leeroy680 Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 so here goes first post,me (33) and my wife (29) and two girls(3) and (5) have decided that we definately want to make the move to australia,ideally we like the look of south of perth but understand we will have to go where the work is ,basically i have a few questions im hoping someone can help with .Ive researched alot about the area.First problem is my qualifications/experience in uk (haulage related) isnt worth anything in aus.My wife is currently at uni studying to become a social worker so are hoping that will get us in ,however ive seen a few different requirements regarding experience ,we are desperate to get over but she still has two years left on her degree and the thought of having to wait another couple of years after that for her experience is a dreadful.Is it unlikely she would get offered a job with no experience ? also as the main applicant is it only her that needs to gain the points and do all the tests or will i also need to gain the points etc ?does anyone know roughly how much it would be to get the equivelent of a class 1 lorry license in aus and wether there is call for drivers ,ive trawled through job sites and never seen anything advertised ? we dont own a property so are currently saving like mad ,is there a financial requirement for us to bring a certain amount of savings with us ,i appreciate no ones guaranteed work straight away ,im just concerned as realisticallly we could probably only be able to bring about $15k probably about 3 months cost of living from what i can make out ? our desire to get out there is incredible,hopefully going to an expo in a fortnight to get some concrete advice,we rather stupidly have our hearts set on this so want to know asap wether its possible ,anyway thanks for any advice i appreciate any info or guidance ,and would just like to say what a great place for info this site is ,thankyou lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sideshowdeb Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 Hi Lee, I can't help very much, except to say I saw a couple of social workers discussing qualifications and experience in a thread recently, so it's probably worth searching for that or putting it in the title of a post as they may see it if they're regulars. As the second applicant you won't have to do anything except pass the medicals and police checks, when the time comes. You can all go as long as one of you has enough points and/or sponsorship. Welcome to PP and good luck! Debs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnOurWay Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 First of all, good luck to you. My wife has just qualified as a midwife in the UK. Ok, completely different to social work, but this may be useful. In the third year of her degree, so last year, you have to do an elective placement. She managed to get a hospital in Perth to let her to it there. She went across for a month, by her self and impressed them. They said when she qualified they would give her a job and sponsor us on 457 visas. She qualified last September and if all goes to plan we land in June. To be a midwife out there you need two years experience, but by working there for a month they were happy that she had the skills and experience they needed. Now, 457s are only temporary visas, but it gets us there, and quickly. Personally, I would worry that $15k doesn't sound a lot. We are looking at modest houses and are looking at around $500 per week. That's little over 6 months rent. You'll need a car, possibly school fees etc. That said, if your wife starts a job when you arrive that will help. There was a really interesting thread on here not too long ago where most people were saying that about $5000 a month is a fairly basic standard of living. Having said all of this, you certainly seem to have the desire to get there and that counts for a lot. We are going not for a wealthier lifestyle, but for a change of lifestyle. My OH always says she rather be skint in Perth, than skint here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeroy680 Posted February 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 thanks some really interesting info there ,i appreciate it .I think it will be the cash that scuppers us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucaLeon123 Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 Hi Lee, i certainly know your pain, we love australia and we have been dreaming of moving there for years and it is finally becoming a reality. Your wife will need 3 years experience, unless you are looking at a sponsorship? We used an agent and it maybe worth contacting someone to talk through your options, but if you decide to use an agent there are costs involved with that (although initial assessment should be free). Also costs in applying for a visa, for English test, medicals etc. You won't need to gain any points, just your wife as the main applicant. I don't think there is a financial requirement but they do ask you how many assets you have and what they amount too. Good luck and don't give up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnOurWay Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 Where there's a will there's a way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikkiwd Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 I can't help massively but for a skilled visa your wife would need to be qualified and be able to pass the skills assessment which does require post qualification experience of 3 years (well for our occupation it was 3 years). She may be able to get sponsorship on a 457 from someone but she would need to finish her qualification at least and for a family its not really the best visa due to the restrictions, unless its the only option. Money wise, to get the assessments, medicals, visa cost, flights etc it will cost the best part of £10000. That's just to get there! The recommended amount by WA for settling over there is $40000 although a lot of people go with less, its risky though as depending on occupation it can take a while to get jobs. The whole process gets tougher all the time as they try to filter who they let in as demand for people wanting to emigrate there is so high. Maybe contact an agent for initial advice but I suspect you will need to look at migration as a longer term plan...on the plus side it will give you more time to save! Good luck, you will get there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelchic Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 Check out the money saving ideas thread, it might help you save a bit. And even if it doesn't it'll make you laugh. Debs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeroy680 Posted February 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 thanks everyone is there anywhere i could find prices for the whole process in terms of visas ? ,we wouldnt be shipping anything out and estimate flights at about £2500 ? just doing the maths seeing what we can get saved ,weekend and evening jobs i think on the horizon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sami Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 Hi We are currently in a similar boat to yourselves. I am just about to complete my social work degree & we were hoping to get out ASAP however unfortunately to get a skilled visa (189) I will need 3years experience to get a positive assessment for it. Your wife's degree will also be assessed to make sure it comes up to Australian standards, they do a 4 year degree for social work so genes why they require extra experience! We will be taking two young children with us & were looking at around 5k for the visas without using a migration agent. I can't wait to get our journey started but at least we have extra time to save! Any questions feel free to ask Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portlaunay Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 Hi and welcome to PP. There are a number of threads with discussions for social workers but the process is likely to take so long for you that the picture will have changed considerably by the time you get here. the 457 is probably your quickest route but as others have said it comes with penalties, some financial but obviously your limited budget will stretch further if you're worker as soon as you touch down. Even if you were to find work and someone willing to sponsor you your wife will still need to complete her study and if she chooses to do so here, education for a mature student on a 457 is likely to be more than your $15k (I'm guessing) If I were you I'd contact some of the haulage firms here and have a chat with them. See what kind of work is available and what it pays. I'd then look at what type of licensing I needed for this work and whether I can do anything to obtain it, even partially, from the UK. Once you've done all that you are then going to hit the 'no WA experience' chestnut which many find is a real barrier to securing employment. With truck driving I can see their point, driving here is very, very different to the UK, particularly if you're a long distance truckie, hauling a massive roadtrain with a million dollar value. They're unlikely to hand the keys over to a greenhorn. Also bear in mind that there's a great deal of investment in driverless trucks technology. A lot of the mining co's are designing and developing essentially robot controlled trucks to transport ore around the mine sites. It may be some time yet but as these are introduced there will be more and more truckies looking for work. This might also present an opportunity for you though. Is there anything similar in the UK? Are any universities or transport co's doing the same and is there an opportunity for you to use your experience as some kind of developer/consultant? You might then find there are different opportunities here. As for the costs, do a search for one of our members Straighttothepoint and drop him a PM. He's mapped out an expenses Excel sheet to help people budget which you might find useful. Sorry if this sounds a little gloomy, I hear you about how strong your hearts desire is but now it's time to push that aside and start driving this process with your head. Set yourselves a goal, anything of between two and five years. If you think about how quickly five years takes to pass and what can be achieved in that time, instead of focussing on the barriers before you now, you're focussing on actually making it happen. Good luck, PP is here with a wealth of advice and info if you need us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeroy680 Posted February 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2014 Thank you for taking the time to reply, realistically we will have to wait for my wife to gain some experience her chosen role unfortunately that means our eldest will be ten ,not what we wanted really but I'm sure she will settle ok,I have a few strings to my bow so will look into a few things to make me more employable when we do get there,which we will.Thanks again Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portlaunay Posted February 26, 2014 Report Share Posted February 26, 2014 Ten is an awesome age to be moving to a place with so much to do. I wish I was ten and here, it's one big, ginormous playground. Kids are malleable, spongy, absorbent and unbelievably resourceful and resilient. Of course they are vulnerable and need support but with a secure and loving family they'll adapt, struggle, fight and slip their way into new friendships and support structures. It's taken three years for my son to feel relaxed about his life here but today he came home and slapped a high school prospectus in front of me and pointed to the Aviation studies stream and said "I'm doing this!" How many UK schools do you know have a dedicated aviation studies programme where the kids spend a significant amount of their study time in the air? My daughter made friends within ten minutes of landing and 'best friends' in an hour. Girls are so much easier at that age so don't think that's a barrier, just another hurdle to overcome. If it's right for you I hope we're still here in five years with advice and support to get you to where you want to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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