Age 42 and 50 - are we mad?

[Parley]

22 minutes ago, Bulya said:

Correct.  

Bit meaningless. You need to look at average for your age to know where you sit against others.

Obviously older people will have a lot more than people new to the workforce.

[Cheery Thistle]

Just wanted to say thanks for all input so far. Still keen to hear of success (or horror) stories of those who have moved in their 40’s and beyond. 

[Steve Elliott]

Being both a financial adviser and a registered migration agent, I would suggest setting aside the pension/superannuation discussion to one side for a moment. Yes it is important, but it is a complex and specialist area. Having said that, there are potentially some strategies which can be used to boost the size of your Superannuation once in Australia.

The key and pivotal question is whether there any potential pathways open to you both given your individual circumstances.

Having left teaching 4 years ago, I would suggest talking to an agent re whether a skilled visa is an option or whether there might be other options.

The investment/financial aspects are secondary and irrelevant without a viable pathway.

It sounds like you and your family would be an asset to Australia. You just need to determine if there is door you can unlock to come on in! 

Good luck.

 

[Blue Flu]

On 28/02/2023 at 06:18, Cheery Thistle said:

There is a 2 year wait to just get on to the foreign birth register, then you have to go through the citizenship application process. It’s not as straightforward as just getting a passport unfortunately. Brexit has meant that lots of people want the Irish passport/citizenship to get access to the EU. 

I know that is the official line but when looked it up recently it appeared to be on average around four months. But as I'm going down that route, I will be taking a much closer interest. 

Never been to Lanzarote, but will consider other alternatives to coming to Australia in these times.  

As for language teachers, I know a lady with perfect teaching skills in Italian and French and done German at university (but has not taught it) and can only get several hours a week teaching at adult education classes. She is in her sixties and still has a mortgage. 

Edited February 28, 2023 by Blue Flu

[Sloth]

21 hours ago, Cheery Thistle said:

Wow exact same age! That’s good to know. What was worth it? How did you do for work? Did you encounter ageism? 

We're both optometrists. No ageism, just casual racism.

[Cheery Thistle]

7 hours ago, Blue Flu said:

I know that is the official line but when looked it up recently it appeared to be on average around four months. But as I'm going down that route, I will be taking a much closer interest. 

Never been to Lanzarote, but will consider other alternatives to coming to Australia in these times.  

As for language teachers, I know a lady with perfect teaching skills in Italian and French and done German at university (but has not taught it) and can only get several hours a week teaching at adult education classes. She is in her sixties and still has a mortgage. 

Yeah I don’t want to actually teach but was hoping to use those qualifications to enter. I am now actually in L and D as an elearning developer. 

[Cheery Thistle]

2 hours ago, Sloth said:

We're both optometrists. No ageism, just casual racism.

That’s not good! However being a Scot working with mostly English people I’m party to it every day!  

[Cheery Thistle]

46 minutes ago, Cheery Thistle said:

Yeah I don’t want to actually teach but was hoping to use those qualifications to enter. I am now actually in L and D as an elearning developer. 

Also that’s good to know re: Irish citizenship. I know people who have been waiting over 2 years. We are gathering documentation for it just now and intend to do it regardless of the Oz situation. 

[Bulya]

2 hours ago, Sloth said:

We're both optometrists. No ageism, just casual racism.

Very common, just like it is in the U.K. 

[Jon the Hat]

On 28/02/2023 at 16:11, Quoll said:

Blimey, my financial adviser told me $500k - but that may have been before people were allowed to take money out for mortgages over Covid

One is probably the mean, one the median.

[Jon the Hat]

14 hours ago, Cheery Thistle said:

Just wanted to say thanks for all input so far. Still keen to hear of success (or horror) stories of those who have moved in their 40’s and beyond. 

I was 45 and my wife 49.  All going well so far apart from expected dramas with teenager.

[Cheery Thistle]

11 minutes ago, Jon the Hat said:

I was 45 and my wife 49.  All going well so far apart from expected dramas with teenager.

Haha this made me lol. My daughter would be in the region of 12-13 probably by the time they move. Having already brought up 2 stepsons I like to think I’ve seen it all (they were particularly ‘bad’) but maybe not. However, they are drama no matter where they are located? Do you feel overall it has been a good move for your teen? 

[Cheery Thistle]

10 hours ago, Steve Elliott said:

Being both a financial adviser and a registered migration agent, I would suggest setting aside the pension/superannuation discussion to one side for a moment. Yes it is important, but it is a complex and specialist area. Having said that, there are potentially some strategies which can be used to boost the size of your Superannuation once in Australia.

The key and pivotal question is whether there any potential pathways open to you both given your individual circumstances.

Having left teaching 4 years ago, I would suggest talking to an agent re whether a skilled visa is an option or whether there might be other options.

The investment/financial aspects are secondary and irrelevant without a viable pathway.

It sounds like you and your family would be an asset to Australia. You just need to determine if there is door you can unlock to come on in! 

Good luck.

 

Thanks Steve that is v kind of you. Totally agree re: chat on financials etc, that is some way down the line. Because we are a bit older it’s not like we would be arriving with nothing so there’s a lot to consider - and more to leave behind than there would be if we were in our 20’s. Immigration agent here we come! 

[Cheery Thistle]

3 hours ago, Bulya said:

Very common, just like it is in the U.K. 

You might be surprised. There has been a very sharp veer towards the politically correct in the UK. You have to be very careful of what you say. 

[Blue Flu]

11 hours ago, Cheery Thistle said:

You might be surprised. There has been a very sharp veer towards the politically correct in the UK. You have to be very careful of what you say. 

Same in Australia. 

[Steve Elliott]

13 hours ago, Cheery Thistle said:

Thanks Steve that is v kind of you. Totally agree re: chat on financials etc, that is some way down the line. Because we are a bit older it’s not like we would be arriving with nothing so there’s a lot to consider - and more to leave behind than there would be if we were in our 20’s. Immigration agent here we come! 

If you do end up making the move, and have an open mind re your future career pathway, with your background and linguistic skills, you'd be a real asset in a migration agency. When you get here, give me a call! - I'm serious

[calNgary]

A few posts have been removed due to breach of forum rules. 

 Cal x

[Cheery Thistle]

8 hours ago, Steve Elliott said:

If you do end up making the move, and have an open mind re your future career pathway, with your background and linguistic skills, you'd be a real asset in a migration agency. When you get here, give me a call! - I'm serious

Steve, I always have an open mind and my career path has been so varied - started off in wine sales, then retrained into teaching, then ran both property and gas/plumbing business with hubby and now back in elearning/L and D working for the UK government (which I am really enjoying). 
I think you are in Brisbane which is one of our preferred locations but at the moment it’s a mere pipe dream - will keep you posted! Take care and have a great day. 

[Rallyman]

We moved over when 44/46 ( 12 years ago now) 

achieved more here in those 12 years than I would have done in uk, I am carpenter / builder by trade but mostly off tools now more site/ project management. Wife is a chemo nurse 

we have had ups and downs but I still think it’s the land of opportunity if you are prepared to put the effort in. 
only regret what you have not done , good luck what ever you choose  

 

[Cheery Thistle]

Thanks, well there are ups and downs wherever you are! My husband is a self employed gas engineer but we have kind of decided he won’t pursue that in Oz - he feels too old to be trying to gain an apprenticeship and transfer his qualifications. He was thinking of the facilities management route or similar - where his trade background might be appreciated. 
We are both hard working people and not afraid of a challenge but I do sometimes wonder if we are too old to start again! 
My finger is hovering over the skills assessment button and I think we are going to go for it! If we end up having the visa and not using it, it’s only money that we can make again. 

[InnerVoice]

On 28/02/2023 at 07:41, Marisawright said:

Getting an Irish passport for your hubby will be a dawdle compared to the one or two years it will take to get an Australian visa.  

 

On 28/02/2023 at 08:18, Cheery Thistle said:

There is a 2 year wait to just get on to the foreign birth register, then you have to go through the citizenship application process. It’s not as straightforward as just getting a passport unfortunately. Brexit has meant that lots of people want the Irish passport/citizenship to get access to the EU. 

For a while we've been thinking about Europe as an alternative retirement destination to Australia and I was eligible for Irish citizenship by descent, so I applied in July 2019. I was accepted on the Foreign Births Register in August 2020, so it took just over a year - not two years - and that was at the height of covid with all the delays. I recall it took another 2-3 months to get my Irish passport on top of that, not that it mattered because we couldn't travel anyway. Once you're on the FBR, you're an Irish citizen - that's it. There isn't a separate citizenship application process, and attending a ceremony is optional.

The hardest part was obtaining birth, death, and marriage certificates for my family members prior to the application because the originals had long since gone. The process was by no means a dawdle but much simpler and cheaper than obtaining Australian residency, and for less than 300 euros I've got an Irish passport.

I love the Canary Islands and could easily live there, and if I could also speak Spanish too then it would be a no-brainer - Plan B for me!

[Cheery Thistle]

7 minutes ago, InnerVoice said:

 

For a while we've been thinking about Europe as an alternative retirement destination to Australia and I was eligible for Irish citizenship by descent, so I applied in July 2019. I was accepted on the Foreign Births Register in August 2020, so it took just over a year - not two years - and that was at the height of covid with all the delays. I recall it took another 2-3 months to get my Irish passport on top of that, not that it mattered because we couldn't travel anyway. Once you're on the FBR, you're an Irish citizen - that's it. There isn't a separate citizenship application process, and attending a ceremony is optional.

The hardest part was obtaining birth, death, and marriage certificates for my family members prior to the application because the originals had long since gone. The process was by no means a dawdle but much simpler and cheaper than obtaining Australian residency, and for less than 300 euros I've got an Irish passport.

I love the Canary Islands and could easily live there, and if I could also speak Spanish too then it would be a no-brainer - Plan B for me!

That’s good to know, the one thing about the Canaries is really a lack of work opportunities for my husband. I can do my job from there as a contractor through a UK ltd co. It would likely mean he would be retired really and he’s not sure he’s quite ready for that, especially given that I am ‘only’ 42. It’s a lot to think about. We are getting the Irish passport regardless, as it gives us more options for retirement too and maybe for now. I think what I’m thinking is get the Irish passport and get the Aus Visa (since conditions seem favourable to my skills etc at the moment), then do a longish trip to Aus, then decide? It’s good to know the lag hasn’t been too long, will be beneficial for him/us to have the passport. 
I know that the FBR gives you citizenship. Unfortunately it doesn’t give me or my daughter citizenship though. 
If you love Europe/the Canaries how come you are in Oz and not there? I am a bit worried about being too ‘European’ for Oz and about missing being closer to Europe. 

[InnerVoice]

2 minutes ago, Cheery Thistle said:

That’s good to know, the one thing about the Canaries is really a lack of work opportunities for my husband. I can do my job from there as a contractor through a UK ltd co. It would likely mean he would be retired really and he’s not sure he’s quite ready for that, especially given that I am ‘only’ 42. It’s a lot to think about. We are getting the Irish passport regardless, as it gives us more options for retirement too and maybe for now. I think what I’m thinking is get the Irish passport and get the Aus Visa (since conditions seem favourable to my skills etc at the moment), then do a longish trip to Aus, then decide? It’s good to know the lag hasn’t been too long, will be beneficial for him/us to have the passport. 
I know that the FBR gives you citizenship. Unfortunately it doesn’t give me or my daughter citizenship though. 
If you love Europe/the Canaries how come you are in Oz and not there? I am a bit worried about being too ‘European’ for Oz and about missing being closer to Europe. 

That doesn't matter because family members of EU citizens can reside with their spouses in most EU countries without impediment. It's not like the UK where the spouse of a British citizen needs a visa to remain in the UK until they're a citizen.

You mentioned that your husband wasn't going to continue working as a gas engineer if you came to Australia, so how would that differ if you went to Lanzarote? He'd be doing something different wherever you went, wouldn't he?

Australia has been very good to me and I've been happy here for many years, but I fancy a change in retirement. I won't be going anywhere before I'm 60 though (not long now!) as that's when most Aussies can get their superannuation completely tax free, but you need to be resident in Australia at the time to qualify or it's not tax free.

I agree that you should do a longish trip here. Always good to spend some time in a country first before taking the migration plunge.

[Cheery Thistle]

14 minutes ago, InnerVoice said:

That doesn't matter because family members of EU citizens can reside with their spouses in most EU countries without impediment. It's not like the UK where the spouse of a British citizen needs a visa to remain in the UK until they're a citizen.

You mentioned that your husband wasn't going to continue working as a gas engineer if you came to Australia, so how would that differ if you went to Lanzarote? He'd be doing something different wherever you went, wouldn't he?

Australia has been very good to me and I've been happy here for many years, but I fancy a change in retirement. I won't be going anywhere before I'm 60 though (not long now!) as that's when most Aussies can get their superannuation completely tax free, but you need to be resident in Australia at the time to qualify or it's not tax free.

I agree that you should do a longish trip here. Always good to spend some time in a country first before taking the migration plunge.

Yes I agree we need to see and experience it. 

Regarding the EU, I would need to get residency and then as a resident spouse of an EU citizen I have right to work etc. Our daughter would have access to state medical care and education. Alternatively I may be eligible for a 5 year digital nomad visa which also offers some tax benefits. 

Are you familiar with the economy of the Canary Islands? It differs I suppose because there are still quite a few viable alternatives job-wise in Oz that don’t really exist in the canaries. The Canaries have a predominantly tourism based economy. For him to secure employment there as a handy man or FM he would need good Spanish (think he will struggle with that due to age and dyslexia, I have tried over the years believe you me ).  The salaries are also low (circa 1300 euros per month for a 40 hour week). Hence we think he would probably retire or semi-retire there. In Oz he is qualified for Facilities Management which seems reasonably paid when paired with my salary too. I suppose those are the main differences - lack of language barrier and more job opportunities. 
Tax is also v high in Spain - especially on our UK assets but also on earnings, whereas Aus seems comparable to the UK. 
 

This article gives a bit more info. 

https://borgenproject.org/poverty-in-canary-islands/

[Cheery Thistle]

You can tell I have thought about this a bit eh? Lol