an investment property in the UK with our savings. We went back to the UK for the wedding in May this year and have now been married for 2 months. I should mention that her Visa was granted late last year and we now both have Permanent residency. We are not sure of or long term plans. We think we may go back when we have children due to family. To be honest we spent a long time trying to decide what we were going to do long term when we decided that we dint have o decide. We live each day at a time and if we decide to go home one day then we will. We are looking forward to getting our citizenship in a couple of years! ANy questions or thoughts please let me know. I guess in some ways Ive made it look easy but I did still go through the nightmare of dealing with Visa's etc. Nathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perthbum Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 Hi everyone, Im Nathan, Im 26, originally from Warrington, England, now living in Brisbane, Australia. My girlfriend and I were having a rough time in the UK. I was struggling to find work. We couldnt get a mortgage due to the recession and we felt life was passing us by. I thought Id tell you about our experience moving to Australia. It all started in March 2010. I had been made redundant from my employment in the UK as a Mechanic three months earlier, I had been looking for employment everyday during that three months. I had one interview for a job which 10 people were interviewed for. The Manager inerviewing me told me he had not liked anyone he had interviewed so far and didnt even bother to walk them through the building. At the end of the interview he walked me round the building and gave me a pat on the back and told me he would be in touch in a few days. A week passed when i recieved a call to say that he was sorry he gave me the impression the job was mine. He intended on employing me until someone put in an internal transfer from another branch and the position was no longer available. I had not even considered a move to Australia when I recieved a phone call from an ex colleague and friend who had moved to Brisbane 2 years ago. He had heard I was out of work and told me he had spoken to his boss and would offer me employment should I be able to get a visa. I quickly researched Visa options and decided to get a working holiday visa. This wa approved pretty much overnight. My friend told me I was welcome to stay with him until I got on my feet. A week later I found myself in Brisbane. I arrived in Brisbane at about 9am on a friday morning. My friend picked me up from the Airport and took me to his house in the northern suburbs. I was due to start work on the Monday and having just arrived I felt pretty wired. He asked me if I wanted to go into work straight away and get the first day out of the way. I thought that would be good as then I would not have to worry about starting a new job over the weekend. In short the Job was pretty good, Good people, good atmosphere and more than double the pay of the UK! Before I left the UK my girlfriend and I decided she would stay in the UK while I worked out Australia, She had a pretty good job and we wouldnt afford to both go back and have no Jobs! My workplace were impressed with my work and quickly looked into sponsorship for permanent residency. To cut a long story short they decided that they would be happy to sponsor me as long as I covered all costs, which is what I did. It was about 11 months before my PR visa was granted, I missed my girlfriend who had been over to visit and loved it. By this time I was renting my own place. We decided that I would go home just after Xmas for a month when I had saved up my days off at work and that she would come back to Australia on a Working holiday visa. We had never lived together, so we were not eligable for a spouse visa. The plan was we would live together for 12 months in Australia and then apply for her Spous Visa. I also decided that I would ask her to marry me when I visit the UK for that month and saved hard for a ring. We were also organising an official leaving party for us as I had left so quickly I never had a send off, this was also going to be an engagement party which her parents knew about but had to let her believe it was just a leaving party. To cut a long story short she said yes, we had a great party and she came to Australia with me. She found work quickly and we found we were earning way more money than in the UK, We could actually save up to a thousand dollars a week if we didnt waste it. We saved for our wedding and bought an investment property in the UK with our savings. We went back to the UK for the wedding in May this year and have now been married for 2 months. I should mention that her Visa was granted late last year and we now both have Permanent residency. We are not sure of or long term plans. We think we may go back when we have children due to family. To be honest we spent a long time trying to decide what we were going to do long term when we decided that we dint have o decide. We live each day at a time and if we decide to go home one day then we will. We are looking forward to getting our citizenship in a couple of years! ANy questions or thoughts please let me know. I guess in some ways Ive made it look easy but I did still go through the nightmare of dealing with Visa's etc. Nathan If you love oz why go back? It s your life...live it your way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northshorepom Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 Sounds like it's worked out really well for you - brilliant! Good luck for the future. You've got tons of time for kids and the rest of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lisa crowe Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 Lovely post Nathan, and yes you have made it sound a lot easier than most will find it. I guess its just a case of not what ya know but who! And being in the right place at the right time. Good luck with your marriage and what ever your future holds, for a guy your age you certainly seem to have your head screwed on and I really hope everything works out for you x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nathan2010 Posted July 23, 2012 Author Share Posted July 23, 2012 Thanks for the encouragement guys, It was only when i read it back it sounded so easy. there is a lot more too it. I feel like I could writea book on Immigration now. Sorry about typo's and missed letters. some of the keys on my laptop are sticking or not working properly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Somgirl Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 Lovely story Nathan, wishing you both well for your future together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest littlesarah Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 It's good to hear a positive story like this one. I feel so lucky when I read a lot of people's posts on here, because I had a choice of migration options and was able to choose my preference and got through it relatively easily. But however you do it, it's still hard to leave friends and family behind, and there's still a certain amount of stress involved. Worth it in the end, though, for many people. I admire your courage and determination - I like people who take an opportunity and just get on with it! Good luck with life from now on, and congratulations on your wedding. I wish you all the best, wherever you end up. Sarah PS: You have to see some of this amazing country (though you probably don't need me to tell you that) - it's awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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