ScottishMatilda Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 My husband and I have toyed with the idea of Australia since we got together 5 years ago. However I have now got a place on a training course and still have 3 years to complete! But now hubby has been offered a job earning double his salary in the UK, with the company sorting out 457 visa and the promise of helping us get permanent residency! Does this sound too good to be true people? What are the drawbacks of 457 visa? Can't decide and we really don't want me to leave my training course but realise we are very lucky to be offered this! Any advice welcome folks :arghh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Ah, whose career to foster??? Temporary visas dont always lead to permanent residence and if you have kids in NSW they are an expensive option (school fees $4.5k pa) - double the salary doesnt necessarily mean "double the salary" when you take all the other expenses and lack of benefits into account - the average salary here is around the $65k mark so compare what his is with the average UK salary and then do the sums. My observation of people on 457 visas (admittedly Canberra based) is that they are being paid less than an Aussie equivalent person could get in the market place (hence the attraction of a migrant, who will do it for less). Once you are here on a temporary visa you are sort of over a barrel if things go pear shaped with 28 days to leave the country or find another sponsor (and that can be difficult). In these economic times I wouldnt think a temporary visa is a good investment but that is just MHO unless you can come with a belt and braces approach - career break from UK, maintain your course place, rent out your home etc. As for your training course - if you were to continue it in Australia you would be up for international student fees (think multiples of $10k pa depending on the course!). So, if you finished your training in UK you would be marketable and so would he and, who knows, the financial world might have settled down by then and you can make different judgments. Australia isnt going anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 It sounds as if you have been nurturing a desire to come to Australia for a number of years and now you have an opportunity to indulge it..... BUT? Could you do your training course by distance education from Australia? (like the OU I mean.) Or could you transfer your credits and do an equivalent course in Australia? The educational standards in both countries are so similar that I doubt you'd have any trouble with having an Australian course being accepted in UK??? I tried to do some research on the 457 visa, never having been interested before. On the Aussie Gov site the one annoying question I could not find an answer to was 'how do you transfer from a 457 to a permanent visa?' I feel like having a rant about bureaucracy! Is a 457 visa a way of Australia assessing a person to see if they are right for Australia and vice versa? Once you've done your four years you have 'proved' yourself 'worthy'? 'Google' your training course and see what Australia offers. There's no right or wrong decision but you've got an opportunity so why not take it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabo Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 My husband and I have toyed with the idea of Australia since we got together 5 years ago. However I have now got a place on a training course and still have 3 years to complete! But now hubby has been offered a job earning double his salary in the UK, with the company sorting out 457 visa and the promise of helping us get permanent residency! Does this sound too good to be true people? What are the drawbacks of 457 visa? Can't decide and we really don't want me to leave my training course but realise we are very lucky to be offered this! Any advice welcome folks :arghh: What do you mean by 'double his salary in the UK'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottishMatilda Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 Hi folks... Thanks for all your replies....all really helpful and have made me think about some things in a bit more detail. I had a look at doing same training in Oz and yes the course fees are expensive as I would be classed as an international student on a 457, until such time as we got permanent residency! The company have said to hubby that once we are out there they would start the process of applying for permanent residency too, so hopefully that would mean that we are not sitting on a 457 with lots of uncertainty for very long?! (depending on processing times I guess? and eligibility?). Fleabo...the salary for the job in Oz would double what my hubby makes in the UK annually. Anyway folks....thanks for your help. I'm sure I will be back with some more questions over the next few months while we try to make a decision. :biggrin: The job offer is in Mandurah, Perth so might be asking a few more specific questions about the area too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabo Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Fleabo...the salary for the job in Oz would double what my hubby makes in the UK annually. So I am clear - if your hubby earns Y pounds now he will earn 2 x Y dollars? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottishMatilda Posted August 23, 2011 Author Share Posted August 23, 2011 Hi Fleabo... Sorry...must not be being very clear. Nope...my hubby earns Y pounds. In Oz he will earn 2 x Y pounds. We are not focussed totally on the money, but it will mean I don't have to work right away while we settle in... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bazinga Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 I'd stay. Finish your course & then move. Like Quoll said Oz isn't going anywhere! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Hi Fleabo... Sorry...must not be being very clear. Nope...my hubby earns [b]Y pounds[/b]. In Oz he will earn 2 x Y pounds. We are not focussed totally on the money, but it will mean I don;t have to work right away while we settle in... In that case, you are going to be slightly behind where you are in UK now and with higher rental and expenses on the whole. I'd be looking at closer to 2.5 times as much as you earn in UK although the pundits on her usually sprout the 2.2 equivalent. You probably will have to work, there arent too many Aussie families managing on a single income these days! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourcorners Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 In that case, you are going to be slightly behind where you are in UK now and with higher rental and expenses on the whole. I'd be looking at closer to 2.5 times as much as you earn in UK although the pundits on her usually sprout the 2.2 equivalent. You probably will have to work, there arent too many Aussie families managing on a single income these days! I don't think you've understood Quoll. Say he's earning £30k here, over there the job is paying the equivalent of £60k (i.e. double UK salary), so $90k at the current exchange rate. I think you're referring to the 'normalising' exchange rate of 2.2, which is what you should use to calculate how much you'd need to earn for an equivalent lifestyle (i.e. 30 x 2.2 = $66k). So if his new job is paying $90k, that's a lot more than $66k, you're quids in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 I never thought in terms of salary and cost of living - no job to go to and the rate of exchange was crap but I just wanted an adventure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabo Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Hi Fleabo... Sorry...must not be being very clear. Nope...my hubby earns [b]Y pounds[/b]. In Oz he will earn 2 x Y pounds. We are not focussed totally on the money, but it will mean I don;t have to work right away while we settle in... Thanks for your clarification. It sounds like the pay would be quite good in comparison and would give you sometime to settle in. It all helps. Good luck with your decision!:wubclub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melaniecharlton Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 My husband was on about £40k per year and now he is on $90k in Oz. Although the salary is higher it still equates to the same standard of living. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottishMatilda Posted August 23, 2011 Author Share Posted August 23, 2011 fourconers...thanks for explaining it for me! :biggrin: I was getting myself a bit confused with the whole 2.2 thing. Yes, thats exactly the situation so I think we could manage on his wage alone for a bit at least until we get settled! Thanks for all the responses...making me feel very welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottishMatilda Posted August 23, 2011 Author Share Posted August 23, 2011 No worries Fleabo...a big decision to make so will take our time! Will keep everyone posted. Maryrose02...love your attitude! So up for an adventure in life right now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 My mate Steve was supposed to come out with me but he met a girl, decided to stay and I came out on my own. He did not make the wrong decision because he's had a happy marriage. But he missed an opportunity to see Australia. He could have come for a few weeks and I'd probably have gone back to England with him too. Perhaps my life would have been better that way but who knows? At the pub maybe, listening to some young tyro talking about going out to OZ and I say to him 'I nearly went myself you know, back in '78.' 'He looks at me and thinks 'was that 1878? 'poor old sod'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jove Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Perhaps my life would have been better that way but who knows? At the pub maybe, listening to some young tyro talking about going out to OZ and I say to him 'I nearly went myself you know, back in '78.' 'He looks at me and thinks 'was that 1878? 'poor old sod'. hilarious! Better to go- you can regret about that later on if it turns out to be the wrong decision. If you don't go then, well you will never know what you missed! plus double the pounds....quoting harry enfield: "loadsa money!" I am sure you could do your course in Australia too! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pvjen1 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 stay for sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 My Mum and Dad got to see Australia too - and NZ - they made contact with family there who had emigrated after WW1 - this would not have happened had I not came here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathancowen Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I'd think on it for a while if I were you, yes $90k is pretty good but as the cost of living here is SO high you'll need to be working ASAP. The PR will take over 2 years to process, they forget to mention that at the embassy but you can only apply for pr after you have held a temp visa for 24 months. (at least thats what I'm being told at the mo) Also, with the cost of living so high you'll prob be suprised by how little choich there is in the 'super'markets. Everything is made or farmed locally, which is good, but means that the cost goes up and the choice goes down. And with 2 companies holing a 78% market share in the groceries market, the price goes up again. But that said, if you like sunshine 24/7 then you may be happy to trade up! Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourcorners Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 The PR will take over 2 years to process, they forget to mention that at the embassy but you can only apply for pr after you have held a temp visa for 24 months. (at least thats what I'm being told at the mo) Good luck You can apply for PR immediately if you have the appropriate skill level/experience, by doing a skills assessment. Otherwise you'd have to work 24 months in your profession in Australia to 'prove' you have the skills before applying for PR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 If the company is willing to follow up on the PR for you that is a bonus. Mandurah is a nice place to go, you might end up with one of those nice houses on the canals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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