Migration questions

[IanGPE]

Hi,

I've been offered an internal transfer on a 457 visa of a position based in Sydney, but I'm not sure on the financial side of things. Where would be the best place to find info about the day to day cost of food, drink, fuel, property rent etc? When would I be able to get a mortgage? Is it free healthcare (like my current UK NHS)? How much is medication (my wife uses asthma and underactive thyroid medication)? There's just so many questions and I have no idea where to start! I'll still be Googling like mad but I'm sure I'll forget to look for something.

Many thanks in advance,

Ian

[Guest]

I presume you understand that a 457 is not a permanent visa - a 457 is generally for 4 years - therefore your question about a mortgage is really not relevant. It is possible to get a mortgage on a 457, although you do need approval to purchase property from the Overseas & Foreign Investment Board (though you would expect it to be approved) - it is very risky though as if your 457 visa was to be cancelled (for example due to losing your job) then you'd have 90 days to leave unless you can find another sponsor.

 

With regards to your other questions, it is almost impossible to give guidelines on cost of living as everyone's lifestyle is different but generally 2.2 times your current expenditure should be a fair comparison i.e. if you earn £30k in the UK, you'd need $66k in Australia for a broadly similar lifestyle.

 

The one thing that can affect that though is the cost of housing and that depends where you are moving from in the UK - Sydney is very expensive so unless you are moving from London a greater proportion of your income will go on rent. The best place to get property info is the real estate sites such as https://www.realestate.com.au/

 

Medicare covers some of the cost of healthcare, however a 457 visa holder needs to have private health care & your employer is obliged to provide one (but can take the premiums out of your salary). You will certainly have more expenditure on health than you would in the UK, even with Medicare. Prescriptions are not fixed cost - someone may be able to give you an idea of your wife's medication. I was on medication for arthritis and it cost me about $50 a month.

 

On a 457 you do not get full Medicare cover anyway, you are considered a visitor & there is a 'reciprocal agreement' with the UK however it covers essential treatment only & you are expected to have elective treatment in your home country when you return.

 

Is your employer going to pay relocation costs? There and back? On a 457 the employer does have to pay for your flights back to the UK at the end of your visa.

[IanGPE]

Thanks for the quick reply.

We're currently living in South East London.

My company have offered flights out, 6 weeks paid accommodation and a lump sum for shipping. I would also get a company pension (as I do now). What they haven't mentioned was anything about the visa only being for 4 years or about relocating back at the end of the visa! What would be the options at the end of the visa? Citizenship?

I guess I have a lot more questions to ask HR

[MaggieMay24]

Before you can become a citizen, you'd need to become a permanent resident. Some employers can/will assist by sponsoring for a 186 visa, other employers can't/won't so you'd need to see if you can become a permanent resident on your own merits.

[Marisawright]

My company have offered flights out, 6 weeks paid accommodation and a lump sum for shipping. I would also get a company pension (as I do now). What they haven't mentioned was anything about the visa only being for 4 years or about relocating back at the end of the visa! What would be the options at the end of the visa? Citizenship?

 

 

A 457 visa is for a staff member on a temporary contract, that's all.

 

At the end of the contract period, you would have 90 days to leave the country, unless they offer you a further contract or you find another employer willing to offer you a contract.

 

You should be aware that if something goes wrong - e.g. if the job isn't what you expected and you decide to resign, or there's a restructure and your job disappears, then your whole family will have to leave the country within 90 days. You can stay if you can find a contract with another employer who's willing to jump through all the hoops of getting you a visa - but as you can imagine, that's not always possible to do within the timeframe.

 

Just living in Australia doesn't give you any right to citizenship, no matter how long you're there! IF your employer is willing to sponsor you for permanent residence, you can eventually apply for a PR visa which would enable you to stay permanently. However your employer is under no legal obligation to sponsor you for PR, even if they put the offer in your contract. Many people on 457's find their employer changes their mind - after all, four years is a long time in business these days - so it's best to see the relocation as a short-term adventure rather than a path to migration.

[Suzukiscottie]

Hi IanGPE

 

My visa path in Australia was 457 for 4 years, employer agreed to sponsor me for permanent 186 in year 3 of the 457, and the paperwork eventually went in. Due to the time that the application takes (around a year for me), we had to renew the 457 for another 4 years, then a few months later the 186 was approved. Fast forward a couple of years and we became citizens.

 

My "private" health cover whilst on a 457 wasn't done through a recognised health provider (such as Bupa) in Australia, but it was done more like a travel insurance policy with a provider organised and paid for by my employer. It reimbursed me for any expenditure on health that I had (and I had a lot due to some serious health issues). This benefited me hugely because I got every cent back. With a more recognised "normal" type of private cover, you will find that providers always have gaps in their reimbursements where they will only cover 70% for one kind of claim, or 50% for another, maybe 90% for something else, and you are left to cover the shortfall. 457 holders still get full reciprocal care through medicare due to the arrangement between Australia and the UK. This ensures that any emergency care is taken care of as required (ie if you break a leg, have a heart attack, etc etc).

 

I think that asthma inhalers can be bought over the counter in pharmacies here. Someone will likely confirm that or shoot me down in flames! I'm asthmatic in the UK but not in Australia! Go figure! I've never needed to buy an inhaler here in 6 years!

 

Things you may want to find out from your employer:

Is your pension included in your figures for your salary, or is it salary PLUS pension?

What is their expectation of the business plan for the next 4 years and what would they expect from you at the end of the 457 visa?

Have they moved staff on internal transfers previously, or is this something new to them? (lots of hoops to jump through if they are new to this)

Would they consider progressing to a permanent visa down the line? Maybe offer to assist with the costs?

Do you have kids? Try and negotiate something for a contribution to school fees! These can be expensive!

Are you able to use the lump sum for shipping as you see fit? It would be good if it was a big enough sum to also cover the bond and first months rent for your permanent accommodation! (If your HR dept organises the shipping, they might not actually spend all of the entitlement they say they are giving you if they go for some cheapskate option!)

 

Assuming that you meet the criteria, and can pass a skills assessment, you can of course apply for your own skilled independent visa at any time you like. If you can't pass a skills assessment for your occupation, then you could also use the option to progress to a permanent 186 employer sponsored visa (assuming your employer is in favour) after 2 years on the 457. If you can pass a skills assessment, then you could apply for the same visa whenever you like (again assuming employer agreement) but I would imagine that after spending $$$ on the 457, that your employer might want to see some value from that spend firstly.

 

Have a look at the websites for the big supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths/Safeway, Aldi) to get a quick feel for costs.

Have a look at carsales.com.au to get a feel for the price of new or used cars. (or ebay too for used).

Have a look at websites for Telstra/Optus/Virgin/Vodafone etc for costs for internet/mobile phones etc.

Try and match up your searches on realestate.com.au for accommodation to the travel maps for the public transport system to work out commuting times and costs etc.

[calNgary]

As far as i am aware if the employer will nominate you for a PR Visa (after a few years) or you can apply for it in your own right ,you do not have to leave the country after 4 years.

Having to leave within 90 days if your employment is cancelled or at the end of the 4 years is a last resort if you dont do any of the above is rare. Lots and lots of people have moved on the 457 Temp visa and have gone on to live here for years, you just need to follow the correct steps.

 

Cal x

[Nemesis]

As far as i am aware if the employer will nominate you for a PR Visa (after a few years) or you can apply for it in your own right ,you do not have to leave the country after 4 years.

Having to leave within 90 days if your employment is cancelled or at the end of the 4 years is a last resort if you dont do any of the above is rare. Lots and lots of people have moved on the 457 Temp visa and have gone on to live here for years, you just need to follow the correct steps.

 

Cal x

Rather worrying though that the op didn't realise the details of a 457, such as the maximum contract being 4 years and possibly having to leave at the end.

[Bungo]

As far as i am aware if the employer will nominate you for a PR Visa (after a few years) or you can apply for it in your own right ,you do not have to leave the country after 4 years.

Having to leave within 90 days if your employment is cancelled or at the end of the 4 years is a last resort if you dont do any of the above is rare. Lots and lots of people have moved on the 457 Temp visa and have gone on to live here for years, you just need to follow the correct steps.

 

Cal x

 

Cal, most 457 visa holders do leave at the end of a set period. Obviously on a forum like PIO there will be a skew towards the ones that went on to get PR and stayed, but the statistics show that most leave. People have done OP a big favour in pointing out how this visa works as they clearly thought it was a one way ticket.