# Northern Ireland to Melbourne...



## Numbnut (Jan 4, 2011)

Hi there

Ive been lurking on here for a while, ever since the we started to consider a move to Aus, but things are progressing quickly, so thought i should say hello!

I have worked in Recruitment for 10 years and am exploring some opportunities for emigrating to Australia...focussing on Melbourne first.

Whilst there is quite a lot to consider, there are still some things i am unsure of...and hopefully i can get some advice on here.

If anyone is interested, we are a family of 4...with two kids aged 13 (girl) and 6 (boy).


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## NPKA (Jan 19, 2011)

Any info on shipping household goods from n.Ire to Oz?


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## TerryQ (Jan 11, 2011)

Can you be a bit more specific?

We are in a similar boat 2 girls 11 and 3 though looking to go to Sydney, with the added hassle that I'm 47!. I need to get sponsored to get in though, so am frantically chasing up all the contacts I have across the UK and in Sydney.


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## melanimacc (Feb 7, 2011)

hi were thinkin of heading out to western aus hopefully northern superbs of perth, my husband is a floor layer has been for 14yrs,but the skills list has now changed just worried now were not goin to be able to make the move, we have 4 kids they are aged 8,7,3,and 10 months.any advice anyone


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## AngiW (May 18, 2010)

Hi! This has very quickly changed into a n ire thread! I too have been lurking in the background for what seems like ages! My husband and i (plus our 4 kids 9, 7, 3 and 1 ) have been thinking about a move to Aus for some time but the situation has become more urgent mostly because since Nov he has gone to England to work + only comes home every other fortnight for the weekend. Its tough - but i know lots of people do it - and at least he has a job. We went to an agent last summer but progress seems really slow I'm a full time P6 teacher and my husband's a project manager. We're applying with him as the main applicant because hes on the skills shortage list and I'm not. Still haven''t had a positive from skills assessment - but his mate who did the same degree as him is working and living out in Melbourne so that's where we hope to head. Its good to hear about people at the same stage in the process even if its not as far on as we'd hoped. Our agent is at least preparing our visa application at the minute so maybe its not as far off as i imagine - fingers crossed! Forgot to mention that we're going for state sponsorship in Victoria - it means you make an undertaking to stay in that state for at least two years. Let me know haow you all get on and if i can help i will (am by no means an expert though lol)
Angela


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## melanimacc (Feb 7, 2011)

Thanks angela, were did u use ur agent from and are they expensive? We were going to do it ourselves but its now to complicated for me since this new points test has came in,its to much paper work and with the kids i cant get anytime as it is.We were orginally looking at northern superbs of perth, but if we have to go state sponsored do we have to go were they say?How long have u started the process of meeting your agent and waiting on your visa. speak soon melanie x


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## Numbnut (Jan 4, 2011)

Hello again...nice to see others "in the same boat".

Are all you guys from NI? We're close to Belfast.

My situation is a little different in that as a Recruitment Consultant, i can use a Recruitment2Recruitment Agency...it seems there is quite a need out there.

Just like AngiW says...if there is anything i can help with, ill do my best. However, im no expert!!


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## TerryQ (Jan 11, 2011)

Numbnut said:


> Hello again...nice to see others "in the same boat".
> 
> Are all you guys from NI? We're close to Belfast.
> 
> ...



I'm in Belfast. Got an interview for a Job in Sydney plus confirmed sponsorship if I am successful, problem is, from my research, the salary is nowhere near enough


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## melanimacc (Feb 7, 2011)

yeah we are from co.antrim, just has a postive fed bac from a company sayin my hubbys skills are def able to be state spon in wa aus, so really pleased down side is they charge about £3000 to complete the process for you does anyone know of an agent apart from one i have priced its called the emigration group.just think this is alot of money and then ur visas on top of this,and i would like to try and take my savings with me instead of spending it all on these companys.


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## melanimacc (Feb 7, 2011)

TerryQ said:


> I'm in Belfast. Got an interview for a Job in Sydney plus confirmed sponsorship if I am successful, problem is, from my research, the salary is nowhere near enough


It seams the computer does not give you the right amount,we researched my hubbys wage through and through and it wasnt good but he now has got in contact with a friend who is doing the same work out there, and is earning 3 times wot the internet says so think positive.


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## TerryQ (Jan 11, 2011)

melanimacc said:


> It seams the computer does not give you the right amount,we researched my hubbys wage through and through and it wasnt good but he now has got in contact with a friend who is doing the same work out there, and is earning 3 times wot the internet says so think positive.


They would need to at least double the salary on offer and I doubt they would do that. I might just go ahead with the interview and if it goes well they may be flexible, if you don't ask you don't get


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## mants (Feb 9, 2011)

Hi Guys

Im also from Belfast, Northern Ireland looking to move out to Australia as an AutoCAD Drafting Technician. 

Terry can i ask what line of work your in? And did you just apply online for the job that you have the interview for? Are you doing a webcam interview or flying over for the interview?

Thanks


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## TerryQ (Jan 11, 2011)

mants said:


> Hi Guys
> 
> Im also from Belfast, Northern Ireland looking to move out to Australia as an AutoCAD Drafting Technician.
> 
> ...


I am Chartered Building Surveyor though I am a specialist in historic buildings. I just applied on line and the interview will be by phone!! ( I did offer to fly over ).


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## mants (Feb 9, 2011)

TerryQ said:


> I am Chartered Building Surveyor though I am a specialist in historic buildings. I just applied on line and the interview will be by phone!! ( I did offer to fly over ).


Cheers Terry

I have applied for around 15 - 20 jobs os i hope i hear from someone.


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## AngiW (May 18, 2010)

Hi everyone! 

Melanie- like you we decided that with a young family of four we would go through an agent because apart from the fact that we didn't know which visa to apply for, with jobs and the kids we didn't think we'd have the time or confidence to go it alone! 

We were at a disadvantage though timewise because when we wanted to get the whole process underway, the immigration programme was stalled because of the Australian elections and we had to wait.

We phoned about 8 agents - some never even bothered getting back to us and others didn't seem to know their stuff! We opted to go for one based in Devon - not ideal - i originally would have preferred to deal face to face but she seemed efficient and knowledgable plus she's registered with mia/mara which gives us some peace of mind. 

My husband's always been the one dealing with her as he is the main applicant but now he's working away I'm starting to become more active. We went to her in July/Aug and had some trouble getting payslips and tax returns from the family accountant so that's prob the main reason for any delays.

The agent we went to wasn't the cheapest but she's easy to talk to and always returns calls which is important. There are people who go through the process alone and I guess its a personal choice - my big concern was that we would apply for the wrong visa and I heard there are no refunds - you just have to apply again.

She charged us 1800 to take us through the skills assessment and complete visa process. We also have to pay the fees, obviously. She's also forwarding my husband's cv to Australian firms though i can't really comment because nothing has actually come through. 

Its a big move esp with kids but its not just our future we're worried about. What is the job market and quality of life going to be like when our children are ready to venture into the big bad world in n ire? 

Nice to know we're not the only ones!!
Angela


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## TerryQ (Jan 11, 2011)

AngiW,

We all seem to be in a similar position, we are planning to move, more for the kids than us, my two are 11 and 3.

Got a job interview next week which comes with sponsorship (they will do all the work and cover the costs), fingers crossed


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## AngiW (May 18, 2010)

TerryQ said:


> AngiW,
> 
> We all seem to be in a similar position, we are planning to move, more for the kids than us, my two are 11 and 3.
> 
> Got a job interview next week which comes with sponsorship (they will do all the work and cover the costs), fingers crossed


Terry - 
That's great news!:clap2: good luck with that! I'm starting to wonder if maybe we should ask our friend who's living in Melbourne and already working in the same job as my husband to put out some feelers on our behalf. Maybe employer sponsorship would be a faster track to Aus!

I really hope your interview goes well. Keep us posted!
All the best, Angela


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## TerryQ (Jan 11, 2011)

Thanks Angela,

It's going to be weird as it will be 10.30 at night over the phone!! Employer sponsorship IS the fast track. I understand that this is increasingly becoming the preferred route by Aus Immigration. For us it's the only option as I am over 45.

If your husband already has a contact, use it.

Good luck


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## Numbnut (Jan 4, 2011)

I would like to echo Terry's opinions too. Use whatever contacts you have.
Im lucky that my industry is in demand and the employer will pay and arrange the visa application. I have been told the company's legal team/lawyer will go through the process with me.
So with this in mind, if you can use contacts and perhaps find a company that is prepared to sponser...id definitely go for it.

With regards to interviews...ive had 3 interviews now (though 2 were with the same company) and using Skype/Webcam is excellent.
You can present yourself well, and you also get to read your interviewer better. The companies i dealt with, automatically have Skype accounts...they are free to open, so get yourself one as well as a cheap webcam (i got one for £15 in PC World...its perfect).

Fingers crossed i get some feedback in the next couple of days.


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## mants (Feb 9, 2011)

Terry can i ask see your interview how to you go about applying for it? 

Was it through a job agency here or did you just find it online through the likes of seek.com?

Thanks


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## AngiW (May 18, 2010)

Hi everyone!

Just checking in with you all to see how the interviews/ job hunting went. Have been thinking all week about your interview Terry! How did it go? Numbnut, did you hear anything?

We've just got the visa forms through from our agent to sign and forward back and she's pretty confident Barry's skills assessment should come through within the next week so then it'll be full steam ahead.

I did e-mail our friend who's already in Aus but no reply yet - and from viewing other threads I've noticed alot of people from Ireland are using a Cork based co. called Skills Shortage Solutions (think I've got that right). Have any of you heard of/ used them?

Its a pity the process isn't simpler isn't it? Good luck everyone. I'll update if I have a eureka moment and figure out an easier way to get in!  

Angela


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