Migration Advice

This is where you will find essential information about planning and implementing your move to Australia. Remember, you will need a visa to come to Australia, and if you want information about that, please visit my page about Visas or, if you want professional help, check out my Visa Assessment Service.

Let’s start planning.

The where and the who:

Top of your list ‘to-do’ is to decide where you’re going to live, and that means Choosing a City first, and then deciding Which Suburb to live in. Of course, you can always live in a smaller city or town, you can find lists of those from each of my Australian States pages.

Here’s what you Must Read if you are Bringing Children with you, and of course if you are, you’ll need to choose Which School they will go to. Finally, if you want to bring your dog, cat or any other family pet, you can find out all you need to know from my page about Bringing Your Pet to Australia.

Jobs in Australia:

For many, coming to Australia depends on whether or not you are likely to get a job and for some getting a visa may depend on getting a sponsor job. My page about Jobs and Sponsorships will help with that. I also have additional pages that can help both Doctors and Nurses register to work in Australia.

Money, money, money:

Your biggest expense, of course, will be accommodation, and my page about The Cost of Buying or Renting a House in Australia will help you with that. For everything else, check out my page all about the Prices of Everything in Australia.

What will it cost you to live here though? How Much Money Will You Need will help answer that for you and my Currency Exchange page will help you get the best exchange rate. Which Bank will help you decide where to put it.

The critters:

Ah, yes, the critters. Australia is well known for its dangerous animals, so how will you survive? Well, it’s not so bad, as my page Australia’s Killer Creatures and Death will explain. And Living with Snakes in Australia will help you do just that.

The lifestyle:

Is it all worth it though? What’s it really like to live in Australia? For each of the first 10 years I lived in Australia I created a short five minute (or less) video of the highlights. See what our life in Australia is like for yourselves from my Yearly Videos page.

Finally, if English is not your first language, you might like to brush up on your speaking skills. This will help you integrate better into the Australian lifestyle, secure a job more easily and also help to make some Aussie friends. The Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) delivers free English lessons to new migrants to Australia; check out my Study English page for more information.

Important: Please read before commenting…
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And for those looking for professional assistance…
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Visa Assessment Service
{ 1615 comments… add one }
  • Kuljeet Kaur January 5, 2019, 1:41 am |

    Hello sir I m from India I have disable child son age 9 years old. I want to come Australia for his better future.

  • Raimon September 7, 2018, 8:06 am |

    Hi Bob, Just a queastion, I have a friend (Australian, born) He Married a filipina in the philippines 6 years ago, and said to say they split up 3 years ago.. She still lives in the philippines and HE has been paying her child support maintanance for their child every month,, She is Now living in Darwin AUS and she is demanding bigger money from him, She wont tell him were she lives and wont let him see his child, He is happy to keep paying child support but wants visitor access to his child, .could you give any advice on this matter?. She is planning to go back to philippines in a few months as she is on a tourest visa, and she will leave the child here with her new boyfriend/frien till she comes back,, and he feels it not right that he cant see his child or have someone else looking after his child that he dose not even know, or meet. thank you for your time on this matter.
    Raimon..

    • BobinOz September 7, 2018, 4:15 pm |

      Well, for sure, your friend needs to speak to a family lawyer about this to see what can be done. The sooner the better I would say. Good luck, Bob

  • Dipendra August 19, 2018, 7:06 pm |

    I would like to move Australia in work permit visa @Hospitality sector where I do have experience of 5 years in food and beverage side

  • Woj July 11, 2018, 10:37 am |

    Hi Bob. We are currently living on the Sunshine Coast (and loving it!!!!!). We have good friends who need help. Unfortunately they have had a very bad experience with a MARA agent who has taken them for a tough and costly ride. Without any details, he has made all the incompetent decisions that could possibly have been made (a lawyer looked though the paperwork he put through regarding their visa and said that some of the mistakes are so basic, that it brought to him a question if by chance he didn’t do it on purpose, so they could pay more to him for redoing the paperwork from scratch). Anyway, not writing to dob anyone in.
    Could you please give access to a list of MARA agents that you recommend? A list I will give to them, and they can contact whichever one they choose in the hope that this mess will somehow be able to be cleaned up.
    Thanks Bob. This is not the first time I have asked for your advice, so this thank you comes probably for the tenth time 🙂
    All the best,
    Woj

    • BobinOz July 11, 2018, 8:29 pm |

      Well, this list won’t take long, because there is only one MARA registered migration agent I recommend, and it’s the guy I’ve been working with on this website since March 2014.

      To find out all about him, check out my Visa Assessment Service, and if your friend would like to use him, then first he needs to purchase an assessment from that page and then complete the questionnaire and return it.

      My MARA agent would have to start from scratch on this, and I’m assuming that the previous MARA agent didn’t even get to the stage of lodging the application?

      • Woj July 13, 2018, 8:59 am |

        Oh yeah, from what I know he lodged it. But it got knocked back, or they have to wait another year or sthgt (dont knoe the details) because it was all lodged incorrectly..
        I will pass the page onto them and hope that somehow they manage to get out of this mess!
        Thanks Bob!

        • BobinOz July 13, 2018, 10:10 pm |

          Well, if he has already lodged it and had it refused, and his been told he needs to wait, then there’s no point in going through the assessment at the moment. I suggest he waits until a couple of months before he is able to apply again and then gets the ball rolling.

  • Mohsin Mahmood April 19, 2018, 10:59 am |

    Hello,
    I am mohsin mahmood from pakistan.i received my Invitation to apply in december 2018 Nd in march the case officer asked for some more documents that i managed to send within three days…after that how long will it take to get the visa grant? Is there by any chance a r ejection if all the information provided by me us correct?

  • Agnidhar Parajuli March 29, 2018, 11:42 pm |

    Dear sir

    I am Agnidhar Parajuli from Nepal. I have experience in welding and Ironworks field.Do you have any jobs in this field for nepalese people?
    Iwould be very greatful if you give me opportunities to work with you.
    Thank you
    Sincerely yours
    Agnidhar Parajuli
    email: parajuliagni@yahoo.com
    ph: +977-9846778299

  • Agnidhar Parajuli March 29, 2018, 11:41 pm |

    Dear sir

    I am Agnidhar Parajuli from Nepal. I have experience in welding and Ironworks field.Do you have any jobs in this field for nepalese people?
    Iwould be very greatful if you give me opportunities to work with you.
    Thank you
    Sincerely yours
    Agnidhar Parajuli

  • Selena February 22, 2018, 11:10 pm |

    Hello Bob
    Quick question, hoping you can help.
    I have 2 professions, upholstery and training currently for early years teaching. I intend to register my EOI as upholstery as I get the most points that way through work experience, but if I get to Aus teaching jobs may well be easier to find and I would prefer that. So my question is, if I get invited and am successful, can I change my profession when I arrive or will I be tied to upholstery for a period of time? If the latter is the case, rather than EOI do you think schools would allow overseas applicants so I could try for a sponsored visa?
    Thanks very much 🙂

  • chas February 21, 2018, 10:02 am |

    Having worked in Australia in 1986 – 1988 and 1998 -2003 am I eligible for permanent residency once returning … Whats the procedure ? Looking at leaving nz in jan 2019 to reside in brisbane . I am 58 years old

  • Ashutosh Chaudhary February 15, 2018, 11:46 pm |

    Hi Bob… not sure if you are legally allowed to answer the following question…
    How is the Australian work experience calculated in terms of number of days mentioned on my payslide, calendar days, my stay in australia or any other means?
    Considering that my job has the same skill as the one I am choosing for my PR
    If you are not allowed, still i want to thank you for the content on your website. It was helpful

    • BobinOz February 16, 2018, 6:57 pm |

      Not only am I not allowed, I’m also not clever enough 🙂 I simply don’t know and I’d be guessing if I tried to help here. Glad to hear you seem to have enjoyed the content on my website though. Good luck, Bob

  • Amarjit Singh February 15, 2018, 4:34 pm |

    Sir,my daughter is in 10th standard,now I am planning to study her australia.please give me yours valuable advice.

  • Ero Villagracia February 1, 2018, 2:00 am |

    Hi Bob,

    I have a metal in my left femur bone due to a motorbike accident. Will this disqualify me from migrating to Australia? I know its not too cold there but will this medical status diaqualify me? Thanks in advance for replying.

    More Power,
    Ero

  • Rik January 10, 2018, 5:34 pm |

    Hi Bob,

    Hope your enjoying the warm weather over there, I am almost certainly heading over to make Australia my home very soon. I am planning on somewhere from about midway up NSW up through to Brisbane – with Brisbane probably leading with my (largely from this guy called Bob) research.

    I wil be self employed – I will work out which place might be better for me when I get there. however the beaches of the gold coast appeal, as does the city life in Brisbane. I suppose I will need to experience them when i come over and feel my way through to a decision then.

    My work is in private healthcare: do you have any ideas (or just your perceptions) on the numbers of massage therapists, osteopaths, chiropractors, physio’s etc in Brisbane vs Gold coast and the common use of them by the average Australian. I imagine it is similar to here and elsewhere, but if you had any great insight or opinion on place x or y being a much better / worse place to setup shop then I would love to know and then I can focus on those areas perhaps a little more.

    Where I am in New Zealand right now there is a massage therapist on every corner, many physio’s, quite a few Osteo’s and some Chiro’s in a relatively small town.

    Many thanks and great stuff with this blog / website / forum – it must be helping so many people.

    Rik

    • BobinOz January 11, 2018, 9:05 pm |

      Well, when it comes to Brisbane or the Gold Coast, I suspect that one boils down to how often you want to go to the beach. If it’s three times a week, or more, then you do probably need to live in the Gold Coast, if it’s once a week, or less, I’d say Brisbane.

      Brisbane has much more going on, there’s no doubt about that, but it’s just not good for beaches.

      As for work, and the kind of healthcare you do, I think we have plenty of physios and massage therapists around, not sure about how well we are off for the other treatments, but I don’t remember seeing these kinds of things on every street corner. I couldn’t possibly tell you whether you’d be better off in Brisbane or Gold Coast for what you do.

      As you have said, I think you’r best bet is to come here and have a good look around, walking the streets and driving around will probably give you all the information you need to make your decision.

      Good luck, Bob

      • Rik January 11, 2018, 9:57 pm |

        Awesome, cheers Bob.

        I am not too hung up on working solely I’m my field, part time and doing something else would perhaps be ideal for me. Basically I am just looking to move over and have fun, then later on think about getting more serious with life / work etc. It will be a big fun adventure, and I’m not expecting anything to be too easy or the streets paved with gold.

        I think Brisbane is probably more me, I like the beach but with all the sharks and crocs and sea snakes and jelly fish and surfers I would probably be only wading ankle deep in my wellies..

        • BobinOz January 12, 2018, 4:20 pm |

          You’ll have fun all right, I’ve been here 10 years and it still feels like a big fun adventure for me. 🙂

  • Mohammad December 26, 2017, 10:28 pm |

    Dear Bob,
    Your website is extremely helpful for those thinking about moving to AU, well done.
    Actually, I’m really interested in moving to AU, I am a Telecommunication Engineer with over 14 years of overseas experience. The main showstopper that’s keeping me hesitant is the difficulty in landing a job there. Am NOT talking about opening a private business over there, but about getting hired in one’s own domain in a good firm…
    I know about many skilled immigrants who have spent almost a year to get hired, and some of them are still not hired up till this instant, though their CV’s are rich with experience/certifications/MBA’s…They are getting calls from the recruiters/companies, but unfortunately whenever those latter know that these immigrants have NO LOCAL EXPERIENCE, they simply neglect their CV’s.

    – How can someone have this so called “Local Experience” if nobody is giving him the chance to build it in the first place?!
    – Does the AU Government give any financial support to the immigrants if they are still not hired and searching for a job? Especially if someone has a family, the expenses would be really high…
    – If I use your MARA agent to reach AU, do you offer me any kind of help or support with local companies/recruiters after reaching there to find a decent job? At least, asking them not to concentrate on this “Local Experience” thing, and purely check the competence of my profile/CV.

    • Mohammad December 26, 2017, 10:30 pm |

      Pardon me, of not starting my conversation with Merry Xmas 🙂

      • BobinOz January 2, 2018, 5:26 pm |

        Merry Christmas to you as well Mohammad and I wish I could help you with your question, but it is one that there appears to be no solid answer for.

        Generally speaking, what you have said appears to be very accurate, from what I have heard. New immigrants do find it very difficult to land that first job, and the main reason seems to be that they do not have this ‘local experience’.

        It might be a good idea for you to read the following post and in particular the comments that follow it…

        https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/17033/whats-it-really-like-trying-to-find-a-job-in-australia-2015/

        I know the post is a couple of years old, but nothing much has changed since and if anything, the job market is even tougher these days. I’m not sure if you would qualify for for any kind of support from the government either, but you would have to take that up directly with Centrelink.

        My MARA agent would not really be able to assist you in finding work either, and any agent suggesting that they could should be treated with a little bit of scepticism, I think.

        So, you have a very tough decision to make, but as you already know, there is no guarantee you will find work when you get here and the experience of others suggests that finding a job really won’t be easy. Good luck whatever you decide, Bob

        • Mohammad January 3, 2018, 9:06 am |

          Thanks a lot Dear Bob for your reply,

          Is it possible to answer the below question in order to make up my mind?

          – Does the AU Government give any financial support to the immigrants if they are still not hired and searching for a job? Especially if someone has a family, the expenses would be really high…I heard about some financial aid given to such families but still not sure about the amount. If you can provide a link that could answer this question, it would be great.

          Thanks

          • BobinOz January 3, 2018, 7:18 pm |

            You can find out more about Centrelink here…

            https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/9787/centrelink-social-security-in-australia/

            Whether a newly arrived migrant would qualify for any payments at all though, I just don’t know, each case is dealt with on an individual basis. It may also depend on the kind of visa you are here on.

            It’s complicated, and if I were you, I wouldn’t be relying on the government helping you out if you can’t find work. Good luck though, Bob

  • KC December 20, 2017, 12:31 am |

    Hi Bob,
    I am currently in discussion with a Singapore based company to work for them for a number of years in their Melbourne branch office. At this time, I am not necessarily looking for a migration visa which seems to be granted only on strict criteria. I would need a work visa for about 4 to 5 years. So is there such a work visa that is more easily obtain? What is this visa called? Do I even need a MARA agent for this? How shall I best process the application?
    If I am offered the job by the company, how quickly can this visa be processed?
    Appreciate your advice!
    thanks

    • BobinOz December 20, 2017, 9:19 pm |

      Yes, there are various temporary working visas, but the process is complicated. You don’t ‘need’ a MARA agent, in fact the company who want you to work for them may have their own MARA agent that deals with this kind of thing. Might be an idea to ask them.

      If they don’t though, and your boss doesn’t know how it works and you don’t either, then I do advise you contact a MARA agent for advice, and you can find them through the link on my page about Migration agents.

  • Deepak December 8, 2017, 12:02 pm |

    Hello bob,
    This is Deepak, software engineer from India. I’m planning to migrate to NSW – Far South Coast via the 489 visa. I would want to know the part time job opportunities available in Berry, Nowra, Ulladulla, Culburra Beach (Far South Coast). Also, do they have IT firms? I really skeptical about migrating to Far South coast as it looks to be isolated and not IT companies.
    Please share your valuable thoughts, it will be really helpful for me. Thanks!

    • BobinOz December 8, 2017, 5:44 pm |

      I don’t know the area personally or anything about the job scene in that part of Australia, but you can do some thorough research using the links on my page Getting a Job or a Sponsorship.

      You can narrow your search down into specific areas, so that should help answer your questions.

  • NELSON SUNDAY November 24, 2017, 9:02 pm |

    Hello Bob good day! Really wanna appreciate your work here….got some questions….
    Am a SSCE holder from Nigeria with a professional laundry skill of 6yrs experiences. Really wanna travel to Australia with hope of getting a job in my field but am not really such of which visa is preferable either work visa or study visa but I honestly do need to work so i could raise money. Please advise

  • Lucy November 11, 2017, 3:11 am |

    Hi Bob,
    Myself and my husband are in the early stages of our application (hubby is waiting to take English test to get more points). Just wondered if someone could answer a question about relevant qualifications in Aus for me, I’m a registered child minder and want to continue if we get our visa, I think I need to do a level 3 early years educator course here so I can continue working as a home based child care provider I just want to make sure it’s relevant in Aus before I do it any suggestions on where I could find this out?

    Thanks Lucy in Kent

    • BobinOz November 13, 2017, 5:07 pm |

      I think what you would need to do Lucy is find out which body governs registered childminders here in Australia, and then check out their website to see if there is any information that can help you. You might even have to contact them direct to find out what steps you need to take to become qualified to continue working here in that field.

  • Claire Saunders November 2, 2017, 9:59 am |

    Hi Bob
    I have a question for you, I am currently on a Student Visa, my school have stopped offering the course that I have my COE for. I have met an Australian and we are going to go defacto but my question is what are the implications if I cancel my Student visa for my defacto relationship? Will I have working rights?

    Thank you

  • Catrin October 27, 2017, 1:07 am |

    Hi Bob,
    I hope you’re well. Thanks a million for the fab site – it’s helped me out no end!
    My husband and I have been granted our PRs and are moving to Brisbane at the end of January. We have a hotel booked for the first 3 weeks, which I’m hoping will give us time to find an apartment (but we can extend it as necessary). We’ll be renting out our London house fully furnished and are looking forward to starting afresh so we’re travelling quite light. Some stuff will be shipped, and we’ll be getting separate insurance to cover that. But where I’m struggling to find proper answers is when it comes to one-way/immigration insurance for us and our belongings that will be flying with us. I’ve found one company (Go Walkabout) which will insure us for up to 31 days, so we’d be covered in the period after we have arrived and before we are able to take out permanent home and contents insurance. Most companies will only cover us until we arrive at the Australian border. However, all seem to have pretty low limits when it comes to personal belongings. If we’re bringing various electronics and all our valuables, I’m worried that only a couple of thousand (pounds) worth won’t help us if a suitcase goes missing or if our hotel room gets robbed. I realise it was a while since you went through this, but I wondered if you had any advice? Am I sinking too deep into the worst-case-scenario and need to chill out a bit?!
    Thanks, and apologies for the long post.
    Catrin

    • Mark October 28, 2017, 8:50 am |

      Hi Catrin
      I think you may have answered your own question towards the end.. I agree though insurance is important both Bob and myself to name but two benefited from Marine cargo insurance with damaged items and a vacuum cleaner that has never appeared anywhere…Nemo is vacuuming. However there is only so far you can sensibly go. You will always find some company who will insure anything but the price will negate the risk value …Assuming you have your mail diverted form London to Moms in Guildford or wherever then a holiday insurance will work within reason ..having said that you are staying in Australia not Lagos or Birmingham (sorry Brummies that’s not the Alabama one) You should be relatively OK touch wood…

      • Catrin October 28, 2017, 10:27 pm |

        Thanks Mark. I do have a tendency to over-think!

        • BobinOz October 30, 2017, 7:14 pm |

          Here’s an idea. Australia is pretty big on self storage and these places are also big on security, CCTV cameras and everything. Not sure how much stuff you’re bringing, but I’m pretty sure you won’t need daily access to much of it in your hotel room.

          Maybe you can book a months worth of very small and safe storage space and take your cases straight there and get them locked up until you find somewhere permanent to live? Might be worth looking into.

  • Chandrashekar October 25, 2017, 5:35 pm |

    Dear Bob, I have applied for PR 189 for myself, my wife and Son making my wife as a primary applicant. Now we are waiting for PCC update. I have two questions
    1. since I am a dependent applicant, is it ok that I travel first to Australia for job and then get my family after getting job? or do I need to travel with my wife only?
    2. Am I eligible to study in Australia ? coz I am looking for a graduation in Pshychology and switch from IT to Counselling field.

    • Chandrashekar November 11, 2017, 11:58 pm |

      Bob, please respond to my questions. I need your suggestions.

      • BobinOz November 13, 2017, 5:16 pm |

        Dear Chandrashekar, please read the two important notices at the bottom of the above article.

  • Glenda September 23, 2017, 1:57 am |

    Hey Bob,

    My boyfriend and I are moving to Australia in Jan 2018 as I have been granted permanent residency. We have been in a “de facto” relationship for over 2 years now however we both live at home with my parents. We have never rented a property together and so cannot really prove that we have lived together other than my parent’s say so. Will this be a problem when applying for his visa?

    Thank you! Glen

    • BobinOz September 25, 2017, 8:01 pm |

      Are you saying you have already been granted your permanent residency visa, but in your application you did not even mention your de facto boyfriend and now you are hoping to add him in?

      I think it is more usual to have included him from the start when you initially applied, so maybe it will be a problem now, especially as you cannot provide the proofs they normally require, but I really don’t know. Immigration will be able to answer that for you, but my advice would be for you to seek the assistance of a MARA registered migration agent. Good luck, Bob

  • Bertoni Leonardo September 21, 2017, 3:14 pm |

    Hi Bob, by chance I have found your website. My family is moving to Australia at the end of 2017. Unfortunately, our pets arent cleared for import into Australia until 1 month later. My question is this. Is it necessary for a human to fly with them on their flight too Oz, pick them up at baggage claim, take them to Mickleham PEQ & show all their paper work? Is it possible for someone to send them off to fly on their own, while we would be ready to receive them when they land? Or do they automatically get picked up & shuttled to PEQ upon landing? Thank you.

    • BobinOz September 21, 2017, 11:59 pm |

      No, it is not necessary for a human to fly with your pets, in fact it’s not actually possible for you to pick them up from baggage claim and take them to quarantine. Only authorised personnel are allowed to do that, so you will need to engage the services of a pet exporter company.

      My page about Bringing Your Pet to Australia will help you with that.

      When we moved to Australia, we sent our dog ahead of us, so that when we arrived he was ready to come out of quarantine. Hope that helps, Bob

  • Amanda Love September 17, 2017, 5:32 pm |

    Hi Bob

    We are planning the move early next year to Melbourne. Everything is moving along nicely, however I desperately want to take our 2 cats with us. The issue is I am struggling to find temp accommodation that would allow this until we find a permanent rental from the other end. What did you guys do? Would love any advice you can give my family!

    • BobinOz September 18, 2017, 9:06 pm |

      I think the best solution is to keep trying to find temporary accommodation that will allow pets, they are about. Try Airbnb and Stayz, see if you can find somewhere on their websites where you can stipulate pet friendly.

      The only other possible answer is to ask a friend or relative where you currently are to look after your cats and then have them sent out to Australia after you found more permanent accommodation here that will allow pets.

  • Dionne September 5, 2017, 8:55 pm |

    Hi Bob, im looking at a working visa. However, I need to come back to the UK 3 times next year for weddings. So if I don’t do my 3 months farm work before I leave for the first trip back to the Uk, does that mean I cant stay longer than the 12 months?

    • BobinOz September 7, 2017, 8:19 pm |

      Sorry Dionne, but I’m really not sure how this would work. Going back three times is a lot, makes me wonder if perhaps it might not be a better idea to delay your working holiday visa until those weddings are all out of the way.

      If that’s not possible though, and you want a specific answer to your question, I think you will need to talk to the immigration department or maybe a MARA registered migration agent. Alternatively, you can watch the video on my page about Visas which will show you how to use the government’s website to view the specific terms that apply to each visa type.

  • Olg September 5, 2017, 12:06 pm |

    Hi Bob! Thank you for your help in advance.
    My daughter’s been living in Australia since 2010. She had student visa, then visa for people under 31, last one was bridging visa. But relationship has ended in August 2017. She is licensed pharmacist and she found sponsored job. But I don’t know if it is right thing to do in her case. What are her chances to get permanent status in Australia?
    Could you please give advice what she should do?
    Thank you

  • Ash August 26, 2017, 2:37 pm |

    Hi bob,
    I just want to know currently how many points are required for an electrical engineer to get permanent residency ?

  • Jtc August 21, 2017, 5:47 am |

    Hello Bob ,
    Hope you are doing fine ….
    I’m an Indian engineer working as structural engineer in ship building firm in Dubai (not civil structure ) . I am awaiting my 489 visa for NSW… I am searching for a suitable region to relocate where I can get a job in ship building or any other industry …. But I’m not able to find much details . Also let me know whether I can get some casual jobs to survive till I get a job in my area of expertise

    • BobinOz August 21, 2017, 5:45 pm |

      All the information I have on finding work in Australia can be found on my page called Getting a Job or a Sponsorship. The job market is quite tough here in Australia at the moment, there are no guarantees of getting work, either in your chosen profession or casual.

  • Stephen Cantwell August 18, 2017, 6:46 am |

    Hi Bob, my son has lived and worked in perth for just over 4 years he now has his residency. He’s just recently discovered that his visa might be in jepordy because he moved jobs / companies before his 2 year sponsership with the company he started with was complete.
    Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

    • BobinOz August 18, 2017, 1:51 pm |

      This isn’t something I can help with, but if your son has received some official communication from the immigration department or the government about his situation and he is concerned, he should speak to a MARA registered migration agent or a lawyer.

  • Victoria August 16, 2017, 2:20 am |

    Hi Bob,
    Please help me to know if this global special humanitarian program subclass visa 202 thing for the entrance Clarence certificate is real and required an administrative fees as stated in the documents. And it is not a scam. I live in West Africa, Liberia and received an email stating that i am s selected nominee for 2017 to migrate to Australia.
    Thanks!!

    • BobinOz August 16, 2017, 9:03 pm |

      Well, specifically I don’t know, but I really can’t imagine that anybody here is sending out unsolicited emails suggesting that you qualify to move to Australia on a humanitarian program. I would be very wary of this if I were you.

      I know a couple of organisations that may be able to confirm or deny whether this is a scam or not, contact either iarc.asn.au or refworld.org for help. Good luck, Bob

  • Purnima August 11, 2017, 2:00 pm |

    Hello, I love ur website and it’s a great job ur doing. My husband and I are planning to move to Australia. I want to start my study in a university there but can my husband work in australia if he is accompanying me and I have a daughter of one year old will it be easy to find someone to look after her while we will be working and studying. Thanks

    • BobinOz August 11, 2017, 8:07 pm |

      Whether or not your husband can work is one of those questions I’m not allowed to answer, what you need to do is look at the specific terms and conditions to your visa. A video on my page called Visas will show you how to do that.

      I can’t even answer your second question about the likelihood of finding somebody to look after your daughter either, but I fear that could be quite expensive to arrange. I would advise that you do some thorough research into it so there are no surprises when you get here.

  • Lucy Andris July 21, 2017, 12:00 pm |

    Hi Bob,
    My husband and I have been in Australia for over 3 weeks and will leave in a few days. Within a few days my decision was made: this is the country I want to live in! He’s already an Australian citizen (by birth), but I’ll have to get a permanent/partner visa. One of our AirBnB hosts urged us to use a migration lawyer rather than a migration agent. Your thoughts on the difference(s)?
    Thanks.
    Lucy

    • BobinOz July 21, 2017, 7:38 pm |

      The difference, as far as I’m aware, is that every qualified Australian lawyer is automatically qualified to give migration advice. On the other hand, it is possible to train as a migration agent without qualifying to be a lawyer.

      That said, I believe both of them do have to attend migration agent courses to keep up with all the latest news and changes. Both, if I’m not mistaken, do also have to register with MARA.

      So technically a migration lawyer, it could be argued, is in possession of more qualifications, but I’m not convinced that every migration lawyer would be better than everybody who is only qualified as a migration agent.

      If you’re looking for a good migration agent, one that I know you can trust, the guy I work with is technically ‘just’ a migration agent these days, but if you read about his service and him on my page detailing my Visa Assessment Service he has in the past qualified and practised as a lawyer, although he has chosen to no longer do that.

      I also know he has processed many partner visas in his time.

      Anyway, glad to hear you loved Australia, quite good here, isn’t it?

  • Nicola July 16, 2017, 3:07 pm |

    Hi Bob

    The time and effort you have put into this blog is much appreciated. I have found it so helpful.

    Moving to Australia on a years working visa is something I have been wanting to do for years but only recently plucked up the courage to do and to be honest I am terrified.

    Where would you say is the best place to find farm work and what is the best way to go about getting it. Is it something I should look into before I come out or is it easy enough to find.

    Thanks

    • BobinOz July 17, 2017, 6:46 pm |

      Thanks Nicola, I appreciate your kind comments. Glad to hear you have plucked up the courage to come, I hope you have a great time here. I’ve got a couple of posts that will comfortably answer your questions and more, see Working Holiday Visas and Backpacking in Australia.

      There are a couple of scary warnings as well, but knowledge is power, and knowing what to watch out for will help you have a good experience here. Good luck, Bob

  • Jeanene Barclay June 26, 2017, 6:41 am |

    Hi there Bob,
    Firstly I am so excited to have found your website and thankyou for all your advice. We are in New Zealand and are planning on moving to Australia (Sunshine Coast) although due to my husbands work and other commitments we will be unable to move until 2021. My main concern is my son will be 11 years old and my daughter 9. I would move earlier if we could but may not be possible. I am worried my son who will then be 11 is quite a late age to start a brand new school and just wondering how others may have found moving, when their kids have been abit older with them finding new friends etc. Thankyou

    • Mark June 26, 2017, 9:34 am |

      My Children moved from the UK when they were 8 and 11…He wuld likley be startinga new school anyway with High school so timing might be important so he can start school as year 7 high school…A whole heap can change before then though.

      • BobinOz June 26, 2017, 9:02 pm |

        I am excited you have found my website as well Jeanene 🙂

        Yes, as Mark has said, at 11 years old your son will be at about the age when he will be starting senior school, so it’s actually quite a good time to move in terms of his education. Personally I think it far more tricky when children are 12+, in other words they have already started senior school, settled in and made friends.

        That’s when they really don’t want to move at all, they just want to stay where they are. So I think as long as you do not leave it any later you will be just fine with both of your children. It is true to say the younger they are the better it is though.

      • Joshua August 8, 2017, 1:32 pm |

        Hey Mark ive noticed through out many parts of Bobs blog you have mentioned that you have lived in a few counties.
        How does the Australian quality of life, standard of living, quality of food, etc produce and restaurants, wages, quality of housing, safety, infrastructure quality, cleanliness, beauty of the scenery and towns and cities, quality of the roads all compare to the rest of the world in your experience…

  • Marcos Saltini June 6, 2017, 11:57 am |

    Hi Bob,

    We are a couple and we are moving to Australia / Melbourne next October. We have engaged to English course at Embassy School for one year but our plan is to stablish definitively in Australia. I am an executive in IT sector and my wife is interested to start career in commercial aviation area.
    Our way of life follows the typical behavior of young couple. We like go out to restaurants, walk in parks, ride bike. We rarely frequent night bars and love to live in calm suburbs with good transportation facilities.
    We would like to rent a house with 2 beds but not so expensive because we are not sure if will get any job during this first period.
    Please, which suburbs could fit better with our needs / desires and the average cost per week.
    Thanks in advance for any information and recommendations.
    Regards

    • BobinOz June 6, 2017, 7:59 pm |

      Well, there are suburbs in almost every city that will suit your needs, just be aware that Sydney and Melbourne are our most expensive in terms of accommodation, but at the same time they offer the most job opportunities.

      Now all you need to do is read A Quick Guide to Choosing a City in Australia to try and narrow it down to a city that best suits your needs, then visit my page about that city and have a good read of the comments where there will undoubtedly be much chat about the various suburbs.

      To check the cost of rentals, see Cost of Buying or Renting a House in Australia.

      Good luck, Bob

  • Ben June 6, 2017, 5:43 am |

    Hi bob just to say your information is really helpful . Me and my lovely family want to come to oz . I have a job and skills they want over there but one sticking point is i am type 1 diabetic (insulin controlled from birth ) i just wondered if you had any information on would i pay for health care ect and would it cost a fortune ? Thanks again

    • BobinOz June 6, 2017, 7:08 pm |

      Thanks Ben, glad you like.

      As you probably know, everybody needs to pass a medical and they are all done on an individual basis, each case is judged on its own merits. But to fail it, there are set criteria, and if you Google “Fact Sheet 22 – The Health Requirement” you can read the Australian Government’s information on this. Good luck your plans, Bob

  • Victoria June 2, 2017, 12:11 am |

    Hi Bob
    Great site and thank you for all the effort you have so evidently put into it. Apologies if this has been asked somewhere previously but I was wondering what the position is on shipping cars to Australia? I have heard on the grapevine that certain makes and models are worth shipping out with the furniture as they would be worth more in Australia (e.g. BMWs or Mercedes etc?). I was hoping to find an online calculator to see if it was worth it post tax etc as it probably depends on make, model, age etc. but have been unable to find one. All threads on google on car export to Australia seem to be at least 10 years old…
    Thanks!

    • Mark June 2, 2017, 7:17 am |

      I have some experience in this as have shipped several, It does depend on the make and model and year and value, without that to hand its difficult to accurately assess but in general ship it. You also have to find a shipper that will put two three or even four in a shared container to make it worthwhile. They do fit trust me. Finally you need to keep costs down when it arrives and there are some very variable rates by valuers and so on. …I will declare I have helped a business within this field after they brought my two out and I now own a 25% interest in said business, but.that said When I shipped mine I went through an absolute minefield They/we have since successfully shipped about 22 this year, all to Melbourne as it easier Minefield mmmm we know the path …Drive it when it gets here to WA NSW etc …There is a lot of information out there all conflicting and much only sort of correct I found If you want to ask Bob for my email I will even happily ring and speak to you as its a lot to take in but with the registration number or make model year miles etc they can work a lot out for you including all the trivial costs and what a likely replacement here would cost… No cost to you until you ship it .

      • BobinOz June 2, 2017, 8:15 pm |

        Just so that you know Victoria, I have spoken to Mark about this, I know he has brought cars out here from the UK and he does have a good contact in Melbourne, so if you do want his email address, just email me to let me know and I’ll introduce you both to each other.

        My email address is on my contact page.

  • Rachel May 20, 2017, 7:45 pm |

    Hiya ,just after some advice,we a family from the uk,we live in New Zealand and our two children are citizens and we have permanent residency,if we wanted to live in Australia,would it be best to get our citizenship for New Zealand ? We are not thinking of moving to Aussie permanently but for at least a year or 2.

  • kelly Blackburn May 18, 2017, 7:29 am |

    Hi we are just going through the visa process and I’m very scared nervous etc about leaving my life. We are looking at Melbourne as we have friends there. Would you say it’s a good place for families?And weather good for more outdoor life compared to uk? I’m in panic mode !¡!!

    • BobinOz May 18, 2017, 9:26 pm |

      Good news Kelly, you will not be leaving your life, you can bring it with you 🙂

      Sorry about that, couldn’t resist. Getting panicky at this stage is quite normal, many people go through it. It’s true that people like myself who live in Brisbane with its subtropical climate laugh at Melbourne’s weather and the fact they need jackets and jumpers sometimes.

      But most of the people who live in Melbourne and especially those who have moved from the UK almost all say that the weather is far superior in the Victorian capital compared to England. If you have a look at the comments on my page about Melbourne, and maybe try to skim read them as there are so many, you will see that some are about the weather and how it compares to the UK.

      You already have friends there, that’s a start, so I see no reason why you can’t have even better life in Melbourne. Good luck, Bob

  • NAVEEN RAWAL May 14, 2017, 7:03 pm |

    I need to write 1000 words NT Australia essay, why i am migrating NT Australia.
    Kindly help for the same.

    • BobinOz May 15, 2017, 6:00 pm |

      Ha ha, nice try, but I don’t do homework.

  • The OZ May 10, 2017, 7:36 pm |

    Dear BoB,

    Can I still apply for immigration? As I have heard that HR (human resource) category has been removed from the eligible list of occupations? I had plans to apply this year but not sure if HR people can apply or not, can you please share the list of eligible occupations related to HR or Recruitment for TR and PR, secondly my only sibling is in Aus on a PR status, will that benefit my case in any form?

    Regards,
    The OZ

  • Adi May 8, 2017, 8:27 pm |

    Hi,my husband is in australia on student visa.the problem is that his agent didnt declared me and my daughter on his visa.we have recently applied for dependant visa,but it has been rejected.we didnt know that his agent didnt declare us.we dnt know what to do now.please help us.

    • BobinOz May 9, 2017, 8:18 pm |

      Is the agent MARA registered? If he is, then as he got you into this mess, he should get you out of it, or you should put in an official complaint with the governing body. Of course, that very much depends on the information that was given to him initially by your husband.

      If he is not MARA registered, then you need to talk to an agent who is to find out what you can do to try to sort this out.

      • Adi May 9, 2017, 11:12 pm |

        She refused to talk to my husband.what the option what can we do.can my husband declare us now.

        • BobinOz May 11, 2017, 12:20 am |

          Well, if she is MARA registered, report her to the governing body and if she is not MARA registered, then you need to speak to a MARA migration agent who is registered with mara.gov.au.

  • Raneem Jo May 3, 2017, 9:39 am |

    Hello Bob.
    So I’ll just get to the deal.
    I’m 20 years old Syrian and Muslim. I live in the United Arab emirates. I’m sure you’ve heard of Dubai .
    I want to build myself and become independent. I have no ties down to a place -like University or relationship- but I’m afraid that my family’s economical situation is forcing us to go back to Syria soon. And i don’t want that. And i don’t want to stay in the UAE either. So I’m seeing that starting at a new place for a change isn’t a bad option, But as a solo.
    I don’t know if Australia is the best place for me to do that but I’ve been recommended upon it. So the thing is i need to know where in Australia there are arabs and where can i begin my journey and life there. I need advice. I plan to go there find a job .work for some time and then maybe apply for a university. I’ve always lived with my parents and I’ve never had to make a decision as big as this one and now I’m making it on my own.
    the thought of moving away came to me when i saw my parents planning my life for me and setting me to go back to syria in the next few months. Yes it is my homeland and yes it has safe places it’s not all war. But just because it’s my birthplace doesn’t make it my deathbed. We’ve been in the UAE for 9 years and i barely relate to Syria anymore. Don’t get me wrong i am loyal to it at heart. But i don’t want to go back there cause ill be starting new. so why not start new at a new country as well ? But i want a place where i can be welcomed not be restricted or judged based on my nationality or religion.
    I was in my second year of university in Dubai and until we couldn’t afford it anymore. So now i’m working and making some money for my next step. And i want to do it legitimately. I don’t see immigration as a solution. Please help me with some advice and i wouldn’t mind seeing your opinion on the matter. Thank you so much .

    • BobinOz May 3, 2017, 9:37 pm |

      You will find the following page most helpful, it has maps of our various cities in Australia and indicates the country of origin of the migrants that had there. See…

      https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/17428/who-lives-where-migrants-settling-in-australian-cities/

      Before deciding where you want to head though, I would think it might be a good idea to see if you would qualify for a visa to live here, they are not easy to get and can be quite expensive. You can’t just turn up in Australia. Good luck, Bob

    • Noneed February 16, 2018, 12:08 am |

      Without qualification, with issues with correct English, without refugee option, used to UAE life style, I would say you have no chance

      • BobinOz February 16, 2018, 7:03 pm |

        And what exactly is your qualification Noneed that makes you think you can give advice about visa eligibility in Australia? Would you like to let us all know your MARA migration agent registration number?

        • Noneed February 17, 2018, 10:08 am |

          Giving false hope for kickbacks from your MARA mates? I was giving an honest unmotivated assessment, which anyone sane would have given. Not you, of course

          • BobinOz February 19, 2018, 4:53 pm |

            I didn’t give false hope and nor did I recommend a MARA agent, I simply suggested the poster look into whether or not he would qualify for a visa. I don’t see it as my job to crush people’s dreams, something you seem to enjoy doing.

            You obviously do not know what you are talking about, because as far as I’m aware, none of the following ‘without qualification, with issues with correct English, without refugee option, used to UAE life style’ are reasons why a visa would not be granted. There are more than 100 different types of visa, covering all sorts of situations, and in particular student visas are not dependent on qualifications, proficient English, refugee status or whatever countries lifestyle you’re used to.

            You don’t know what you’re talking about, so don’t give advice.

            • Noneed February 20, 2018, 11:07 pm |

              Lol, you sound ridiculous to every single realistic person who looks in on this site. You know where well that without significant amounts of money he’ll not be able to pay for a course here ($40000+) and will not be able to pay for his living here etc etc etc.
              I’ve been watching you tell people hundreds of times that you are not actually qualified to give advice on anything and if they want to know anything they should look on a website or better, spend thousands on MARA agent.

              So, regarding the last sentiment of your message, in particular to the likelihood and reasonable possibility of successful immigration; you don’t know what you are talking about, stop giving advice or maybe grow some ethics and give a full understanding of the often extreme unlikelihood of the hopeful 20 yr old immigrating to this country after he has spend every cent of his already struggling family’s savings on dreams based on trust in unrealistic advice.

              • BobinOz February 22, 2018, 9:18 pm |

                This young man sounds determined, who are you to say that he cannot find a job where he lives currently and start saving enough money to pay for study in Australia? If he knows what he needs to do to make his dreams come true, then maybe he will do it? You see, you are making assumptions, probably based on his mention of his family’s “economic situation”, but you just don’t know, so you have no right to deliver your “no chance” assessment.

                The reason I tell people they should speak with a MARA agent if they need help is because it is illegal in Australia for anyone who isn’t a MARA Agent to give advice on visas and eligibility. It’s punishable by hefty fines or even imprisonment.

                The reason for this law is because of people like you who give “an honest unmotivated assessment” without knowing what they’re talking about.

                This conversation is now over, you are adding nothing useful and I’ve got better things to do in my life than “play chess with a pigeon”.

  • ted April 30, 2017, 7:50 pm |

    hi, I want to apply for masters in Australia, have got Australia citizen who is willing to be my sponsor but she is retire and lives on her pension. please I hope this won’t mar my chance of getting visa.

  • Nicolas Seneka April 28, 2017, 12:34 pm |

    Hi Bob. Having go through this I am pleased to say your doing a great job.My wife and I with our 5 year old son are really wanting to move to Australia immediately to live a better life there.I need sponsorship to work there as I have customer service,logistics and certificate in IT backgrounds.How can you help me with my query?

  • Andrew April 28, 2017, 4:56 am |

    Hi mate , were moving to Sydney in a few months with our 2 children . i’m an Australian citizen and my wife on spouse visa. I’ve never lived in Australia. The question is I don’t have a job when going to Australia . do u think I can find a job quickly ?. I like driving jobs like courier or delivery .. Do u think I’m making the right decision moving to Australia in my 40’s

    • BobinOz April 28, 2017, 6:28 pm |

      I couldn’t tell you Andrew, the job market isn’t great in Australia at the moment, although Sydney does have more jobs than most.

      Do some research on my page Getting a Job or a Sponsorship, there are some links there to help, just have a look around to see what’s available.

  • Simon April 18, 2017, 5:57 am |

    Hi Bob. Just a quick question. Is it possible to find a sponsorship from a certain employer if my occupation is NOT on the Skilled Occupation List?

  • KhaderNZ April 13, 2017, 9:47 am |

    Dear Bob,
    I am NZ citizen and my whole Family is also NZ citizen and one of my child is mild Autistic child 11 years old, I am planning to apply for Permanent Resident visa in Australia. I have two options to apply (189,190) or ENS (Direct Stream). If I apply PR will they approve application based on my child autism or they reject. If they reject on what basis they do.

    could you please respond as early as possible also if any immigration agent who can deal this cases successfully.

    • BobinOz April 13, 2017, 9:30 pm |

      I can’t answer these questions for the reasons given in my important notices above, but yes, an immigration agent can look at this for you and then tell you whether or not he feels your case will be successful.

      If you want my agent to do that for you, you can do that through my Visa Assessment Service and he will tell you for sure whether he thinks your case will be successful or not as well as letting you know the best way to proceed.

  • Shannon April 13, 2017, 7:35 am |

    Hi Bob,
    Thanks for your blog. I have a question about immigration timing. My husband is an Australian citizen, as are our 4 children (they have paperwork and passports). I am American. We have been married 9 years; living in the US the entire time. We are looking to enter Australia in September 2018. Is it best to apply for my partner visa from the US or to enter on a tourist visa and apply for the partner visa once in the country? We are trying to plan the sale of our home, leaving jobs, pulling kids from school, and (hopefully) a farewell tour of the US on our way out. Would you recommend using a migration service in our case? Thanks.

    • BobinOz April 13, 2017, 9:27 pm |

      Hi Shannon

      Well, I cannot answer your question, I’m not a MARA migration agent. The process is always more complicated than you think, there are many rules, and it’s important that you do things in the right way.

      As you are unsure how to proceed, then yes, I would recommend using a migration agent. Make sure the agent you use is MARA registered, you can check that via the link on my page about Migration agents.

      If you want to use my MARA agent, that all starts with my Visa Assessment Service.

      Good luck, Bob

  • jiya ul mustufa April 4, 2017, 5:28 am |

    Hi Bob I’m mustufa I’m from India I’m welder I have 8year exp.in his field and I have dream go to Australia so what I do I need yr advice

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