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To get unemployment benefits, at least in my state, you have to have had a job for a certain period of time and be laid off (as opposed to quitting the job or being fired).So she, as someone who has not had a job here, and me, as someone who is self-employed, are not eligible for unemployment benefits. We are not eligible for food stamps as unless you have children or are underemployed almost no one is eligible for them. Section 8 housing takes a lot to be eligible for and there is likely a waiting list.
The point is, if my business some day failed or she was out on her own, there is nothing to fall back on here for us. That scares her because there's no safety net. Re-training or going back to school is also much cheaper in Australia if we needed to do that at some point. For example, if she went back to school to get a teaching certificate here in the US, the only school nearby would cost close to $40k for tuition and books for a one year program.
As far as the visa for me goes, I have researched it a lot and although there are problems, I can deal with them. Worst case scenario I would be stuck on a work and holiday visa for a year, which would be bad, but not unbearable.
Best bet would be your wife with her computer science degree - support, testing, something similar. Or clerical work to get her foot in the door. The Finance & Mining industries pay great contract rates. Or at least they do in W.A. Contract work could be easier to land for a migrant than something permanent. And can often lead to permanent positions.
Small towns could be quite limiting as far as employment opportunities unless it's some back-of-beyond mining town which can be a rough place to live and mean paying extortionate amounts for rent. Small Town Oz doesn't necessarily equate to much lower cost of living. If the housing is cheap it means there's little work or tourism.
The $15k you've saved up will get seriously dented for moving and startup costs. Better save more. There's a 2 year waiting period for welfare for new migrants. You could get rental assistance during that 2 year period, I believe. And maybe qualify for a Health Care Card. Not 100% sure but info can be found here: Newly Arrived Residents Waiting Period (http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/factors/newly_arrived.htm#exempt - broken link)
You will have access to Medicare right away.
You'll likely need a furnished place at first while you look for rentals - $80+/night or a hostel. Depending on where you settle, trying to rent a place without a credit or rental history can be a pain. I've known migrants to Perth who've had to pay 3 months in advance, plus the bond (like a damage deposit) to secure a place they liked. So at about $400/wk, you could need over $5k up front.
In Perth at least, you'll have to provide your own fridge, washer and dryer in most places you rent. Maybe not in some flats. Then there's all the other basics of life unless you ship your stuff.
Cars cost more in Oz than the US. Add licensing, rego (registration) and insurance. If you choose carefully you could live somewhere where you could get by without a car - central/inner suburbs of one of the capital cities.
As a foodie myself, Oz can be tough. Great variety but at a high price. I can do cheap meals quite well but often like to splurge and make more interesting dishes. But if you really want to move to Oz, there'll be a lot of sacrifices, especially at first. I have to agree that the economics of Oz looks better than in the US. I'm here temporarily before heading back to Canada and life isn't easy or assuring for many here. Good luck.
I didn't think we could get rent assistance the first two years, just medicare. She has already lived there a bit so from what I understand she would be eligible for help before me.
Well, we will probably have more than $15k. Just trying to be conservative on that figure. The less we spend the better. We had been looking at starting in a suburb or a town like Wollongong maybe that isn't quite as expensive. We had looked at some remote jobs that were designed for couples too that provided lodging, but don't know how easy those are to get (like running a remote roadhouse or caravan park). Starting to look at Tassie a bit too...
Good to know we might have to pay a big deposit or buy things like a fridge. We were not planning to ship much of anything but maybe it's not a bad idea. We've been looking around gumtree to see prices for used furniture and it's not too much more than here. We've been doing some small things anticipating we might be moving, like switching to laptops instead of desktops, buying a hand blender instead of a food processor, etc. Hoping we can sell most things here to have some extra moving money or rent the house as furnished if we decide to rent it.
Just little things add up. We've got a few hundred dollars worth of foods, sauces, seasonings, tea, etc. Probably close to a grand. A jar of cinnamon or something doesn't seem like much but when I think of replacing about 14-15 shelves of dried goods, a fridge, and a separate freezer we have...it's a lot when taken as a whole.
Thankfully craigslist here has made it very easy to sell used goods...
I didn't think we could get rent assistance the first two years, just medicare. She has already lived there a bit so from what I understand she would be eligible for help before me.
Yes, you're right on the rent assistance. My memory's fuzzy on that and besides, I was a citizen at the time they offered it to me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jm21
Just little things add up. We've got a few hundred dollars worth of foods, sauces, seasonings, tea, etc. Probably close to a grand. A jar of cinnamon or something doesn't seem like much but when I think of replacing about 14-15 shelves of dried goods, a fridge, and a separate freezer we have...it's a lot when taken as a whole..
Yes, it's amazing how much capital is in the typical kitchen! If you're a foodie, that is. Good time for you to start using everything in the pantry so you're not left with a lot if you do decide to move. It was a struggle but I managed to deplete my pantry pretty dry before we left in November. We had to drink up all our alcohol in the last few months too
Quote:
Originally Posted by jm21
Thankfully craigslist here has made it very easy to sell used goods...
Craigslist has been great for us here. We've picked up some great deals to set ourselves up. Gumtree's not bad. There aren't the same types of discount stores in Oz as in the US, so sales and specials will be your best friend. Stocktake Sales happen around June/July, you can get some great deals then. Also post-Christmas.
To get unemployment benefits, at least in my state, you have to have had a job for a certain period of time and be laid off (as opposed to quitting the job or being fired).So she, as someone who has not had a job here, and me, as someone who is self-employed, are not eligible for unemployment benefits. We are not eligible for food stamps as unless you have children or are underemployed almost no one is eligible for them. Section 8 housing takes a lot to be eligible for and there is likely a waiting list.
The point is, if my business some day failed or she was out on her own, there is nothing to fall back on here for us. That scares her because there's no safety net. Re-training or going back to school is also much cheaper in Australia if we needed to do that at some point. For example, if she went back to school to get a teaching certificate here in the US, the only school nearby would cost close to $40k for tuition and books for a one year program.
As far as the visa for me goes, I have researched it a lot and although there are problems, I can deal with them. Worst case scenario I would be stuck on a work and holiday visa for a year, which would be bad, but not unbearable.
Personally I would be more worried about living costs and what you will earn rather than which place is better to ride the system off the backs of taxpayers. To me when people have that mentality it's almost like they create their own circle of unemployment. It sounds to me like she is more concerned where she can be on unemployment and get benefits rather than where the good jobs are.
I've looked at going to Australian universities and it is not any cheaper than your average US university. There are a lot more options in your state and around the US as well. You don't have to go to a $40K school even if that is the only one locally. I'm sure if you are willing to move 10000 miles away, a 100 mile move is not that big a deal.
If you do the work and holiday visa you'll have to leave Australia at the end of the visa and then figure out how to get back in. The W&H visa also has restrictions in that you can only work for one employer for six months max. Most likely you'll end up in a minimum wage type job considering your work restrictions and that your qualifications will not be immediately transferable.
Hence I would not fart around with the W&H visa. It gets you in the country but then what do you do?
I would either go the whole hog and do it right or not do it at all.
Access goverment sponsored HECS- HELP courses at an Australian university is restricted to Australian citizens, or holder of pernament humanitarian visa.
People with normal PR visas remain full fee paying students until they take citizenship, your looking at course fees of $10k per semester as a base.
Last edited by danielsa1775; 02-28-2012 at 06:14 PM..
I didn't think we could get rent assistance the first two years, just medicare. She has already lived there a bit so from what I understand she would be eligible for help before me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jm21
We have no children and no plans on having children.
You can't get rent assistance full stop.
To be quite honest, it's a bit annoying having someone who hasn't even moved here yet trying to work out how much they can get in government handouts.
You've got a law degree and she has a degree in computer science, I'm sure you could earn enough to get buy without welfare.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wanneroo
Personally I would be more worried about living costs and what you will earn rather than which place is better to ride the system off the backs of taxpayers.
I think we are being totally unfair to the OP, his wife seem very keen to return hear, which seems to be his main concern.
Medical insurance should be of a primary concern when moving to any country, and his off hand statement is correct, no he will not be covered by medicare yes he will have to organise his own insurance, and yes his wife will be covered by medicare.
Yes Australia is expensive compared to the USA, but lets not forget that it is very expensive in comparison to the USA, and becoming more so, largley becuase of the failures of successive US governments, who have somehow managed to halve the value of their currency in a decade, maybe that is something that is concerning the OP.
Their is much more than costs to worry about in making such a move.
Last edited by danielsa1775; 02-28-2012 at 10:35 PM..
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