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| Hello From The King Family! | |
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| Topic Started: Jul 4 2007, 07:50 PM (331 Views) | |
| King Family | Jul 4 2007, 07:50 PM Post #1 |
Redback
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Hi there, We have been directed to this site from the Ex-Pat Forum and I have been sat here reading the various posts and information and, if I'm honest getting even more excited about our emigration. Please allow me to introduce our 'clan'. I am Cora (33), a housewife and Mum to two children Tom (22 months) and Ruby (5 months).....I know, two under two I must be mad!!! Its hard work but really enjoy being a Mum. My husband is Alistair (Ali,40). We have applied to emigrate under Ali's occupation as a Carpenter (Class BN Subclass 136 Skilled Independent). We had the request for medicals / x-rays and police checks through last month and have had all of these done (sent to Australia yesterday), just waiting for the police checks and then that's it....thank goodness! Its been a long hard slog to get to this stage so its nice that we have done the paperwork now. We have decided upon Calounda as our destination, it has ticks in all the boxes for us a family and for Ali and his employment. We have our house on the market and have an offer on it (yippee!), mind you they have yet to sell their house  . Fingers crossed that it all comes together at the same time....we can live in hope!I have been on so many websites researching all sorts of different things and would really, really appreciate clarification on a few bits n bobs if I may:- 1) We understand that Ali may not be able to go straight into a carpentry role as he may have to undergo some training and assessment??? Is this right - does anyone know anything about this? Can you help? 2) Mortgage. We are planning on renting initially until we decide exactly which suburb to settle in.....can someone explain to me about 'approval' ie can we get a mortgage in principle approved over here as I understand this could pose problems for us over there? 3) Relocation Agent (Meet & Greet). As I am sure you can appreciate having two small children we want our arrival and first week to be as smooth as we can make it so have looked at a few Relocation Agents to help us upon arrival and in our first few days. This seems to be a good idea as it takes the pressure off a bit. We are really impressed with a company called Move2Brisbane. Anyone have any thoughts on this subject? Any help would be greatly appreciated. It would also be lovely to make contact with anyone else who is in Caloundra/going to Caloundra area. A huge e-mail - I've got carried away!!!! Will sign off now and look forward to hearing from anyone at all!! Cora |
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| *Paul* | Jul 5 2007, 12:32 AM Post #2 |
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Croc
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Hello Cora and family! Welcome to the anldu forum. As you can tell we're a fairly small group so without the backup of many members opinions I'm not sure you're going to get all the answers you want. However, at least your query wont go missing down the board somewhere into oblivion.  Caloundra, IMHO, is a great place to bring up a family so congratulations on choosing such a place. Coincidentally I have family (brother and father) who live there. Now for answers to your questions. 1. I don't know. There is a school of thought that "on the job training/assessment" is beginning to become more popular and I suspect that might be the case. If you used a migration agent they should be able to tell you. I wish we had a chippy on the forum. I heard the other day that something like 700 homes are going to be built at Beerwah (near Australia Zoo) and this part of Australia (Sunshine Coast, Queensland) is such a growing place that the demand for carpenters will be so strong that even if there is a period of assessment, this will surely involve working whilst earning, at whatever level that might be. We do have an air-conditioning engineer on the forum (Aircon) who may be able to spread some light on this from his own point of view. Aircon? Are you out there? 2. The rate at which money is lent to people in Australia should be considered a crime in some ways. However, mortgages are a necessity and I do not believe you need to arrange this in advance. Our bank was keen to speak to us about a mortgage the day we opened the account, two days after we arrived in Australia without ever having made contact with them before. We decided to find a bank account this way, rather than in advance, because the charges from the banks were horrific and the best way for us to save money was to walk the streets and talk to each bank in turn whilst digesting their small print. It was easy, took a couple of days. I can put you in touch with a local mortgage broker if you like - drop me a PM if you'd like his details. 3. Move2Brisbane advertise on this forum's sister site - Koala Konnection - and although I have not had any feedback from anyone using there services, I have spoken to the proprietors and they seem very professional. They advertise on KK too, as do Gold Coast Arrivals. My answers are not definitive (that's for sure  ) so anyone else out there with valuable input please scribble away.Once again, welcome to the forum Cora, Ali, Tom and Rudi. Paul. |
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| King Family | Jul 5 2007, 06:12 PM Post #3 |
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Redback
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Hi Paul, Thanks for the e-mail and for the information, I have PM'd you re the Mortage Broker details. We have received the "20 things" PDF today which gave us some good tips. It would be great to hear from anyone else who has any advice or is going to be in the same area....  Kind regards, Cora |
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| *Paul* | Jul 8 2007, 12:51 AM Post #4 |
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Croc
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Cora You have been officially PM'd! Paul. |
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| alison | Jul 9 2007, 07:08 PM Post #5 |
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Taipan
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Hiya Cora Won't be long for you before you get there - must be exciting!!!!!! Have not been on for a few weeks as we were over in Oz on holiday - Big fun - have you been before? Sorry don't know the answers to your questions as we have only just sent our application away. Personally I wouldnt bother with one of the meet and greet services but you might find it good having a couple of little ones. The public transport in Brisbane was really good (and cheap) and we travelled around quite a bit on the trains - no problems. We saw medicare offices, estate agents offices etc, surely its just a matter of filling in yet more forms for some of the stuff you need to organise - and you will be expert at that if you already have your visa!!! |
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| King Family | Jul 11 2007, 07:43 PM Post #6 |
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Redback
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Hi Alison, Good to hear from you and it sounds like you had a good visit to Brisbane. Yes. you're right we can't wait to go....we have just changed estate agents in the hope that they will be able to sell our property, as ideally we would like to be gone November time all going well. You're right form filling is an on-going task! We have completed most of it all at UK end, I'm sure there will be yet another enormous amount to complete once we get to Oz. My husband spent a year travelling around Oz the year before we met, he then came back, we met and then we both went out a year later (just to the Sydney area for a month). Hubbie has always wanted to go back and now that we have the children and the way things are here in the UK we want a better life for all of us. What's your situation? Have you just started the application process? I understand that DIMA have introduced even more stringent process for Skilled Visa applications.... Did you visit Caloundra area / hear anything about it whilst you were there? Cora
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| alison | Jul 11 2007, 08:09 PM Post #7 |
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Hi Cora Don't think the changes will affect us too much. We have already done the TRA so is just the Visa to go. The only thing am worried about is if we have enough defacto evidence. We are not married. Been living together for a couple of year but as i am the queen of the Shredder! we don't really have very much. Got a bank account in joint names and the council tax stuff and car insurance but apart from that not much else. Hopefully the agent will let us know soon if that will be enough. We didnt get to Caloundra. Were in Boondall, Beerwah, Ipswich, and a few other places. We were originally heading for Brisbane but really like Melbourne after being there so looks like that is the favourite now. Oh well - back to the research for me then haha! What does your husband do? Are you going to work? Do you know where you are going to stay yet? by the way - I am really nosey - I mean interested! :lol: |
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| King Family | Jul 15 2007, 07:51 PM Post #8 |
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Redback
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Hi Alison, Good to hear from you. Yes, could be a bit of a nightmare re the de-facto stuff. It didn't apply to us but I remember seeing something from our agent about it, from what I can remember you can get statements from people that have known you and your partner to collaborate what you are saying to them? I'm sure it will all be fine. My husband is a carpenter and we are not sure where in Caloundra we are going to settle - the plan is to get holiday accommodation for the first couple of weeks to sort ourselves out a little (and to calm down!), then, to either look for a long term rental or buy!!?? Will see how it goes. No, I'm not planning on working as have the children to look after and want to be at home for them in the early years. After that, who knows! Still waiting for our police checks - they seem to be taking forever!!! We also had two viewings on the house over the weekend but no joy - aaaaahhhh!! Patience is key!!???
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| airconkid | Jul 17 2007, 11:13 AM Post #9 |
MODERATOR- Great White
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Welcome the King Family,
sorry not been on for a while, what with moving to Australia and things!!!!!!LOL I do not think you will have any problems on the job front, like Paul said. They wanted me to start work the next day, of my interview.......I'd not been in Australia 24 hours!!!!!!!!!!! Managed to get a mortgage, (pre approval before I even started work!!!!!!!!) no problems at all, hardest thing was signing the paper works.... Research-Research-Research, that is the key. Less than 6 weeks from arriving, we have EVERYTHING all sorted, from medicare to buying a house. It has been a bit of a slog, but it could have been a lot harder if we did not do the research we did. (Even Paul is impressed with what we have done in the time scale!!) We're off down to the beach for a pic nic on Saturday, a bit of sun bathing, a bit of fishing, a bit of swimming. (you don't have to worry about the sharks over here, the croc's ate them all....)  Life is great, at last!!! Take care, speak soon Aircon and Kath
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Grab the cane toad by the legs and go for it, life is too short to wander "What if...." or "If only...." Now LOVING "A New Life Down Under" | |
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| alison | Jul 17 2007, 05:10 PM Post #10 |
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Taipan
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Well you two have been busy. Good to see your all organised. Hope you are having a great time. Alison |
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| *Paul* | Jul 18 2007, 12:21 AM Post #11 |
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Croc
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Hey Aircon, you've bought a house? Wahooooooo!
Brilliant mate. How's Kath settling in?Love the line about the crocs... Of course, everyone thinks it's a joke... P. |
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| King Family | Jul 22 2007, 07:41 PM Post #12 |
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Redback
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Congratulations on your succesful move and house purchase...wow!! It all sounds so exciting for you!!! We're so jealous!!! Where have you settled then? What kind of a house do you have? Your plans for the weekend sounded great - we're sat here (Sunday night) watching the news having been through a weekend of torrential rain and I mean TORRENTIAL, most of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire is under water!!!!!! Get us out of here!!! We've had another viewing on our house at the weekend - no offer though
. Feeling a bit despondent today .King Family |
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| cathnpaul | Aug 8 2007, 10:53 AM Post #13 |
Moderator - Croc. the yellow ribbon is for Maddy.x
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Hi King Family My apologies for not replying sooner, not been a straightforward move recently for us. We live about 10mins from Caloundra - lovely place. I agree that you really have chosen a lovely place. |
| LATE JUNE 2007, IS THE START OF <span style='font-family:Arial'>A NEW LIFE DOWN UNDER</span> | |
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| milliemoo | Aug 25 2007, 12:08 PM Post #14 |
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Redback
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Hi there King family new to the site but very interested in your e-mail My husband is a carpenter, i'm a hairdresser - we have 3 children 8,7 and 3 We too are looking at the Brisbane area (no idea where) we have visas and are preparing to put house on the market spring 08 through my research - hubby needs get a 'Blue card' to work and there are different levels of card depending on whether you want to be an employee or an employer bit like the CIS that we have- there is an assesment that they have to do (available on-line) but am trying to find out if it can be done from the uk before we go. But if anyone knows different, i'd love to know It would be great to keep in touch to compare notes!! good luck
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| King Family | Sep 15 2007, 07:44 PM Post #15 |
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Redback
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Hi there, Have just sat here an typed a reply to you and it has disappeared so here we go again! Sorry to have not got back to you - August has been mad with my son's second birthday and lots of other things going on. Its lovely to make contact with you. Re the Blue card - here is a good reference site www.deir.qld.gov.au/workplace/training/training/induction/obtaining/index.htm. It has everthing you need to know re getting the card and what it involves. Hope this is useful. You mention that you like Brisbane - anywhere in particular? Have you been before? How do your children feel about the move? We're lucky that our two aren't at school yet which takes the pressure off a bit. We had some good news last week - we have had our visa's granted - yippee
. So, now it just remains for us to sell our house and away we go - can't wait!It would be great to keep in touch, mail me when you get chance. Kind regards, Cora |
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| cathnpaul | Sep 17 2007, 07:58 PM Post #16 |
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Moderator - Croc. the yellow ribbon is for Maddy.x
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Cora, Paul has just started a job in real estate in Caloundra, if you need a heads up with properties or anything give us a shout and he will give you a hand. It always pays over here to 'know' someone. I thought people were kidding when they said its not what you know its who you know here and by goodness its true on the sunshine coast!! |
| LATE JUNE 2007, IS THE START OF <span style='font-family:Arial'>A NEW LIFE DOWN UNDER</span> | |
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| King Family | Sep 17 2007, 08:02 PM Post #17 |
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Redback
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Thanks for that - we will certainly be in touch nearer the time!!
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