New Member

[Janine and Richard]

Hi we also have been looking at this site for a while and through frustration!! have decided to join you all. We started the long journey (we didn't think it would be this long) in Jan 08 and we are still waiting for our visa's.

 

We also cannot sell our house either and the kids are starting to wobble and say that they don't want to go, then they do and now they don't.

 

Sorry to moan as its our first time talking to everyone but carn't talk to my friends because they think we are mad to go anyway as we dont know anyone in Adelaide or Oz for that matter and we have good jobs here and no job there. But like everyone else we want a better life for ourselves and our kids.

 

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who does post on this site as without your postings I think I would have given up months ago. THANK YOU! from Janine and Richard

[Janine and Richard]

Sorry just looked at our posting and put Jan 08 when it was Jan 07 bet you all thought there hopeful sorry. Its took me ages to find out how to do this

[Guest Django]

Hi Janine and Richard,

 

Where abouts are you? What you need to do is attend one of the meets that are arranged on here so you can speak face to face to people that are in the same boat. How old are the children? Ours often say they don't want to go then five minutes later ask when we are going as they can't wait any longer.

You have been at it a while too. From start to finish it took around 12 months to get our visa. What subclass have you applied for? From whispers I hear they have reached their quotas and so won't start granting visas again until 1st July.

 

Good luck and you are not on your own.

 

Pete

[Guest mOZzy]

hello and welcome to pia

 

you are deffinitly not alone in this!!!

that's quite some time you've waited for your visa

 

i''ve got everything crossed that you'll get it any day now!

 

 

we are stuck at the house selling ... and doesn't look too good on that side

 

but hey, we all WILL end up on the other side!!!!

good luck!

[Janine and Richard]

Thanks guys for reply in its made me feel better already. We have three boys one is nearly 17 in Sept and one is 14 and the youngest is 10.

 

Spoke to our agent yesterday and he said it will be about another 6 - 7 months and we have had to have our police checks done again as they run out on 31st July 08.

 

We live in Birmingham, West Mids

 

Also I am a teacher and went through the Graduate Teacher Programme route and they wont recognise my qualifications!!. So I get fed up sometimes thinking how hard I worked to get my Degree and Teacher Status. See I'm moaning again!!

 

Sorry I am really happy to hopefully be going to Adelaide want an adventure and a new life etc

Janine

[Janine and Richard]

Also forgot to tell you what visa we are going for 475:arghh:

[The Monaghans]

Welcome to PIA Janine and Richard. You do seem to have been waiting for a hell of a long time, are you using an agent? If so, have they given you a reason as to why it's taking so long? Don't lose heart, you'll get here!

[Janine and Richard]

We have used an agent from the start way back in Jan 07 we thought that it would be quicker. (obviously not!). We didn't think it would take this long. We did have problems getting my qualifications varified as I am the main applicant and as I am a teacher here we thought and the agent thought it would be quicker as Richard is in transport.

 

Janine

[Janine and Richard]

Also they have not recognised my teaching qualifications only my degree. Janine

[Guest Deb17]

If you're getting permanent visas, fine, but make sure you have plenty of money. If you have a temporary visa pending don't bother leaving it all behind. I did and have regretted making the decision every day since. Listen to your hearts, because it's an awful long trek back if you come out here and decide it's not what you wanted.

[Guest Beth&Martin]

If you're getting permanent visas, fine, but make sure you have plenty of money. If you have a temporary visa pending don't bother leaving it all behind. I did and have regretted making the decision every day since. Listen to your hearts, because it's an awful long trek back if you come out here and decide it's not what you wanted.

 

Hi Deb17, you mention in another post that you are in Adelaide on a 495 visa and it's the pits and also in this thread you mention about not bothering if you are somebody on a temp visa. We are applying for a temp visa (475) and I was wondering why you felt so bad and have regretted making the decision.

 

Did you regret making the decision to go to oz in general, or is it because you are on a temp visa? If it is the temp visa that you don't like would it be possible to tell what the reasons are for it not being good? I just want to get as much info (good or bad) about life on the temp visa from the people who are there already. Cheers

[Janine and Richard]

Hi Deb yes it is a temporary visa 475, what do you mean by leaving it all behind ? If you don't mind me asking why do you have your regrets ?

[Guest Deb17]

Hi Beth, I regret the whole move. There aren't the same work opps out here for me and the restrictions on temp. visas mean you can't buy a house, (unless you build) can't access the same kinds of jobs or training the Aussies do until you get a perm. visa. A lot of job ads stress the need to be perm. residents. I actually find Adelaide very dull, too spread out and expensive to live in. In two years the prices have rocketed and I can barely afford to put food on the table. Deb17xx

[Guest Deb17]

Hi Janine, you can read the post I answered Beth with as well. I'm glad in a way that I can add some balance to this forum and tell the reality of how difficult it can be, landing in a new place.

Basically I have so many regrets, too many to list. I'm now in the unenviable position of being stuck out here with no job and no prospect of one (they don't need primary teachers here!) We can't afford a house, can't afford to go anywhere because petrol/food/entertainment is so expensive and in general, if we went back to the UK now we'd be destitute and have to throw ourselves on the mercy of Social Security and beg for a council house. In the UK I had a secure job, my own house, nice car, could afford three family hols a year. Plus, I had the support of family and friends to fall back on. Out here, I've nothing.

Sorry to be such a glum, but this is my reality, and it sucks! Really, I thought the grass would be greener on this side of the fence, but it's a very muddy brown.

Deb17 xx

[Guest stufi1997]

Hi Deb17, boy you sound down....Know it's probably little consolation but when we were at the immigration department they assured us that employers should not differentiate between the two types of visa since for all intents and purposes you are permanent. They told us if we encountered any problems due to this they would be happy to contact the employer directly and explain the situation.....granted I don't know how practical that would be but surely worth a try? P.S you can buy a house you just have to get FIRB approval first which is just a formality. Try to keep your chin up....things could be worse, ATB Fiona

[Guest Deb17]

Hi,

What on earth is a F.I.R.B? Not something I've heard of before...if it meant we could have bought a house two years ago when we got here and nobody told us then I'm going to be turning purple with rage. Why have we just wasted two years of good money renting then? Ooohhhh I'm spitting mad.

Doesn't really matter now anyway, seeing as we're a month off applying for a proper permanent visa, but only because my hubby has fulfilled the criteria, not me. Boo hoo. Now I feel even sorrier for myself.

[Guest Django]

Hi Deb, scroll down to Q6 http://www.firb.gov.au/content/faq.asp

 

Hope this helps.

 

Pete

[Guest CHORLEY GIRL]

Hia Deb

 

Just joined, and myself and partner are only at early stages and have applied for a temp visa as we are being sponsered by the state. Just wondered if you could clear something up you say if it's a temp visa you are applying for not to bother, didn't really understand is that what you were saying? If so wondered why, also said you regretted it or have i misunderstood.

 

Thanks Jo

[Guest CHORLEY GIRL]

Hi me again sorry Deb didn't read the other threads computer skipped them understand now, don't know what happened.

Sorry you feel so down and have had such bad experiences. I'm hoping the grass is greener and have heard more positives than negatives so am keeping my fingers crossed. Youv'e got to try it else you'l never know i suppose.

 

Jo

[Guest Deb17]

Yeah I know what you mean Jo. We took this huge leap into the abyss and it's been all bad and now I've set the cat amongst the pigeons by admitting it, haven't I?

The thing is, has anyone thought how many people would actually bother to post doom and gloom onto this forum? Most people, if they've had bad experiences like ours would just pack up and go home and not bother to tell people about their failures, because it makes you a bit sick admitting to it.

It's only the people who've made a success of their move and are loving it that usually go on these forums - to shout to the world how wonderful everything is. I just thought it was about time a bit of balance, honesty and reality were brought into the equation. I spoke to a lovely lady from West Yorks, on the beach a fortnight ago. Knew straight away she was English because she was in the water with her kids on a 21 degree day! She'd only been here a week, hated it and wanted to persuade her hubby to turn round and go straight home. So I know I'm not the only one with negative feelings. There must be more like me - they just don't like admitting it to themselves or anyone else, because it means admitting you've failed at something so important.

Having said all that I do understand what you're saying. We were quite thrilled at the prospect of coming here and were prepared to take everything on in the spirit of adventure, or we wouldn't have set out on the journey. Just be aware that things can and do go wrong for some.

Best Wishes,

Deb x

[Guest Deb17]

Oh thanks Pete - I just can't believe all that. Why wasn't that explained in all the bumf we received when we got here? Now I'm REALLY mad. We were told categorically that there was no way we could buy a house on a temp. visa unless it was a new build or we started off the building process ourselves. Two years ago we might have had a chance at affording something - now, no chance!

Can you hear the sound of me stamping the floor in a petulant fit of rage?

Deb x

[Guest Django]

We were told categorically that there was no way we could buy a house on a temp.

 

 

Who by????? Not your agent I hope. If so I would be deffo asking for a refund.

 

This why I have spent the past 15 months researching stuff like this. Me and google are now like

Also I would be like a fish out of water without this place.

 

Pete

[Guest Deb17]

We didn't actually use an agent - did the whole process ourselves in nine months, so perhaps that's where we might have overlooked something. But on arrival in Adelaide we were passed on loads of paperwork from the meet and greet pair we encountered, and NOWHERE, in all the documents we were given, did it say anything about FIRB and being able to purchase anything. We did get stuff on buying and renting a home, but the buying part was aimed strictly at folks arriving on permanent visas. Oh fiddlesticks and drat it.