Immigration to Australia and Our Move to Perth
Our move to Perth decision was the best Life Style decision we could have wished to make.
We we made our move to Perth in October 2003, having first sold our home in the UK, which gave us a comfortable amount of capital to put towards our New Life in Perth.
The Visa Application
The visa application for our move to Perth took a little under two years to process.
Gareth applied as a skilled migrant, he was a diesel mechanic at the time and I tagged along as his spouse.
This meant that I had to follow Gareth through customs once we arrived in Western Australia (It didn't mean that he got the window seat even though he tried very hard to convince me :o).
Did You Use A Migration Agent?
We used Ian Harrop Associates to assist us with our Australian Visa.
Using a migration agent was an important decision. this is because Gareth was applying for a Skilled Migration Visa.
As part of the Visa process he had to complete a detailed summary of his work as a Diesel Mechanic, which may not sound difficult.
BUT be aware those assessing your application do not work in your trade.
Your application will be assessed in a text book fashion so it is important that you use the right words and descriptions when you are completing the summary of your work experience.
Did You Sell Your Home Before Moving To Perth?
Yes we decided to sell our home in the UK before we moved to Perth.
We wanted to have the finance behnd us to have a good start when we arrived in Perth, by selling our UK home we released enough capital to put a 50% deposit down on our Perth home.
What International Removal Company Did You Use?
We used John Mason International to move our home contents to Perth.
Our move to Perth was the easiest move I have made, it is more stress free to have someone come and pack your life into boxes for you to unpack in your new home at the other side of the world.
Where Did You Stay When You Arived In Perth
I have distant cousins living in Perth and Western Australia who welcomed us into the family and made our move to Perth a pleasant one. We were met at the airport and spent the first couple of months staying at my cousins home in Girrawheen.
What Suburb Do You Live In?
After several weeks of driving round the suburbs we bought our home in Woodvale.We selected Woodvale because it was a well established suburb with no state housing, good public schools (thats government funded), a 10 min drive to the beach and walking distance to the train station, where a train ride into Perth would take 15-20 minutes. The train station being close was a real plus as it meant we would only need to have the one car.
Entrance to Woodvale via Timberlane Drive
How Long Did It Take To Find Work?
I was lucky and was offered employment by two companies within a month of our immigration to Australia. I have since moved to a position more suited to me but the first job was great as it made getting a mortgage so much easier.
Gareth was looking for work in IT (he had recently re-trained before leaving the UK so only had 12 months experience). In February he was offered a job as a Service Desk Technician, which was only 5 months after we arrived so not that long. Especially when you consider you are advised to allow 6-18 months to secure employment following your immigration to Australia.
How Was Settling In To Your New Life In Perth?
We did miss the folks back home when we moved to Perth. But with the internet and cheaper call costs now it is easier to keep in touch,
in fact I speak with my sister on line nearly every day.
Once over the hurdle of finding a home and work we could really get down to enjoying life in Perth. Perth is a great place to live, we have a nice large home in Woodvale with a huge park at the bottom of the road..
Woodvale has all the amenities, public transport close by and the beach is only a short drive away.
Tips For New Migrants
