Starting The Emigration Journey Q&A
Embarking upon an emigration journey is a tough decision to make, you want as much info as you can get your hands on before taking the leap of faith! DISCLAIMER – While we do our best to give accurate information, please always consult professionals rather than just taking our word for it. Things will vary between states.
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO MAKE THE DECISION TO MOVE TO AUSTRALIA?
Ben and I could not agree where we should move to, and so we were both pretending to keep an open mind to each other’s wishes, when I booked a holiday to the Gold Coast for 9 days. That trip sealed the deal, and after that we just had to work out how to make it happen. It was probably just a few months between our first emigration conversation and making the decision to move Downunder.
DID YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS OR FEARS WHEN YOU WERE IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING?
The main concern that we had was leaving family. We knew that we would miss them terribly, and also had the major guilts about taking our kids away from family, however, we knew we could give them an incredible life.
I suppose we also had financial concerns, as emigrating is costly and there’s always a but of the unknown, but we knew we would just do whatever we needed to make it work.
WHICH VISA IS GRANTED THE FASTEST (SKILLED WITH FAMILY) AND IS THE BEST OPTION?
There’s so many factors that go into deciding which visa is the best option for you. The best thing to do is contact a MARA registered emigration agent to talk through your options. Our recommended agent is True Blue Migration, you can get in touch with them here for a free visa assessment.
WHAT QUALIFICATION DID YOU DO IN ORDER TO MOVE TO AUSTRALIA? AND ALONG THE SAME LINES, IF YOU KNOW WHETHER YOU CAN CHANGE CAREER AFTER MOVING TO OZ? IF SO, HOW LONG AFTER?
I AM A SOCIAL WORKER, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE CAREER IN THE NEAR FUTURE, THOUGH IT’S UNLIKELY THAT I WILL HAVE THE TIME OR FINANCES TO DO A COURSE AHEAD OF MOVING TO OZ.
I did a diploma, which is what I needed for my visa type. These requirements vary between visa types and occupations though. There’s no reason why you can’t change career, as long as you fulfil any visa obligations. For example, some visa types may require that you do something for a few years, but then after that you are free to do as you please. Check with your emigration agent what obligations you will need to fulfil.
WE’VE FINALLY MADE THE DECISION AFTER YEARS OF DREAMING. WHAT IF OUR KIDS DON’T LIKE IT?
Congratulations on making a wonderful decision for your family! You never know, your kids may well dislike where you are now in a few month’s time. If they do not enjoy themselves in Australia it is likely that there is a problem that you can fix. Maybe they are struggling with new friendships, maybe they need more quality time with you, there are always changes you can make to ensure that everyone is living their best life. Keep communication open with your kids, so that they can talk things through with you. If you know the problem, you can fix it.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
From what we’ve seen and heard, Australia is crying out for workers in most sectors. If you’re prepared to work hard, be honest and reliable then you should be right. You can take a look for job opportunities on Seek and Indeed.
WAS IT EASY GETTING YOUR GIRLS INTO SCHOOL? WE HAVE 2 GIRLS AGES 7 AND 11. DID THEY FIND IT EASY TO ADJUST?
If your kids are going to a public school then you should have no problem enrolling immediately. The only thing that may slow you up is that you may need to provide is a proof of address. That varies between schools. If you are planning on sending your children to private school, there may be a wait list, you can check that with the school office.
Lily was our only child of school age when we moved. She adjusted to things pretty well. She was on board with our adventure. She didn’t make friends so easily at her first school, so she ended up moving to another school 5 months in, and made good friends from day 1 there. She never complained, but we knew that the second school she went to was a much better fit for her.
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO ESTABLISH GOOD FRIENDSHIPS?
It was around 3 years, which we’ve heard is quite common for expats. Although we made friends almost immediately, friendships do come and go to begin with, but you will find your people.
DID YOUR KIDS SETTLE QUICKLY? I HAVE AN 11 AND 6 YEAR OLD, TO BE IN AUSTRALIA BY NEXT YEAR.
The girls were all very excited about our move, and very much embraced everything from the get go. We kept in touch with family and friends which helped. A lot of it comes down to your positivity. Kids pick up on their parent’s stress, so if they see your excitement and optimism they will likely take that from you.
BEST RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A SUPERANNUATION ACCOUNT PLEASE.
Although we are unable to give this advice, what I can say that we really enjoyed reading The Barefoot Investor by Scott Pape. This book explains many Australian financial matters, and he does recommend financial service providers in the book.
WOULD YOU SUGGEST GETTING REMOVALS FROM THE UK TO OZ, OR WOULD YOU SAY START AGAIN WHEN THERE? THERE DEFINITELY IS STUFF FROM HERE I WANT TO SHIP ACROSS.
There are different options for removals, you can use a full container, share a container, book a MoveCube or just Send a Bag. You could check the prices of each to help you to make a decision. We do recommend bringing electrical items and tools, oh and defo bring winter clothes. These things cost an awful lot to replace, and you never realise how much you’ve accumulated!
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHICH DECISION TO MAKE WHEN OFFERED A JOB IN MERIMBULA NSW, OR BRISBANE ASPLEY? NEITHER MYSELF, NOR MY HUSBAND HAVE BEEN TO AUSTRALIA, BUT WE HAVE ABOUT 4 MONTHS TO GO BEFORE THE MOVE. WE’LL BE ON A 482 VISA. IS IT ALSO EASY TO THEN STAY PERMANENTLY WHEN THE VISA RUNS OUT? WHAT ARE THE STEPS TO BECOME PERMANENT.
Congratulations on receiving 2 sponsorship offers!
Merimbula is a coastal town, quite far away from any major cities, whereas Aspley is in Brisbane but not as close to the beach. As a newbie to Oz, I personally would go closer to the city than Merimbula. I guess it comes down to the lifestyle that you’re after.
The other thing for you to consider, is that because this is an employer sponsored visa, you will want to choose the employer that you think you can best work with for the period of time required by your visa.
You should contact a MARA registered emigration agent to discuss permanent visa options. Our recommended partner, True Blue Migration can give you a free visa assessment, click here.
HIYA FROM SCOTLAND. I CAME ACROSS YOUR PAGE ON OUR RESEARCH INTO MOVING. MYSELF, MY HUSBAND AND MY SON, WHO WILL BE 10 BY THE TIME WE MAKE THE MOVE OVER, ARE HOPING TO MAKE THE MOVE AT THE END OF 2024. WE ARE LOOKING FOR SOME HELP WITH LOCATION, WE JUST CAN’T DECIDE!
LOOKING FOR THE SUN, NOT HUMID THOUGH AS MY CLOSET GINGER HUSBAND COULD NOT TOLERATE IT! ALSO, AND YOUR GOING TO WONDER IF I’M BEING SERIOUS, BUT THE LOWEST CHANCE OF SNAKES POSSIBLE!
Queensland and the NT will certainly be out for you! The weather in Melbourne and Tassie are probably more similar to what you’re used to. You’ll find less snakes in build up suburbs. Also, find a house that does not back onto bush!
HEY, MY HUSBAND AND I RECENTLY FOUND YOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL AS WE ARE CONSIDERING EMIGRATIN TO AUSTRALIA (WE ARE FROM THE UK), AND WE HAVE FOUND IT SO USEFUL.
MY HUSBAND IS SET ON MOVING IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS. I WOULD LOVE TO AS WELL, HOWEVER, I AM REALLY CLOSE TO MY FAMILY AND AM WORRIED ABOUT THAT AS WE CURRENTLY HAVE A ONE YEAR OLD AND IT’S THE ONLY GRANDCHILD, SO I JUST FEEL THIS UNDERLYING GUILT AT THE THOUGHT OF TAKING HIM AWAY FROM THEM, EVEN THOUGH I KNOW WE WOULD HAVE A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE IN AUSTRALIA. HAVE YOU GOT ANY ADVICE AT ALL? WE ARE BOTH 26, SO WOULD BE MAKING THE MOVE WHEN WE’RE 29/30. THANK YOU.
I think this is a really interesting question that many people will relate to, so I ended up making this video to answer this for you.
