StudentInDebt

Hi there, just moved to the Baldivis area from the UK via Cairns. We're struggling to get our little one (2 yr old) into a playgroup here so would love to meet up with some other mums for a coffee while the kids play!

If you ask your bank to print your old statements and they want to charge you an outrageous amount (as most do) make sure you do it under a Data Protection Act Subject Access Request. This will cost you £10 and the bank is obliged to supply you with all the data you ask for.

There is a Formula 1 hotel on the Great Eastern Highway about 10 minutes from the airport (either terminal). There are also a couple more motel/hotels as you go further along the Great Eastern towards the CBD. Believe there is a hotel on the domestic side as well - The Marracoonda. The Burswood hotel is an Intercontinental Group hotel so will be pricey

Unfortunately without your job on the SOL you can't take advantage of the regional classification. If it were then you would get 10 points on a 475 visa for having a relative in any part of WA. Have you had a good read through of the Skilled Migration Booklet and the information on the DIAC website as there is lots to help you find the right option. Alternatively you could contact an agent and get an assessment of your options from them but it sounds as if you've already done that.

Not many gas rigs off the coast of Perth, loads of FIFO workers as the way to Busselton though

[h=2]Here's what Migration WA has to say Regional classification for Perth - 12 September 2011[/h][h=3]Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme[/h]On 12 September 2011 the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship confirmed Perth's regional status for the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (Subclass 119/857). As a result, employers located in Perth and surrounding areas will be able to access the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS) to recruit and sponsor skilled workers. For further information regarding the RSMS process please contact Skilled Migration WA by email at migration@dtwd.wa.gov.au. [h=3]State sponsorship applications for the Skilled Regional Sponsored (Provisional) visa (Subclass 475 or 487)[/h]The changes announced by the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship do not affect State Sponsorship applications for the Skilled Regional Sponsored visa classes. Applicants who are successful in gaining a State Sponsored visa for the Skilled regional Sponsored (Provisional) visa (Subclass 475 or 487) are still required to live and work in a regional area of Western Australia outside of Perth. Listed below are the eligible postcodes in Western Australia for Skilled Regional Sponsored visa holders: [TABLE=class: ms-rteTable-1, width: 0] [TR=class: ms-rteTableOddRow-1, bgcolor: #F2F3F4] [TD=class: ms-rteTableOddCol-1]Western Australia except Perth and surrounding areas [/TD] [TD=class: ms-rteTableEvenCol-1]6041 to 6044 6083 to 6084 6121 to 6126 6200 to 6799 [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] For further information regarding State Sponsorship please contact Skilled Migration WA by email at migration@dtwd.wa.gov.au.

Not sure if this is common knowledge but whilst investigating the best way to pay my visa fee I came across a couple of credit cards that are excellent for buying things in foreign currencies, even the big no-no of taking cash out. They are the Halifax Clarity and Santander Zero (I think this one is only available to Santander customers) and they charge no transaction fee for foreign purchases, you also make your purchase at the Visa or Mastercard book exchange rate which more or less tracks the markets. This can mean a substantial saving on something like purchasing a visa or spending while on holiday. Some examples based on yesterday's rates - the rate according to x-rates.com was 1.63268 and xe.com has it as 1.6349 If your transaction for your 176 visa (AUD2960) cleared yesterday using one of the cards I mention then it will convert at the Mastercard exchange rate of 1.642133 and will therefore cost you £1802.53. If you had used a Barclaycard, for example, for the same transaction it would cost you £1852.10 after they applied their foreign commission of 2.75%, this equates to an exchange rate of 1.59818. If you had used your Visa Debit card issued on your current account then although you are getting a base exchange rate of 1.620733 by the time your bank adds its foreign transaction fees and commission you will be paying £1877.80, an equivalent exchange rate of 1.57631. If you have a Santander Zero current account you won't incur the fees so get the Visa exchange rate unadulterated. It's also great for spending while you are away, the exchange rate Travelex are offering today is 1.5673 online (buy at the airport and you'll get even less). If you were to convert £500 to australian dollars you'd be getting $783.65, if you spent that much on your Clarity or Zero card then you'd be facing a bill of £477.21. All this assumes that you pay your card off in full as soon as your payment is due (you get up to 56 days interest free credit with cards). If you can do this then there is one more way to save. It's always been a given that you never, ever take cash out on a credit card whilst abroad as you get hammered on fees and the interest starts building instantly. This still holds true but if you were to use the Clarity or Zero cards abroad then you might still be better off if you are smart. The Clarity only charges 12.9% APR on cash transactions (same as purchases) or 1.075% per month which means that if you took your £500 out in Australia from a fee-free cashpoint machine then you would get $821, if you paid it off within 30 days then that would cost you £8.75 in interest giving an equivalent exchange rate of 1.61375 which is still much better than you'll get on the high-street, pay it off the day you take the cash through an internet banking payment and it becomes even cheaper The downside to all this is that you are effectively becoming a currency speculator, if you buy cash from then high-street and take it on holiday then your exchange rate is locked in, if you buy on holiday you get the book rate on the day your transaction is settled which could be lower if there is a run on the pound - of course you may also gain if the dollar continues to fall. It maybe worth buying some currency beforehand with a buy-back guarantee, you can use the internet to check the day rates and take it from there.

How much weight is place on joint finances? My OH moved into my house 2 years ago so the mortgage and all the bills are in my name still, she has her own flat that she lets to a friend. On the other hand we have a 5 week-old daughter and are engaged to marry next year...

I maybe mistaken but I think you need to have a read through the latest info, the regional classification for Perth only applies to an employer scheme for nominating foreign nationals. State sponsorship on a 176 visa would give you 5 points, you get nothing for being sponsored by a relative. For a 475 visa your relative will have to live in, and you will have to work in, a regional area (pretty much anywhere in WA except Perth Metro) and you get 10 points. Checkout Booklet 6 for more detail.

Unfortunately the Regional classification for Perth doesn't apply to 475 visas - Migration WA Have you had a look at the regional areas around Perth? Mandurah is on the doorstep of Perth pretty much and carrying on down the highway the South West is really nice, about 2-3 hours drive from Perth and set to be a boom area as the FIFO workers are moving away from Perth.

Glad to help put your mind at ease Sue, this forum and pomsinoz has done a lot to clear various things up for me. I know how daunting the costs look only too well but fore-warned is fore-armed and during the WA sponsorship application they will ask you to estimate your living costs and the costs to move so you've saved yourself a load of time already on that. On the merits of shipping your car I think it depends on what sort of car you have as used car prices in Australia are relatively high compared to the UK, if you have a decent make/model/age car here it might be worth investigating further. My wife's aunt bought a nearly-new A-Class Mercedes for $38000 in Perth, you can buy one new here in the UK for $30000 and a 10 year-old Golf won't give you much change from $10000:swoon:

Not sure where you got your visa costings from, WA sponsorship fee is $200 and a 475 visa should only cost you $2960 unless you have dependents over 18 who don't have functional English. You can shop around for the IELTS, I did mine at University of Surrey for £112. Haven't got that far yet but I believe that for medicals the Bridge Clinic is currently quoting £200 for adults and as little as £85 for children all-in. On the other hand I got quoted $3800+GST for agent fees on a 176 application, as a result I'm going through the process independently Haven't got as far as working out in detail the shipping costs although some brief research revealed that Singapore will charge SGD50 per KG for dogs in an approved transport container and they have a long list of breeds that they won't carry. There is a good guide to car shipping here. I've budgeted £8000 for it.

Last month yorkshire, our 176 application is nearly ready to go but need to get a passport for my 3 week old daughter before we can fire it off.

Well done on the IELTS result, I was quite stressed about opening the envelope when it came State sponsorship won't be long coming I dare say, took about a week for us!

Spoke to DIAC, they referred me back to the WA state migration team. They (very quickly) emailed to say that DIAC don't have the latest department codes loaded on their systems and choosing the SMC - Small business option will get the application to the right people. Just got to wait for my newborn's passport to come through and we can fire off the application