Australian Child, moved around the world now wants to return to Oz

[freyja5032]

Hi all,

 

I came across this forum a few times whilst doing research and while I am neither a POM or in Oz, I really associate with many of the people on here!! I have yet to find an exact example of my situation so here it goes:

 

I was born and bred in Adelaide and left the country in 1999 as a pubescent 12 year old girl - worst timing possible, by the way (bear this in mind, those of you thinking of moving with a child at that age)!!! I moved around Europe during my teenage years and finally began my independent adult life at 19 all on my own in the UK. Due to this independence, I have never had the funds to go back to Australia and see how this rose tinted memory of a country is faring without me.

 

Every time I meet fellow Aussies in London I realise how little of the Aussie in me is actually left. I am finally in a position in life to be able to consider visiting my homeland. In my THIRTIES. This really freaks me out, as I remember and know so little of the magical land everyone is moving to and I am very worried my bubble of an idealised place will burst upon my arrival. This part alone is terrifying me. But I understand I need to just take a leap of faith and try, otherwise I will one day regret not going back. I love the UK by the way, which makes my comfortable and set life at the moment a difficult thing to give up and leave behind.

 

I cannot afford to just visit Oz, I would rather consider flying there knowing I am going to work and sample real life - not the holiday or backpacking adventure most of my friends and acquaintances are experiencing.

 

I am in a good place as I am single, childless, homeless (i.e. I am renting, not owning property) and have an old childrens Australian passport tucked away somewhere, needing a much overdue renewal.

 

However, I cannot find much help online regarding returning to Australia as an ADULT. Most people returning were already adults in the first place, have at least visited the country during their residence abroad, or were offered a job while still in their host country.

 

I would appreciate any guidance, kind words, or financial advice such as would I receive any help from the government whilst settling back in, etc, anything I can't dig up on my own.

 

Many thanks for reading this far and hope you can help!!

[Marisawright]

Why do you say you can't afford to go back for a holiday? If you time it right, you can get cheap flights - and even thirty-year-olds can stay in backpackers' hostels, especially if you look for ones that have single rooms.

 

Sure, perhaps you can't afford to go back for several months or a year, but I'm sure you could go for two or three weeks just to have a look around.

 

You say "everyone" is moving to Australia, but actually far less people are moving now than, say, ten years ago. Unemployment in Australia is about the same as the UK, so it's no longer a place people go to get better pay or more opportunities.

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

As a citizen I'm sure you will be entitled to help from day one. Would you head back to Adelaide? We do have an Adelaide forum http://www.pomsinadelaide.com

'What kind of work do you do? It may be wise to see what vacancies are like in your chosen area.

[freyja5032]

I can't believe how fast I received your response - thank you!!! So, this is going to sound like I am making excuses but I am focusing on European travel at the moment and the most I have ever paid for a return ticket is £150 so going round the planet is a big thing for me and don't take it lightly, I know it's common to go for a few weeks but my work has never allowed such long time off.

 

By "everyone" I mean all the forums I have been reading and most recently all my closest friends due to them hooking up with Aussies!

 

My plan has always been to see as much of Europe as possible and then head back - might be this not was not such a brilliant idea, IDK, but I'm in too deep now :wacko:

[freyja5032]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

As a citizen I'm sure you will be entitled to help from day one. Would you head back to Adelaide? We do have an Adelaide forum www.pomsinadelaide.com

'What kind of work do you do? It may be wise to see what vacancies are like in your chosen area.

 

 

Thank you so much, Pom Queen!

 

I work in admin support and not sure yet most of my friends are moving to Sydney and Melbourne. I haven't really kept in touch with anyone from Adelaide aside from the occasion Facebook like and comment. Would be good to see my old neighbourhood but again, worried about bursting the rose tinted bubble.

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Thank you so much, Pom Queen!

 

I work in admin support and not sure yet most of my friends are moving to Sydney and Melbourne. I haven't really kept in touch with anyone from Adelaide aside from the occasion Facebook like and comment. Would be good to see my old neighbourhood but again, worried about bursting the rose tinted bubble.

At the end of the day I would say go for it whilst you have no ties. The worst that can happen is that you don't settle and have to go back home.

[freyja5032]

At the end of the day I would say go for it whilst you have no ties. The worst that can happen is that you don't settle and have to go back home.

 

My thoughts exactly. Thanks, just wondering if there is anything obvious I need to do when I get there now, I guess!

[Marisawright]

 

My plan has always been to see as much of Europe as possible and then head back - might be this not was not such a brilliant idea, IDK, but I'm in too deep now :wacko:

 

 

It makes sense to me! You're lucky to have the choice of living wherever you please, but as you're finding that can be a curse, because there's such a thing as having too much choice!

 

I would recommend you do some research into cost of living and job prospects first. Check out domain.com.au for rentals and seek.com.au for jobs. Rentals in Sydney are horrendously expensive so I wouldn't be heading there. Melbourne is a bit cheaper, Adelaide much more so, but it would make sense to go where your friends are.

[grahamffc]

Maybe you feel you are not 21 anymore and too old to backpack, take seasonal jobs etc. But I would gaurentee if you didn't scratch the itch as it were, you would be saying the same thing in 10 years time wishing you were 30 again.

[Quoll]

If you can get your passport renewed just rock up and muck in. It'll either work out or it won't and you can go from there. I'm making the assumption that you gave UK citizenship too - if you don't, then get that before you move. You don't have ties so you can do whatever you fancy.

[Cherry Allen]

I was born there and moved to the UK with family when I was 2. I grew up in England, went to school, got married and had children. I returned to Australia to live at the age of 27. I am now 46 and about to move back there for the 5th time. Unfortunately its hard to feel like I belong in either place as I have spent so much time in each! You definitely should try and go back, Centrelink (benefits system) will give you the equivalent of JSA. You will also get Medicare.

[Cherry Allen]

Also, a new Australian passport will require a trip to Aussie House in London (they also occasionally come up to Edinburgh), you have to have a face to face interview even for renewals now. Cost including the new extra charge for applying outside of Australia is £180 for an adult passport.

[ramot]

Go for it, my daughter similar age to you but British not Australian, came here age 30 after a nomadic lifestyle living in 2 countries on her own, and still here nearly 5 years later. Still has itchy feet, but has had chances here she qenuimely doesn't think she would have had in London, plus has a partner here. Found it easiest making friends with others who have moved around, had more in common, but with her background that would be the same everywhere.

If it doesn't work out then there is nothing to stop you moving on. There's a big world out there.

 

ps picking up on the job situation my daughter has never had a problem with work, admittedly has a degree, but because she was older with experience, was prepared in the first place to do anything, it didn't take long to get a good job.

Edited April 9, 2016 by ramot

[Guest]

I'd say give it a go. You don't have to go through the visa process and have no real ties to stop you at present so why not.

 

IIRC one of our members is from Adelaide and left there when they were a child and moved back in the past couple of years. They had set on Adelaide but ended up with a job elsewhere so went there instead and seem very happy.

 

I'd go where appeals to you. I'd not base a move on where your friends are going. You could live in Melbourne or Sydney but be a couple of hours away from where they live and work and hardly see them. But if you want to come back to Adelaide why not. Nostalgia is going to play its part and it has changed a fair but but the CBD is still lovely, its a small city in terms of size and sure the suburbs sprawl out a ways now but it has a lot going for it. Work can be hard to come by here though but thats not to say its impossible. Its often in the trades that people seem to find it hard going. Often office based jobs seem to happen with a bit more ease. And there are lots of agencies and temp jobs going so if you've a good CV and experience hopefully that would help. We live in Adelaide and I love it here. Hubby is from here and lived in the UK with me for 8 years before we moved back in 2013. He found it odd coming home to begin with, took him a little while to get over the changes to his home town and so on but he is so happy and loves being home. He is very glad we made the move. About a year after we moved here he said to me that he had been content in England but he was truly happy here in Aus. He isn't overly Aussie as such but he does feel far more comfortable here and he was very settled in the UK with me but here just seems to work better for him. Me, I'm good anywhere pretty much and just got on with living life and for the most part took it in my stride. I don't miss England or hanker after much at all from there. Life is here, its good and even if it wasn't so good we'd just work at making it better and would not think of heading back to the UK.

 

I think your bubble may burst a bit when you arrive but that is normal with migration going anywhere. You will be seeing Aus through the eyes of a migrant is more the thing, though of course you are not one. It may still seem strange, loud, noisy and all those things to you as it is to others arriving here.

 

But embrace it. Don't compare or expect unrealistic things of it all. If you've seen lots of Europe, lived in different places there you'll know how you cope with the changes, the cultural differences and so on so you can have an idea of how you might go arriving in Aus. Only real striking difference is its further away and lots more space and distance between large cities. The language is familiar, the driving on the same said of the road as UK and other things. But there are noticeable differences but I'd think you'd adjust or take them on board over time.

 

Work is the key thing for anyone moving over. Be they a returning Aussie or a migrant. Without work anywhere new is going to hurt and be a struggle and possibly cause resentment to the place you are in and cloud any of the positives greatly. So be open minded to making a move within Aus if you need it, don't be afraid to try new things and go with the flow. If you find a place you love and want to settle, go all out to make it work, if not and you still want to be in Aus and give it a crack, look elsewhere. Its not like the UK where you can move round with ease and distances are far smaller, any move in Aus to a new city is going to be a bit of a trek and each city is going to be very different from the one you'd have left.

 

If you decide to head to Adelaide, feel free to give me a shout Happy to be a friendly face and all that. I'm in my 40's and have made friends with people here ranging from 20's into 50's, so its all good in my book.

[freyja5032]

Apologies it's taken so long but thank you all so very much for your helpful replies! Especially Snifter :-) Been busy trying to see as much of Europe as possible now, before the big move-ho!

[Bibbs]

I'm similar. Born in Aus in the 70's, lived in Europe for a few years, back to Aus for school and left for the UK in my early teens.

Had the occasional holiday back, but nothing serious and on a British passport.

 

I got a new passport from Australia House (think I pre-booked, and then just turned up with all the forms etc. Took a few weeks).

 

Once I had the Aussie passport, I just left the UK on my British, and entered Australia on my Aussie.

 

Only issue is, once you get here, get health cover straight away. And then tell them that you've been out of the country till now.

If you are over 30, they'll put a tax loading on your name as you've not had Aussie heathcover (as you've not needed it).

 

Everything thing else was easy.

[freyja5032]

 

Only issue is, once you get here, get health cover straight away. And then tell them that you've been out of the country till now.

If you are over 30, they'll put a tax loading on your name as you've not had Aussie heathcover (as you've not needed it).

 

Everything thing else was easy.

 

This might sound silly but what do you mean by tax loading? Not sure what this term means. I'm not used to the thought of private medical! I will be 30 by the time I move....

[Johndoe]

This might sound silly but what do you mean by tax loading? Not sure what this term means. I'm not used to the thought of private medical! I will be 30 by the time I move....

 

It's a 2% levy of taxable income to cover health care: https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Medicare-levy/

 

If you have private cover, you don't pay the levy in most circumstances and can claim private health insurance rebate in many circumstances: https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/medicare-levy/in-detail/private-health-insurance-rebate-and-medicare-levy-surcharge/

 

It's up to the individual to decide what is best suited to them, financially and health cover wise

[Quinkla]

This might sound silly but what do you mean by tax loading? Not sure what this term means. I'm not used to the thought of private medical! I will be 30 by the time I move....

In broad terms, people get more health problems as they get older. Therefore, the temptation people might have is to apply for private health cover only in older age. To counteract this, health insurers are able to charge a supplement (called loading) for every year you have lived in Australia over the age of 30 without having private health insurance. Having private health insurance can be a tax advantage if you have a high income as you will pay a Medicare Levy if you don't have private health cover in place.

[Bibbs]

In broad terms, people get more health problems as they get older. Therefore, the temptation people might have is to apply for private health cover only in older age. To counteract this, health insurers are able to charge a supplement (called loading) for every year you have lived in Australia over the age of 30 without having private health insurance. Having private health insurance can be a tax advantage if you have a high income as you will pay a Medicare Levy if you don't have private health cover in place.

 

This basically. I paid it (unknowingly) for 2/3 years. I then had to get my 'International Movement Records' from Immigration, to prove I was not in Aus while aged 30-35.

This allowed me to get the rate dropped (and get a refund for my overpayments).

Edited June 14, 2016 by Bibbs

[Diane]

This basically. I paid it (unknowingly) for 2/3 years. I then had to get my 'International Movement Records' from Immigration, to prove I was not in Aus while aged 30-35.

This allowed me to get the rate dropped (and get a refund for my overpayments).

 

How weird - does it get taken out of your pay? I don't get anything taken out of mine, and I only lived here from age 0-15months then from age 39-now (51) - I've never had private health cover here at all. I thought it was just if you earnt over a certain amount (and I only work part time so don't earn a huge amount!)

[Quinkla]

How weird - does it get taken out of your pay? I don't get anything taken out of mine, and I only lived here from age 0-15months then from age 39-now (51) - I've never had private health cover here at all. I thought it was just if you earnt over a certain amount (and I only work part time so don't earn a huge amount!)

Two different things:

 

Lifetime health cover loading - adds 2% to the cost of your private health cover for every year over the age of 30 that you have been in Australia and not had private health cover. If you take out cover now you would have 11 years of non-coverage so your private health cover would cost 22% extra for the first 10 years if cover.

 

Medicare Levy - a tax payable if you earn over a certain amount and don't have private health cover. It might be taken by employers or might be payable after your annual tax return.

[Bibbs]

How weird - does it get taken out of your pay? I don't get anything taken out of mine, and I only lived here from age 0-15months then from age 39-now (51) - I've never had private health cover here at all. I thought it was just if you earnt over a certain amount (and I only work part time so don't earn a huge amount!)

 

As Quinkla says, it's a 'loading', put on your private insurance payments.

[Guest Guest226914]

Two different things:

 

Lifetime health cover loading - adds 2% to the cost of your private health cover for every year over the age of 30 that you have been in Australia and not had private health cover. If you take out cover now you would have 11 years of non-coverage so your private health cover would cost 22% extra for the first 10 years if cover.

 

Medicare Levy - a tax payable if you earn over a certain amount and don't have private health cover. It might be taken by employers or might be payable after your annual tax return.

 

You're talking about the medicare levy surcharge which applies only if you earn over a certain amount. The medicare levy is what everyone pays and is part of their taxes and taken out of your salary.

[Bibbs]

You're talking about the medicare levy surcharge which applies only if you earn over a certain amount. The medicare levy is what everyone pays and is part of their taxes and taken out of your salary.

 

Quinkla is talking about 2 seperate things. "Lifetime health cover loading" and "Medicare Levy"