South Australia or Victoria

[JPS]

My wife and I are in the process of migrating to Australia. Our problem is that we are over 30 and need to choose where we would like to live. We would like to have some input regarding the choices we have. To be honest, we are thinking about going to Adelaide, but we are not sure. Is there anybody who can give us some insight regarding this matter?

[Guest Seoul Sister]

Hi there JPS,

Welcome to the forum, I am sure you will get all the help you can possibly need right here. I am afraid that you are going to have to give us some more information before ppl will be able to help you effectively. Do you for instance have work opportunities in both of these regions ? Are you looking at a comparison between Melbourne and Adelaide or are you considering another town/region in Victoria ? What kind of lifestyle do you like ? Are you big city ppl, or do you prefer something smaller and more personal ? What kind of weather do you like ? Are you a Vaalie-weather kind of guy who needs blue skies and sunshine, or do you like the Cape and mild weather with some rain ? What is warm weather to you ? Do you like to live in 30 + degrees or do you prefer a breezy 20 ?

I could go on like this all day....

We would love to help. Please tell us more about yourself, what it is that attracts you to Adelaide and why another city/ region is in the equation.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Regards from Korea

SS

[JPS]

Hi there JPS,

Welcome to the forum, I am sure you will get all the help you can possibly need right here. I am afraid that you are going to have to give us some more information before ppl will be able to help you effectively. Do you for instance have work opportunities in both of these regions ? Are you looking at a comparison between Melbourne and Adelaide or are you considering another town/region in Victoria ? What kind of lifestyle do you like ? Are you big city ppl, or do you prefer something smaller and more personal ? What kind of weather do you like ? Are you a Vaalie-weather kind of guy who needs blue skies and sunshine, or do you like the Cape and mild weather with some rain ? What is warm weather to you ? Do you like to live in 30 + degrees or do you prefer a breezy 20 ?

I could go on like this all day....

We would love to help. Please tell us more about yourself, what it is that attracts you to Adelaide and why another city/ region is in the equation.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Regards from Korea

SS

Hi there Seoul Sister

Let me start by thanking you for replying and giving me some advice.

I grew up on a farm between Witbank and Kriel. If I say between, I mean smack in the middle of them both. After I have completed my secondary education, I studied my B.Sc (Physical Science) with mathematics and chemistry as my major subjects followed by my B.Sc (Honors degree in Chemistry) at RAU, now The University of Johannesburg. My wife grew up in Kriel. This is a small town in Mpumalanga for the people who might think it’s on Mars . After finishing with school, she did her B.Min (Counseling) degree.

My wife and I decided in July 2005 to migrate, but alas, it was a little late, being 30 years of age at the time. It is for this reason why we can’t go to the big cities like Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, etc.

I like city life, but on the other hand I also want to have some piece and quiet around me. All the people I have spoken to or corresponded to through e-mail, told me that Adelaide is a big city but it still has a feel of serenity, hence the decision on going there.

As far as the job opportunities are concerned: I have looked on the internet for jobs, but as I am still in the process of obtaining the correct visas in order to migrate, I haven’t yet applied for any position. The people handling our papers suggested that we must wait until we get our SIR before we start applying for jobs. While browsing on the internet, I saw that there are more opportunities in Melbourne (not that we can go and live there), than in Adelaide. This is mainly the reason for our indecision on where to live if it should happen we have to choose between the two options.

Another reason why we would like to live near or in a city is; my wife is very good in Netball and she would like to start playing again. She got her under 21 provincial colors but couldn’t play anymore because the town we lived in didn’t have the facilities and the nearest city which does have the facilities is about 130 km’s from us.

To answer your question about the weather; we are currently living in Mpumalanga, Piet Retief and here we have all four seasons in one day. My wife, however, like warm weather, but not humid like Durban’s weather, more like Pretoria’s weather.

I hope this will help you in the quest to help me!

Regards from Piet Retief

[Guest Seoul Sister]

Hi again JPS,

Hoe gaan dit in Piet Retief vandag ? I have to be honest, I have never heard of Kriel in my life before... Never too old to learn ! If you don't mind my ignorance I would first like to ask you a couple of questions :

You mention SIR, am I correct in assuming that you have applied for the Skilled Independent Regional (Provisional) Visa (Subclass 495) ?

Why did you choose this visa ? ( If you don't mind me asking)

Next - you mention wanting to migrate to Oz at 30 years of age, and your age being a problem... I'm a little bit lost on that one. Isn't the restiction on age for most visas 45 ? Why was being 30 a problem ? Sorry, this might seem like a really dumb question.

Why do you think that you won't be able to move to one of the bigger cities ?

What job do you do with your degree ? Do you work in chemistry or do you do something in another field ?

Sorry for all the questions. As I don't know anyone who has ever gone over with this visa type this might be my opportunity to learn some from you. From what you have explained I suspect Adelaide would be your best option - size and climate wise. Marius on the forum is the expert on Adelaide and I am sure he will be able to answer all of your questions on the area and tell you much more !

Love

SS

[JPS]

Hi there SS

I'm glad you ask so much questions, because this way I can see how little I know myself.

To get back to your first question: Dit gaan goed hier in Piet Retief, of soos ander mense dit noem Piet Premitief . Ons het al vier seisoene soos gewoonlik in een dag. Herfs in die oggend, lengte vroeg middag, somer in die middag en winter in die aand.

Maybe I must start at the very beginning. A very good place to start (Don’t worry I won’t quote the whole Sound of Music) . As you know from the previous discussion we had, I’m a boertjie and what I know from the Internet is dangerous, not to mention chatting on the thing. We went to a professional to help us in order to follow the correct steps to migrate to Australia.

When we got there, they said that I must have my skills assessed, which we did. They sent my assessment to VETASSESS where they classified me as a Laboratory Manager. For this you get a certain amount of points. It so happened that the total points you need to go and live in one of the big cities is 120 or above. (You probably know this) My points, and I must be honest, my wife knows more about the points system than I do, did not make the 120 points barrier because I’m over 30 (not that 30 is ancient to me) . The cut off point is 45, as you mentioned, but if I was younger than 30, I would get another 5 points which would boost my points over 120.

The SIR is the Skilled Independent Regional visa you mentioned. This is the route to follow because of the fact that I didn’t get over the 120 points. (You probably feel like a person sitting in a mathematics class by now with all this talks of points and stuff?)

To get back to your question you asked about the job I do with my degree. I work in a laboratory and do research and quality control and at this point also the managing of the laboratory I am currently employed.

As far as the Visa type you asked me about, it is also new to me as we only started with this phase early last week and I didn’t have the time to read more about it. Sorry!

Lovely day

JPS

[chatterbug]

Hi JPS,

Welcome to the forum!

It seems that you do not really have a choice with the other big cities, at this stage. I'd say focus on the biggest cities that fit into the regional classification. I might be wrong but I think Adelaide is the biggest. As SS mentioned ask Maruis or Bob about South Australia/Adelaide - also do some reading of other posts on the forum there is quite a lot of info on these places already.

I'd focus on getting here (to your area of choice within the regional classification) settling in, securing a job and getting citizenship, then i'd start exploring other options/cities from within Australia. I don't know what time committment you have to adhere to in these regional areas, but before you know it you'd have it all sorted and who knows maybe you are happy to stay where you are. Anyway my point is that I don't think you should get your head in a twist about Melbourne vs Adelaide right now if Melbourne is not an acceptable choice you can make right now.

Hope this helps!

Cheers

C'bug

[Michelle]

Hi JPS.

My man het ook in Kriel groot geword. Dis so klein wereld oral waar ons gaan ontmoet ons mense van daar.

Ek dink julle sal van Adelaide hou. Soos hulle se jy het als daar wat jy nodig het sonder dat dit soos 'n groot stad voel. Dis regtig baie mooi en die dele wat ek gesien het het my laat voel of ek so 50 jaar terug stap in die verlede. Met die boustyle en winkels ens. Maar moet my nie verkeerd verstaan nie daar is ook 'n lekker moderne shopping deel in Adelaide.

Die rede hoekom ons Perth bo Adelaide gekies het is omdat ons makliker kontak kan hou met die familie in SA en oor werksgeleenthede. As julle reken julle kan werk kry in Adelaide sou ek se go for it.

[Guest Seoul Sister]

Hi there,

When I complete the following assessment with the info you have given, I end up just short of 120. Yet, when I fill it in, as if you already have a job offer, I get more than 120... Don't you please want to go and fill it in and see what you get ?

http://www.how2immigrate.net/australia/pre...sment-form.html

Aren't you maybe better off finding a job in the city that you like first, and then moving over ? This way you will have more than 120 points and could open some more possibilities for yourself. (?) I am not an expert on the different types of visas, but I'm just wondering whether this wouldn't be a better way to go. Since you have already contacted experts, maybe you could ask them about this option ? Ajay has said it before - apply for jobs even when it states "Only PR and Australian citizens need apply", you might just get lucky !

Maybe you can start your job hunt here :

http://employment.byron.com.au/jobs/scienc...ology-jobs.html

http://www.workingin-australia.com/areas/64

http://www.newscientistjobs.com.au/search.action

http://jobs.careerone.com.au/js.php?view=1...=33&search.y=10

http://www.mycareer.com.au/jobs/-/scientific/

http://www.seek.com.au/science-technology-jobs/

I agree with C'bug, first concentrate on getting in, then worry about what you like, etc.

OH WOW, Michelle, really !!! How cool is that. You are really lucky JPS, it is very difficult to find ppl to give you advice that share your background ! I'm sure Michelle (and hubs) will be able to give you excellent advice, as they will have a better idea of where you are from and what you are used to.

Hope this helps. I also hope that others will jump in and correct me if my assumption is off track !!

Let me know what your immigration experts say !

Regards from Seoul

SS

[Annette]

Hallo JPS,

Ons is in Adelaide, dis 'n pragtige plek. Die klimaat is baie soos die Kaap, maar ons is nog net 'n paar maande hier, so ons sal nog sien hoe dinge ontwikkel... Ons het ook op 'n SIR visa gekom, so as jy enige vrae het, laat maar weet. Daar is nogal heelwat laboratorium posisies in Adelaide beskikbaar. Ek het ook laboratorium ondervinding, so ek hou my oog oop daarvoor. Adelaide is heelwat kleiner as Melbourne en daar sal noodwendig minder werke beskikbaar wees, maar mens hou maar aan en uit tot jy iets kry. Sover vind ons dit is 'n baie vriendelike plek en regtig baie rustig en meer soos 'n groot dorp as 'n stad, maar met lekker winkels en moderne fasiliteite. Ek is nie seker dat jy maklik werk sal kry in die landelike gebiede van Victoria in jou veld nie en jy kan nie in Melbourne bly op 'n SIR visa nie. Dus dink ek Adelaide klink na die enigste opsie was jy regtig het. In elk geval, as jy nie daarvan hou nie, of dinge werk nie uit in Adelaide nie, dis net 2 jaar voordat jy permanente residensie kan kry en dan kan jy trek waarheen jy wil.

Mooibly

Annette

[JPS]

Hi Annette

Baie dankie vir die positiewe brokkie nuus. Ek is seker ons sal van Adelaide hou.

As jy dalk van iets hoor in ons gebied en daar is 'n ekstra plekkie vir my, laat my asseblief weet

Lekker dag

[Caroline]

JPS

TOOWOOMBA (I am so proud that I have finally learnt how to spell it ) is a lovely little inland city (2nd largest inland city in Oz) with green pastures and a University (or two) which only requires 110 points because it is a regional... low poppulation growth area.

OK-I just had to put that in because everybody else is making such a fuss about Adelaide.

Seriously-I really don't think that you should have much problems getting into Oz-just keep digging and asking questions.

Oh... and welcome

Caroline

[Ajay]

Hi JPS,

'm sorry that I'm only getting round to responding now. I have my parents here on holiday with me and am finding it very difficult to get time to go through the forum.

ANyway, all of the advice offered here is sound, so take note of it. I also wanted to reiterate the point that SS made. Ignore the whole " only those with the right to live and work in Australia'" thing on the job sites. If you feel you are suited, apply anyway. There really are many companies that are willing to offer sponsorships to the right candidate. If you have scarce skills, this is even more true.

Good luck with it all and keep us updated on your progress!

Cheers

Ajay

[JPS]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all your responses. It really helped me a lot. I’ve got my sunscreen on and I am surfing for every job available to me .

Enjoy your day!

I'll keep reading all the advice you send. Thanks again!