Emigrating... (anyone done it?)

[unfitfinlay]

Even Marriage isn't the fool proof route to a visa that it used to be. One of my mates is engaged to, and has kids with, an American but was told that, even if they get married, he doesn't earn enough for working visa. The U.K have repeatedly turned down her applications to move here as well so they're in a weird limbo.

[Sergio Mendacious]

Even Marriage isn't the fool proof route to a visa that it used to be. One of my mates is engaged to, and has kids with, an American but was told that, even if they get married, he doesn't earn enough for working visa. The U.K have repeatedly turned down her applications to move here as well so they're in a weird limbo.

 

We would have been screwed without a financial sponsor at this end — my wife's grandad put up his savings account as proof that we had enough support should I fail to get a job.

[carolann]

I second Andrew Coyne,  we just passed our one year anniversary of living in Oz and its lovely.

 

Within one year (and with no real savings when we got here) we have saved enough money to buy our first house, just on hubbys salary as i was 7 months preggers when we came out here and Im still not working.  We now have a 4 bed place with a hughe garden in Mornington Peninsula - so a bit away from the city - but im not going to complain about my daughters primary school doing lessons on the beach in the warm weather.  Its a bonus that hubby is in IT and works from home as well.

 

Its a HUGE change of pace.  

 

You will miss family & friends (My big sister regularly sends me family packs of M&S biscuits and stuff)

 

Groceries are more expensive, living costs in general are - you have to have private healthcare (there is medicare but you have to be eligible and if you are living out here and have medicare there are tax incentives to get private healthcare)

 

Politicians are proper dicks out here - you'll find yourself constantly outraged by the idiots running everything

 

Studio 10 is a decent watch in the morning if you can suffer Ita Buttrose (Seriously - thats her surname)

 

Internet is generally poor - and unlimited use packages are hugely expensive, during the summer there is NOTHING on TV, and all advertising is American style - it takes three hours to watch a movie on TV because they are always playing adverts, and you'll get to enjoy the late night infomercials and Ashley Madison ads.  You also get NASCAR (which is a good thing)

 

Do you have kids?  If so prepare to be asked to become massively over involved in their kindergarten/daycare/school in ways you could live without, bake sales, fund raising, parent committee, classroom helper, exchange host... these things are pushed on you mercilessly and are not just for the super keen one or two, and if you cant do them they expect you to stump up a relative to do it on your behalf. 

 

We're very close to Melbourne, it is lovely, and the weather is pretty similar to the UK, just at the wrong time of year

 

Hubby is an Aussie, so i got a spouse visa which took nine months and cost about three thousand pounds (i think - i honestly cant remember)  Going to the embassy DOES get it done a bit quicker (despite what the advice says) its just lots of waiting around im afraid, but that does also depend on the type of visa you get.  If your partner is australian by descent (either parent - i dont think grandparents count any more) it'll be quicker for her.

 

Feel free to PM if you have any questions.

[extacy of farts]

So has anyone got any new experiences of emigrating?...seriously considering a complete change in life as everything feels like it's hit a dead end here and a new start could be the best possible answer for me! Somewhere like OZ or NZ is really appealing to me!

[quote the raven]

If i could i would have left here and moved to oz alas due to my son being disabled they wont allow him, same goes for the US and Canada

[BigJag]

If i could i would have left here and moved to oz alas due to my son being disabled they wont allow him, same goes for the US and Canada

If it's not being too intrusive. Would you mind explaining their reasoning?

[quote the raven]

Yes they say he would be a drain on resources. 

 

I guess in the event of my death the state would have to look after him. 

[SuperBacon]

Yes they say he would be a drain on resources.

 

I guess in the event of my death the state would have to look after him.

There's something very similar in the news about a family from the UK who have been living in Australia and their daughter being unwell. Shit news

[quote the raven]

In someways i can understand it, but if i meet all the other criteria to enter and live in the country it is a bit of a kick in the teeth, I think you can get around it if you can prove you have enough money to pay for care of a disabled child. Which unless you have millions your not going to be able to to 

[jasmith85]

I add me to the list of wanting to Emigrate to Canada for me, my partner and my newborn daughter. As we feel the opportunities are abroad and not in South Yorkshire.

 

Problem being, reading on emigration information and the info people have left on here is that you need a skill/qualification that is highly valuable. Would an accountant cut it, well currently studying my AAT level 3 then 4 in January then CIMA or ACCA. just wondering with some knowledgable people on here someone might be able to share some information for me.

[TheLowdown1987]

Did Vancouver for a year in 14/15 and had a grand old time. Went on a one year working holiday visa. The IEC visas are now 2 years so you can have a decent time out there and have a better chance of getting permanent residency if thats what you are aiming for.

 

I do wish I'd stayed there a little longer and at least extended the working visa for the extra 2 years but the missus was a tad homesick when the visas were issued and we moved at the wrong time (October leading into the Winter in Vancouver is pretty shit). We should have gone in the Summer and enjoyed the amazing lifestyle the city has to offer and by the time Winter had come around we would have been settled and ready to reapply.

 

With regards to being a qualified accountant and emigrating to Canada I'm not too sure. I'm sure if you applied for jobs before you left and looked into PR though the different avenues (there are shit loads) you'll find a way.

[Slapnut]

What did you do in Canada, Lowdown? My girlfriend and I have recently been considering the possibility of going out on a 2 year IEC visa with the idea of potentially staying permanently. What sort of jobs would you say we'd be looking at initially? And did you do it through an agency?

 

If it was up to me I'd drop everything and get over there as soon as possibly, but my girlfriend is very much a "wait and see what happens" type of person. That, and I don't want to leave my cat behind!

[simonworden]

It's funny that this thread has popped up. I haven't really been frequenting the forum as much as I used to but seeing this and some other threads remind me what a likeable bunch you all are.

 

Im thinking of moving around Europe. Long story short I'm from Northern Ireland, I work as a supervisor in a coffee shop and I asked for a contract (it's zero hours atm) and was told I can't be given one despite two chefs being given contracts. I could fight it but I don't care, screw it. I just see it as an opportunity to leave. I don't like NI, or the way of life here.

 

Anyway so my girlfriend is Portuguese and lives in Portugal, she's got another year of Uni but I thought I'd move a little closer to her. My plan is do a little bit of travelling in May then meet up with her at a festival in Porto in June and then look for a job in Spain, Portugal or Gibraltar.

 

Im positive I could get a seasonal bar job or something of that nature. My freelance career is going okay so I make some money off that and I'm armed with a TEFL degree so I think I could do a number of things.

 

Anyone got any advice? I know Spain and Portugal aren't great but I'd realistically be happy with somewhere in mainland Europe but I would like to get closer to my girlfriend really.

 

Thanks guys

 

 

Do you have a BA in TEFL Or a TEFL Certificate (I'm just curious not pedantic!)

 

For the OP

 

I moved to Vietnam 3 years ago and it was the best fucking thing I ever did. I do the usual loser thing of teaching English but it turned out I was pretty dam good at it and a very popular/ high demand teacher so I now have a really good job where I get my living set up out of it. I recently got engaged to a local girl too who is really the light of my life.

 

Not sure I will continue to teach forever but it gives me time to work on other projects and i'd like to set up a business in the region if I can find something I think will work. Right now i'm helping her set up a little language school (won't be working in it though). 

 

Depending on your age, tolerance and curiosity Asia is a pretty safe bet and depending on the country you can get a job easily. Usually you'll be paid more than a living wage so if you have no massive outgoings at home you can set yourself up nicely. Visa and paperwork is usually straight forward too, not quite the EU but generally easy to walk in and stay. 

[Guest]

I've been interested in doing TEFL in Japan, but I've read mixed reviews from people who've done it, so the cost of training seems quite a gamble when you don't know whether the school you end up at is going to treat you well or take the piss.

[Chest Rockwell]

From what I've heard Japan is a lot harder work for a much shittier standard of living compared to southeast Asia for foreign English teachers.