markstott1980 Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Hello all, I am hearing different things from various people about how much money is needed to get to Austrailia and how much is needed to get established once there. Ideally I would have a job sorted out before the move but could handle a few weeks of looking before hand. Do the immigration folks ask for your ways and means for providing for yourself? Do they have a specific limit on how much cash you should have readily available. At the moment I'm thinking the initial $300 for the TRA, $1000 for the VISA application is the starting point, although I'm not sure how much extra for police checks for myself, wife and 2 children. I suppose the rest comes down to living expenses for the intiail settling in period. My wife and I have already agreed that I would travel over beforhand to get things set up, phone, bank accounts, accommodation, employment etc. If anyone has any experience they would like to share then feel free..... Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Organising the visa is the cheapest part, it's when you get here and you have to start purchasing everything again from scratch, or you ship your furniture over. Then you have a car to buy unless your in the city and can rely on public transport, but then accommodation in or near the city comes with a nice price tag. You are going to be looking at having a safety net, so if you don't get a job immediately or the job falls through you still have enough money to pay the rent and the bills. Where abouts are you thinking of heading? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herbster Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Hello all, I am hearing different things from various people about how much money is needed to get to Austrailia and how much is needed to get established once there. Ideally I would have a job sorted out before the move but could handle a few weeks of looking before hand. Do the immigration folks ask for your ways and means for providing for yourself? Do they have a specific limit on how much cash you should have readily available. At the moment I'm thinking the initial $300 for the TRA, $1000 for the VISA application is the starting point, although I'm not sure how much extra for police checks for myself, wife and 2 children. I suppose the rest comes down to living expenses for the intiail settling in period. My wife and I have already agreed that I would travel over beforhand to get things set up, phone, bank accounts, accommodation, employment etc...If anyone has any experience they would like to share then feel free.....Thank you Hya: Welcome to PIO - we can be a friendly bunch! :jiggy: For just the 2 of us, using a Migration Agent, having a 20' container shipped over to Hobart & including a 2 week reccie I don't think we saw any change out £20K - my OH keeps DETAILED daily statements so would know precisely how much we spent - but however much you reckon, it will be much more! I think the Visa w/tra application cost around £5K, including Agent fees, meds, X-rays, Police Checks, Stats Decs, Solicitors fees, they all add up - also time off work to do all this stuff! We saved, cut back to the wire and counted every penny so knew where our money WENT & then where it would be SPENT... If you go to the Aussie Immigration web site it tells you costs, although things like Meds are locally charged... And charges can change at a moment's notice! It may or may not be easy to get a job before you arrive, depends on your trade/skill, but look at it from this perspective, would you take a job here sight unseen? I'm sure it has worked out fine for some, but I think a number of peeps here have had problems locking themselves into jobs & areas without knowing what they are getting into... Also, seems easier to get a job when you are here, so can start tomorrow! Just factors to bear in mind... Have you visited OZ? Seems to make a difference too. You might just have to be prepared to take a couple years to save up, rather than rushing over & being overwhelmed - there's the Culture Shock factor which may or may not be an issue, so you DON'T want to be worrying about $$££$$ on top of that!... Oh yes! Believe me, I don't think there's anything worth knowing that the Aussie Government doesn't know about us & our extended families - it ALL gets declared & investigated!! Which can be a bit disconcerting in itself! :embarrassed: Good luck - but best advice:- get Organized - keep track of your spending, itemize it all, find areas you can STOP spending & cut back (clothes, eating out, booze) - then trawl through all the sites & account for ALL associated costs - don't forget FLIGHTS, hotels/Lodging... and then work out when you can afford to proceed...Hope this helps a bit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markstott1980 Posted October 22, 2008 Author Share Posted October 22, 2008 Hello again Thanks for your advice. We are planning a move to Queensland as we have friends in Brisbane and at the moment I am looking at various jobs on seek.com. I am an electrical technician by trade and have found that there are a number of Power Stations in the area that are advertising for positions. I still haven't recieved my TRA yet so there is still plenty of time before I even make my VISA application. I am planning ahead though to make sure I wiegh up my options. Regional places like Toowoomba and biloela have power stations and are relatively cheap when considered with the big cities. When the time actually comes my plan is to get there and bunk up in a B&B while I do a one week license course and then set about getting a proper place to live and a job. The job front doesn't worry me too much as there seem to be plenty of opportunities. What worries me is the wages.......what is considered a good wage? Some of the jobs advertised pay $80,000, is this a reasonable amount to live on? Bye for now Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 When the time actually comes my plan is to get there and bunk up in a B&B while I do a one week license course and then set about getting a proper place to live and a job. Mark Hi Mark You will probably need longer than 1 week in a short term rental, we have people staying with us for 4 weeks and even then it is cutting it fine. Why don't you have a chat with Cal, the moderator of the site she has short term furnsihed rentals up there and she may also be able to advise on how long it would take to get a long term rental. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herbster Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Hello again...Thanks for your advice. We are planning a move to Queensland as we have friends in Brisbane and at the moment I am looking at various jobs on seek.com. I am an electrical technician by trade and have found that there are a number of Power Stations in the area that are advertising for positions. I still haven't recieved my TRA yet so there is still plenty of time before I even make my VISA application. I am planning ahead though to make sure I wiegh up my options. Regional places like Toowoomba and biloela have power stations and are relatively cheap when considered with the big cities. When the time actually comes my plan is to get there and bunk up in a B&B while I do a one week license course and then set about getting a proper place to live and a job. The job front doesn't worry me too much as there seem to be plenty of opportunities. What worries me is the wages.......what is considered a good wage? Some of the jobs advertised pay $80,000, is this a reasonable amount to live on?...Bye for now...Mark Hi Mark: I think you're 1/2 way there in having a Support Network & friends in situ, so I'm sure they will steer you in the right direction as far as places to live/work, as they know you & what will suit... You do want to give yourself as much time as poss, without slipping into a rut - if you know what I mean, 1-month sounds reasonable to get to grips with everything... Would be a good idea if you can get your friends to email you their grocery receipts - that way you can compare what they're paying to your expenditure - but depends what & where you like to spend $$$!!! My OH was Electronic Control's Tech, X REME, but as I've said before, is way off that now w/Civil Engineering Co in Project Admin! For a Tassie 1st job inclusive of SUPER, he's earning under $65, but there's just the 2 of us - Average Aussie Wage: around $85K I think, but you have to look at your circumstances. For us that was about the best going, we were expecting to be earning less than UK! I'd imagine you'd want ideally to be earning twice in $$ that you are in £'s... but again you need to weigh up your Ozzy outgoings - rent, weekly food bills (which for us are DEF higher than UK, till we get our garden & can start producing our own F&V!) Utilities - as we've discussed at length here can be much more - so look for a well insulated property so all your heat/cooling doesn't fly out the windows & roof! So, Smaller Home may be better initially... One point with the tra/Visa, if you are going for something a little more unusual (like my OH) Time could be of the Essence! It was less than a month from applying for the Visa when his Skill was removed from MID list, which gave us a fright! Our Agent got us to apply for the Visa as soon as we rc'd OK tra - depends on your age & points, I guess? Seems they do count everyone & when they reach the quota then that skill is removed... Also we only had 6mts to validate visa once we got it! If your friends can suggest an area you'd like & you speak to Cal & see what you can all come up with, then perhaps looking at these jobs more closely will be worth while - So are YOU awaiting your TRA results??? Once you get that sorted, then it probably will be full steam ahead! All the best, Mark! :yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markstott1980 Posted October 22, 2008 Author Share Posted October 22, 2008 Herbster Every time I log on here I get more and more worried!!! Just kidding, it's good to know that I can get as much information as possible on here in order to prepare. Can you clarify this process for me so I have it in my head: 1. Send away for TRA assessment: Electrician (Special Class) 2. When that is recieved we send away for our visa. 3. If that is accepted we are then subject to medicals and police checks by DIAC. 4. Successful police checks....move when ready (is there a time limit) We are still debating whether to rent out our house in Aberdeen so we have something to fall back on or just sell it and go and let God do the rest!! Where and what is Tassie like? Is it regional or near a big city? I am under the impression that the cost of living is higher in the cities but the ability to earn is lower as there are more people who can do your job. Another question (sorry?!) What is SUPER? I'm not sure if you have seen this website but here is a link that I am hoping is still quite relevant. Cost of Living in Australia - Aussiemove.com Thanks again Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mongrel Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Super is superannuation which the employer has to pay it is 9% of your salary when the fund managers bang there charges on it cuts it down same as super in britain but you will have to prob voluntary contribute depending on your circumstances and age . Tassie ( Tasmania ) a large island off SA. You a jock might like it it snows Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markstott1980 Posted October 22, 2008 Author Share Posted October 22, 2008 Super is superannuation which the employer has to pay it is 9% of your salary when the fund managers bang there charges on it cuts it down same as super in britain but you will have to prob voluntary contribute depending on your circumstances and age . Tassie ( Tasmania ) a large island off SA. You a jock might like it it snows. So it's tax basically? Rough answer.....if you earn $100, for simplicity, how much do you take home? Do you get different tax rates like we do here? 20% for basic and then 40% for higher earners? I'm actually from the Wirral, but I moved to Aberdeen specifically because I like snow and rain and biting winds and cold weather and grey granite buildings and 4 hours of daylight in the winter and all the happy generous people............never mind, bring on QLD!!! How do you manage to watch the football while you are down there? Any chance of MOTD? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herbster Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Super is superannuation which the employer has to pay it is 9% of your salary when the fund managers bang there charges on it cuts it down same as super in britain but you will have to prob voluntary contribute depending on your circumstances and age . Tassie ( Tasmania ) a large island off SA. You a jock might like it it snows. So it's tax basically? Rough answer.....if you earn $100, for simplicity, how much do you take home? Do you get different tax rates like we do here? 20% for basic and then 40% for higher earners? I'm actually from the Wirral, but I moved to Aberdeen specifically because I like snow and rain and biting winds and cold weather and grey granite buildings and 4 hours of daylight in the winter and all the happy generous people............never mind, bring on QLD!!! How do you manage to watch the football while you are down there? Any chance of MOTD? Hi Mark: If you click on Herbster & go to my profile you can explore my Photo Album which has a variety of pics from the South of the State, up the East coast to Bass Strait - I say it's pretty similar to Wales & parts of Scotland - but the weather is DEFF BETTER than Scotland - LOTS more sunshine, we do get snow on the peaks & frost out of town in the winter - but the sunshine is lovely & we don't get the sooo short days - but presently, which I suppose is like April, we get odd showers, chilly & breezy then really warm... It gets light before 6am & dark after 8pm - they don't have that Up North!! If you are not as exposed as we are you wouldn't notice the wind or change in temps so much... You may well want to look at Tasmania - Hobart is a lovely little city, has a lot going for it & if you don't like the Big Smoke, but want access to some Culture (don't laugh you lot - we DO have culture in Tassie!) there are good theatres & always loads going on - but eg: we're moving away from the Channel next month to our own HOME - so that is in the country - nearly 20 acres, 3-br American style house with large garage & stables for under $350K, about 35 mins to Hobart within hr of the airport & as much peace & quiet as you'd like!! Sound somthing like you're looking for??! Your Time Line is about right - got to get your Trade Assessed first(or do the tests - not sure which will apply) & once that's been approved then you need to send in the Visa application... Are there any complications - not married - divorced - kids elsewhere?? That can take time sorting out, if not it will be pretty straight forward - just be aware that you'll need all the dates & places of birth of close siblings & parents!! If you don't have any - EASY!! Each State does vary, so it is worth going to their web sites & trawling thru' the info... Indeed there are lots of Tax Rates with a typically Aussie-complicated way of working it out Looking at a loan site it states if you earn $100K your tax liability is $26K - so you'd be in 40% bracket - also you may need private medical - up to $250/mo for family... One plus to renting is you don't pay Rates(council tax)! MyState Financial - Income Tax Calculator Also bear in mind the Tax Year ends in the middle of June.. So, when we came out May 31st, there were LOADS of Big Sales, so got lots of good deals! Once you send away your Visa, in due course you'll be appt a Case Officer who will then req Meds, Xray & Police Checks( you may only have 1 month to do this!!) - also it may be possible for you to apply On Line which seems to be very quick, there were a lot of changes this Summer to the Process so you just need to go on line & read all the info here is a link: Migrating to Tasmania Better go - the sun's shinning it's Show Day today, so the first public holiday for months, so we better get out & enjoy it! Cheers, XX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markstott1980 Posted October 22, 2008 Author Share Posted October 22, 2008 Herbster I am planning to move with my wife and 2 kids. I've never been married elsewhere and have no other children so it sounds simple enough. It seems like a long process but I'm currently working offshore, 2 weeks on 3 weeks off so I can't complain. I'm not one to get stressed about things I can't change. Once the stuff is in the post it is out of my hands and I don't need to worry about it. I must say though, you have been extremely helpful so far so cheers for that. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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