Advice Please on Moving to Australia

**jenloveschip2001** · 01-14-2012, 03:15 PM

I don't know if I posted this in the right place or not, but here is my delima. My husband works for CAT as a diesel mechanic. He makes about $59,000 a year. He some how heard about a CAT dealer in Australia that was looking for help so he applied and has been in touch with them through e-mail and by phone a couple of times. They came to him with an offer through email for $142,000 a year in au dollars. I just don't know what to do. The have some one that would be in charge of getting all our family members there visas. I think it is like a sponsor. He would go on over when his visa went through and me and the kids would wait for 6 months then go over. They pay for everything up front. They won't pay for the family to fly over until after his 6 months trial period, if we want to pay for our own they will reimburse us at the 6 month mark. The pay to have us moved, and they provide housing for so long until you get set up. The only thing neg. is that if he doesn't stay for 4 years he has to pay back some of the money they used to relocate us. Like if he quit in the first year he would have to pay back all the money, and it goes down with every year he works there. I am so unsure. I have never even flown in a plane. Would we be crazy to pass this by? I have heard that Australia is alot like the US. Im also nervous about how we get the money we make in Australia trasfered over to US dollars to pay our bill in the US. Flights for us to visit family are crazy high to, like $2000 per person for two way tickets. I have thought about staying in the states and letting him go and then just come over the summer and stay but that would really be hard on our marriage. Advise and Opinions Please.

**mango** · 01-14-2012, 03:53 PM

jen as an Aussie (who is actually not living there at the moment but still love the place!) am more than happy to answer any questions you may have about living in Oz.

Where would you be based and how old are your kids?

We transfer funds via telegraphic transfer and there is no problem. As we send money into Australia if the transaction is over AUD10,000 there is some sort of report that needs to be filled in by the bank but as ours is never is that much it's not an issue. You may want to check with your local bank about requirements like that for transferring from Oz to the States. With internet banking we keep all our bill paying up to date.

On that wage you will be in one of the highest tax brackets assuming you will pay Oz tax so you would definitely want to get some tax advice.

PM me anytime.

**jenloveschip2001** · 01-14-2012, 04:50 PM

Mango, I have 3 kids that will go with us. They are almost 12 years, 7 years and 10 years. It is for West Trac CAT and it says that it will be at the Newman branch. But we won't live in that area. I think they fly him in and out. He would work 2 weeks and be home a full week. I think they would fly him to Perth when we get there. I have done a little research on the taxes and according to what I found It is $ 17550 up to $80000 then an additional $.37 for each $1 after that. I estimated that we would bring home around $2313 a week after taxes. Also on the offer it is actually for $142,000 but they take out like $11,000 for there super. I guess thats either a retirement thing or like maybe there version of social security, I'm not sure.

**mango** · 01-14-2012, 05:39 PM

jen would you live in Perth? It's a lovely city, much smaller than the bigger east coast cities of Sydney (where I'm from) and Melbourne. There's quite an expat poplulation there too of English and South Africans (not sure about Americans but Aussies are a very friendly lot so am sure you will make friends easily!).

Super is short for superannuation and goes towards a retirement fund. You should check if you will be able to access these funds when you leave Oz or you may have to wait until you are retirement age. You will also pay a compulsory medicare levy that will provide you with basic health care but the company may also pay for your private health care (or make a contribution) and that would be great.

Does the company pay for one trip back a year for the family? We live in an ex-pat community and that is the std in all contracts here.

**frugalfranny** · 01-15-2012, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by jenloveschip2001

. Would we be crazy to pass this by? Advise and Opinions Please.

CRAZY??????????? Yes............... absolutely -------IF you pass it up!!!!!!!!!

Unless you just absolutely can't take stress of any kind.......then....

You have some details to get worked out......but it sounds like you have an EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY to experience something that you may not get the chance to again.............GO FOR IT!!!

I haven't been to Oz (New Zeland, but not Oz) but I have lived in couple other countries and wouldn't have missed the chance for the world.

This will give not only you but your kids a WONDERFUL opportunity
to experience more of the world.........and who couldn't BENEFIT from that???

Plus........you are going to a country that will be 'basically' easy to live in.........(thinking of food and living conditions here).......so a great way to expand the horizons without much 'adjustment'....

**monkeywrangler71** · 01-15-2012, 05:13 PM

It really sounds like a great opportunity. If it isn't the best thing ever, well, four years isn't that long, just come home when he fulfills his commitment.

It has to be something you're okay with though, no matter how great it sounds to everyone else.

**miss_cas** · 01-15-2012, 08:19 PM

I would do some serious research. How much do apartments run near where he will be working? What are average utilities, food costs, etc? I'm sure you will be able to find a forum with more aussies somewhere online and ask away.

How old are your kids? Check with a large school system in austrailia to see how your children's grade levels and acceptance of an austrailian high school diploma could be handled. Double check the former with an american school and double check the latter with an american university.

What are the rules on homeownership for foreigners in Australia?

Check the climate for the city in austrailia where husband will work. Do you or kids have any health problems the climate may worsen?

I would think of it as a great opportunity to live and study abroad without learning too much new language.

Scout out a relative here with extra basement/attic space and no plans to move, like a senior citizen. Make a list of what you absolutely have to keep. What can you digitize?

**jenloveschip2001** · 01-16-2012, 10:40 AM

Thanks you for all your replies. We have to make a final desicion really soon and I am still struggling with it. Part of me is like wow what an adventure lets go then the other part is wow there is a lot of what if's. I think my husband really wants to do it because when we talk about it and I ask him what he wants to do he says he thinks it would be a great experience but he doesn't want to do it and his family fall apart. I have done nothing but research this weekend and I really can't find any negative thing about Australia. It is a little higher cost of living but with the extra high income it won't be a problem. The forums all say that you can live very comfortable on around $85,000 so at $ 142,000 there shouldn't be a problem. Another consern I have is our V A disability. As long as we don't get permanant visa's then it shouldn't mess with our disabailty should it? We live in Ky so we have cold weather to deal with in Australia I think it is warm most all the time so thats a plus.

**ncarr** · 01-16-2012, 07:15 PM

wow! I'm so jealous! That sounds amazing! I would love to live in Australia

**frugalfranny** · 01-18-2012, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by jenloveschip2001

Part of me is like wow what an adventure lets go then the other part is wow there is a lot of what if's.

And this is why you do some SERIOUS RESEARCH........AND SOON.

As for the 'other' what if's...........some of them will be able to be worked out...........others might not but it could be something you could LIVE WITH and you find part of that out when doing research.

LIFE IS FULL OF WHAT IF'S.................some you plan for and others you don't worry about UNTIL IT HAPPENS!!!

Ask yourself..............how much/many things you are worrying about that might not happen..........

Like someone else said...............YOU HAVE TO BE "ONBOARD" WITH THIS OR YOU WILL BE MISERABLE DOING IT........

**peanut** · 01-18-2012, 03:47 PM

Jenloveschip: sit down with pen and paper. Draw a line vertically through the paper. On one side write "Pro" and the other side of the line write "Con". Start making notes of all the pros and cons you can so at least you have it all in writing somewhere. Get DH to help you.

Then you and DH discuss things to see if any of the cons are non-issues or can be turned into pros somehow (problem solving). Then BOTH of you do the research! Use the Internet, any contacts you have in Australia, contact the company with questions, etc. If they are serious they'll welcome the questions because it will mean that when you do arrive you are more likely to stay, having researched it thoroughly. You are probably going to have to spend a lot of time on the phone talking to the Dept. of Education or whatever the equivalent is in the US...or emailing them.

I know a lot of Americans overseas use a diplomatic correspondence course for their kids...oh dear...I can't remember the name of it right now. Very high level program...and expensive. I think it's Calvert? But it only goes to grade 8. Other people enroll their children in International Schools...again, expensive.

Hope all goes well for you! Keep us informed of your decision.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 01-18-2012, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by jenloveschip2001

Thanks you for all your replies. We have to make a final desicion really soon and I am still struggling with it. Part of me is like wow what an adventure lets go then the other part is wow there is a lot of what if's. I think my husband really wants to do it because when we talk about it and I ask him what he wants to do he says he thinks it would be a great experience but he doesn't want to do it and his family fall apart. I have done nothing but research this weekend and I really can't find any negative thing about Australia. It is a little higher cost of living but with the extra high income it won't be a problem. The forums all say that you can live very comfortable on around $85,000 so at $ 142,000 there shouldn't be a problem. Another consern I have is our V A disability. As long as we don't get permanant visa's then it shouldn't mess with our disabailty should it? We live in Ky so we have cold weather to deal with in Australia I think it is warm most all the time so thats a plus.

As far as your VA disability goes, you can get your permanent residency status in Australia and it won't change a thing. That money is yours for the rest of your life.

**Nana2two** · 01-18-2012, 08:18 PM

Know several people that have moved over seas that work for Cat.I live in the Headquarter City. They do a great Job of taking care of the families when it comes to moving over seas. That 6 months will fly by. If your house will be going up for sale and for some reason it doesn't sell in a certain amount of time Cat will buy it. I say go for it!!

**jenloveschip2001** · 01-19-2012, 09:48 AM

Well as of this moment we have said no. I have done a lot of research on Australia and I really believe it would be a great place to live. I know $142,000 sounds like alot of money but after all the research I have done it really is not a lot of money. After taking taxes out, paying rent, utilities,medical insurance,car insurance ,groceries,and paying for one trip home a year for 5 people the money was just not that great. I just don't see how people make ends meet in Australia. The average home price in Perth Australia is around $400,000 but the average yearly income is around $70-80,000. How can they afford to have a mortgage on that little of an income? Rent is around $500 and up per week. We would also need to buy some type of cheap vehicle when we got there so that would be around $5000. It would cost us $10,000 for 5 two way tickets to fly home and back once a year. The insurance is good, for $371 you get a family plan that pays everything except pregancy, and since I have my tubes tied I don't think I would need that. There is no copays or deductables, it is all 100% covered, even medcine. My husband got an email from them this morning asking if all of our questions had been answered and if we were ready to move foward so he wrote them back and explained some of the reasons why we were going to have to turn them down. I figure that there is a chance that they could come back with another offer or my husband thinks that they might come back offering to pay for one trip home to the states a year. We will have to wait and see. This has been the most nerve racking descision I have ever made in my life.But I feel like we made a decision I can live with. If the offer changes we will have to do some more thinking.

**jenloveschip2001** · 01-19-2012, 09:58 AM

Nana2two: I would love to be able to talk to someone that has done it . We don't know anyone that has done this. I did not know about the house thing. If we had went We were going to keep the house because our VA disabilty pays for the house and the car. That way we would have somewhere to come home to and we would still be building our equity while we were gone. I told my husband that if we went he would have to sell the truck because I didn't want to have to seperate sets of payments to have to pay. We would have left the water and electric on to our house and just turned the temp down to like 60 in the winter and then had my parent change it in the summer.