Forums > Social Chat > Moving from US to Australia (or New Zealand!)

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LetumLuxSILVER Member
member
57 posts
Location: Ubiquitous, USA


Posted:
I ran a little search for topics on moving to Australia and didn’t find too much, so if this is a re-thread, point me to an older thread and I’ll post there.

Basically, I want to know what my chances are of moving to Australia (or New Zealand), from the United States. I read over the government sites for Australia and New Zealand citizenships, but that’s all legal stuff, not really social. I've wanted to at least visit Australia (and New Zealand ::laughs::) since I was a fetus -- those red storms and the flora and fauna just stole my heart -- or at least as long as I've known about the places, which is just about at long. I heard from (other US-born) people that it's generally really difficult to become a citizen of either place even after having lived there for the prerequisite time, and there tends to be minor prejudice toward State-ers. If that's true (as a whole) I can understand; US-ers have an earned reputation for being assholes, and while it is still sadly one of the best places to be (that I know of and have been told), the reputation is a part of the reason I want to leave. I am rather sick of the US stereotype - or more specifically, the citizens who uphold it. Once I finish schooling at Evergreen, provided I get in at all, I plan on fleeing the States.

Anyone have any help? Need more information? I’m all ears for anything.

There really is no explanation for this painful phenomenon. I passed out cold. Then I died. - Ach Mein Gott, issue 1.

The lurker formerly known as LollipopSpider.


AnonymousPLATINUM Member


Posted:
My advice would be to first visit and see how you like it. The people are cool, but the threat of dropbear attack might just be too much for you. wink

LetumLuxSILVER Member
member
57 posts
Location: Ubiquitous, USA


Posted:
No worries, I have Anti-dropbear spray!

p.s. Stupid Polaris and their interia-less ships.

There really is no explanation for this painful phenomenon. I passed out cold. Then I died. - Ach Mein Gott, issue 1.

The lurker formerly known as LollipopSpider.


arsnHow do you change this thing???
1,903 posts
Location: Behind the couch...


Posted:
Quote:

Originally posted by Lollipop Spider
If that's true (as a whole) I can understand; US-ers have an earned reputation for being assholes




This is true... ubblol *Ducks befor he is beaten to a pulp*

Now that Australia now has a free trade with the US, shouldn't it be a little easier now... Your best bet is to go to your travel agent to gain all the up to date information you need... biggrin

I can't hear you... I have a banana in my ear.

"You mean I'll have to use my brain?... but I use staff!!!" ~ ben-ja-men


LetumLuxSILVER Member
member
57 posts
Location: Ubiquitous, USA


Posted:
But can I get unbiased information from 'em? They might be all, "OMG a potential tax payer trying to escape kthx!!!1" then say something like, "Uh.. no, both of those countries are terrible. The locals have many diseases, will try to cannibalize you, and.. err.. steal your soul!"

Hm. I've been at work to long.

Thank ya kindly for the suggestion!

There really is no explanation for this painful phenomenon. I passed out cold. Then I died. - Ach Mein Gott, issue 1.

The lurker formerly known as LollipopSpider.


AnonymousPLATINUM Member


Posted:
Quote:

"Uh.. no, both of those countries are terrible. The locals have many diseases, will try to cannibalize you, and.. err.. steal your soul!"




And this is unappealing compared to the U.S. ? tongue

arsnHow do you change this thing???
1,903 posts
Location: Behind the couch...


Posted:
Quote:

Originally posted Lollipop Spider
"Uh.. no, both of those countries are terrible. The locals have many diseases, will try to cannibalize you, and.. err.. steal your soul!"




Now, I not going to say we wouldn't do that... but just see what they also have to say... what can it hurt?

I can't hear you... I have a banana in my ear.

"You mean I'll have to use my brain?... but I use staff!!!" ~ ben-ja-men


ValuraSILVER Member
Mumma Hen
6,391 posts
Location: Brisbane, Australia


Posted:
YAY!!!
first of all find out the pre requsities (sp) for residency before you come over... is there a point system?(certian amount of points to be deemd eligable for entrance) or a special agreement between the countrys like they do between australia and NZ? If you move to NZ and decide that you would like to then come to aussie it may be easier for you...
Find out both countrys policys for immagration. I moved from nz to aussie and it was the best thing I ever did!!!! Hope this might help you sweetie hug

TAJ "boat mummy." VALURA "yes sweetie you went on a boat, was daddy there with you?" TAJ "no, but monkey on boat" VALURA "well then sweetie, Daddy WAS there with you"


flash fireBRONZE Member
Sporadically Prodigal
2,758 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia


Posted:
Hello!

My soul mate (and previous HOP Old Skooler) Dangerboy is a Canadian. he came to oz on a 12 month working holiday visa and tried EVERY VIABLE OPTION in order to become a resident. He spent lots of money on solicitors etc but all to no avail. He managed to stretch out the bureaucratic nonsense for a further 12 months and was with us for just over 2 years but eventually he had to return.

The most effective option would have been marrying an Australien in the first instance, but because he had brought such attention to himself by trying all the legal avenues to get residency, it would have been too obvious in the end. ubbcrying

So, I say start a pseudo relationship with an aussie or a kiwi that's prepared to marry you in order for you to migrate. lots of hot emails and stuff - evidence to show Immigration that there is a romantic history.

hope that helps

HoP Posting Guidelines
Is it the Truth?
Is it Fair to all concerned?
Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
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musashiistarring Skippy the green llama
1,148 posts
Location: Seattle, WA


Posted:
frown

Not good news for me either..I'd love to move to oz one day..Beeennndeerrr!?!?! Marry me?!?! I'll keep your new titanium leg all nice n polished ubbangel

First intention, then enlightenment..
Ars Pyronomica

" Life is programmed. Whether death is programmed or not is yet to be determined."


LooperGOLD Member
grasshopper in training
124 posts
Location: Australia


Posted:
I believe there is a point system, which country you come from, the amount of money you have, education... etc confused. Take it you don't have immediate family over here?
Hmm, i am not actually a citizen, just a perminant resident (since i was seven), so i will ask my folks how it all works (or did, 14 years ago! frown). I also have a friend who is trying for residence from Austria. Will see what i can find out.
And if worse comes to worse, and you decide you really do want to swap a country of a$$holes for a bunch of backward, disease-ridden, cannabilistic convicts... I'll marry you. wink biggrin

hug kiss


There is a world made of air, one of earth and one of water.
And there is one made of fire, and all of them fight for supremacy. They are fighting now, in my head.


EeraBRONZE Member
old hand
1,107 posts
Location: In a test pit, Mackay, Australia


Posted:
Australia is hard to get into, for a reason; everyone wants to go there. Common perception of how easy it is to get there seems to stem from before 1988 when immigration numbers were clamped down on. It comes as a surprise to many when they get rejected.

You've got to ask yourself what do you have to offer the country? At the very least, that's what the immigration lot will ask you, and saying that you like the plants isn't going to do an awful lot for you.

For immigration purposes you need to be under 45, hold a degree or equivilent industry qualification (you'll have to check your US degree is acceptable as Australian degrees are taught at a higher academic level), and have relevent work experience, THEN pass the points test. Presently they're after skilled manual workers more than anything, so electricians, mechanics, engineers, chefs etc are the ones who will get in with a minimum 18 months work experience (all 60 point occupations). 50 point occupations like most sciences, technical services etc need about 4 years before you qualify, any 40 points are just there for decoration.

Something they don't tell you on the forms is that long-term medical conditions will seriously compromise your application. TB and HIV immediately rule you out, but I know of someone with Chroehn's and someone else with clinical depression who have actually been deported for failing to declare these.

www.immi.gov.au is the official immigration page, you can do an online points test free of charge. It's pretty certain that as a fresh graduate you will not get in, and you will be charge nearly $2000 (non-refundable) to be told that officially. This page will give you directions to work in to improve your chances in the future.

If you've got the right determination, you can do it, but don't expect it to be like it was even 20 years ago when they were pretty desperate to get people in. You may have to re-train in a different career to make it happen, but if you've got the rest of your life, what's four or five years?

Once you've got your schooling go on a long holiday there. Don't look at it with rose-tinted glasses, but rather try and assess if you would be truely happy there. Every positive has a negative: lots of sunshine, lots of melanoma. Laid back work attitude, try getting your plumbing fixed in a hurry, etc. Immigration costs, on average $30000. While it could, and probably will be a wonderful thing, nearly 40% of Western immigrants return to their country of origin within 3 years disillusioned and a lot poorer.

Does all that sound a bit negative? Sorry if it does, I don't mean it to be. Australia is a great country that breeds remarkable people. Once you learn that a) Rugby is kind of like American football, except it doesn't suck; b) Cricket is nothing like baseball whatsoever and c) Vegemite is the greatest yeast-based spread in existance, you'll fit right in.

There is a slight possibility that I am not actually right all of the time.


musashiistarring Skippy the green llama
1,148 posts
Location: Seattle, WA


Posted:
biggrin

I hear human can be quite tasty wink

Wonder why immigration costs so much? Thnx Eera, I was going to ask about the point system for workers n such, knew I had heard about it somewhere..

agreed on the rugby thing, but vegemite? :shudders:

First intention, then enlightenment..
Ars Pyronomica

" Life is programmed. Whether death is programmed or not is yet to be determined."


NYCNYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA


Posted:
You want to move to a country you've never visited?

Man... remind me to sell you my car. wink

Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]


bubblishisFalse Eyelash
346 posts
Location: New York City


Posted:
Evergreen ubblove my brother went there - maybe you know him - Christopher Somerville.

Anyway I'm an obnoxious american and have lived in Australia twice. The first time was with my family...my step dad is Australian and that made it much easier. The second time was more solo. I went on a business visa which made it easier to get paid. You can't get on a payroll (which you can't do on a tourist visa anyway) but you can get paid as a "consultant." In other words someone can write you a check and not get in trouble at tax time. The down side is that you can only stay for 3 months at a time and then you have to leave. Leaving need not be for more than 10 minutes - I once went to Singapore and flew back the next day.

Marriage is also excellent advice. tongue

I think you should get there and then figure it out. Sometimes it's easier to work the system from the inside ya know?


All the freaky people make the beauty of the world.


LetumLuxSILVER Member
member
57 posts
Location: Ubiquitous, USA


Posted:
Thanks everyone, especially Eera, for the information. I fully plan to visit both places, both just because I need/want to, as well as to scope out the environs for personal tolerance. As for the sun and skin cancer, I'm a born and bred Floridian, just transplanted to Alaska. (Just for the thread recon agents. ::grin::) I love both places, as well as Washington. My only, personal, requirement for an environment to live in is I have to be near open water - a coast. Some sort of pelagic complusion, I got crazy away from a coast. Don't worry about the rose-colored glasses thing; I have a fine sense of comfort and discomfort, and so if nothing else, being too lazy and too much (insert regional environmental effect) will keep me from pursuing citizenship. Heh.



Oh, I nearly forgot to ask between the phones... What is the general attitude toward homosexual marriage in New Zealand and Australia?

There really is no explanation for this painful phenomenon. I passed out cold. Then I died. - Ach Mein Gott, issue 1.

The lurker formerly known as LollipopSpider.


flash fireBRONZE Member
Sporadically Prodigal
2,758 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia


Posted:
Quote:

Oh, I nearly forgot to ask between the phones... What is the general attitude toward homosexual marriage in New Zealand and Australia?




check this page out

Just a quick note from doing this from within the country to want to live in: everything is more expensive when done from the inside. Application fees etc are higher, and you have to re-enter australia etc etc.

HoP Posting Guidelines
Is it the Truth?
Is it Fair to all concerned?
Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?
If you can answer YES to these 4 questions then you may post a reply.


Raymund Phule (Fireproof)Enter a "Title" here:
2,905 posts
Location: San Diego California


Posted:
You gotta be carefull in OZ and probably NZ... you see for some reason they drive on the wrong side of the road!! tongue

Some Jarhead last night: "this dumb a$$ thinks hes fireproof"


musashiistarring Skippy the green llama
1,148 posts
Location: Seattle, WA


Posted:
Quote:

You want to move to a country you've never visited?



Man... remind me to sell you my car. wink






go pawn that lemon off on someone else tongue



Not like I wouldn't visit for a while to make sure eh rolleyes



wave to another ex floridian

First intention, then enlightenment..
Ars Pyronomica

" Life is programmed. Whether death is programmed or not is yet to be determined."


MeleSILVER Member
A perth girl gone walkabout...
396 posts
Location: Back home in Perth WA, Australia


Posted:

It's not that WE drive on the wrong side of the road, but that the americans have their own way of doing everything, different weights and measurements and even barcoding from everyone else (Believe me, I sat thru a day-long seminar on barcoding, and the US uses a different system from EVERYONE else in the world)

As for the aussie pre-conception on americans, i once met an american who said that just because he was one didn't mean that he had to like them - He won us all over with that one ubblol.

But seriously, Australia is a great place to live... Where were you thinking of... I can recommend the West Coast, even if we are a bit isolated over here in Perth.

If you mention the word "Americans" over here, you tend to hear the word "arrogant" a lot in return, tell everyone that you are canadian, it will go over alot better. wink

I smile because i have no idea whats going on!! biggrin


musashiistarring Skippy the green llama
1,148 posts
Location: Seattle, WA


Posted:
been practicin that, eh? Got my eh down rite, eh? What do you think eh? Bad thing is I have a horrible tendency to mimic the speech of where ever I'm at (gederdun..stoppit!), so I'd probrably pick up the accent after a while.

First intention, then enlightenment..
Ars Pyronomica

" Life is programmed. Whether death is programmed or not is yet to be determined."


EeraBRONZE Member
old hand
1,107 posts
Location: In a test pit, Mackay, Australia


Posted:
Therre was another couple of things I should have mentioned; the points system is not the only method of getting a visa. therre's another system where your put yourself on a database and potential employers can offer you sponsorship, downsides are that you have to go where they tell you to, it costs $2000 and you're only on it for 2 years. If you have no employable skills this is a waste of money.

If you can invest $100000 dollars in setting up a business which will employ 2 Australians then a business visa may be the route to go, except if your business fails you have to leave the country.

Immigration costs come from basically having to pay for every service: initial assessment, $2000, TB check, $500, moving your stuff and setting up house $10000. If you have no confirmed job offer you also need to show you have about $25000 to support yourself.

Incidently, Austalian passports come with a booklet basically entitled "How not to get arrested overseas." It states quite clearly that marriage to an Australian citizen does not guarantee you right of residency. It is not the path to go, sure it might be easier, but every fake marriage is preventing someone with something genuine to offer the country from getting in.

There is a slight possibility that I am not actually right all of the time.


NYCNYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA


Posted:
Quote:

If you mention the word "Americans" over here, you tend to hear the word "arrogant" a lot in return




That's just cuz you people don't know your place. wink

[ sarcastic smooooch! kiss ]

Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]


LetumLuxSILVER Member
member
57 posts
Location: Ubiquitous, USA


Posted:
Yeah, I always loved (in a sardonic sort of way) that the US are pretty much the only ones who had systems that is essentially inverted from the rest of the world, and then they call everyone else backwards. Perk of being fat and bloated, I guess. I think the US started out relatively decent enough, with Thomas Jefferson and what not. I am a north American by birth and somewhat by blood, but I have yet to see terribly much evidence that I'm a United States-er. ::chuckle::

I'm not too sure where I want to scope out first. If I ever come into a large-ish sum of money, I'd like to venture all over Australia and New Zealand and contribute. I haven't looked into areas for dwelling (visiting or whatever else) much yet, because I have the tendency to get swept away in dreams and distracted by what I need to be doing now. I'm going to try to get into Evergreen first, and see what happens from there. The whole going to Australia and/or New Zealand idea will be based upon my successful exit of the college; I won't have enough formal education and funds, otherwise.

Bubblishis; I'm not good with names usually, and not incredibly social, so I don't think I do know him. Then again, that whole section of coast is uncanny, so it's also possibly. ::snicker::

As for driving on the 'wrong' side of the road, I'm somewhat dyslexic, so I'll probably adjust just fine. Frankly, I think it's the people here that drive on the wrong side of the road!

There really is no explanation for this painful phenomenon. I passed out cold. Then I died. - Ach Mein Gott, issue 1.

The lurker formerly known as LollipopSpider.


heather_member
23 posts
Location: manchester UK (sometimes)


Posted:
yee, i think marriage is the way to go. Anyone want to marry me??

*working on getting back to aus*

ps hugs to flashy - miss you heaps beautiful

....lurks


LetumLuxSILVER Member
member
57 posts
Location: Ubiquitous, USA


Posted:
We should all just marry each other - get everyone who wants to travel from every country in the world, gather us all up somewhere, and get a big group marriage - then we can all travel the world together! Uwhahahah!

There really is no explanation for this painful phenomenon. I passed out cold. Then I died. - Ach Mein Gott, issue 1.

The lurker formerly known as LollipopSpider.


SilvurBRONZE Member
sumthin sumin smmnm....
372 posts
Location: home sweet home, USA


Posted:
Quote:


tell everyone that you are canadian, it will go over alot better. wink





Being a Canadian, I REALLY hate it when Americans say this-- it gives us Tru Canadians a bad rap. It's really too bad that Americans have become so egotistical and ignorant that they feel the need to ditch their patriotism as soon as they cross the borders.

PyrolificBRONZE Member
Returning to a unique state of Equilibrium
3,289 posts
Location: Adelaide, South Australia


Posted:
hehe - I can find many bachelors to marry you HeatherFeather, but unfortunately they might fal in love with you....What then???? smile

Josh

--
Help! My personality got stuck in this signature machine and I cant get it out!


_VT_SILVER Member
Your Face!
1,173 posts
Location: el paso, tx, USA


Posted:
I might be being a bit ignorant but what is a pemanent resident and how do you get that status?
confused confused confused confused confused confused confused

Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism - how passionately I hate them!
-Albert Einstein-

Peanut butter... It fills the cracks of the soul! -Paul Blart-


RoziSILVER Member
100 characters max...
2,996 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia


Posted:
A permanent resident is a visa status that basically says you can live in the country as long as you want, but you are not a citizen of the country. For most of my life in Australia I have been a permanent resident, and only in the last two years taken out citizenship.

As a permanent resident you are taxed the same as citizens, but you can't vote and don't do jury service. (just some of the implications)

It was a day for screaming at inanimate objects.

What this calls for is a special mix of psychology and extreme violence...


heather_member
23 posts
Location: manchester UK (sometimes)


Posted:
Quote:

hehe - I can find many bachelors to marry you HeatherFeather, but unfortunately they might fal in love with you....What then???? smile

Josh




erm....well thats just a minor detail isn't it?? rolleyes

....lurks


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