We're going over on a skilled too, well, if we get past the skills assessement at least. Dp is going over on IT, but has to prove his last 8 years of experience, so is just getting all the references together .. it's turning out a longer task than anticipated.

We hopefully will be out before the end of next year, I'd hope so anyway.

Hiya

We are applying for a skilled regional visa - we are just waiting for a case officer - been 10 months now so do not be under any illusion it is something that happens overnight...!

Our medicals an police checks are done, and we have sold our house!

Just a long long process and I am fed up now, but know that I will be out there within a year so I can wait a bit longer 

We're in the process of applying but that's becuase dp has a son from a previous marriage there.

You shouldn't move somewhere becuase you think it may be a better life because you may get there and be bitterly dissapointed.

we had thought about it (my sis lives out there) so we went out at easter but now realise how much we like england!!! it just wasnt for us for a number of reasons. if u want any more info pm me!

Can't really speak from personal experience as it's not something I could ever consider - we're very close to our families and only have the one little boy, my parents would die if I emigrated with him.

I do have a friend who emigrated a few years back she went with her db and three kids. They struggled a bit at the start until they got the money together to build their own house - much better value for money. Her kids love it, his business is going well and she's just finished training as a personal fitness instructor, also they're planning there wedding atm.

Downfalls are the cost of flights home and back. She has never been home, he came over for his sisters wedding recently - but they could only afford for one of them to come home. Also their wedding is being held in Oz as they couldn't all afford to fly home so basically those who can afford flights can get to see them get married.

Keeping in contact is no problem, telephone and e-mail. I speak more to her now than I did when she lived 30 minutes away.

I do worry sometimes that she's lonely, although she's never said it. I just think I would be. I lived in America for about 6 months and it made me realise that I would never be happy anywhere but at home. I wasn't homesick as such I just knew I wasn't myself. When you move to a different country it's a whole different lifestyle. I also found the sense of humour in America very different to ours and the falseness got to me. Not sure if Oz is the same though.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

No, ex isn't seeing anyone (think I may haveput him off relationships for now...)  I'll just hav to see wot he says, u neva know he may really want to go...

I think about it a lot as DH has uncle and cousins out there but I just couldn't be so far away from my mum and dad.  Mine and DH's family live within 3 miles of us and kids have so much to gain from being around our families that I couldn't take that away from them.  I would be worried that - if it were me - the ex would not settle or something.  Has he got a new partner?  I would be the same that I wouldn't want to take the kids away from him though.  It's very hard this one, talk to your ex first and see his reaction.

Lately all I do is think about moving to Oz for a better quality of life for me n my kids.  I have 2 Lo's (almost 4 yrs old and almost 2 yrs old), db is not their  dad, they see their dad every single week and I would absolutely not consider going unless he emigrated too!  I know it sounds a little wierd, I would emigrate with db and kids, kids dad would also emigrate.  Db and ex get on very well, in fact they work at same police stn just on different reliefs.  I am a police officer too so I doubt we'd have probs getting the points.  Finances are ok too so we'd afford it somehow.  My biggest hurdle is getting ex to think like me (not sure yet as haven't mentioned it to him) that the life will be great for kids and things will stay the same as now regards childcare arrangements etc etc, the only massive difference is obv really - no friends or family there.  But my family aren't really close to me and my kids would make loads of friends as they would do here if we stayed.  Ex is quite close to his family but they move around a lot and also emigrated when they were younger but came back to england.

Anyway, that's about my situation really.  Any info you can give me will be great, not really sure where to start.