What should we do first

[Guest purplerdt77]

Hi we are due over to SA early 2012 on a 176 visa, My husband is an electrician and will have to sit some courses to get reg but we are going to try and sort this as much as is possible from the UK. We are currently trying to figure out a financial check list for when we arrive and I thought I would run it past you guys.

 

We are going to try and rent a property for a few months hopefully to start with, from someone who is trying to break a lease so that we can truly look around and see where we want to live, we dont want to get a job an hour away from our rental.

 

Unlike the UK your public transport is very very good so we dont see the point of buying a car straight away just an added cost, we thought we would get a rental for a couple of weeks just to get a feel then use the transport links.

 

What sort of help can you get with any benefits, I have read about rental assistance and child benefit should we apply for these straight away in case we cant get work straight off and are we eligable??

 

Would love to hear from people on any of these.

[Diane]

Sounds like a very good plan to me. For transport links, bear in mind that Adelaide transport tends to be very city-centric - imagine a giant spider and its body is the City Centre, with various legs spreading outwards in various directions, so to get from the end of one leg to the end of another you'd have to go via the body, even if the places weren't that far apart! A good site for public transport information is http://www.adelaidemetro.com.au - you can put in a journey and get suggested travelling options.

 

Most people tend to rent somewhere furnished for a few weeks when they first arrive - usually because if they're shipping furniture, it's still en route. Budget around $700 a week for a furnished place: could be less, could be a bit more but that's not a bad budget figure. There are quite a lot of furnished short-term rentals available in the southern suburbs, but also a few in the west and north west (Mawson Lakes and Port Adelaide): there are now quite a few posters on here that have places - have a look here http://www.pomsinadelaide.com/forum/jobs-business-adverts/10453-short-term-furnished-rentals.html Depending on the time of year you're coming, 4-6 weeks seems to be the norm for short term renting. That will give you plenty of time to look around, choose an area you like the look of, and apply for a longer term (unfurnished probably) rental. For those, budget around $400 a week, give or take (again depending on what you are looking for and where).

 

Can't help on benefits, although it does depend on whether your visa is a permanent or temporary one. Hope the above helps a bit with accommodation options though.

[Guest Squareman]

Where will you be staying when you arrive? I would allocate at least 2 weeks in this accommodation, in the event that you can't find a decent rental straight away. It took us only 3 or 4 days, but we ran around like headless chickens and were lucky to find something remotely decent. I've heard of others who haven't been so lucky. The rental thing is strange here. You are really at the mercy of rental agents and they won't share your sense of urgency. Be warned....

[Guest purplerdt77]

Hi we are looking at the west beach area, looking at a 2 up 2 down inexpensive rental to start with, we were thinking of posting on here 6 months before we leave to see if someone is breaking a lease at the beginning of 2012, then we were hoping to possibly take on the remainder of that lease 2-3 months etc hopefully in the west beach area, we have seen a few people on here wanting to break leases so they can buy, we have our mortgage references sorted now and we were thinking of just paying the remainding lease out right so there is no risk for the home owner.

[Guest WhatNow?]

Where will you be staying when you arrive? I would allocate at least 2 weeks in this accommodation, in the event that you can't find a decent rental straight away. It took us only 3 or 4 days, but we ran around like headless chickens and were lucky to find something remotely decent. I've heard of others who haven't been so lucky. The rental thing is strange here. You are really at the mercy of rental agents and they won't share your sense of urgency. Be warned....

 

 

That is a classic bit oif understatement Squareman! "...won't share your sense of urgency..." - it should be written into the visa grant letter so people know what to expect about how things are done in Adelaide...Congratulations on your diplomatic language...LOL!

 

Seriously though, 2 weeks minimum and probably 4-6 weeks is about average with the rental market as it is at the moment. And you really have to chase the agents as, not only are some of them not as motivated as you would imagine, but they tend to be a bit sniffy about UK migrants as we have the reputation of signing 12 month leases fully intending to break them as soon as we have spent time looking around more.

[Riponian]

That is a classic bit oif understatement Squareman! "...won't share your sense of urgency..." - it should be written into the visa grant letter so people know what to expect about how things are done in Adelaide...Congratulations on your diplomatic language...LOL!

 

Seriously though, 2 weeks minimum and probably 4-6 weeks is about average with the rental market as it is at the moment. And you really have to chase the agents as, not only are some of them not as motivated as you would imagine, but they tend to be a bit sniffy about UK migrants as we have the reputation of signing 12 month leases fully intending to break them as soon as we have spent time looking around more.

 

 

You can be lucky but I would also be aware that many (not all) agents will only let you sign up for the property once you have seen it. It might be difficult to secure a rental before you get here because of that.

 

As you have mentioned you can apply for you centrelink payments as soon as you have your tax file number.

Hope that helps

 

Michelle

[Guest Ian the Electrician]

your husband can apply straight waay for a restricted licence as soon as he arrives which will enable him to work as a sparkie but under supervision still the moneys o.k. then he has to do a 6 month course at tafe (night school ) to sit the regs exam then he can work for the big dollars but you need a car in adelaide...

[Guest purplerdt77]

My husband was looking into doing the regs course here by the internet so he will just have to get his licence when he comes over.

[minty]

Hi Guys, there is no need for your hubby to work as a trades assistant for 6 months.

 

I guess he went down the vetesses route ?

This is for the visa but once you have the visa get your trade re recognised by the TRA and get an ARTC certificate.

 

If you have this you can book onto the PEER regs course and do the books via distance learning. Then when you arrive its a 2 week course and if passed thats it, A class straight away.

 

If you want more info look under the electricians part on British Expats forum.

 

Or send me a PM if you want.

[cazzaj]

:)hi just read your post and it mirrors our worries!!! my husband is to an electrician and we are hopping to be out there in january.we are waiting for medicals results and we have sent police checks so its nail biting time these next few weeks for our visa.i wanted one last cold winter before we go but as soon as visa comes i know its going to be hard not to go before!!

weve just come back from a reckie in port neulunga and loved it so hopefully we will try for a short term rentle first in that area or christie beach as we are looking at christie high school for our 13yr old daughter.we also have a nearly 3yr old and i also havent a clue about the child bennefit system as we are on a sub class 176 visa.!!!!

its all sooo exciting and we cant wait to start a new life there we knew as soon as we saw it that this is where our girls are ment to be brought up..............a long journey but will get there in the end!!!

[Guest purplerdt77]

Yeah cazzaj thats exactly where we are, we are putting our house up for sale in about 3 weeks fingers crossed and our meds are booked for 15th June we had to wait a month to get booked in. We feel the same about the weather we dont want to go over just when they start there summer want to try and ease our selves into it a little, port neulunga looks nice but we did feel it was too far away from where we believe the work to be in the north. We also have a 4 year old so we wondered how thats gonna work as they dont start school till they are 6 if I will be able to go out and get a job striaght off and afford chilc care, it is very very exciting times and we cant wait too xx