can we survive in perth

[Guest ScotJohn]

Hi Kris, its prob too late now, but i am currently on a student visa studying bricklaying. There is more than half of my class of 12 that have families, although 3-4 of them have left the wife and kids in the uk for the time being to get the house sold and what not. I am on the first 4 wk break of 6 semesters, and so far so good, they teach alot more than a college i was at when i left school, its a totally diff attitude also. Its actually alot better than i thought it would be and im a major sceptic. Did you know that you can work full time on holidays with a student visa? i have read a few threads about them and no one has seemed to mention that part. Anyways mate, if you have any questions, i'll be happy to help if i know the answer. Wish you all the best mate with whatever you decide. Regards, John

[Guest tim_the_taf]

Hi all,

thanks for all the replies it's always good to get a balanced opinion and although i'm really grateful for all the support unfortunately we decided that it was way too big a risk to go over on a student visa if there wasn't the kids to consider then we would be off in a shot but having given it alot of thought and weighed up the pros and cons we decided to get qualified here first it means that our dreams are put on hold for 3 years and i have to say that is the hardest part about all this we're so desperate to get out there but hey i've been in england 35 years surely another 3 won't kill me so anyway ive enrolled on a C&G bricklaying course i'll hopefully then get some work and after a couple years experience i'll try for the vetesses and go on a skilled visa it's a safer way for my family to secure PR and as much as im open to taking risks this is going to be the biggest decision of our lives and although the kids aren't happy with the plan "they want to be there yesterday" (just hope they're still as enthusiastic when it is time to go) it seems the best way to go financially as we would hate to get over there and get all settled and then end up having to come back because we can't afford the fees or rent, so anyway thanks again for all the feedback it's really good to know people have gone out to Aus the same way and made it work i just don't think that as we stand financially we could make it work at the moment

I think you've made a good move Kris. Aus will continue to boom, so once you've got your qualies you're well set up. As the guy from Melbourne indicated, other parts of Aus are cheaper than Perth, and have a much greater variety of industries to work in. WA is oil& gas and mining (and yes, Perth is more expensive than Sydney !! 4x3 round the corner from us just sold for $4.9m, and its nothing special. That's one reason we're moving back to England). I've heard that Adelaide is looking good for immigrants and I know people who have moved to Brisbane instead of Perth. Lot cheaper. A mate of mine is about to move to Melbourne from Perth.

Are you able to treat yourselves to a holiday over here and check out a few places ? Then by the time you've qualified you'll be ready to go. By the way visas can take quite a while. I think 457 temporary visas have improved, but at the cost of permanent visas, which are now taking 6 to 12 months to come through. I don't think you'll be able to apply on a 457 until you have your qualification though.

[Guest VFRHOCKS]

Just want to wish you all the best, sound very determined and I totally agree with you but dont think its just Manchester but the who country is the same way and getting worse by the day.

 

We hoping for Perth and wish you all the luck in the world mate, I know builders are struggling over here and hope its better for you over there. Might even call on your services over there as would love to get my own house built.

[rpillinger]

Hi dont know is you have looked at housesitting! try worldwide housesitting and go to western australia sitters wanted at the top of the page people advertise if they are looking for someone, Also when you arrive buy the paper the quokka $2.50 comes out every thursday full of stuff for sale even pages of free stuff. When you get permanent residency and looking to buy a house you may be entitled to government shared equity where the government will buy 40% of the house I think the web site about this is keystart. Good luck and I hope it all works out well for you.

[Guest kezbo]

hi,

ive got 2 young children (6 years and 4 months) and we are emigrating for the same reason as you kris, to give our children a better life. thats what parents are there for and whats 3 years struggle for the sake of your kids welfare worth? everything!

 

so good luck in your move and i hope everything goes well for you!

 

kerry

[Guest junan70]

Hiya

 

I've just been accepted on to a 2 yr course in Melbourne. I'm not doing it to emmigrate tho. I loved Melbourne when I was there and thought that instead of taking a course in the UK, I'd do it there and make the most of the 18month work visa that I'd be entitled to afterwards, giving me a new qualification and 3.5 years in a wonderful part of the world.

 

After that? Who knows? I'm not studying for a trade on the MODL so unless I get employer sponsorship, I'd be shipping out.

 

My point is....I agree with some of the other posters here. If you're using retraining as a way of getting PR in Oz, I'd do it here in the UK and THEN look to move there and work rather than study. If the MODL list changes while you're over there, you're screwed.

 

Also, think of the costs involved. My diploma course is costing me £12,000. Here in the UK an MA would only cost me £3500. International student fees are astronomical in Oz.

 

I don't want to put a downer on you AT ALL. At the end of the cliche, you'll do what's best for you, but personally I think for what you are about to pay in Oz, you could live in a really nice part of the UK AND retrain for less and THEN, you could go to Oz and work and realise your ultimate dream.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide. Good on ya.

 

Jo

[Guest aaron kent]

G'day Kris,

 

I would like to wish you and your family all the best mate,my partner and i lived on one salary for 9 nine months and it was hard going! and that was just the two of use.

 

Perth is very expensive compared with the uk,Rent and food are alot more and finding a good rental home can also be murder.I would think long and hard before i sold my home and got on a flight over here. a.t.b

[KIRK AND CO]

G'day Kris,

 

I would like to wish you and your family all the best mate,my partner and i lived on one salary for 9 nine months and it was hard going! and that was just the two of use.

 

Perth is very expensive compared with the uk,Rent and food are alot more and finding a good rental home can also be murder.I would think long and hard before i sold my home and got on a flight over here. a.t.b

at last some actualy telling it how it is. You may have brought some back down to earth with a bump but saved them a lot of heart ache. In realality you need a good job, money & a lot of luck.

[Guest Paul1979]

Good luck and all the best to you and you're family, were theres a will theres a way.

 

Paul

[Guest sm68]

Hi,

no not from some 3rd world country just manchester (maybe could be 3rd world) we're determined to make this work more than anything we all love australia (been twice) we have friends over there all spread about and they all love it just as much although no-one in a position to help with sponsorship or anything else as far as we can see things nothing is ever going to get any better for us as i said in a earlier thread i've done courses to become a brickie but now need the experience and on the job training to get the necessary quals which despite applying to countless companies and agencies and people in person i seem to be too old for this (im 35 and was told this wasnt a problem on commencement of the courses) anyway myself and wife work our arses off to cover the basic cost of living my son (13 ) has to go to a school 1 1/2 hrs away so as not to be involved in the crap education, bullying and general lack of respect found in our local schools and that said 2 mths ago was jumped as he got off the bus near home by a gang from a local school and beaten up pretty bad he didnt deserve this he's a good kid with good values and what did the police do "nothing" my daughter was assaulted by a boy in her class last year again nothing done about it we had to move her to a different school, our home that we have pretty much built up from scratch is worth £40,000 less than it was 18mths ago and now has 2 drug dealers and numerous drug addicts living on my once quiet road and we can't afford to move to a "nicer" area as we wouldnt have a big enough deposit for the overpriced property, and on top of this my father was critically ill with pneumonia back in nov he was left on a trolley in the corridor just to the side of a filthy noisy casualty department for 7 hours before a bed was found for him.....he died 2 days later so now ive had a moan about the schools housing and nhs there is alot more i could moan about but maybe you can see our reasons for wanting to take a chance and make a better life for us all

 

Hi Kris,

 

Just to let you know myself, husband 19 and 11 yr olds oh and dog came out to Bunbury just over 5 weeks ago, and love it. We came out on a 457 sponsered by my job, which was a relief, one thing less to think about.

Although we love it here, we like yourself didnt come out with as much money as we would of liked, as we lost money on our house, although we are lucky to have sold it.

We brought our furniture with us as we calculated to replace everything old or new you would never get anything close to what you bought it for if you sold it in the UK.

We knew we had to buy a couple of beds for the kids when we got over here and to sleep on. We had no bedroom units being brought over, so we bought 2 beds and some furniture which we shopped about the cheapest was $5000. I think furniture is slightly more expensive in australia but could be different in Perth as they have an Ikea and more shops.

My kids love it here my 11 yr old loves his new school although it is a private school but not like the UK private system it is affordable. Only down fall is that the school uniform all thier stationary has to be paid for by the parents.

The only thing we would of changed would be to come on a permanent visa mostly for jobs for my son and husband and other benefits and i think i pay a higher tax than others (dont quote me on this).

Like yourself I lost my mum 2 years ago and that was a wake up call about life is to short and so that is why we are here. We have no regrets even though we havent much money we have the outdoor lifestyle, weather and family life we wanted.

Hope I have not bored you too much any good for you for wanting to give it a go as we hadnt even visited australia before we moved here.

Good luck in your decision

SM

[Guest VFRHOCKS]

Thanks for that SM68, there are our thoughts tottally, I also lost my mother, just over 3 yrs ago and the year before that my Gran amd Niece of 11 wks old, so like you feel life is too short for regrets and doubt. We have the chance and we take it, it might not be right but we'd regret it if we never tried.

We look to take a big lose on the sale of our home, if it sells but willing to except that.

 

We also going to Perth and just want to get over there, tried selling house by auction, but no sale, we now looking at renting or going with one of these guarenteed buy your house companies. We'll get a lot less but dont want to rent.

 

Hi Kris,

 

Just to let you know myself, husband 19 and 11 yr olds oh and dog came out to Bunbury just over 5 weeks ago, and love it. We came out on a 457 sponsered by my job, which was a relief, one thing less to think about.

Although we love it here, we like yourself didnt come out with as much money as we would of liked, as we lost money on our house, although we are lucky to have sold it.

We brought our furniture with us as we calculated to replace everything old or new you would never get anything close to what you bought it for if you sold it in the UK.

We knew we had to buy a couple of beds for the kids when we got over here and to sleep on. We had no bedroom units being brought over, so we bought 2 beds and some furniture which we shopped about the cheapest was $5000. I think furniture is slightly more expensive in australia but could be different in Perth as they have an Ikea and more shops.

My kids love it here my 11 yr old loves his new school although it is a private school but not like the UK private system it is affordable. Only down fall is that the school uniform all thier stationary has to be paid for by the parents.

The only thing we would of changed would be to come on a permanent visa mostly for jobs for my son and husband and other benefits and i think i pay a higher tax than others (dont quote me on this).

Like yourself I lost my mum 2 years ago and that was a wake up call about life is to short and so that is why we are here. We have no regrets even though we havent much money we have the outdoor lifestyle, weather and family life we wanted.

Hope I have not bored you too much any good for you for wanting to give it a go as we hadnt even visited australia before we moved here.

Good luck in your decision

SM

[degs]

I say go for it, I start at swan tafe in Feb, but we are here now on a 2 month recce, We love it but I must say it's not cheap, you are talking $300 a week rent unfurnished, bills are bills, probably the same at home, food is expensive as is eating out, but you live to your means, went to the beach all day yesterday and only paid for picnic, can't be bad. It's a risk but you won't know if it worth it until you have done it, Our next door niehbour has just completed hospitality management course and has just got by financially but he is glad he has done it, he also has a wife and child to support including sending her to private school and going to pub every week so it can be done.

[KIRK AND CO]

I say go for it, I start at swan tafe in Feb, but we are here now on a 2 month recce, We love it but I must say it's not cheap, you are talking $300 a week rent unfurnished, bills are bills, probably the same at home, food is expensive as is eating out, but you live to your means, went to the beach all day yesterday and only paid for picnic, can't be bad. It's a risk but you won't know if it worth it until you have done it, Our next door niehbour has just completed hospitality management course and has just got by financially but he is glad he has done it, he also has a wife and child to support including sending her to private school and going to pub every week so it can be done.

there are some very very brave souls out there