Newbie - planning from Manchester, UK

[Guest Gari Davies]

Hi,

 

Just thought I'd post a quick 'hi' - just back from visiting friends in Adelaide and got converted in to being someone who wants to move out there - looking at May 2015.

 

Pretty daunting trying to figure out where to start and whatnot, and I also had an incredibly quick look at rental prices and they didn't look as reasonable as perhaps I'd been led to believe - but that's all to be investigated properly in the future I guess (and not with 5am jet lag, haha!!!). Ultimately, have convinced my partner, Max, to come out to Adelaide in search of a much better standard of living than we could currently ever manage in Manchester. Hoping to find a very 'general' idea of cost of living out on the net, just so that we can compare.

 

Hoping to bring our two cats with us too. I work in accounting, and Max is a very accomplished at all things P.A. and admin etc (he tends to work for local government rather than for profit businesses).

 

We're young lads, I'm 29 in August and Max is 27 on Thursday and so we're keen to find experiences from similar people, especially. My friends in Adelaide are great, but I'm sure they're terribly biased and just want 'fresh meat' to hang out with, haha!!!!

 

So yeah, that's me/us - sure I'll be surfing these forums a lot in the background - please, bear with any stupid questions, and I look forward to being more involved in these forums as my plans develop!

Edited March 15, 2014 by Gari Davies

[Blossom]

Welcome to the forum. :-)

Moving to Australia isn't always easy. Your first job is to look on the sol and csol to see if either of your jobs is on there. If they are you then need to see if you can pass a skills assessment, and possibly find state sponsorship.

 

We moved from Manchester 6 years ago and found it FAR more expensive here. It was a big shock to start with actually. I would say the quality of living is about the same.

[Guest Gari Davies]

Thanks for that Blossom - the problem I have is that my accounting institution, CIMA, is not recognised in Australia it seems, so I may have to see about converting it I guess. Not expecting to walk straight in to an account job obviously, and will do anything in the meantime whilst I get established.

 

Surprised to hear you find it far more expensive - definitely not the impression that I'd had, and something that I will definitely look in to further - massive thanks for the heads up on this. We live in the city centre and so moving to somewhere like Adelaide would be bliss and a sure-fire improvement for us. Adelaide for me is somewhere that I'd love to retire to - my logic is why wait another 30 years to do something when you can just do it now and benefit from an extra 30 years of happiness?!

[Blossom]

Did you have a look around at the price of white goods etc? Prices for food etc has gone down quite a bit in the last few years which makes it easier, and the range of things you can buy has grown. Having to pay often at the drs is a shock. Don't even start me on dental care. Lol. One of the odd things was all the budget cuts of meat we would buy in the uk were expensive here, but the things expensive in the uk were cheaper here. We were on a budget to start with so it totally messed with my cooking lol.

 

I think there was a thread for accountants on our sister site poms in oz. That would probably be good reading for you.

[kelbert]

Hi there. I think it would be worth pointing out that people who have migrated in the past couple of years probably would find prices comparable Blossom. The cost of living in the Uk has rocketed in the past few years. I am also close to the Manchester area Gary but Adelaide bound. Good luck.

[jim and adel]

We moved from Manchester 6 years ago and found it FAR more expensive here. It was a big shock to start with actually. I would say the quality of living is about the same.

 

Thanks for writing that, Blossom - saved me writing it! We're also from Manchester originally (although moved around a fair bit) and certainly have no better standard of living than we had back there or than our family have who are still there. Also agree with how expensive it is, although some don't seem to think so (I sometimes wonder if there are two Adelaides and I'm in the wrong one ...)

 

Jim

[sduffy]

We are from Manchester also,though been here a good few yrs.Would agree with Previous posters overall think it is in generally more expensive here.Utilities are very expensive,lot more expensive for phone and internet deals.The most frightening thing is medical costs,particularly if you have chronic health conditions. It adds a level of stress that you dont need,waiting lists here are pretty horrendous if you are in the public system.

 

We love a lot of things about Adelaide but the ever raising cost and declining job market is a real cause for concern,that often overshadows the other benefits that are here.

 

Good luck with your decision.

 

Sue

[Guest Gari Davies]

Thanks for all this guys - massively appreciated.

 

In terms of standard of living, I'm currently in a one bedroom apartment in the city centre and if I want to move out to the country, it's a lot more expensive - in Adelaide there seems to be a lot more property for your buck, and then you have all the amenities of a city, countryside and beach all on the doorstep, as it were - definitely unlike Manchester city centre. I guess I'm valuing different things here as to what is important to us. One of the big differences that I saw was in the price of petrol - the numbers on the forecourts in Adelaide were pretty much the same as the ones in the UK - as I'm currently learning to drive in the UK, that was a scary thought!! Interested in the utility prices being expensive (surely they can't be worse than the UK market at the moment?!) and I do have a chronic health condition, but thankfully it is pretty mild and I don't think that it'd cause me too many problems (fingers crossed).

 

Whilst I was in Adelaide, I stayed with friends and just 'lived' for a while, and fell in love with the area and the lifestyle. I figure that whilst it may be a little more expensive, I think in terms of overall happiness, it's going to be the right decision for me and my other half - bit of a gamble, but one that I think

[jim and adel]

Thanks for all this guys - massively appreciated.

 

In terms of standard of living, I'm currently in a one bedroom apartment in the city centre and if I want to move out to the country, it's a lot more expensive - in Adelaide there seems to be a lot more property for your buck, and then you have all the amenities of a city, countryside and beach all on the doorstep, as it were - definitely unlike Manchester city centre. I guess I'm valuing different things here as to what is important to us. One of the big differences that I saw was in the price of petrol - the numbers on the forecourts in Adelaide were pretty much the same as the ones in the UK - as I'm currently learning to drive in the UK, that was a scary thought!! Interested in the utility prices being expensive (surely they can't be worse than the UK market at the moment?!) and I do have a chronic health condition, but thankfully it is pretty mild and I don't think that it'd cause me too many problems (fingers crossed).

 

Whilst I was in Adelaide, I stayed with friends and just 'lived' for a while, and fell in love with the area and the lifestyle. I figure that whilst it may be a little more expensive, I think in terms of overall happiness, it's going to be the right decision for me and my other half - bit of a gamble, but one that I think

 

It's nobody's role on here, Gari, to persuade you away from your dream, so come on over ... but it's important not to have false ideas about achieving a much better standard of living than you can currently achieve where you are. Certainly some manage it, but a good number of others don't (and for every plane full arriving there's one leaving going the other way, very often with the same hopes and expectations ...which perhaps says more about the migrant mentality the world over than about either Aus or the UK as 'good' places to live).

 

If you're in a one bedroom apartment in Mcr, then no reason why you can't land a bigger place here. The reality is, though, most people in Manchester don't live in one bedroom apartments, so there's no need to travel to the other end of the world for that to be achieved. As for utility prices, try googling a few variations of 'SA most expensive electricity in the world' to get an idea of the amount of debate and frustration on this one.

 

Oh, and when you see the unleaded petrol price on the boards outside petrol stations here, it's worth remembering that there's no equivalent for sale in Europe to compare the price to because the octane rating of the petrol mentioned on those boards is too low to be allowed for sale in Europe.

 

Good luck!

[Guest Gari Davies]

Thanks Jim and Adel - very sage advice, which is appreciated! Thanks a mil!!

[Blossom]

Yes petrol is one of the few things cheaper here. That and tvs (I have no idea why).

Personally we lived in a two bed semi in Manchester, about 9 miles out of the centre. We had plenty of nice canal walks through beautiful fields etc near us. It wasn't far to go for good shopping or eating (neither of which compare here in my opinion).

 

The only things I think are better here is the space (you can't really buy space around Manchester no matter how much money you have) and the weather. But even the weather gets COLD here in winter, and unbearably hot in summer.

If you like beaches it has that too. Personally I don't.

I do love being able to grow more veggies, and never (well once) having to scrape ice off my car. :-)

[Blossom]

But anyway, you really need to find out IF you can come first. It's never good making your mind up and then finding out it's not an option.

[Rabeah]

Blossom is right, the winters can be damn cold and unlike in the UK or Europe no insulation at all...Only single glazing is standard, no heating system in the older houses, and door gaps I've never seen in my life before (my fantasy wasn't good enough before I really came here).

[Guest Gari Davies]

The varied weather, beaches, space and veggies are a definite plus for us!!

 

In terms of the IF, I guess I'll only know that once I've got my EOI in, I'm loathe to hire a migration agent, but I'd frankly be surprised if they declined me/us - which I know sounds stupidly bold - but I don't see what they would find at fault - we both have strong CVs, no periods of unemployment, are under 30, no major health problems, a stable relationship, friends in the area, and decent credit rating etc. I even like BBQs!!! ;-)

 

Rabeah - thanks for that feedback, reckon that I know what you mean about those door gaps! The friend I was staying with had about 2 inches on his bedroom door... I wasn't sure if it was just a poorly hung door, or intentional for the first few days - shocker! ha.

[Blossom]

Well the skills assessment is where most people get caught up if they do have a problem, but you apply for that before doing the EOI. Good luck.

[Rabeah]

Good luck with your visa application.

Besides huge door gaps we love the Australian life style

I even got used to the winters here when we often go for a bicycle trip because it's still warm enough. In Europe everybody freeze, here you'll have a life.

[Guest Abyss]

Hi Gari

 

Im a little older at 32, and my OH is 30. I have had a working holiday visa (WHV) 10 years ago now! My OH hasn't. Have you both not thought about this as a taster? I know you have been over and seen what its like already, but presumably on a tourist visa? IF you both get a WHV you then have 1 year to live and work, 6 months max for one employer, and if you do some farm work, fruit picking or other things you can get a 2nd year out of it. It would be my thinking in your instance though since you want to come to Adelaide to live and work you could come over, freely, get a room someplace, find a job, and if you both like it after 6months, see if your employer will get you over on a sponsored visa such as a 457..the bonus being you have been in the job already and they can appreciate you and likewise. Saves having to do it the way that most have done it on here! If your ever about in Didsbury and want a beer and chat about this let me know

[Guest Gari Davies]

Thanks Abyss, very useful information! Current situation is that I am a part-qualified management accountant, and the CPA in Australia probably won't endorse my application at this time. I'm now at the cross roads of working out if it's worth me waiting a few more years and spending a couple of grand getting to full management accountant status (and then going for the indy skilled visa) - not as open and closed as that unfortunately, as there are a lot of other bits to consider in my case (if I do one thing, it has an impact on the other). Current plan is to take my OH out in November and just 'live' for a few weeks (not working, of course) and if he's happy with it there too, then we can both commit to knuckling down for a few years, getting qualified against things on the SOL and save up for those lofty visa prices!

 

I myself am not put off by a WHV to be honest, but my OH is. He sees it as a great inconvenience to move across the World for potentially only one or two years before having to up sticks home again - ideally if we move, we envisage it being 'for good'. I do like your suggestion of getting a foot in the door first with the 457 (are you not then tied to keeping that job, and you have to leave the country as soon as you leave that job?) and that would be my plan with a WHV, but still yet to talk the OH around to that. As someone who is primarily office based and doing accounts, the idea of 3 months picking a harvest doesn't phase me that much!

 

Very sound and well timed advice, thank you massively!!!

[Guest Abyss]

I've been in the game of trying to get over for a while, and every year that goes by it gets harder, and harder and harder. There is no guarantee in a few years you can get over on a indy sponsored visa at all. Point is, you need to act NOW. Several reasons. Firstly, one i just mentioned, secondly, the time to take the WHV route is soon running out with your ages! I also don't tend to think its a case of packing up and moving out..whats to stop you going on WHV, getting jobs, getting 457 (which can lead to PR easier) then flying back to sort out any stuff u need too? Because in your method currently your flying out to check it out, then flying back when you think you can get in, so its two sets of flights anyway,,so if you took WHV then came back at a later date to sort stuff out then thats also two sets of flights!

Then there is what gear are you really needing to sort out? Dont know about you, but I live in a flat and im getting rid of most of the furniture, my biggest issue is i have two cars and two vans i need to sell then export the remaining campervan! Dont worry about fruit picking you wont need to do that lol. Also 457 doesn't mean your tied to that job, you can move jobs, the visa follows to next job if they are suitable to provide 457 sponsors (big companies usually), and you have 90 days to get the 'next job'. Also only one of you needs to do this, as the other is defacto as doesn't have to worry about keeping the same job, or even have a job...