Cost of moving to Oz

[Corrina]

Hi. 

My family and I have been waiting for the 'right time' to apply for visas and start a much longed for move to Australia. We're both experienced social workers and our children are 16 and 8. It's a move we all want. My 16 year old wants to train in Oz to become an early years teacher, and my 8 year old so far wants to become a doctor! So, so far we feel positive about being able to contribute as much as we can to give to Australia in terms of employment choices and community living. We were all so looking forward to it. 

I need to be the main applicant due to age, and I qualify for the skilled visa and appear to have enough points. It was all starting to feel real and exciting...But since looking into visas during lockdown I noticed that there is now a high cost, where I'm sure there wasn't before! Now it seems we need to pay approx $4000 for mine, $2000 for hubbies and $1200 for each child, just for the visas!! That's even before flights and costs of moving. An agent to help with visas etc. I'm truly devastated. 

Does anyone know if there is ANY way around this, or any way of reducing it, or if paid, is there a way to recoup it once moved? Or just know of Anything at all that could help to keep our dream alive?... Or is that simply it, nothing we can do? 

Huge thanks in advance for any comments that are left. 

[VERYSTORMY]

First, when you say you have enough points, be aware that while the minimum is is 65. In reality, for a 189, you need at least 90 to get an invite. State sponsored visas may need less points or may have special conditions, you would need to check the state you want to apply to. Though state sponsored are currently suspended due to Covid. 
 

As a total budget, including shipping, visas and everything else, I would allow 30k. As, there are lots of hidden costs. These are some. Temp accommodation on arrival, first months rent, rent deposit, shipping, buying a car, buying some essentials till your things arrive, living costs till you find work (bills, food, running a car, etc) then lots of incidentals 

[Amber Snowball]

I don’t think the cost of visas has gone up drastically recently, they have always been costly. Migration is expensive unfortunately. Sorry can’t offer more help but I do wish you well. You can only really recoup money by earning it, no refunds unfortunately.

[Corrina]

Hi. Thanks so much for replying. We have over 90 atm. But 30k, that seems so much. We have friends who moved 3 years ago and another 12 months ago and their costs were very minimal. Way less than 5k even. 

Seems we have a lot more to consider!? 

[Corrina]

Thanks Amber. Appreciate your reply. I think the difference has been that people we know who made the same move were sponsored and somehow their flights and visas were all paid for!! No such luck here

[Amber Snowball]

Just now, Corrina said:

Thanks Amber. Appreciate your reply. I think the difference has been that people we know who made the same move were sponsored and somehow their flights and visas were all paid for!! No such luck here

Ah the old 457 visa I think employers paid for flights, the replacement 482(?) not sure that’s the same.... It’s also not permanent so you need to apply for permanent  residency and pay for it at some point.
It’s a pain and the costs really mount up. I’ve moved in both directions.

Check out the costs of uni and schools for temporary vs permanent visas as well. Just so you have all the information to make a decision.

Do you have a location in mind? 
 

[Corrina]

10 minutes ago, Amber Snowball said:

Ah the old 457 visa I think employers paid for flights, the replacement 482(?) not sure that’s the same.... It’s also not permanent so you need to apply for permanent  residency and pay for it at some point.
It’s a pain and the costs really mount up. I’ve moved in both directions.

Check out the costs of uni and schools for temporary vs permanent visas as well. Just so you have all the information to make a decision.

Do you have a location in mind? 
 

Thanks again Amber. Now you mention that, yes I think that's what it was. I haven't looked at the 482. I will though thanks. 

I'll also have a look at education costs as you advise. There is just so much to read through, understand and consider. It's a bit mind blowing sometimes. 

We were hoping for Perth or Adelaide. Third choice would be Brisbane. 

[Amber Snowball]

1 minute ago, Corrina said:

Thanks again Amber. Now you mention that, yes I think that's what it was. I haven't looked at the 482. I will though thanks. 

I'll also have a look at education costs as you advise. There is just so much to read through, understand and consider. It's a bit mind blowing sometimes. 

We were hoping for Perth or Adelaide. Third choice would be Brisbane. 

I think it’s a 482, so many numbers!

Check out 190 visa for the different states, not sure of the costs against a 189, and see if SW are on the state lists. But a 190 is a permanent visa rather than temp so more desirable.

The states also have regional visas (489??) might be an option. It’s a provisional visa but with a proper pathway to permanent, rather than temporary.

Good luck!

 

[Corrina]

26 minutes ago, Amber Snowball said:

I think it’s a 482, so many numbers!

Check out 190 visa for the different states, not sure of the costs against a 189, and see if SW are on the state lists. But a 190 is a permanent visa rather than temp so more desirable.

The states also have regional visas (489??) might be an option. It’s a provisional visa but with a proper pathway to permanent, rather than temporary.

Good luck!

 

Thank you Amber. Yes I think it's the 190 I can apply for. As advised by a registered migration agent. It breaks it down a little but I'll definitely look into a few others as a second option. When the person above also commented, saying you need around 30k I thought he meant £30k but I think he meant AUD$$ which seems much less daunting!  

[Ferrets]

3 hours ago, Corrina said:

Thank you Amber. Yes I think it's the 190 I can apply for. As advised by a registered migration agent. It breaks it down a little but I'll definitely look into a few others as a second option. When the person above also commented, saying you need around 30k I thought he meant £30k but I think he meant AUD$$ which seems much less daunting!  

Unfortunately our cost of moving was around GBP £30k all in, excluding car purchase bit including two months of car hire.

I would also check out what visas can make entry at the moment, think you need PR.  I also know families that have struggled to move to PR from a temporary visa.

The Costa come over time, occupation  review, medical, visa so not a pump sum.  However flights, accomodation, shipping container and car hire were the big ones.

Best of luck and I hope you find an option that works for you.

[Corrina]

28 minutes ago, Ferrets said:

Unfortunately our cost of moving was around GBP £30k all in, excluding car purchase bit including two months of car hire.

I would also check out what visas can make entry at the moment, think you need PR.  I also know families that have struggled to move to PR from a temporary visa.

The Costa come over time, occupation  review, medical, visa so not a pump sum.  However flights, accomodation, shipping container and car hire were the big ones.

Best of luck and I hope you find an option that works for you.

Hi. Thanks for your reply. Wow, that's the most expensive move I've heard about to date!! Was it a recent move? I do appreciate hearing everybody's highs and lows. It's never going to be plain sailing I guess. The visa info alone is driving me nuts!! It just seems so much to cut into our savings when I know others have gone for less than 5K.  

[Quoll]

I’d say the whole move, when you are a family with kids will be in the ball park £30-50K. It’s not just the visas, they’re a drop in the ocean compared to the whole. The upper end of that estimate is if you can’t find jobs immediately - though I should thinK SWs will always find a role in child protection, if nothing else, the burn out rate is very high. It’s things like buying a car or two, Many different insurances, bonds, technology, essentials, upfront accommodation payments, quarantine (an added bonus), on top of the cost of shipping your stuff, fares (moving now, seems like 1st or business class is the only way not to get bumped off and who knows how expensive they’ll be when the cap lifts and the planes start flying). 
We moved back recently - to our own home and when economy fares meant economy but we haemorrhaged cash to begin with on the little things and we still haven’t bought a car (sharing the son’s old banger) - nowhere near £30k of course but all up we didn’t see much change from £10k and that’s without visas and we have our own mortgage free home.  
If you want to come then it’ll cost you - and then there’s the issues of education, moving with a 16 year old (bottom line, think very carefully about that and, best case scenario, wait until they’ve done A levels or leave them to finish Alevels then join you)

[Amber Snowball]

@Corrina it might be worth getting your skills assessed as from memory social work assessments were taking ages to be processed, about 6 months, that was a while ago and they might have sped up or slowed down with covid but worth getting started maybe?

If you do a search on here there is a social work thread somewhere.

[Corrina]

3 hours ago, Quoll said:

I’d say the whole move, when you are a family with kids will be in the ball park £30-50K. It’s not just the visas, they’re a drop in the ocean compared to the whole. The upper end of that estimate is if you can’t find jobs immediately - though I should thinK SWs will always find a role in child protection, if nothing else, the burn out rate is very high. It’s things like buying a car or two, Many different insurances, bonds, technology, essentials, upfront accommodation payments, quarantine (an added bonus), on top of the cost of shipping your stuff, fares (moving now, seems like 1st or business class is the only way not to get bumped off and who knows how expensive they’ll be when the cap lifts and the planes start flying). 
We moved back recently - to our own home and when economy fares meant economy but we haemorrhaged cash to begin with on the little things and we still haven’t bought a car (sharing the son’s old banger) - nowhere near £30k of course but all up we didn’t see much change from £10k and that’s without visas and we have our own mortgage free home.  
If you want to come then it’ll cost you - and then there’s the issues of education, moving with a 16 year old (bottom line, think very carefully about that and, best case scenario, wait until they’ve done A levels or leave them to finish Alevels then join you)

Hey Quoll. Thanks for your reply and info. Honestly though, I appreciate your advice but if we get there it definitely won't be costing us that much!! 50k? Really, where did you move to, Byron Bay?

We held off with it because of our teenager really. We wanted her to finish school, and thought she'd change her mind but in actual fact it's her who's driving us the most to go. We won't have any problems with the kids moving. We've already experienced a huge move in the UK and they seem to have (inherited) a sense of adventure. We could absolutely not Ever leave one of us behind, even for a short time. 

Yeah, I do get that it's probably more costly overall than people assume. But I have researched a lot and have friends over there to ask. I agree, we won't struggle to get jobs in the areas we both work. But it would have been nice to feel like I had 3 to 6 months to make sure the kids are settled first and we get to know the areas a bit before starting work. Or at least one of us!... So so many questions still, and it seems so much more to find out. 

Thanks again. 

[ali]

3 hours ago, Amber Snowball said:

@Corrina it might be worth getting your skills assessed as from memory social work assessments were taking ages to be processed, about 6 months, that was a while ago and they might have sped up or slowed down with covid but worth getting started maybe?

If you do a search on here there is a social work thread somewhere.

I would echo this - from memory, the skills assessment process for social work isn't a  quick one (not sure of cost).  I personally, wouldn't contemplate the temporary visa if for no other reason that your eldest wants to study - which will mean international fees for study (paid up front) which are astronomical.

[Corrina]

3 hours ago, Amber Snowball said:

@Corrina it might be worth getting your skills assessed as from memory social work assessments were taking ages to be processed, about 6 months, that was a while ago and they might have sped up or slowed down with covid but worth getting started maybe?

If you do a search on here there is a social work thread somewhere.

Hi Amber, 

That's great advice, thank you. I'll do that. And will look for the thread  

I'm a bit surprised by some suggesting it would cost between 30-50k. With so many Brits moving to Oz every month, they won't all have so much in the bank. Some will, but many move because they simply can't save money over here and their quality of life is not great. I don't know a single family who have moved to Oz and had that much disposable cash in the bank. I know there are obvious and hidden costs, but 50k...

[ali]

Just now, Corrina said:

Hi Amber, 

That's great advice, thank you. I'll do that. And will look for the thread  

I'm a bit surprised by some suggesting it would cost between 30-50k. With so many Brits moving to Oz every month, they won't all have so much in the bank. Some will, but many move because they simply can't save money over here and their quality of life is not great. I don't know a single family who have moved to Oz and had that much disposable cash in the bank. I know there are obvious and hidden costs, but 50k...

It's a collective cost - so a lot will have been paid out prior e.g. skills assessments, English tests, registration fees (if applicable), medicals, visas.  Visa fees went up to $7,000+ a few years ago.

[Corrina]

1 minute ago, ali said:

I would echo this - from memory, the skills assessment process for social work isn't a  quick one (not sure of cost).  I personally, wouldn't contemplate the temporary visa if for no other reason that your eldest wants to study - which will mean international fees for study (paid up front) which are astronomical.

Hi Ali. Thanks for this. Yes I absolutely agree. Particularly re the student fees. Ideally we hope to come on the 189/190 visa. Thank you. 

[ali]

Just now, Corrina said:

Hi Ali. Thanks for this. Yes I absolutely agree. Particularly re the student fees. Ideally we hope to come on the 189/190 visa. Thank you. 

Your eldest will still need to be dependent upon you at time of visa grant - if she's planning on Uni here there's a thread someone was asking about A level equivalents to get into Uni and Quoll put a link for WA.  PR means she'll be eligible for domestic fees which are still payable up front per semester but more reasonable than international fees.  

[Corrina]

1 minute ago, ali said:

It's a collective cost - so a lot will have been paid out prior e.g. skills assessments, English tests, registration fees (if applicable), medicals, visas.  Visa fees went up to $7,000+ a few years ago.

True. And it's much easier to take when it's spread out like that and over time. I don't think I'd want to add it up at the end. 

Yeah it's approx 7k for visas for a family of 3. 

[Corrina]

2 minutes ago, ali said:

Your eldest will still need to be dependent upon you at time of visa grant - if she's planning on Uni here there's a thread someone was asking about A level equivalents to get into Uni and Quoll put a link for WA.  PR means she'll be eligible for domestic fees which are still payable up front per semester but more reasonable than international fees.  

Thanks Ali. Great advice. 

[mt9754]

Yep, it soon adds up:

£4k Visas, assessments, medicals

£5k Moving costs at both ends (eg movecube, excess baggage, taxis, customs taxes, flights

£15k 6 month spending fund until finding new jobs, rental deposit, 6 weeks rent.

£1k bed clothes and pillows, electrical devices, kitchen utensils, clothes

£2k Quarantine costs

£1k temporary rent until finding property

£1k other - driving licenses, etc.

 

[Corrina]

4 minutes ago, mt9754 said:

Yep, it soon adds up:

£4k Visas, assessments, medicals

£5k Moving costs at both ends (eg movecube, excess baggage, taxis, customs taxes, flights

£15k 6 month spending fund until finding new jobs, rental deposit, 6 weeks rent.

£1k bed clothes and pillows, electrical devices, kitchen utensils, clothes

£2k Quarantine costs

£1k temporary rent until finding property

£1k other - driving licenses, etc.

 

Hi. That's a helpful breakdown to see. Thank you. 

[Marisawright]

9 hours ago, Corrina said:

Hi. Thanks so much for replying. We have over 90 atm. But 30k, that seems so much. We have friends who moved 3 years ago and another 12 months ago and their costs were very minimal. Way less than 5k even. 

It depends what you mean by costs.  There are three aspects:  the cost to apply, the cost to physically get from the UK to Australia, and then the cost to get set up when you arrive.  The third part is by far the most expensive.  

The first cost is 4 weeks in holiday accommodation, to give you time to find a long-term rental.  AirBnB would be the cheapest option, or Stayz - do a trial booking on both to get an idea of the cost. 

If you don't ship your belongings, bear in mind that most Australian rental properties are unfurnished.  So you'll need enough money to furnish your new home from scratch, including fridge and washing machine.  Most people vastly underestimate the cost: it's not just furniture, it's pots, pans, cutlery, crockery, bedlinen and towels, kitchen appliances and utensils, hoover, etc..  I strongly suggest you do a "virtual shop" at an Australian retailer, and see how much it would all come to. Try https://www.harveynorman.com.au/.   "Add to cart" everything you need - and yes, it will take you a while to do, but do it thoroughly so you get an accurate idea.  

My oh and I had no kids, so we shipped nothing and were able to delay buying stuff = we made do with a second-hand couch and a couple of pots.  However, it's not as practical to camp in a hlalf-empty flat if you're a family.  You can save by buying second-hand, but that takes time and effort - charity shops, and second-hand furniture shops, are much less common in Australia.  Do you really have time to drive to people's homes to check out furniture while you're job-hunting and getting the kids settled into new schools?  

You probably had to sell your UK car cheap, because you needed it till the last minute and then had to get it off your hands - so the proceeds won't buy you a car in Australia, and you need to allow for that difference.   You'll also need money for insurance (comprehensive and CTP) which will be a few thousand dollars. 

You'll need enough cash for a rental bond (4 weeks rent) plus your first week's rent. 

If you don't have jobs to come to, then you need to allow living costs while you job hunt.  If you suddenly lost your job in the UK, how long would it take you to find a job?  It will take longer than that in Australia, so work out what your weekly food and rent budget will be and multiply that by the number of weeks.

Edited September 12, 2020 by Marisawright

[Corrina]

8 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

It depends what you mean by costs.  There are three aspects:  the cost to apply, the cost to physically get from the UK to Australia, and then the cost to get set up when you arrive.  The third part is by far the most expensive.  

The first cost is 4 weeks in holiday accommodation, to give you time to find a long-term rental.  AirBnB would be the cheapest option, or Stayz - do a trial booking on both to get an idea of the cost. 

If you don't ship your belongings, bear in mind that most Australian rental properties are unfurnished.  So you'll need enough money to furnish your new home from scratch, including fridge and washing machine.  Most people vastly underestimate the cost: it's not just furniture, it's pots, pans, cutlery, crockery, bedlinen and towels, kitchen appliances and utensils, hoover, etc..  I strongly suggest you do a "virtual shop" at an Australian retailer, and see how much it would all come to. Try https://www.harveynorman.com.au/.   "Add to cart" everything you need - and yes, it will take you a while to do, but do it thoroughly so you get an accurate idea.  

My oh and I had no kids, so we shipped nothing and were able to delay buying stuff = we made do with a second-hand couch and a couple of pots.  However, it's not as practical to camp in a hlalf-empty flat if you're a family.  You can save by buying second-hand, but that takes time and effort - charity shops, and second-hand furniture shops, are much less common in Australia.  Do you really have time to drive to people's homes to check out furniture while you're job-hunting and getting the kids settled into new schools?  

You probably had to sell your UK car cheap, because you needed it till the last minute and then had to get it off your hands - so the proceeds won't buy you a car in Australia, and you need to allow for that difference.   You'll also need money for insurance (comprehensive and CTP) which will be a few thousand dollars. 

You'll need enough cash for a rental bond (4 weeks rent) plus your first week's rent. 

If you don't have jobs to come to, then you need to allow living costs while you job hunt.  If you suddenly lost your job in the UK, how long would it take you to find a job?  It will take longer than that in Australia, so work out what your weekly food and rent budget will be and multiply that by the number of weeks.

Hi Marisa, 

That's fantastic advice, thank you so much. I really appreciate your taking the time to type this for me. 

I agree with your aspects of costs and agree what you advise about setting up a new home. I think we take it for granted, all the 'little things' we accumulate over the years in our homes, and what we couldn't manage without. I'd need an IKEA within 2 or 3 hours drive I think ... I believe white goods are way more expensive in Oz than in the UK too. 

Funnily enough, I have already done your suggestion of 'virtual shopping' . I've even compared prices of different stores. I even virtual food shopped!! Great minds think alike!