Where do I start?

[mxpom]

Mulling over the idea of getting away from the ever depressive state of the UK.

 

Currently living in London (mortgaged house) with 2 year old baby and Fiancé. Fiancé's father is PR (I think that's the term you use) 15 years or so, in Perth and has several properties under his belt in the suburbs - not that this has any bearing on whether we can get in or not!

 

I'm in my very early 40's and an experienced Apple Computer Consultant 15 years+ but no qualifications to speak of - self employed.

Fiancé (early 30's) has extensive Credit Control experience but currently not working due to baby and we hope to have another some time.

 

Visited earlier this year and it's been in the back of my mind since, just thought it was time to put it out there and see what -if any- our options are.

Understand the cost of living seems to be quite expensive... who knows to begin with we might have a relatively cheap rental available until we find our feet.

 

Anything I've missed?

[VERYSTORMY]

The first step is to see if you qualify for a visa. However, I don't think your case is straight forward. As a result I would consult a migration agent. Two that are highly recommended on here are George Lombard and Go Matilda.

[fifi69]

Hi welcome to PIO

 

Sorry dont know much about all the different visas, but Im sure someone more experienced will be along soon.

 

Have you looked at the immi website to see if either of your jobs will get you here, or spoken to a mara agent?

 

just off the top of my head is you OHs father a business man? If you have any money to invest, could you look at going into a business venture together? Don't know the ins and outs of this but have a friend who came this route.

 

would you be willing to look at going regional WA, I believe the points needed for this are lower.

 

I hope there is an avenue open for you, Perth is a great place to live and bring up kids.

 

good luck

[grahamffc]

It's probably not for me to comment (but I'm going to anyway!) as I don't have children but I don't understand the belief that Australia is a great place to bring up children. If you want them to grow into sheltered bogans then if course it is. Regardless of what the Daily Mail might say, I would have thought growing up in a cosmopolitan environment would produce a well rounded and intelligent young individual.. And you can't get any more cosmopolitan than London.

[Rupert]

Based on what you have said, I think it is very unlikely that skilled migration is an option for you. I will caveat that by saying I don't know what an Apple consultant does, but I should not think it is sufficient to pass any of the IT skills assessments. Credit control is not going to help.

 

Any chance of getting a transfer to an Apple store here? The occupation would still need to be on the skilled occupations lists, but the CSOL is quite extensive. The trouble is the employer would need to show thy could not recruit locally and that seems unlikely.

 

It is always an idea to run your details past a migration agent in cases like this, but I don't think it will be good news. Sorry.

[mxpom]

Thank you for all your helpful replies, gives me some food for thought and perhaps a little closer to finding out how and if we might have a chance to get out there. I'll have a more detailed browse through these forums too... I'm sure you've probably answered similar questions a million times over already, and I've got to get to grips with all the acronyms you guys are using!

[mxpom]

It's probably not for me to comment (but I'm going to anyway!) as I don't have children but I don't understand the belief that Australia is a great place to bring up children. If you want them to grow into sheltered bogans then if course it is. Regardless of what the Daily Mail might say, I would have thought growing up in a cosmopolitan environment would produce a well rounded and intelligent young individual.. And you can't get any more cosmopolitan than London.

 

Valid points indeed Graham and thank you for your honest opinion. I'm kind of in the same frame of mind but I'm getting sick of the UK and it's getting worse - I didn't catch the Daily Mail article. I'm fed up of working my guts off to let others brutalise the benefits system, although I guess that happens everywhere including Australia. We are getting screwed from every angle here in the UK and the health services are falling apart at the seams... schools are crap in my area, catchment area tricks required to get your child a decent education unless you can afford private etc etc

[Freesia]

Don't know if you've looked at the immigration site yet but you'll get access to lots of information there to help you find out how it all works & suitable routes for you; well worth reading around it all yourself before you go to an agent. Go to www.immi.gov.au/skills/skillselect

[mxpom]

Don't know if you've looked at the immigration site yet but you'll get access to lots of information there to help you find out how it all works & suitable routes for you; well worth reading around it all yourself before you go to an agent. Go to www.immi.gov.au/skills/skillselect

 

Will do, many thanks for the tip.

[Skani]

but I don't understand the belief that Australia is a great place to bring up children. If you want them to grow into sheltered bogans then if course it is.

 

"Sheltered bogans" are the result of sheltered bogan parents.

The OP doesn't sound in the least like one of those.

[mxpom]

"Sheltered bogans" are the result of sheltered bogan parents.

The OP doesn't sound in the least like one of those.

Thank you Skani, I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion! I certainly don't want this thread turning in to a war of attrition either!:embarrassed:

 

Of course I want the best for my little family. I've heard all the Australia is so much better arguments, both for and against. Things are just looking bleak in the UK and I thought it might be a little easier to get on in Auz with a new start, although tough to begin with - I may be wrong, I'm just keeping our options open.

 

For me the only thing that keeps reverberating in my head is how far it is away from the reaches of Europe. It seems once you are there (ie. Perth), the minimum flight time to get anywhere else is approx 5 hours so you would be hard pushed to find places to explore once all the local 'within driving distance' places have been explored.

 

Faster air travel is what we need, or perhaps teleportation would be handy!:biggrin:

[grahamffc]

Thank you Skani, I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion! I certainly don't want this thread turning in to a war of attrition either!:embarrassed:

 

Of course I want the best for my little family. I've heard all the Australia is so much better arguments, both for and against. Things are just looking bleak in the UK and I thought it might be a little easier to get on in Auz with a new start, although tough to begin with - I may be wrong, I'm just keeping our options open.

 

For me the only thing that keeps reverberating in my head is how far it is away from the reaches of Europe. It seems once you are there (ie. Perth), the minimum flight time to get anywhere else is approx 5 hours so you would be hard pushed to find places to explore once all the local 'within driving distance' places have been explored.

 

Faster air travel is what we need, or perhaps teleportation would be handy!:biggrin:

 

That's a fair point, I take back what I said. I would say most places in Australia are probably great for a young family with days at the beach, BBQ's, bike rides etc, but it doesn't offer much for a teenager or young adult. That said when they are that age they can go for extended visits to see their family back in the UK with dual citizenship, giving them the best of both worlds.

 

It depends what you do and where you currently are, but prospects in Australia may well be far bleaker than in the UK. I'm not the only one on this forum that is currently finding it very hard to get a permanent job having never had any difficulty in the UK.

 

I am in Melbourne but the same applies to Perth, albeit with shorter flight times. Since getting here back in March, I have left the city for only two days...to go to Brisbane for the first Lions test. It's strange when I think about it but hasn't got to the point of bothering me yet.

[mxpom]

Very true Graham... it's why I'm just exploring our options at the moment. It's just possible that already having a few contacts in Auz might set us up quite well providing we can get in. Just as a rough outline as to how it generally goes am I right in saying...

 

Apply for suitable visa, wait, If granted...

Get ready to move out lock stock, sell/rent house? - How does it generally work - best approach?

 

If not...

Try again?

Give up?

[grahamffc]

Very true Graham... it's why I'm just exploring our options at the moment. It's just possible that already having a few contacts in Auz might set us up quite well providing we can get in. Just as a rough outline as to how it generally goes am I right in saying...

 

Apply for suitable visa, wait, If granted...

Get ready to move out lock stock, sell/rent house? - How does it generally work - best approach?

 

If not...

Try again?

Give up?

 

Everyone's circumstances will be different, largely depending on their job as you might find you are lucky enough to be able to secure something will still not in the country. I still qualified (just!) for a WHV but found out that I was eligible for a permanent resident visa (as an accountant) so decided to apply to apply so that I could apply for any job once here without any restrictions. From first calling the migration agent (Go Matilda) to it being granted took just over a year.

 

The trouble is that no potential employer will offer a job to somebody who is not in the country (unless your job is very niche), as would be the same if I was recruiting in the UK. But not having a job prearranged will put a lot of people off. So it's a bit of a catch-22 and depends on whether you are willing to take a risk.

 

At the start of the process I had £25,000 in savings, £5,000 went on the visa and agents fees, and about another £5,000 went on the flights and six week holiday in Asia on the way over. I've got about £2,000 left having spent the rest on deposit, rent etc as I've only been working for two months out of the six that I have been here.

 

For various reasons I am 99% decided that I will not be here permanently but would like to stay for summer at least and head back around March/April time. However my depleted savings will not last that long so if nothing comes of three jobs I applied for in the last month I will back in London for the end summer.

 

I knew it was a risk coming here with no job but I was in the 'fortunate' position of being on my own. There was no chance I would have taken it if I had any responsibilities.

[mxpom]

If you are granted a Visa do you have to use/activate it within a certain time or can you just stay put in the UK (having changed your mind)?

How long does it stay valid for?

[mxpom]

So Graham, how did it pan out for you?

[grahamffc]

So Graham, how did it pan out for you?

 

I am working in a temp job at the moment, probably for another six weeks or so. Hopefully something else will come up between now and then as I really want to properly experience an Australian summer. I will be happy to spend three months on St Kilda Beach counting down the days until going back to London in the new year but would rather have my mind occupied. Who knows I might even like it so much that I change my mind (again) and don't want to leave.