ScottishMatilda Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 I have been offered a job in Melbourne CBD on a salary of approx 80,000 AUD. The offer includes relocation assistance. I have a few weeks to make a decision but feeling a bit overwhelmed. Things to consider... Timescales involved in visa (457) and professional registration? Areas for living (what can we afford on that salary...hubby will be working later on). Had been looking at suburbs like Edithvale on the East coast? Selling or renting our own home? When to put house up for sale...? Shipping companies from Scotland costs? School/nursery (kindy) for the kids...costs? I have 3!!! I in school, 2 in childcare I am sure there will be much much more I am not thinking of! Anyone any nuggets of advice for me....? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 The most important thing to consider is that this is a temporary visa with no automatic path to PR or staying long term. It is important that you plan with the assumption you will be returning at the end. You should also research other issues this visa has - no access to public funds for things like child care, partners can have issues getting work, issues with obtaining credit including mortgages and others. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossmoyne Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 Before you even make a decision, what you need to put into the decision making process is that a 457 visa is a temporary residency visa and if your sponsoring employer decides at any time they do not want you, your visa will be cancelled within 60 days and unless you can find another employer who is DIBP compliant and approved to sponsor you, your visa will be cancelled and you will have 60 days to leave Australia. A 457 visa is not a pathway to permanent residency, and bear in mind also that the government are cutting back on this visa class big time. July is the normal time that visa rules and regulations are changed and it is expected that 457 visas will be massively cut, if not ceased for the time being unless your skill is outstanding and cannot be sourced with Australian citizens. If you really want to go with the visa and see what happens when you get here, I strongly suggest that you do not sell your property in UK but rent it out so you at least have something to fall back on if it all goes pearshaped. Sorry not trying to be negative here... just saying it as it is. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 I agree with VS and Rossmoyne. We came on a 457 8 years ago with two small children, but we had a probable pathway to PR (actually, a month after we were granted PR on OH's profession it was taken off the list, so even then it was dicey! We did however have a backup in my profession). I believe that there are lots of cuts being made to the 457 visa, so if you can get PR that would definitely be the better way to go. Salary-wise, I can't say for sure because I'm in Sydney, but I would think you'd struggle a little bit on that until your OH got a job. I don't think you'd pay school fees in Victoria, but you would definitely have childcare costs with no government help on a 457. I used to put my girls into childcare one day a week, and it cost $85 per child per day. This was Sydney, and it was 6-7 years ago so I'm not sure how costs compare now. You could probably find out childcare costs by looking at provider websites. To be honest, if I were in your shoes I'd hold off selling your house for a while. The GBP to AUS exchange rate isn't great, and I think that with being on a 457 and the uncertainty that that has in terms of job stability, you'd be better off renting it out until you have PR. Timescales for the 457 vary wildly. Ours was granted over a weekend (but we had a superb agent acting on our behalf), other peoples have taken months. Professional registration probably depends on the profession. Maybe if you give a bit more information on which profession someone who has been through the process might be able to advise. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beffers Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 80K won't get your far in Edithvale or immediate environs, and I think both of you will need to work in order to get a mortgage and afford all the childcare bills. Your partner may face some issues with some employers due to temporary status but should be able to secure work of some sort, but perhaps at a lower level of salary than expected, as lots of employers won't pay through their nose for a temporary worker. Given that your visa is only temporary, you may be best off renting, and retaining your house in UK otherwise you'll have to start all over again in UK when your visa expires. Childcare is expensive in Melbourne and as a temporary, you won't get government assistance. Schooling is all zoned in that part of the world. You'll need to prove 12 months+ rental in order to register for a school. House prices check realestate.com.au or domain.com.au and factor in all insurances, including healthcare, to work out how far 80K will take you. Cost of living in Melbourne is extremely high. Main point as raised above, it's a temporary visa. There's no guaranteed route to PR, so bear that in mind as you wind down your life in the UK. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottishMatilda Posted April 1, 2017 Author Share Posted April 1, 2017 Thanks all, this has been so helpful! It is a government based job, so I had been hoping that I may be a bit more 'protected' from the issues with a 457 and having to leave Oz if your employment is cancelled. Perhaps I shouldn't be so positive! We are actually already pursuing PR so hopefully this will come through relatively soon anyway. Both hubby and I planned to work, its just that my husband will look after we arrived probably. Childcare seems so expensive, thought this is no different here! Such a difficult decision to make Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 Dependents of temporary visa holders often find it very hard to get a job, especially in a saturated market so you might not want to back on your DH getting a job any time soon. Interesting that government is recruiting overseas, I would have thought they could have got home grown talent quite easily although there has been a tendency for governments to try and get social workers because they can't keep them (nature of the job and conditions) and there is a huge turn over of both local and foreign appointments. $80k in a city isn't great. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazmancblue Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 (edited) With an approved employer, which I assume the government are, and the job being in the list, which I assume the government would be aware is, and the necessary skills and experience, which I assume you have for them to offer the job...then getting the visa would no doubt be easy. There are worries about partners getting jobs; but that's the same anywhere. My wife managed to get a casual job where I work and is looking in the meantime. There are of course other possible negatives, but there are also opportunities. If the possibility is that the visa won't be available from July, then you may end up living 'what if?' for the rest of your life. Melbourne is amazing. I'll worry about PR and visa renewal when it's necessary, and in the meantime enjoy living here... Edited April 2, 2017 by tazmancblue 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazmancblue Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 Oh...and with regards shipping costs, look at move cubes with Seven Seas Worldwide; we found that to be the cheapest option. And the best option for insuring the goods was with a company based in Liverpool which gave better cover for less. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottishMatilda Posted April 2, 2017 Author Share Posted April 2, 2017 When people are saying the visa won't be available from July, surely the existing visa holders will be fine for the period their visa is granted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemesis Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 1 hour ago, ScottishMatilda said: When people are saying the visa won't be available from July, surely the existing visa holders will be fine for the period their visa is granted? Can't see where thats come from. There is no suggestion anywhere that 457s are being stopped in July. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottishMatilda Posted April 2, 2017 Author Share Posted April 2, 2017 13 hours ago, tazmancblue said: If the possibility is that the visa won't be available from July, then you may end up living 'what if?' for the rest of your life. Just checking what you meant by this...I had read somewhere else that the 457 visas were looking likely to be cut...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 Who knows what will happen with this Visa, its not popular with Australians as they see these visas as taking away locals jobs. So when elections come around things can change. There are posts about working as a social worker on this site, a lot have come a lot have not liked the system. Its very different evidently from the UK system. Permanent visa is the best way to go. Government jobs are no longer safe, they are putting people all on contract these days so that they can drop them when they want to and not have to pay them out. I know this because my daughter works for one of the ombudsmen and they all use contracts now. No jobs for life anymore, its all short term, teaching, everywhere. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazmancblue Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 (edited) If the employer is going to pay for the visa application, flight costs and relocation costs, that's a big investment that they won't wish to lose out on. Not forgetting that if they decide they don't want you, they also have to pay your return costs. There was a thread about 457 visas being cut, but the main thrust of it appears to be in relation to lower skill jobs; and also seems to specifically question chefs and restaurant managers which seems an easy route to emigrating here from some countries and open to fraud. Plus that's a job where locals will have the skills. I can't see them being able to just cancel all 457s for existing workers, that would leave a massive hole that the country could not fill. What I meant about living 'what if' is that if the suggestion that the number of new visas will be reduced is true, and you are then unable to get one, then you may regret the delay now in making the decision and always wonder what it might have been like here in Melbourne. Edited April 2, 2017 by tazmancblue 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottishMatilda Posted April 3, 2017 Author Share Posted April 3, 2017 Thanks for clarifying tazmancblue...my hubby is of the same opinion...these opportunities don't come along too often and he fears we will regret it if we decline. We are actually pursuing PR too, so this is our insurance policy to bringing forward our timescales and going on the 457. I agree that they would be investing significant time and money to recruit me and pay for relocation etc. The post is not in social work but in psychology in a relatively niche specialism, so they have been unable to recruit for it in Australia as I understand. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 (edited) 2 hours ago, ScottishMatilda said: Thanks for clarifying tazmancblue...my hubby is of the same opinion...these opportunities don't come along too often and he fears we will regret it if we decline. We are actually pursuing PR too, so this is our insurance policy to bringing forward our timescales and going on the 457. I agree that they would be investing significant time and money to recruit me and pay for relocation etc. The post is not in social work but in psychology in a relatively niche specialism, so they have been unable to recruit for it in Australia as I understand. Good luck dealing with AHPRA! Getting registered is a challenge in itself with them. I'm not surprised they can't recruit in Australia for that salary. Psychs are a dime a dozen and all earning more than that. One of my friends is quitting this year and she says it costs her around $5kpa to stay registered as she had to pay for CPD and supervision so hopefully your employer is going to foot the bill for all that for you as well. Edited April 3, 2017 by Quoll Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottishMatilda Posted April 4, 2017 Author Share Posted April 4, 2017 Thanks for the good luck...I have heard and researched this and am aware of how difficult AHPRA can be. If as you say, psychs are 'dime a dozen' then its curious that employers are recruiting from overseas. I have trained extensively in a specialist field in psychology and was pretty pleased with the salary on offer and the relocation package that goes with it. I will try to retain my sunny and positive disposition in the face of all the difficulties... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted April 4, 2017 Share Posted April 4, 2017 Also consider 80,000 is not a high salary, living in Melbourne is extremely expensive. You will need two incomes with that salary. Depends how much rent you want to pay how near you will be able to live to the central business district. Flats are cheaper than houses but still expensive. My daughter pays $500.00 a week for a tiny workers cottage and cannot swing a cat in it. Anything that is newish with heating and cooling at a price of say 400 is a long way out on the fringe of the city. House prices in 10 km radius are all over a million. My friend's son just paid 1.8 million for a house on a 300 sq metre block and it needs knocking down. They will need to spend big on extending and fixing it up. Have a look at realestate.com.au, also have your oh look at Seek to see what jobs are available. Also look yourself to see if you are going to be paid enough. Remember you have to stay with this visa and its a long time if you are struggling on the pay. Yes by all means take the plunge but its not easy being a migrant. English people cop abuse especially in the health system and its not much different to UK in that regard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItchyFeet76 Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 It's good that people are pointing out the potential pitfalls of a 457, and I agree that PR is the best way if you are able to get it; however, not everyone CAN get it and sometimes a 457 is the only way to get in. Don't be put off by any of the negative comments but do bear them in mind when making a final decision. Just a few points to note, having come over on a 457 ourselves:- * You actually have 90 days (not 60) to find a new job if you lose your current one; * You CAN get a mortgage on a 457 but it's tricky as you require FIRB approval, are restricted to a smaller pool of lenders, will have to pay a hefty foreign buyer tax (I think it's 7% here in Vic? Don't get quote me on that!) and won't benefit from the $10k FHB's grant...although that's a moot point unless you were considering buying new, anyway. * We'd never rented before and our lack of credit rating had no negative effect on our ability to prove ourselves as suitable tenants....I printed off annual statements from our mortgage, showing we'd paid it in full and on time every month, so that may have helped? We also got a reference from the serviced corporate apartment where we stayed for the first month. * Edithvale is a nice seaside town within commuting distance to the CBD, but it's not cheap (nowhere in the SE is!)....I'd work out how much your husband would come out with (net) a day, and if it's less than the cost of childcare then get him to consider being a house-husband and budget to live just on your wage. * You'll need 457-compatible health insurance until / unless you get PR (and then I'd still recommend getting basic cover (inc. ambo) to avoid the MLS surcharge...that's our plan), but you do get access to quite a lot of medicare with your reciprocal yellow card, as you're from the UK. * Dental isn't covered by Medicare and is atrociously expensive! Our biggest mistake (well, one of them... ;-) ) was NOT putting aside the equivalent of National Insurance (i.e. 12% of your Aus salary, if you can afford it) into a separate pot to go towards dental, and instead it goes on our rent (so we're now looking to downsize)... you don't notice it in the UK as it comes out of your wages but we used to pay around 500 GBP a month on NI out of my husband's UK wage! (so much for the NHS being 'free' ;-) ). * You can't buy a one-way ticket until you have your 457 visa to show the travel agent...we bought ours <12 hours before flying out, as our visa only came through the day before! (we had hoped to buy in advance and get a flexi-fare). * If you're not fussed about being by the sea, consider somewhere inland and countrified, like Sunbury (in the North-West). We're by the sea but, if I didn't care about coastal living, we'd definitely have moved there :-) * $500 / week should get you a 3-bed within walking distance of the beach in Edithvale. Also consider further down, e.g. Chelsea, Seaford... Bayside is notoriously expensive though so avoid Brighton, Cheltenham, etc.! Er..... hate to be the bearer of bad news but, just as I was typing all of the above, my ABC news app flashed up this alert:- http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-18/government-abolishing-457-visas/8450310 Maybe it'll take a while to come to fruition...? Fingers crossed for you, anyway :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 Sorry, it is 60 days. It changed some months ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItchyFeet76 Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 30 minutes ago, VERYSTORMY said: Sorry, it is 60 days. It changed some months ago. Really? Gosh, I wish they'd make up their minds! It was 30 days when we initially began our Aus dream, then 90 days when we came over here last June....now they've clearly compromised on both! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItchyFeet76 Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 PS I forgot to mention, Vic doesn't have any school fees on a 457 either :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loobeeloulou Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 My hubby replied to this thread above (tazmancblue) and I wanted to add, your earnings will be sufficient, definitely, at least short term. Melbourne doesn't have to be mega expensive. We live in a nice area and rents are high, but we don't have kids. There are several areas close to the beach/seaside that won't cripple you financially. Altona is up the road from us and has a lovely beach. Point cook is a large created village town type area. Huge houses, vast living spaces and not too far from the cbd. You'll get a 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom, rumpus room, etc, house for around $480. Income tax is less here, yes medical is via Medicare except dental. I looked at costs for optical and dental and haven't gone for private health cover as it wasnt worth it. Your hubby will get work, just might take a while depending on what he does. Be ready for knock backs, I got them. Credit isn't an issue, you'll get renting somewhere and we walked in the day after and bought two mobile phone contacts. We both opened bank accounts from the uk. Credit cards were opened here. No problems. its a gamble, a big one, but with the changes afoot with the visas, go for it! It took us 7 weeks from submit to granted, the timescale at the time was actually 7 weeks. It happened quickly, if they use an agent it will do. All documents properly submitted at the start make it quicker. Rent your house, send your furniture using seven seas, letton Percival for insurance for it rather than through seven seas, see if they'll get you some temp accommodation, if not, organise it via an online agency? Look around at what suits you once here. You won't know unless you try, that's the crux of it. But his visa process changing I guess will make things have to happen quicker, so you don't miss out. People say oh it's not guaranteed permanent residency, so what? Enjoy the four years of living in a great city and see what those four years brings! I wish I would've have given my kids the chance of a beach life, it's bliss at times. We have Aldi, markets, reasonable shipping, we have options, it doesn't have to be rich lifestyle, it's possible to live within your means. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beffers Posted April 18, 2017 Share Posted April 18, 2017 http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Work/457-abolition-replacement Check what visa your hubby's employers are offering as there will be some changes to what he will get I would imagine, judging by this latest change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottishMatilda Posted April 22, 2017 Author Share Posted April 22, 2017 Hi folks, I really appreciate everyones post, and the reassurance provided by come of the most recent ones. Thanks for heads up on the abolition of the 457's. My occupation is still on the list and looks unlikely to be affected for the moment... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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