Guest chris and deb k Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Hi again good points you mentioned and i can see your point of view about your possesions but personnally i want to get hitachi to pay for all my cost including the bond for my rental ($1500-2000) as well as the cost of getting your utilities up and running. if it means getting cheaper removals so i dont have to dig into my own money it will be more financially benificial to me.i still think the cost of moving is alot more than we think with all the hidden extras (school, bond, fares utilities medical insurance etc. but know doubt well all get throught it and have a great time later Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seamusandie Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 I totally agree, I'm sure they said in the interviews that Hitachi paid to get you out there and set up! Maybe I have miss understood what was meant. No doubt, as always there are hidden costs but you always get through, somehow! We are still looking forward to the move though....... can't come soon enough. :twitcy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mark and Katie Singleton Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Me thinks the creditcard is going to get a dust off! lol but we agree it will be well worth it in the end :yellow_guy_smiling_ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kennmikp Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 alright ken just looking at the relocation assistance form and it states the companys discretion at which company quote is accepted, perhaps if we all try pickfords (as they offer the best service ie door to door) we might be lucky.just waiting to get my tracking number from norma. did you all need to take out medical insurance as it was on the to do list Hi Chris. I will have to look at the relocation sheet again to look at any fine print or put together any more (he must have had loads lol) of questions for damian. I hear what your saying about all trying to use the same removals company (i even mentioned a group discount to the assessor on Wednesday lol), it would be a bonus in lots of ways if we used 1 provider. YES mate you will need to provide proof of medical insurance cover. I got ours through HBA (BUPA Australia). Family cover is $169 a month. Can give you details if you need it. Cheers Ken & Mikala Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kennmikp Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Hey all.From what I read on Marks contract the pay situation said, you are paid 2 weekly on a friday normally, when you first start you are paid a week in advance so you guys will work one week but get paid 2 weeks pay on that first friday.... With reference the removals, we emailed Damian all our quotes at his request so he had an idea for future reference when recruiting and he also said we were to forward our quotes to Hitachi via him, but its our decision who we choose as we will be paying for it upfront, if we spend more than the $10000 they give you as a family for relocation then we would have to find the difference. At the end of the day I am not going to just send all our belongings off with a company I am not happy with just cos they are cheaper!! else what would be the point in getting more than one quote???:confused: Katie and Mark Hi Katie. I take it that you and Mark will not be asking Hitachi to help you with the cost of your removals, you will just be claiming it back when you get out there!!! We are booking 3 more removals estimates before we give the details to Damian. Cheers, Ken & Mikala. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kennmikp Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 I totally agree, I'm sure they said in the interviews that Hitachi paid to get you out there and set up! Maybe I have miss understood what was meant.No doubt, as always there are hidden costs but you always get through, somehow! We are still looking forward to the move though....... can't come soon enough. :twitcy: Seamus i agree too mate. One of the main reasons for applying for the job was the fact the we would be assisted with all costs involved in the relocation to Aus by Hitachi. All the way through the whole selection process i asked about who payed for what and when. I was always informed of the fact that Hitachi would foot the bill!!! I made this fact very clear to Damian in an email i sent him last month, and he got in touch with John about it. He replied by telling me that Hitachi would MAYBE be prepared to advance 50% of the $10k to assist in relocation. Its not what was mentioned in the interviews, but its a big help. We too are very much looking forward to the move, it just cant happen quick enough. Visa still being processed further :goofy: Ken & Mikala Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seamusandie Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Do any of you guys have pets? We have a small dog, had her about 8/9 years and is as much part of the family as the kids. I haven't asked yet about bringing her out with us but Andrea looked into it, they are looking between $4000 & $5000 dollars. I thought it was a joke at first but Andie did not it funny at all.:swoon: Would you have felt differently about the job if you'd known everything at the start? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kennmikp Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 No we dont have any pets. I think having a pet and choosing what is best would be a bloody nightmare :chatterbox: especially when you factor in the extra costs. If i knew at the start what i know now i may well have taken a little longer thinking about it, but it can only be a better option when its all finally sorted :yes: Its jsut annoying that lots of things were not made very clear during the process (or maybe i didnt ask the right questions). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seamusandie Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 If i knew at the start what i know now i may well have taken a little longer thinking about it, but it can only be a better option when its all finally sorted :yes: Its jsut annoying that lots of things were not made very clear during the process (or maybe i didnt ask the right questions). Same here, but I will benefit mostly by having some time off. I have been doing way too may hours for too long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris and deb k Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Hi all can anybody give me the web address so i can track my application now i have my number cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MarcandSarah Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 hi chris. where did you get this info from mate???? To be honest if you cant get the money until you are over there then i dont see the need for taking out the loan (although those with larger families will find the money handy im sure). Are you guys all aware that we get paid 2 weeks wages as soon as we get there ;-) how cool lol. Ken & Mikala. Really?? That's good to know, cheers ken! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mark and Katie Singleton Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Hi Ken Yep we are putting flights and shipping on creditcards then getting Hitachi to re-emburse upon our arrival, we will more than likely ask them for the assistance with the rental bond too. Its mght take a couple of months to find our feet, but rather that than be paying lots back over a period of time if we can help it. We don't have any pets either Seamus.....kids are more than enough of an expense, especially now we'll be paying school fees too, unless of course we get a waiver agreed. Katie and Mark :jiggy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kennmikp Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Hi chris and deb kens OH here mikala, if u aint already found the website 2 track ur TRN number this is the one u need, Australian Goverment, Department of Immigration and Citizenship. if u look on online services, right side of page u will see it says tracking lodged visas (something like that). Hope this helps. mikala:biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris and deb k Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 thanks very much im a bit of a computersaurus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mark and Katie Singleton Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Well the case officer at migration has asked for certified copies of our discharge papers...lets hope the wait is coming to an end soon!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kennmikp Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Really?? That's good to know, cheers ken! I spoke to Damian (well emailed) and he confirmed that on the 1st pay day you are there (could be the 1st friday or the 2nd) you will get either 2 weeks, or 3 weeks wages, dependant on what pay day you hit!!! All sounds good too me :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kennmikp Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Well the case officer at migration has asked for certified copies of our discharge papers...lets hope the wait is coming to an end soon!! Mark i take it you are X Services???? Iv got to produce a bloody Declaration stating i will be out of contract with the Army before i start for Hitachi so our Visa can be processed further :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris and deb k Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 hi mate i know what you are going through i had to PVR to get out qiucker what are you in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MarcandSarah Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Hi All, Just wondering what everyone is doing about tools and tool boxes. Marc has loads but a lot of them are caked in oil and god knows what so i'm just a bit worried that we are going to end up with a massive fine when we get to Oz. Not sure if we should just sell the lot and get more when we get there. What is everyone else planning to do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MarcandSarah Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Mark i take it you are X Services???? Iv got to produce a bloody Declaration stating i will be out of contract with the Army before i start for Hitachi so our Visa can be processed further :confused: We had to send in a 2 page statement on our relationship history as we aren't married! It was bloody ridiculous, seeing as we don't have any children we had to confirm our commitment to each other in writing! I've been putting up with him since we were 12, isn't that proof enough????:mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mark and Katie Singleton Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Hey there Mark has been wondering the same reference the tools, he doesn't want to have to replace all his tools what with the expense etc...tools are far more expensive over there from his investigations! Jeys Cleaning Fluid from B&Q or homebase has been recommended as a great product to use for cleaning tools caked in oil/dirt/grease. Mark is going to put his tools through an industrial cleaner that steams them and then clean the remainder with this fluid. He will probably replace the tool boxes but not the tools. Its endless this isn't it? so many things to think about....:eek: Katie and Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MarcandSarah Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I know, i'm getting sick of worrying about everything! The steam cleaner sounds like a good idea, i'll have to put it on my very long list of things to look in to before we go. I'm just looking for a phobia curing therapist thingy at the moment because the closer we get to actually going the more freaked out I get. Saying that I did see a spider at the zoo a few weeks ago and didnt throw up which is quite an achievement for me! Hope you had a nice birthday. Sarah x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Hughes Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Hi all We have been in Australia since May 2010, initially arrived in Muswellbrook and stayed at a local State Park in the middle of Winter, which was very isolated and very cold. Nobody believes us back home Australia does get cold! Initially we were hoping to live in Muswellbrook as my husband was due to start employment in the mining industry in Muswellbrook, to reduce driving etc. particularly for my husband to enable him to be home and enjoy 'Aussie lifestyle' after having virtually no spare time in UK as we both worked long hours. We realised immediately Muswellbrook was not the place for us to live with two young children. We are from Liverpool, a busy city and believe me, as much as you have the idyllic view of Australia, it is a huge culture shock, to live in semi-rural area after city life. Muswellbrook has its own issues social, housing and crime. Like the UK there are good and bad areas, including the same with people. We were advised by the schools in Muswellbrook due to our childrens interests to look at locating ourselves in Singleton, as it is a much nicer place to live. However, you will have at least 35-40 minute drive (depending on time of day) from Singleton to Muswellbrook on the New England Highway. Initially it is a pleasurable drive but it soon becomes very monotonous on a daily basis. We lived in Singleton for 10 months and have since moved a further 35-40 minute drive from Singleton to Rutherford in April 2011, as Singleton is a lovely small mining based town but has limited resouces and activities for young children. Most people eventually move towards Rutherford / Maitland or further to Newcastle to be nearer the beach, shops etc, as there are limited shops in both areas in comparison to what we are all used to in the UK. My husband travels 90+km from where we live in Rutherford to Muswellbrook, which takes him about 1h 15min leaving 4.45 - 5.00am and I travel 42km from Rutherford to Singleton leaving 7.45 - 8.00am, where I work and the children are still currently attending school. We arrive in Singleton about 8.30 - 8.40am. Our son starts Primary at 9.10am (finishes 3.10pm) and our daughter starts High School at 9.25am (finishes 3.25pm). Most children travel to both Primary and High School by bus as due to being semi-rural there is a large area to cover to collect and return children to. You really do need to look closely at the schools and whether you wish to have your children publically or privately educated. We have also had to pay $4500 per child per year to attend public school with no waiver, no free bus travel if on 457 either. You have to pay for your children to attend school on a 457 Visa. Some private education is actually cheaper depending on the schools you enrol in but if you decide on private education you still have to pay if you get Permanent Residency (PR), whereas you don't have to pay public school fees once you are granted PR. Due to our own personal experiences since arriving in Australia and in the position I am employed in Singleton, there is also a huge housing shortage and high rents due to mining boom in the Hunter Valley. Without transport for you both, it can be quite isolating, particularly for your partner especially with children due to limited activities we are all used to in the UK. It is not the kind of place you can travel on the roads by bike, as some of you are planning, there are huge road trucks and very heavy traffic with lots of hills! There are also limited bus and trains, a good distance away. After owning our own property in the UK and still do currently being on a Temporary 457 Visa and due to the poor economy, being unable to sell our house and also not having Permanent Residency, (currently applied for which we are awaiting decision) we protected our own interests of keeping our house in the UK, as we would not have had much of a return due to the poor exchange rates and also until we made a decision whether Australia was definitely going to be our long term location to make home. We did not confirm a rental property prior to leaving the UK but booked short term stay in a State Park allowing us to have time to make a choice of where we would rent to suit all of our requirements but soon found we had problems finding suitable rental property due to the lack of affordable and available housing. This has also been experienced by many other Brits, especially in the Army and other migrants from other countries. We suggest you contact every Real Estate, not only online by email but by phone, in Singleton or whichever area you are now looking at, following suggestions of other areas to arrange and secure a property but be very careful of the area you choose to settle. We were VERY lucky in finally securing a rental property through D&J Pearce in Singleton, which is one of the most valued Real Estate Agents but have very high standards. They really were life savers and we have now a very good relationship with them, you really do have to build a good rapport with Real Estate Agents. Whilst we hope the information we have given may sound very negative and believe me it is a very stressful move, not just relocating to another country, particularly so far away for you all, as you experience so many emotions not only as a family but as individuals, we are now much more settled since we have moved to Rutherford. We have also had a lot of positive experiences and have enjoyed this beautiful country, not as much as we would have liked up to now, due to two moves, Visa paperwork, getting to know a new culture, new systems, work, education etc. and are rebuilding our lives, we know we still have a lot to take in and have SO much more to experience. The Hunter Valley is a beautiful place, so much to take in, Newcastle beaches just under 1hr away, Sydney 2.5 hrs away but you have to be prepared to drive to gain the best out of this wonderful country. Driving is a different experience in Australia compared to UK, busy roads but certainly not as much congestion as UK and is more free flowing with beautiful scenery and plenty of kangaroos you may see along the way, not all breathing! You HAVE to be prepared to put a lot of effort in to make it work and most people advise that you have to give it at least two years to get over all the hurdles you face, emotionally and financially, it is very true, we believe two years is the minimum but we are sure it really is worth it in the long run. The children love Australia, as we both do and are settling in more day by day. We are looking forward to more positive times. Despite still having long working days we are finally getting more family time, which is quality family time than we ever really got in the UK, particularly the last 15 months prior to us leaving the UK as my husband eventually was forced to working away which put enormous pressure on us all as a family. We are VERY family orientated and enjoy spending our time with each other and our children and when we were losing what little we had it was hard on us all. The UK has also changed so much more since we arrived, as we are obviously still in close contact with family and friends but also closely watch the news and the state of the economy, especially since we still have our own property and many other links. We hope this information has helped you all, as we just wish we had been able to have the information we have given, as you HAVE to be VERY realistic and need to know the negatives and positives in order to survive a major life changing decision for you all. If there is any more help we can give, we will try our best. We both would not want anyone else to expeience the hurdles we faced, which no matter how much research you put in and believe me we did a huge amount of research including information from friends who had emigrated, nothing prepares you for the move, you HAVE to live it to value life and the huge opportunity you are all lucky to have, regardless of the amount of paperwork, we both and the children believe it really is worth it! To wake up to sunshine more than you ever get in the UK is a massive bonus. You also DO have to make friends to survive, as you also need to be there to support each other, as you all eperience the same emotions etc. regardless of which country you have moved from. Without meeting the people and friends we have it would have put an even bigger strain on us all. However, YOU HAVE TO be prepared to get out and about, meet people and make friends yourself as people and friends won't come to you. Who knows you are there if you don't let people know? Good luck and keep updating with your own circumstances and the journey you have already started, we are sure it really is worth it! Jenny :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seamusandie Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 as far as what we have been told by the shipping companies, as long as the stuff doesn't touch the outside ground then its fine, if it does it has to be steamed cleaned. they didnt see it as a problem so dunno?!?!? a 2 page statement on your love - found this very funny :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MarcandSarah Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 as far as what we have been told by the shipping companies, as long as the stuff doesn't touch the outside ground then its fine, if it does it has to be steamed cleaned. they didnt see it as a problem so dunno?!?!? a 2 page statement on your love - found this very funny :laugh: You ought to have read it, talk about OTT! It ended up sounding like a Mills and Boon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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