steve&emma2011

Hi Zoe, The Charles Sturt website has a link for school holiday activities, they have got all kinds of stuff on in all different areas. My boys are a bit older 8 & 10 but ive booked them on the surf lifesaving & dragon boats, but stuff for younger ones too. Good luck Emma x

Hi Banksey. Like others have said areas are totally a personal thing, we did a reccie looked at numerous areas and then looked at school reviews, when we make our final decision we will be looking at the areas we liked with the good school. My husband is heading over 8 weeks before us. His job starts June 3rd but i am waiting for my boys to finish the school year before we head over. We also thought (totally personal preferance) even though we could go together it may be a bit easier if he goes first so he can find a house near his job and we can come and move straight in (ill find the ones i like online 1st of course lol). Couldnt imagine anything worse than dragging my 2 boys (7&9) around viewing houses. Good luck with whatever you decide keep us posted Emma

Hi & welcome, We have just got back from our reccie, we stayed Gelnelg which was a lovely place and when we spoke to people about where to live quite a few mentioned to try and get in Brightons catchment as its a good school, we dont need to worry about high school yet my boys are 7 & 9 but its good to know for when we settle Also once we had our medicals the visa arrived within a few weeks so shouldnt be long now! Good luck Emma

ooooo sounds perfect for us ill be intouch fingers crossed

Good luck, its nice to hear in am not the only one thinking am i doing the right thing but the way i am looking at it if i dont like it i can come back but home is wher my boys are and as long as they are happy i will be fine. Keep us updated on your journey Emma xxx

Thanks for organising this its a great idea, we will be there, hubby knows exactly where to pub is. You will recognise us my boys need a mute button lol

Thanks Guys. Delta Tango we are still deciding on logistics, or how long it will take for me to clear out the house lol. Prob looking aug/sept as then the boys can finish the current UK school yr and start the final term in Adelaide before xmas and hopefully they will have made some friends for over xmas, if that makes any sense. Looking at flights & accommodation now as thats seems to be the best way to go and then we know its all sorted. You should be getting your visa any day now, Keep us posted xx

HI Stu, We are definately up for getting together. Jan sounds like a good plan, we are pretty flexible with dates then so can work round everyones prefered dates and we dont mind meeting in the middle save anyone doing a massive journey. Keep me posted with the dates & places you think. Em

Thanks Guys drop me a message & let me know who you booked your flights & removals just starting on those now xx

Great Idea, my hubbys just hit 40 LOL and our boys are a little older 6 & 9 but still great idea to get together. Im with Caroline send some dates and we will do it, will be great to compare notes Emma x

Thanks Guys now just trying to decide when to go, i see your planning June, how exciting do you know where yet?? We will Probably be here till Aug I think gives us time to plan & soak info Good luck x

Thanks Mazher, Its all very exciting & Scary Emma

Congratulations! Thats great Advice, another job for Hubby Keep us posted.

Not sure what the 176 is but the 190 is a State Sponsored Skilled Nominated Permenant visa if that helps

Its says it all in the title really. After a few hurdles along they way, like husbands job going to special measures amd having to wait for the new systems in July, I openend our email to this from our agent ....... 'Hi Emma and Steve, Congratulations you are now Australian Permanent Residents!' Whats the first thing i did??.... Burst into tears LOL! When our CO was issued on 5th Nov i never thought it would be this quick and here we are with the visa, that sometimes i thought we'd never get. So to all of you at the start, middle or end of your journey .....All the ups & downs are sooo worth it, for that 1 second where you read that 1 line over and over again, through blurry eyes! Now the hard work begins, where to live, schools (2 boys 6&8 who want to leave tomorrow) healthcare, removals and rentals and telling my family & friends we are going (i think they dont believe us!!) I'll be spending all me life on here getting ideas! Good luck everyone. Emma, Steve, Owen & Matt xx

Hi all, Once you get a CO it moves really fast, well it did for us Our CO was issued on 5th Nov, we had already sent off our police checks they came back really quick & I sent them to our agent 10/11 our medicals were done on 30th Oct they liased with DIAC direct. (Ours were over £600+ for a family of 4 and we had to pay extra for hep B & C as hubby has tattoos) and yesterday i opened my e-mail to this from our agent ..... 'Congratulations you are now Australian Permanent Residents!' EEk OMG OMG OMG Keep us posted Im off to look at shipping prices, im sure it wont be long for you now Emma

Hi All, Like Kathy we have an agent we already had our skills assesment and she applied for our EOI & state sponcership at the same time. We got our invite yesterday along with looooooooads of paperwork lol and the state sponcership should be within next couple of weeks as it is currently an 8 wk turnaround. Its all very exciting now, Kids dont even want to go back to school LOL Em

Thanks everyone. We are going down the 175 route, in the process of completing the form 80 (just taking a while to work out which countries weve been to in the last 10 years ) and 1276 so should all be moving by next week. Thanks again, its great to have somewhere you can air your problems and get responces from likeminded people. Em x

Thanks Jess, We got the skill assesment without proof of current duties but may still need it in the future so will keep this in mind. Thanks again Em

thats what i thought too focus on the positive, Thanks Rachiegarlo you made me smile xx

Well hubby has his IELTS and his Skills Assesment from Engineers Australia and just as our agent lodges our visa his job goes from low availibility to Special Circumtances within a matter of days, so back we go, not totally to the beginning but back a little. Our agent has said we can wait till the new application rules in July and see if his job returns to list or go for a 175 (which she tells me currently has a 1 year turnaround) but my gut feeling is to go for a 175 rather than wait for the new application process, so think thats what we will do, will take a little longer but haho it will be worth it we will get there in the end. Just wanted to share so those who go on low availibilty can get things shifting and same doesnt happen to them. good luck everyone we will keep plodding on xx

Hi all, Im new to the forum so bear with me but hope you can give me some advice. My husband and I with our 2 boys are currently in the visa process, but are struggling at the start The problem is my husbands job description, which i would never have thought would be an issue, ill start at the beginning... He is a building services engineer (mechanically biased), he has a degree which is accredited according to Engineers australia standards, and its on the skills required list so we can get state sponcership. We have sent copies of all his qualifications, p45s (for companies no longer trading), payslips, job descriptions, contracts ect for previous companies to prove hes been in work since 16 (hes now 39) but the thing we are having trouble with is his current job. They want a job description for this job signed by a director, they have his letter from when he got the job and current payslips ect. My husband is worried when he tells them of our plans it could jepordise his current position and we dont want to end up a creak ...well you know the rest. Can anyone suggest what also we can do to get around this, they have his previous jobs, job description and he does the same things hes just at a higher level. To top it all hes currently working away and only home once a month which is really slowing things down, please help i am at my witts end and my agent doesnt seem to be giving me any advice on how to get around it. any thought greatly appreciated

Hi There, we're at the start of the process and looking to move to adelaide. Any tips on a nice family area, close to the beach preferably? Got a wife and two kids in tow also. Early days in the paperwork trail at home but initially all boxes are ticked so far. Steve & emma

Hi all, At the very start of serching for a new life in Oz with wife and two kids (7 &5). On board with a migration agent and looking to move on a 176 visa. After any tips and advise on moving to Adelaide (rent/buy house, etc). Applying as a profesional engineer (building services project manager) what are the job prospects like? know of the royal adelaide hospital starting soon. All advice/tips most welcome. Steve & emma