Quoll

Looks like you've got the phone app all set up for the vital dates in your life! 70 is almost next week!!!

Yes. They are agents.

There is a sort of catch 22 - if the child's needs are such that they are eligible for support in schools then the chances are the visa would be declined. If otoh you do get a visa, chances are they won't be getting any help in school. Some agents don't understand this as well as others. As has been said, George Lombard or Peter Bollard are the two who understand and have significant experience with medical issues and autism in particular. Youll want to be sure you have a whole raft of current assessments - the diagnostic checklists, cognitive ability, current skill levels, adaptive behaviour etc because you're likely to be asked for more information.

No, happily retired from Education now, thank heavens, but after a life time still have acquaintances in the field. It's not an occupation I would be recommending to either of my kids. Teaching doesn't require a high yr 12 score so it's almost the last resort of some students to get into Uni hence the numbers being churned out, a great percentage of which will not get jobs. Departments do like new grads when they do their recruitment though because they cost less and are likely to be less demanding with placements if they are desperate for work. In some states self managing schools will go for the cheaper options and short term contracts so they don't have to fork out holiday pay. Having been around a while I've seen some very talented and experienced and, in one case, highly specialised teachers move states and still not have a permanent job several years down the track. My sister in law has a specialised early literacy qualification and has gone from short term contracts now to nothing. In Australia merit is not necessarily the basis on which jobs are allocated! If you've got a permanent position where you are take a career break, do not quit.

LOL yeah, I'd be gone from Iron Knob too!!!!

General rule of thumb, as Snifter has alluded, if you want a chance at something permanent as a primary teacher especially, go remote because no Aussie teachers want to go there and probably for good reason. Such towns would be the absolute antithesis of a Pom's "dream" of Australia- but they would be the "real" Australia, doing it tough not the glitzy bits of the GC or SC where all Poms want to go (they're a very very long way from the beach!). Schools in the outback can be very tough (which is why they struggle for staff), foreign staff will probably cop a bit more flak than locals but the state departments do give you credit for having done the hard yards down the track when the plum jobs come up for picking. Doing it as a singleton would be easier than doing it with a family as options for other family members in such places can be less than desirable. Id always recommend that if you have a permanent teaching role in UK that you quite enjoy, that you don't quit your job when the time comes to leave but take a career break and don't sell your house but rent it out then you have a belt and braces approach!

Don't believe me, try it from people on the ground http://www.theteachersareblowingtheirwhistles.com/therearenojobs.htm CRT isn't a good long term option for most people. I really would recommend a change of career if you are a primary teacher, especially an experienced one because you are more expensive than a new graduate. Most teachers have a wealth of other skills which are relatively more marketable. I'd actually be doing a cert iv in training and assessment (and you get RPL for qualifications) and looking at adult training.

Yes, you need one of the nominated languages http://www.liveinvictoria.vic.gov.au/visas-and-immigrating/visa-nomination-occupation-lists/visa-nomination-occupation-list-for-victoria#.WY1HvNHTWf0 Even if you got a visa without one of those languages your chances of getting a job in a place that people actually want to live are extraordinarily remote. Australia is well oversupplied with teachers so I'm surprised that it's still on any state list tbh.

Yup, still here! Mum died in January and dad is fighting on at 93. I'm good for coffee some time!

So you're heading back again?! Is everyone going?

Hello!!!!

I think of you when I have a good whinge about the responsibility of being an only child! I would love to have had a sibling to share my current hell but they'd probably be more like your mob with the abrogation of responsibility! I will say that the responsibility is doing my head in at the moment! However I have an amazing husband who is helping far more than any sibling would most likely have done.

The back yard grapevine is as good an indicator as any I reckon, along with the eyeball test. Schools reflect their suburban cohort so generally if you aren't happy in the suburb then the school probably won't suit either. Hadn't heard that Vic education was supposed to be the best though! (Unless that came from the Vic Dept Ed!) School profiles do change over time and if you get a new principal who is busting to get brownie points on their cv you might get changes in the trending of scores. Bottom line, a good kid is going to do ok no matter where you go, a kid with difficulties is always going to struggle. Live where you can get a job that you love in a place where you like the home that you can afford and the schools will even out.

Good Luck Lady T! Hope it all goes really well for you all!

I agree with DeeTowers - don't sell your house and don't quit your jobs, take career breaks. Temporary visas with large families are very risky.

In Victoria you don't have to pay fees for school age kids - other than the fees which everyone pays - on a temporary visa. Unless, of course you are posted up to Wodonga but choose to use an Albury school (which is NSW). But you are correct, you will get no help for preschool fees (c$120 per day these days). There is, however, no guarantee that Vic won't introduce fees at some point like many other states. Another factor to consider is that dependents of temporary visa holders often struggle to get meaningful work especially in career type fields. The sort of agency you are likely to want to work for is more likely to want permanent residence at least. The agency may promise you the earth but not necessarily be able to deliver especially into any public service type role. I think social workers are on the list for permanent residence so there is nothing stopping you from going for PR and avoiding the 457 altogether especially as you would apparently need to put all your eggs in the basket with selling your house etc. If you could do it without burning any bridges - take a career break, rent out your house - then it might be worth an adventure. British CP workers have reported very "behind the times" practices and a reluctance to move on and there is a huge turn over with CP workers. Brexit might provide amazing opportunities, you never know! Andrews' Victoria isn't looking that flash either.

Yes, I think the Poms, in general, have it confused with Oz (have yet to see an Aussie refer to it thus!) - some sort of magical nirvana.

That's interesting! And basically puts the Age Pension beyond most new older arrivals because if you haven't worked 5 years before retirement age then it's 15 years. In answer to Tajpal, above, though - there is no "subsidy for living", they expect you to be financially independent and now you have to wait 15 years for the Centrelink Aged Benefit.

The usual recommendation if you have a family member with a disability is to talk to one of the agents who specialise in such things - George Lombard and Peter Bollard are the two usually suggested. There is a real Catch 22 with things like Autism - if a child is deemed needy enough to be eligible for any support in schools then you are likely to be rejected for a visa. If they give you a visa then the child is unlikely to get any support in school. So if your child is currently receiving substantial support in school you are not likely to succeed. If you believe your child is/will be independent in school then you could submit a full assessment covering cognitive ability, skill level and adaptive behaviour as assessed by their current placement.

I doubt anyone's lives are in jeopardy but why should Immigration care? They're bureaucrats, going through whatever processes they have to go through. It's not as important to Australia as it is to you, unfortunately, you just have to wait.

Your daughter and son in law are telling you off? Good heavens, and you want to go and live with them?

The government doesn't take kindly to people going over on tourist visas expecting to stay - are you going to lie to them on your entry card? Not a great move especially as they are moving ahead with the new temporary visas - you might find yourself with a No further Stay stamp. If you're going anyway why not submit now and go over for a visit every now and then until you get your visa. Probably beat any price rise if you do it now too.

I'm assuming you mean a reciprocal agreement for essential medical care. It is just that essential medical care - if, heaven forbid, you have anything which the medicare schedule says is elective treatment (think gall bladder removal, knee replacement, tonsil removal or even lump biopsy etc) then you are expected to either pay or go home and get it done. Of course, there are potential problems with returning to UK for medical treatment then because you will have been out of the country for a period and they could, quite rightly, say you are not habitually resident. For safety's sake you would need private medical cover IMHO - things like repatriation (possible in the case of serious illness/accident) run very very expensive. I don't know that they have thought through all the ramifications of this visa suggestion yet. I'm guessing a lot of folk will go for it thinking they will then be able to play the sympathy card of "oh but we love it here and we have settled so well" which will go down like a lead balloon with Immigration when the time comes and their "no further stay" clause is exercised.

Probably not - the expectation is that you have 4 years (it may be 5 now, I'm out of the loop) of psychology in order to be registered with AHPRA and most states want registration for their school psychs so if your first degree was Psych then yes you would be register able and quite likely find a job - because the psych/teaching qualifications are getting a bit too hard to find some states are a little more flexible. Getting AHPRA registration would be your stumbling block there.

May well be for U.K. Practice but if you could get a Masters then that would be ok for Aus practice