danny071982 Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 (edited) Hi guys new to the site, I'm 33 and my trade is electrician, a couple of years ago my partner, now my wife was so close to moving to Perth, I did my skills assessment, (vetasess) passed and did my IELTS, everything was all in place and we were ready to go. Anyway what happened was my wife fell pregnant 15 months ago and we now have a little girl, our family adore her. Here I have a steady job working for a family business have a Morgage nice car ect... But my vetasess runs out next year and all that stress and money we spent will be gone along with dream of moving to Australia. I sometimes love it here in the Uk and sometimes I just want to up and leave. What I'm after is information on what's really going on out there, I am an electrician by trade, but I'm now more of a project manager, still learning. I work on airports managing cargo GSE installs. I don't really want to practice as a sparky out in Perth, I've done that since leaving school, tbh I'm fed up of it. Do more office base stuff which I do enjoy. Not so much working away. Is there work out there, is it true that the lifestyle and family life is better. What about buying a house, where's best to live, I have so many questions in my head it makes me dizzy haha. I don't want to get to an age and have a regret of not taking the opportunity of moving to Perth. I want what's best for my little family, is dragging them all the way to Australia the answer for happiness. Hard one to answer but and questions on here answered would be fantastic. Thanks Danny Edited June 26, 2015 by danny071982 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raychelsb Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 Wow, I feel for you and the decision you have to make. Me and my husband have been out here 8 and 10 months ( he came out first to secure work). He's a carpenter and found work easily. I also found work straightaway, but it's not been a completely smooth ride. Anyway, here's our situation, we both got jobs, were offered rent free accomodation in a beautiful location, and are loving a very different lifestyle. We love being outdoors more, the weather, the fact you can enjoy so much for free - beaches, parks etc. waking up to blue skies, how friendly and laid back people are, less stress on many levels....but....am I completely happy and 'living the dream?' No. I miss my job back home, I loved it, was better paid and had prospects. I miss my family and friends - like I never believed I would. I miss a lot of things about England that I tool for granted - good food, pubs, Christmas in winter, quaint English towns....I somehow just don't feel settled.how I get through is to carry on, I need to build a network of friends up which I find hard, especially as I'm a sales rep on the road so no way of making friends through work. I tell myself I could go back, even though I actually don't want to, and I think, what the hell, we could try somewhere else! My point is, I don't think anyone can say go or stay to you, you have to make your own decision. I'm also trying to point out that yes, in ways life is so much better here, but it's not perfect. As for work, maybe research potential companies, send your cv and ask about prospects. Get on LinkedIn if you aren't already and get connecting and networking. And if you do go for it, maybe try to set it up that you could go back. Rent your house out if that's an option for example. Work options have definitely slowed down this year, so do try to look into that with companies and recruitment consultants. As for where to live, in our experience, where we thought we would settle we are now glad we didn't, and ended up near Mandurah by chance and wouldn't be anywhere else we love it. good luck with it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny071982 Posted June 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 Thanks for the reply. It's a really tough one, I really want to go, I don't think I could afford to rent my home out, I'd have to sell the house as that's where my money is invested. That's not a bad shout with your partner going out first to secure work, don't know if that would work for us. I do have a step brother living in Midland and a few other friends out there. So have a small network of people I know. The work situation really puts me off as I hear nothing good about electricians out there, other than having to re-do exams costing dollars we won't have, as I'd be the main bread winner so to speak, not earning as much as I won't have a licence to do so, as it takes 12 months filling a log book then sitting an exam to get the grade A licence. So I'd have to pay rent, feed the family run a car ect.. Earning a sub standard wage. I think that we will be going tho, as I'm sure we will manage. The weather here is so depressing, only so much rain you can take lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegg Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 nice thread , good luck guys …. enjoy the sun x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonM Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 Danny how I read your post, to me it came across as if you have already decided that you are better at home. We leave in 3 weeks and our house has fallen through again today, I am at the point in wondering what the hell I am doing. I think only you and your misses can really decide what is best for you. I am also more management in my role but with out Aussie experience it maybe tough to walk straight into that sort of roll. Make some enquires but from my experience out of 50 emails sent 2 responses and both said talk to us when you get out here. You maybe luckier than me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laz Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 can you work out a way to do it as a two year stint? Give it a go but with plans to go back, as suggested already. You'll go backwards financially but you're young.... It's a fantastic lifestyle here but honestly, being away from family and friends is hard with a young family, and it's sooooooo expensive...you're probably better off renting so someone else pays all the rates, house insurance, repair bills! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laz Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 Danny how I read your post, to me it came across as if you have already decided that you are better at home. We leave in 3 weeks and our house has fallen through again today, I am at the point in wondering what the hell I am doing. I think only you and your misses can really decide what is best for you. I am also more management in my role but with out Aussie experience it maybe tough to walk straight into that sort of roll. Make some enquires but from my experience out of 50 emails sent 2 responses and both said talk to us when you get out here. You maybe luckier than me. my husband is finding it very hard to get work as he has no Australian experience! The agencies are getting soooo many applications that they can be ultra picky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny071982 Posted June 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 (edited) What bugs me is they advertise this dream and say they have a massive skills shortage, when in reality this really isn't the case. I've been in engineering since I left school, I'm part of a successful family business, I feel if I go they would go crazy because I do so much and a lot of time has been invested in me. But it's the stress of it all, I feel I need to get away, to me work isn't everything. My wife feels as tho she is taking away our daughter from the most important part of her life where she will grow up without her grandparents aunties cousins ect , like her 1st day at nursery her 1 nativity play, worries that she will be lonely and long for family. She is a worrier. If my vetasess runs out next year and if I don't apply and go that's it, the dream is over. I'll just have to save for a villa in Spain and move onto another dream of sun golf and bbq's Edited June 26, 2015 by danny071982 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laz Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 What bugs me is they advertise this dream and say they have a massive skills shortage, when in reality this really isn't the case. I've been in engineering since I left school, I'm part of a successful family business, I feel if I go they would go crazy because I do so much and a lot of time has been invested in me. But it's the stress of it all, I feel I need to get away, to me work isn't everything. My wife feels as tho she is taking away our daughter from the most important part of her life where she will grow up without her grandparents aunties cousins ect , like her 1st day at nursery her 1 nativity play, worries that she will be lonely and long for family. She is a worrier. If my vetasess runs out next year and I don't apply and go that's it, the dream is over. I'll just have to save for a villa in Spain and move onto another dream of sun golf and bbq's There's still stress here! If I were you I'd buy that villa in Spain instead. Doesn't sound like your wife is keen on the move and it's really hard being away when your kids are young. We were in the UK for ten years (I'm from Perth) and we had two nights away from kids in that whole time (overnight stays - and only in our last 6 months of being there). Every time we wanted to go out we had to book a babysitter which added to the cost and hassle...so we rarely went out together. I never worked because it was too hard to get kids into after school club and we had no one else who could pick kids up from school. Now we are back in Australia I'm realising just how much we missed out on being away when the kids were little. The kids have cousins here they see often, and there's no shortage of babysitters...just can't afford to go out at the moment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weedolly Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 (edited) If my vetasess runs out next year and if I don't apply and go that's it, the dream is over. I'll just have to save for a villa in Spain and move onto another dream of sun golf and bbq's Why should it be over? Cant you do another skills assessment when yours runs out? You dont say that you actually have a visa. Edited June 26, 2015 by Weedolly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raychelsb Posted June 27, 2015 Report Share Posted June 27, 2015 I agree they sell the dream that UK experience is sought after and I had a good job managing a multi million pound account, I've come here and it means nothing. I've started again, gone back to earning a wage I earned 10 years ago and do more hours than I did at home with the same amount of stress. My husband on the other hand is the opposite, so for him, it's been the right move. I agree with the weather, that is the one big plus. But not having close friends and family is so hard. Now strangely for us, we are better off financially here but purely because we were fortunate to be given some time of rent free accomodation which helped us massively. It meant we could get back in our feet. We couldn't sell our UK house so are renting it and that meant coming here with a few grand, the reason my husband came first, I moved in with parents for a couple of months and saved up some money. We are in the process of buying the house we are in, so money is getting tighter. Swings and roundabouts about cost of things. We find car insurance cheaper for example, but some grocery items unbelievable. Went to a shop up north whilst on holiday this week, $5.50 for a cucumber!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny071982 Posted June 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2015 I'm not paying all that money and going through all paperwork sitting exams ect again. That's the hardest part in my eyes, we were so thrilled when we passed the vetasess and IELTS it was all systems go, but I can't believe how much things have changed by having a child. We've built a lovely home and it now seems like I'm going to a casino and putting everything on red or black. See it's hard here in the uk getting on the property ladder and to find house ect. It could be the best move ever tho. It's gonna either be one or the other. Anyone got a crystal ball I can borrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted June 27, 2015 Report Share Posted June 27, 2015 As others have said no one can make the choice for you, however, the reality of it is, that initially life can feel very isolated. It sounds as if your wife doesn't really want to leave her family and I think would find it very difficult to settle. The reality of making friends is that it takes time, if we consider the friendships forged in the UK they've usually been done so over a period of time - the same is true here, only it's sometimes harder the older you are or if the kids are older (and no school runs to meet other parents). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derbygirl42 Posted June 27, 2015 Report Share Posted June 27, 2015 Sorry to hear about the house , that's rubbish WHat will you do rent ? QUOTE=JasonM;131713]Danny how I read your post, to me it came across as if you have already decided that you are better at home. We leave in 3 weeks and our house has fallen through again today, I am at the point in wondering what the hell I am doing. I think only you and your misses can really decide what is best for you. I am also more management in my role but with out Aussie experience it maybe tough to walk straight into that sort of roll. Make some enquires but from my experience out of 50 emails sent 2 responses and both said talk to us when you get out here. You maybe luckier than me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny071982 Posted June 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 I'd have to rent, I think we're going for it, I'm gonna try keep the house in the Uk and rent it out, pulled all our paperwork out and refreshing ourselves on all the visas and getting ready to refill our EOI. Think it's too good of an opportunity, don't know if we will go to Perth as it relies heavily on the mining sector. Is it sustainable if the mining sector slows down even more, as I'm reading a lot of people are moving, and landlords are panicking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanbro Posted June 29, 2015 Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 Good on you @danny071982 best of luck with your application xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny071982 Posted June 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 Susan are you in Perth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laz Posted June 29, 2015 Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 I'd have to rent, I think we're going for it, I'm gonna try keep the house in the Uk and rent it out, pulled all our paperwork out and refreshing ourselves on all the visas and getting ready to refill our EOI. Think it's too good of an opportunity, don't know if we will go to Perth as it relies heavily on the mining sector. Is it sustainable if the mining sector slows down even more, as I'm reading a lot of people are moving, and landlords are panicking Good idea....go somewhere else cos other cities are prob like Perth was 10 years ago. Maybe Adelaide? Still lovely but not as expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanbro Posted June 29, 2015 Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 Susan are you in Perth Not yet but hoping to be at the end of July. OH has a job lined up and managed to get 457 sponsorship. We submitted last week and have been advised a 4 week wait. Can't wait to get there. We have friends there who have been there for a year and he is busier than ever, he's a joiner to trade and is working self employed, he said it's really busy there just now. Think the mining slow down is affecting some things but general costruction work is still going on. xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laz Posted June 29, 2015 Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 Construction is still all go for now but it could slow down.... I've been told people are so far down the track with new house plans they have to forge ahead whether they can afford it or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raychelsb Posted June 29, 2015 Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 Construction is still all go for now but it could slow down.... I've been told people are so far down the track with new house plans they have to forge ahead whether they can afford it or not. Yeh all these housing estates being built I wonder who is going to live in them! And all the shopping centres, do we really need one for every new estate? I'st having a huge effect on shops, its diluting sales because shoppers are being spread out across so many options. )I work as a sales rep and spend my days in the centres) Cockburn Gateway has taken sales from Carousel, and now they are building a Stockland a few miles down the road from Gateway??...Anyway, I digress lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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