LB1978

Thanks everyone. You've convinced me to get the more expensive heat pump tumble dryer and bring it with us! Definitely planning to bring as much as we can in our container and stock up on things that are considerably more expensive in Oz. No doubt I'll be posting for hints and tips of what to stock up on from the UK closer to the time! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Planning to emigrate next year from Scotland and we're about to buy a tumble dryer due to imminent arrival of second child (and reduced space to dry indoors). Pondering whether to buy something cheap and cheerful or a bit more flashy but this depends on whether we'd bring it with us or not. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Hi it sounds like you have a couple of potential options but the best thing to do is speak to a good agent. If you send them your CVs they should be able to tell you what your best route is and whether your role is in the list. We're in the midst of applying for a permanent visa (slowly as we can't go until next year) and it all started with us sending our CVs to Go Matilda (agent). Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi we made a trip to Perth last March 2016 for a 3 week reccie with our then 18 month old and it was fantastic. We'd both been before as a couple (we have friends there) but we were keen to see how child friendly it was and it didn't disappoint! Our friends live NOR and that's where we'd also live (both likely to work in city centre in our professions) so we spent some time looking at suburbs. We were staying in Subiaco though. The weather was great when we were there so lots of beach time, parks etc for our boy and we were out and about way more than we'd be here. We're in the visa process now but it's slow. Hoping to move early to mid 2018. Have a great trip! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi yes we've asked and it looks like they're still on July 16 submissions so by our reckoning once we get to 65 points in March and jump up the queue a bit it should then be May/June when we get invite to apply. Go Matilda never gave us certain timescales so we always knew there could be a wait but I never see people waiting as long as this when I read these forums! I'm due a baby soon so wouldn't be able to do the health assessment until April anyway so the timescales are fine but it's just a worry until that invite comes through...

Hi we're planning to emigrate to Perth from Scotland next year so no immediate rush and we've taken our time a bit with the process as we knew we wouldn't be in a position to leave until 2018. Husband has 60 points (business analyst, aged 38) and we submitted EoI in October via Go Matilda and still waiting for invite to apply. His points will move up to 65 in March so we'll jump up the queue a bit then but keep seeing posts from people who got theirs in a week or something so are we the only ones who are sitting in this queue? As long as we have it by the end of the year it's fine but I just don't see many posts from people who have waited this long!

Hi I'm in the UK (Scotland) and we're emigrating next year to Perth, me, my husband, toddler and baby (who is also due any day now!). I'm no expert but we've done a few trips to Perth and I've done a LOT of research! We're in the process of getting a 189 visa which is permanent residency, based on husbands job. We're using an agent and expect to have visa by the summer. As others have said, I'm a wee bit confused about your visa situation but if it's a 457 I'd just be careful as they seem to be tightening up on these and it doesn't guarantee you can stay. I wouldn't say Perth is cheap, definitely more expensive than home. I live in a £350k 4 bed house in UK and am expecting to pay at least that to get what we want in Perth (northern suburbs where we have friends). I pay £47 a day here for childcare and it looks to be around $80-100 a day in Perth so around the same but you can get a government rebate for some of the costs. We are planning to rent our house out here and rent in Perth to start with and budgeting around $600 a week. So all in all our rent or mortgage costs will be on a par with home. Assuming husband and I get jobs paying at least what we earn here we are expecting to live a very similar lifestyle but will probably be able to save a bit less until kids are out of nursery. There seems to be a common misconception that in Oz you can work less but earn a huge amount more and live like a king but our friends out there would disagree, although they love it of course.

I would say it depends on your occupation. Nurses/doctors etc might be quite straightforward to do without one. We're going through an Agent for the 189 skilled; hubby is a Business Analyst but not as technical as some BAs so we've had to have quite lengthy discussions with our Agent about what his skills assessment paper should have in it. We might have managed without an Agent but good to have some experienced advice I think.

Sounds like the more the better then....we'll have money here in the UK from our flat sale if we need it but hoping not to use that. I think we'll try for husband to get a job before we go too if we can. A few people have mentioned buying a car but we are planning to lease as we've always done that here. Probably a topic for another thread but is that common?

Ha ha love this! We've just started the process and although we should be able to save a decent amount, it seems like even that is not enough. So much negativity on this site...I'm surprised anyone migrates! Your story is brilliant, best of luck!

Ideally hubby would have a job secured although I've read stuff on here about employers preferring to recruit when we're there so not sure....he's a business analyst so perhaps not as in demand as nursing:-) I'm in banking and I see loads of jobs advertised doing what I do on job pages but I'll be looking after little one initially. If hubby gets an amazing salary, I'd love not to work but trying to be realistic....! We do have friends in Perth who will offer to put us up but with us having a toddler in tow and them also having kids, I imagine we'll be living in each others pockets a bit so probably best to get our own place!

Thanks! We're looking at it as a 2 year move at the moment which makes it easier to take the plunge. We'll make a decision at the end of that as to whether to come home or stay:-) Go Matilda are charging £1,850 plus VAT. There's also the IELTS of £140, skills assessment of $550 and the total visa costs for us will be $6,160 (3 of us). I didn't get any other quotes tbh as I'd read a lot online about Go Matilda being really good. So far, they've been great. As it happens I sent our CVs off about 2 years ago to another agency (I forget which) just out of interest, who came back and said we'd have no chance as both of us did a degree unrelated to our occupation. That was it. But when we decided to go for it, Go Matilda haven't even raised that. My husband won't get any education points because of that mind you but he has enough experience. He does have to get 8's in the IELTS though to get enough overall points.

So.....first payment made to Go Matilda today so Visa process has officially started! Our heads are still spinning with everything and all the reasons we shouldn't go are weighing heavy in our minds but we decided to kick it off rather than procrastinate further....yikes!

We've just kicked off the visa process (189) for husband and I and baby son arriving in Perth in approximately July 2016 and I'm doing my sums....We have money in savings for all upfront costs now (visa, flights and shipping) and I'd like to save a good amount from now until we leave to live off when we get there. We will sell our flat before we go but I want to keep that money intact for a house deposit. We're both planning to work full time but I can't start looking until son has a nursery place so no idea how long that will take. I'm thinking £10k ish which is allowing for a reasonably comfortable 3 months in furnished rented accommodation....I think.... Thoughts?

Likewise! Hubby and I are definitely 'fair weather' people too. For half the year we hibernate and find it hard to get motivated to do much especially in the evenings. Something I would love is to be able to sit outside in the warmth when the wee man has gone to bed rather than huddled up indoors