Skyba Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 If you are on a PR visa and not earning mega bucks you can claim Family Assistance, Child Care assistance and Rent assistance. It is the unemployment type benefits you are exempt from. Hope this helps Cal x is that only if you have children? Just wondering because obviously we'll have plenty of cash when we arrive but any help with rental payment in the first month or so while we sort out jobs etc would be a god send. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
douglashv Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 ... Our lifes in the UK were not bad at all but the normal stuff everyone moans about in Kent where we came from did do our heads in. Like the amount of traffic, rubbish, foreigners and the worry about... Are you sure you came to the right place for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyba Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Are you sure you came to the right place for you? Makes me laugh when I hear migrants complaining about foreigners, it's almost as if they don't see the irony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
douglashv Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Exactly, that's my point! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 is that only if you have children? Just wondering because obviously we'll have plenty of cash when we arrive but any help with rental payment in the first month or so while we sort out jobs etc would be a god send. Yes I'm pretty certain it's just for families with children. However Centrelink has a calculator so might be worth checking the site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonrbh Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Hi Kellie I've only just read your post (21/07/15), I hadn't spotted it before! It's surprising that my feelings pretty much mirror your own! We are based in the country, about one hour North of Brisbane CBD, close to Petrie, Samford and Strathpine. My OH is Aussie and arrived Aug 2014, having had a telephone interview and securing her job before she left. She is a senior vet and found her job through a specialist agency. I came out in October, once I'd sorted the house move and worked my notice. I took redundancy. I worked for a large multinational chemical business in the UK for 23 yrs in various roles. We moved for a lifestyle change. I've struggled up to the end of June '15 to find work since the move over and have only just got a 12 month fixed contract on 24hrs a week, not ideal but at least its some work and gets me out of the house. Some of the companies that would be a 'natural fit' for me are just too far away. It would mean a 90km+ trip each way and with the highways being so congested what is a 75 minute journey(each way) on Google maps is likely to be 105-120 minutes in reality! Also, a lot of the jobs are advertised through recruitment agencies, which means having to register with them, attend their offices to complete mountains of paperwork, watch safety videos, have an interview and complete other online assessments at home, etc. Personally, I have found that if I do get a response from an agency, it tends to be one's that have a Brit working there. They have seem more helpful as they've 'been down that road'! Also a lot of jobs are contract to start off with, with the possibility of becoming permanent, but not all though. The amount of driving about, train journeys etc to just get a run of the mill, make ends meet job is crazy. Aussie unemployment is on the rise, Campbell Newman slashed local government positions dramatically, nationally, the mining boom has finished, Ford & Holden car manufacturing are finishing in 2017. Even Toyota is also rumoured to be reviewing its' Aussie operations. All this means there are more people looking for less positions! We sold our house too and bought within a couple of months of my arrival, something I would recommend anyone to think about long and hard before jumping in like we did. With us being rural and myself not working up to last month, it has been hard at times. I really miss social contact (have family and great number of friends back in Cheshire) as I don't even see our neighbours due to being on acreage, but to move would also mean that my partner would also have to find another employer, and having only recently bought a house we'd lose a huge amount of money in the sale costs etc. The other thing is, my OH is really happy to be back after 15+ years away. We live close to some of her family, so that's quite unsettling for me, as I'm sure she won't want to return to the UK, the longer we are here. My general feeling at the moment is that if you have kids it's a better place to bring them up than the UK. As my mate says, who has been in Perth for 12 years, 'Oz is not always better, just different'. After what is a relative short time, I'm pretty sure that Australia is not where I want to be in the years to come. I miss everything you've listed and I've recently discovered that if I move my UK company pension over then you can't move it back, if you ever decide to head back. It's lucky I left it in the UK, at least if I do decide to head back I can draw on it at a reduced rate from my 55th birthday, something that I could never do over here if I put it into my Australian Super. There's also been an announcement, which has been posted on here somewhere, about some change in the pensions transfer arrangements between the UK and Oz, which means you could lose a huge amount in tax if you transfer. I originally thought that the 5 years to be here to get my citizenship would pass quite quickly, but to be honest its dragging like hell. I really wanted to get the dual nationality but currently, now I'm not that concerned. All these things create quite a depressing picture, but there are great places to see and it's great for my OH to be closer to family….although we don't see them much at all, they're busy with their own families! I could go on for ages but just to say, you're not the only one who feels like you do! TTFN Simon. Hi everyone, those who are thinking about emigrating, those who have done it and those who have gone back to UK. Here's my opinions and feelings so far..... so me, hubby and our 3 children 9,8 and 1 emigrated to the Gold Coast in September last year. We sold our house (big mistake) and we left our jobs and we set off for a "better life down under"! Our lifes in the UK were not bad at all but the normal stuff everyone moans about in Kent where we came from did do our heads in. Like the amount of traffic, rubbish, foreigners and the worry about what it would be like in the future there for our children. We had Australia in our minds and wanted to give it a go rather than have regrets. So we have been here six months. Kids are loving school now but we have been concerned how far behind the UK education system it is here. This we have now decided doesn't matter if the kids stay here and finish all there schooling here it's only a problem if you keep comparing. we have made friends really easily. hubby happy at work but has to do overtime to be able to get by. we have found cost of living really expensive. Especially things like Internet, mobile phones and tv packages. There's just not the choice here and unless you go with Telstra the signal can be non existent! We shop in aldi a lot but can't get everything in there, so quite annoying going to lots of different stores. I really miss my tesco's online shop. You can online shop here with Coles or woolies but it's def more expensive for groceries here. we have bought a house here already as the renting malarkey I just hated! If anyone wants more info on that then inbox me but in reflection we probably should of carried on renting. Soon as you buy you lose rental assist from centrelink and you have to pay water rates as well as water usage and also council rates. So a big difference it ends up being between renting and buying. plus the upkeep of house. Lots to consider there. We decided to buy to see if that helped us feel more settled. The weather! Well sept, October and November were perfect. But since December it has rained ALOT and been very hot and humid. This weekend has been rubbish as it's just rained the whole weekend and we find ourselves with less to do here than in the UK. As when it rain it's torrential not just drizzle. Im actually missing the seasons already! Never thought I'd say that. I'm also missing our sun holidays staying in different parts of the UK at caravan parks. I'm missing lots about the UK that I totally took for granted whilst there. Especially how close everything was as here we are totally reliant on cars. we have had visitors already. My brother and then my cousins which was lovely but hated the goodbyes. We have my in laws coming in June for three weeks which we can't wait for and then my parents coming at Christmas. I hate the bugs here! Especially the Mozzies, the flies and don't get me started on the huntsman spiders! I've also had the worst luck and had a snake in the garden! I was then ready to get back on a plane! The hardest part of all is having no family support and dealing with the guilt of taking the kids away from there grandparents. Really missing family and friends loads. the beaches here are amazing, the amount of space we love, the many parks for the kids is great and it is a more outdoor lifestyle when the weathers ok. But then again the UK can be just as outdoors but you need to be more prepared I guess. There are lots of sport on offer here for the kids which is good. So so have we done the right thing? You tell me because I'm fed up with constantly thinking is this for us or not? Is this forever? I still can't imagine this being forever. By time our visitors have all been we would of been here 16 months so I'm wondering will I know the answer by then. The worst thing for us now is if we decided to go back and then regret it! The same problems will still be there (mainly too many people living in a small place) or maybe if we tried somewhere diff to kent be interesting to hear if others have had same feelings as me? How have others felt after moving back? The cost of migrating from visas, shipping, flights and setting up here is unreal! I'm just hoping it's all been worth it! be good to hear others opinions take care and happy easter Kellie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jack barker Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 interesting read. we are hoping to move to brisbane mid october. i cant wait to actually see the sun for a change this summer in scotland so far has consisted of about 3.7 days worth of sun. i love being outside running cycling etc but cant say i enjoy it when the rains coming in sideways and its turning into hail stones as you go. ( of course you wore a t shirt because it was sunny when you left.....) i think it totally comes down to peoples own life goals.I really do believe it will be a better life for us. i will be crushed if its not tbh. watch this space haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 interesting read. we are hoping to move to brisbane mid october. i cant wait to actually see the sun for a change this summer in scotland so far has consisted of about 3.7 days worth of sun. i love being outside running cycling etc but cant say i enjoy it when the rains coming in sideways and its turning into hail stones as you go. ( of course you wore a t shirt because it was sunny when you left.....) i think it totally comes down to peoples own life goals.I really do believe it will be a better life for us. i will be crushed if its not tbh. watch this space haha. Australia doesn't give a "better life". Just a different life. It is just another first world country. Brisbane will certainly have more sunshine than Scotland, but it also has high rainfall, cyclones and in the middle of summer a heat that drives you to sit under an air con all day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Australia doesn't give a "better life". Just a different life. It is just another first world country. Brisbane will certainly have more sunshine than Scotland, but it also has high rainfall, cyclones and in the middle of summer a heat that drives you to sit under an air con all day You write as though making a statement of fact, where of course it is just your own opinion. Most others have a sharply differing opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulRaynor Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Thing is though Parley, Very Stormy is right Brisbane does have those things. 2011 springs to mind to add QLD has had snow this winter. Those things are facts, not opinions. You write as though making a statement of fact, where of course it is just your own opinion. Most others have a sharply differing opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adelenaylor Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Thing is though Parley, Very Stormy is right Brisbane does have those things. 2011 springs to mind to add QLD has had snow this winter. Those things are facts, not opinions. I agree and I don't have the luxury of air con. Sunshine Coast is beautiful if you don't work and can lay in a pool Al day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Thing is though Parley, Very Stormy is right Brisbane does have those things. 2011 springs to mind to add QLD has had snow this winter. Those things are facts, not opinions. Saying Australia won't give a better life just a different one is an opinion not a fact. Most migrants would disagree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 'Vive le difference?' I used to hate Sundays in Sydney, horribly conscious of being alone and a 'stranger in a very, VERY, strange land!' The few friends I had, were all off with their families, and if I could not go and see my brother and his family, I did know what to do with myself, after another lonely walk around Surry Hills. Strange and ironic perhaps, or neither as I'm never sure of the right meaning of words, especially 'ironic!' Here I am living in exactly the same unit, older, but not wiser, still on my own, and my friends are 'off with their families.' Actually, I don't know what they are doing, though some are probably already in the pub. I could do the same, though I don't like to drink during the day. I had a swim yesterday at Redleaf. (What a crime it is to use 'winter' and 'Sydney' in the same sentence! Hmmm! I might use that as a thread title!') I think I might go for a drive, though if the traffic on a Sunday is like Saturday, it is about as pleasureable as the M25 in the 'rush hour.' Then I shall go to the pub. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Saying Australia won't give a better life just a different one is an opinion not a fact.Most migrants would disagree. For or me not better not worse overall but different yes. i think people who moved over years ago would say better, then you could be mortgage free in a nicer house than UK And jobs were plentiful. In comparison people could improve their lives. Now they can look forward to decent pensions in a paid for house. now it is more expensive both to get a visa and move. Harder therefore to see the same advantages. Many people now still have mortgages to pay after retirement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 (edited) Thing is though Parley, Very Stormy is right Brisbane does have those things. 2011 springs to mind to add QLD has had snow this winter. Those things are facts, not opinions. Facts can be hard to nail down sometimes...Cyclones ? I can't remember one in my lifetime...2011 was a once in 100 year event..as you say qld had snow, not Brisbane, never will unfortunately... Edited July 26, 2015 by fish.01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyba Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Thing is though Parley, Very Stormy is right Brisbane does have those things. 2011 springs to mind to add QLD has had snow this winter. Those things are facts, not opinions. It depends on how well you deal with heat as to whether it is all fact about the summer, I am moving to the Gold Coast and spent January there, although it is very hot I don't think it's unbearable leaving you sat in air con all day, if you have some shade it's fine just to stop yourself getting burnt but I actually enjoy the heat. I don't think I'd be doing much sport but then again I don't in England either lol. I lived in Qatar for 2 years now that's a place where you live in air con, mid summer is a constant 50-55 Celsius and the hottest I ever saw on the display of my car was 62 but obviously that was probably effected by the heat of the metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Australia doesn't give a "better life". Just a different life. It is just another first world country. Brisbane will certainly have more sunshine than Scotland, but it also has high rainfall, cyclones and in the middle of summer a heat that drives you to sit under an air con all day I don't even have air con... Must have missed the last few summers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 interesting read. we are hoping to move to brisbane mid october. i cant wait to actually see the sun for a change this summer in scotland so far has consisted of about 3.7 days worth of sun. i love being outside running cycling etc but cant say i enjoy it when the rains coming in sideways and its turning into hail stones as you go. ( of course you wore a t shirt because it was sunny when you left.....) i think it totally comes down to peoples own life goals.I really do believe it will be a better life for us. i will be crushed if its not tbh. watch this space haha. Everyone reacts to heat differently, but have you tried running and cycling in Brisbane's summer? You'll be fine if you're an early riser, but if you want to run/cycle during the day then the high humidity can be very unpleasant because your sweat doesn't evaporate to cool you down. It can be a real health risk. http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/too-hot-to-handle-the-dangers-of-running-in-the-heat/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 I don't even have air con... Must have missed the last few summers Same here, coming up for 9 years and the only place id insist on air con is in the car. I find ceiling fans more than adequate and think in all the years ive been here i can count around half a dozen days that were ''too hot'' to do anything. Winter is a different matter, on the thermometer it doesnt show its that cold, but i freeze,lol Cal x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Same here, coming up for 9 years and the only place id insist on air con is in the car. I find ceiling fans more than adequate and think in all the years ive been here i can count around half a dozen days that were ''too hot'' to do anything. Winter is a different matter, on the thermometer it doesnt show its that cold, but i freeze,lol Another good illustration of how different people react differently to heat and cold. In Sydney, I used to sleep under just a sheet in summer and a very lightweight blanket in winter, whereas my ex-sister-in-law snuggled under a doona all year round! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Another good illustration of how different people react differently to heat and cold. In Sydney, I used to sleep under just a sheet in summer and a very lightweight blanket in winter, whereas my ex-sister-in-law snuggled under a doona all year round! LOL, I wear jeans, sweatshirt and boots and hubby will be in shorts,lol, at night for the past few weeks i have a doona and a throw over on the bed (along with long leg and long sleeve PJs,lol) Cal x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 (edited) Everyone reacts to heat differently, but have you tried running and cycling in Brisbane's summer? You'll be fine if you're an early riser, but if you want to run/cycle during the day then the high humidity can be very unpleasant because your sweat doesn't evaporate to cool you down. It can be a real health risk.http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/too-hot-to-handle-the-dangers-of-running-in-the-heat/ I don't think anywhere is perfect but, as someone who cycles to work almost every M-F of the whole year, "overall" I think the weather has many pleasant days/periods when compared to many other climates. Everyone is of course different in the balance they prefer. During the day in summer is definitely the worst period across the year (especially the summer just gone which was far longer than usual...if they continue to be like that one I take it all back ...though I must say re being an early riser, later in the day and night times can be lovely cycling weather too in summer. Outside of summer I would say Brisbane would often have more mild, dry, non humid, pleasant sunny days than many places have in their entire year, including summer. The best season in a temperate climate for running and cycling is the worst in a subtropical climate and isn't going to give the most accurate overall whole year comparison. Edited July 26, 2015 by fish.01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardsuction Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Hi, you mentioned the family, child and rent assistance. My wife is a Aussie, two sons 13+11, coming over on a partner visa, hopefully will receive PR. Is there a cap on the above assistance as we will be selling our house and coming over with some cash. Probably will not work for several months so not sure if we will be entitled to any assistance.By the way, kids have broken up for summer holidays and it hasn't stopped raining!! 50mm of rain on Friday and 35mm rain today, I live in Somerset! Boy do I love English summers!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyba Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Hi, you mentioned the family, child and rent assistance. My wife is a Aussie, two sons 13+11, coming over on a partner visa, hopefully will receive PR. Is there a cap on the above assistance as we will be selling our house and coming over with some cash. Probably will not work for several months so not sure if we will be entitled to any assistance.By the way, kids have broken up for summer holidays and it hasn't stopped raining!! 50mm of rain on Friday and 35mm rain today, I live in Somerset! Boy do I love English summers!!!!! Ha, I was told I was lieing when I said I was driving through floods.. I'm glad someone from Somerset came on lol. I work all across Somerset and Wiltshire and it hardly stopped raining last week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miw54 Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 One of the things that we consciously tried to do was to not constantly compare Aus and the UK but it is difficult in the early days. Best piece of advice so far. If you compare the two you will always find a benefit of one that has a contrasting downside in the other. Two completely different countries, both great but both with their challenges. :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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