Big decision!

[Big G]

Hi everyone

 

Ive been reading the comments within this website for months and it's great!

However, this is my first new thread as we now have a big decision to make.

 

Ive been searching for work in Australia for about 12-18 months now and have finally been given a tentative offer!! :biggrin:

 

The potential employer want me to relocate over to the Gladstone area (along with my wife a 2 kids).

Ive now been doing some frantic research on that area and I know there are some nice suburbs such as Tannum Sands and Boyne Island etc.

 

Anyway, the reason for the thread is that I'm just looking for advice on that location / schools / cost of living

I have noticed that properties to rent are really expensive and I'm just concerned that we might end up worse off, so just looking for some advice in general.

 

My offer is -

 

Salary - 90k & Super (9.25%)

OTE - 190k

Visa - employer to arrange (currently waiting on confirmation on which one it'll be)

Company car (I'm in sales)

Relocation loan up to 10k (repayable if I leave etc)

 

Im sure that this offer will be enough to get settled over there but thought it best to seek advice from you guys on here.

Thanks.

[pablo]

Cant help soz,just bumping it up,good luck btw

[Big G]

Ha 8-)

Thanks anyway Pablo

[calNgary]

I havent lived there but quite like the area after the few times i have visited, infact we are off to Gladstone again for the weekend in a couple of weeks. Tannum is lovely little place and where a lot of familys seem to live so would probably be an ideal starting point. Most important would be to look into flood areas carefully as it can be hit quite hard in and around Gladstone if we get very wet weather.

Things are a bit more expensive than say, here in South Brisbane but incomes tend to be slightly higher so i think you would manage ok.

 

Lots of luck with everything and hopefully someone who knows the schools etc will be along soon.

Cal x

[Graemsay]

I can't help with living costs in Gladstone, but $90K a year works out as about $1300 a week net according to a basic tax calculator, and $190K is around $2500.

 

If you're curious as to whether it's enough, $90K would put you in the top 10% to 15% of earners, and $190K is in the top 2%, so I don't think you're going to starve. If you're curious then take a look at this article on income distributions.

[Big G]

Hi caINgary and Graemesay

 

Thanks for the posts.

Ill look into the flooding issue caINgary, I did hear something about that on one of the government websites. Thanks for the heads up.

 

Thats interesting to know Graemesay re salaries. I'll look into the links you sent ASAP.

Cheers guys

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Hey congratulations on the job offer

[Big G]

Hey, thanks Pom Queen

[Big G]

I meant to add, if anyone has any advice on my potential visa being arranged by this employer then please let me know.

From what I gather, this will be the first time that the "employer" has done it, however, they aren't a small company or anything.

 

1. Am I correct that I/we can apply for permanent residency whilst there, as long as we have a 457?

2. If something happens, like i'm made redundant, I have 90 days to find another job ( that will sponsor me) or we need to prepare to leave etc?

 

Don't get me wrong, and assuming we do pack up and go, I would work my butt off for this new employer as you would normally, however, nobody knows whats round the corner etc. It might not work out / my face doesn't fit / down turn in trade - the list goes on........

 

Thanks

[Big G]

Sorry, for the questions coming thick and fast :biggrin:

 

 

I know that the employer might take between 1-3 months to get the 457 visa sorted out, however, how much time would you guys allow once you've landed in Oz before you start work?

I.e. to arrange rental house / find your way about etc

[rink]

Congratulations !

 

What type of sales are you into ?

 

How old are your children ?

[Big G]

Hi

 

Thanks rink.

Dust extraction equipment.

What about you, you involved in sales?

 

Kids are both 8 (twins)

 

G

[rink]

Chemicals, production and sales.

 

Good age for the kids to move too.

 

My wife and I have just started looking for jobs out in Oz.

 

Yours sounds great, and the possible employer looks very keen for you to join them. Well done !

 

How does your family feel about the move ?

[VERYSTORMY]

1. You can apply for PR when ever you want. Including now.

2. Yes, this is correct. I would think very long and hard about moving to the other side of the world on this visa. Personally, and I have had two 457 visas, there is no way I would bring a family on one. There are regular cases of people falling foul of the 90 day rule - even having come to work for some of the very biggest companies and found themselves back at Heathrow and homeless.

 

Do remember. This is a temp visa. It means you should plan for the assumption you are coming Oz for up to 4 years and then returning to the UK. You are not emigrating on this visa.

 

I meant to add, if anyone has any advice on my potential visa being arranged by this employer then please let me know.

From what I gather, this will be the first time that the "employer" has done it, however, they aren't a small company or anything.

 

1. Am I correct that I/we can apply for permanent residency whilst there, as long as we have a 457?

2. If something happens, like i'm made redundant, I have 90 days to find another job ( that will sponsor me) or we need to prepare to leave etc?

 

Don't get me wrong, and assuming we do pack up and go, I would work my butt off for this new employer as you would normally, however, nobody knows whats round the corner etc. It might not work out / my face doesn't fit / down turn in trade - the list goes on........

 

Thanks

[Big G]

Hey rink - I've sent you a PM.

 

Hi Verystormy

Thanks for the post.

 

Once we have our side of things sorted, I was planning on applying asap for PR.

I do realise that a 457 is on temp, hence the reason we are planning on renting out our family home for at least 2 years maybe 4 etc.

There's no way I would feel completely settled out there (assuming everything went to plan) until I/we had PR.

 

The way that we are looking at it is like a working holiday sort of thing. If we go and we enjoy it, and things work out, then we'll apply for PR and stay (eventually selling up in the UK). If we don't, or the job doesn't work out, then we'll return back to the UK and i'll sort out another job.

Like taking a break from the UK for a while.

 

But thanks anyway for the advice.

[Rupert]

I meant to add, if anyone has any advice on my potential visa being arranged by this employer then please let me know.

From what I gather, this will be the first time that the "employer" has done it, however, they aren't a small company or anything.

 

1. Am I correct that I/we can apply for permanent residency whilst there, as long as we have a 457?

2. If something happens, like i'm made redundant, I have 90 days to find another job ( that will sponsor me) or we need to prepare to leave etc?

 

Don't get me wrong, and assuming we do pack up and go, I would work my butt off for this new employer as you would normally, however, nobody knows whats round the corner etc. It might not work out / my face doesn't fit / down turn in trade - the list goes on........

 

Thanks

 

To your questions in turn:

 

1. You can apply for a visa that provides permanent residency any time you want. Being on a 457 is not necessary, some of us got permanent visas without even stepping foot in Australia.

2. yes.

[Big G]

Hi Rupert

 

Many thanks for the post

[MWJ]

I can't help with living costs in Gladstone, but $90K a year works out as about $1300 a week net according to a basic tax calculator, and $190K is around $2500.

 

If you're curious as to whether it's enough, $90K would put you in the top 10% to 15% of earners, and $190K is in the top 2%, so I don't think you're going to starve. If you're curious then take a look at this article on income distributions.

Like the article thanks Altho with 3 kids still puts me at 49% :-(

[millers]

Hi Big G- We are from the UK and live in Tannum Sands and its a lovely place to live and great to be so close to a lovely beach. The rents here are slowly coming down in price as the boom has slowed a bit and there area lot of new houses being built so there is competition here with rentals now ( there wasn't when we arrived 21 months ago ). My son goes to Tannum primary school which is very good although you have to pay for books & equipment every year and uniform too ( equipment cost approx $250 and uniform polo shirts cost I think $30 ish dollars each and shorts cost $20 per pair I think? if you go on Tannum sands state school website you can see the uniform price list. There are 2 supermarkets ( 1 in Tannum and 1 in Boyne ) and not a lot more tbh!!!! it is a big change as we lived in Manchester in the UK but have settled in nicely....if you need any help with anything else please feel free to pm me...

[rink]

Hi millers ,

 

Fellow manc here too, trying to move over to Oz. Trying to find the right job at the moment.. I spoke a few times with Big G, and after some thinking he has decided to stay in the Scotland.

 

What the work like out there at the moment?

[millers]

Hi millers ,

 

Fellow manc here too, trying to move over to Oz. Trying to find the right job at the moment.. I spoke a few times with Big G, and after some thinking he has decided to stay in the Scotland.

 

What the work like out there at the moment?

 

I

Hi there

 

The work is plentiful atm but does depend on what you do for a job. We are here on a 457 visa and almost halfway through... the weather is great here and Tannum is nice too....love living near the beach but I do miss the Trafford centre but not the M60 !!!! lol:chatterbox:

[rink]

Sounds great ! What type of work are into , if you don't mind me asking ?

 

I live and work 2 mins from the Trafford centre, and that one thing i would never miss!

 

Just to make you smile, its 12c with rain lashing on my office windows

[Big G]

Hi everyone

 

Thanks for the posts Rink / Millers.

Much appreciated.

 

 

Sorry about the delay in getting back to you guys. (been on holiday in Mexico)

Rink was spot on, we did decide to stay put after weighing everything up etc. However, the same company have since come back on and offered me a alternative position! Although this time its based about 1-1.5hrs north of Sydney.

 

So we're now back to the big decision again.

I know some people will be reading this thinking "if you knocked it back once, then why drag it all up again".

 

However, the way i'm now looking at it is that I've now been offered a second chance and some people might not even get one etc.

So, would I be mad to ignore this latest opportunity?

Would I get a 3rd offer? (defo not!!!)

 

Anyway, just back in the UK this morning and nacked with jet lag, but need to start reviewing it all again tomorrow once I caught up with some sleep.

Talk soon

 

G