Marisawright

I didn't realise that was the case, thanks for the correction. However, @Richo T, if that's the case then it's unlikely they would extend your entry by date. There is nothing stopping you getting on a plane right now, so why would they?

If you're not directing your post at me, then don't quote a post that references me.. And it's funny that after jumping down my throat when I dared suggest the OP should consider another capital city like Brisbane, you are now saying that Brisbane is great.

No one was suggesting anyone should go and live in the sticks or in a small town! Are you suggesting that Perth or Brisbane are backward little country towns? People are moving to Melbourne in just as large numbers as Sydney, but it's because those two cities have the most job opportunities. It is not because they are somehow superior to Perth, Adelaide or Brisbane. Health care, schools etc are just as good there as in Sydney. People have different tastes. Some people want the buzz of big city life, whereas others prefer a more laidback lifestyle. Different cities will suit different people.

As the partner of an Australian citizen or permanent resident, all you have to do is apply for a travel exemption. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/departmental-forms/online-forms/covid19-enquiry-form

I always think of Brisbane as being a more outdoors-y place than Sydney. It doesn't have impressive beaches close to the city, but it's within a couple of hours drive of the gorgeous beaches on the Sunshine Coast or the Gold Coast. For nature and wildlife there's the Gold Coast hinterland (Tamborine Mountain). For steam trains: https://www.brisbanekids.com.au/brisbane-for-train-loving-brisbane-kids/

For those about to fly to Australia, here's a good article about quarantine: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/jun/20/quarantine-salad-what-two-weeks-in-an-isolation-hotel-has-taught-me-about-eating-well-with-less Obviously the tips about snacks are useless, since you can't bring any food in, but some of the other tips are good.

Unfortunately, it's impossible to say right now because visa requirements are likely to change after Covid.

Your superannuation fund will have an advice line. Give them a call and they'll explain the whole thing to you. After all, they'll be keen to get your money. I hope you researched your super fund and chose a good one, rather than letting your employer choose. If not, you can still change funds. There are some very poor performers out there and some of the biggest are the worst offenders.

There are two authorities that you need to check with. Firstly, what is required by Immigration and secondly, what is required by the registration body in the state you're aiming for. If your qualifications aren't acceptable to Immigration, you can't get the visa. If you can't get registered, you won't be allowed to teach. They are two completely separate things. I'm not an expert on Immigration's requirements, but I know that many British teachers fail because in the English system, you're qualified to teach once you've completed a three-year degree, whereas Australia demands a four-year degree, including a minimum of 45 days supervised teaching practice. If you're aiming for Victoria, the registration body is the Victorian Institute of Teaching: https://www.vit.vic.edu.au/ However, I did a quick Google, and Victoria is not accepting History teachers for a 190 visa. You could get a 491 visa, but you'd need a job offer - which is another argument for getting a Working Holiday Visa. You've got no chance of getting a job offer while you're overseas, but you could well get an offer once you're in Australia. But like i said, first thing is to check your qualifications are acceptable.

Well, that's why the OP is asking. By continuing to pay NI contributions while he's working in Australia, he can significantly increase the pro rata pension he will get.

These people wanted to leave Australia to attend a wedding. I know it's heart-breaking to miss your child's wedding but it's not exactly a life or death situation. https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/australian-border-force-travel-ban-exemptions

I asked earlier but didn't get a response, so just want to check again. Have you double-checked that your American teaching qualifications will be recognised, both for the purposes of migration and for teaching? A lot of British teachers find that theirs aren't, even though our education systems are very similar.

The whole house? The mind boggles.

Of course, you have to consider that all the people who get approved are unlikely to be tweeting about it...far more are approved than are rejected, and even the ones that are rejected are allowed to reapply: https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/australian-border-force-travel-ban-exemptions

Companies don't advertise that they sponsor, because no one does it regularly. In fact, companies avoid doing it too regularly, because it might look as though they're not even trying to find local candidates first (which they are supposed to do). All you can do is keep looking on Seek, and try contacting recruitment agencies (don't email them because they won't bother to answer - stay up late and try phoning them, and be persistent!). You could also try Linkedin. The 494 is a regional visa, so make sure you understand where in Australia you can work, and don't waste time contacting law firms which aren't in those areas.

Are you getting confused by the list of evidence on the Home Affairs page? That list covers all the possible kinds of evidence you MIGHT need, depending on your reasons for wanting to leave. You choose the ones relevant to your reason for travel (compassionate), and ignore the rest. If you have decided you want to leave forever, then by all means use that reason instead of compassionate reasons - but you'll need to show evidence that you've given notice to your landlord, booked shipping for your belongings, and that you have a home to go to in the UK. If you wish to apply under that category, you select "People who are travelling on urgent and unavoidable personal business" instead. The British Consulate might help with repatriation if you were stranded in a foreign country. You may feel stranded because you're separated from your partner, but you are living comfortably in your own home, in a country where are legally resident, so it doesn't come under that category.

If you are currently a UK resident, you’ll be covered by Medicare under the reciprocal agreement anyway. You will have to pay school fees, but at least it’s a cost you can predict, unlike the uncertainty of how long it will take to find a job

If all you want is 2/3 years in Australia and you have no intention of staying permanently, then a TSS 482 visa is designed for you. The whole process is much quicker (because Immigration knows that employers won't wait a year for an employee to arrive!). The difficulty is that you need to find an employer to sponsor you, and I have no idea what the chances are in your profession. Maybe someone else can offer some advice on that. In your shoes, I wouldn't even contemplate a 190 visa unless you have deep pockets. Moving to another country is an expensive business. It's not just the visa fees and air fares. If you were a singleton with no kids, you could arrive in Australia with a suitcase and find a share house - but as a parent, you'll either need to ship all your furniture and belongings, or buy a complete new household from scratch when you arrive (rental places in Australia are not furnished). Either option costs thousands. You'll need to budget for four weeks in a holiday let on arrival, while you look for a long-term rental. And you'll need to budget for a few months with no income while you look for work (with no access to unemployment benefit). A commonly quoted figure for all that is around 30K. If you're planning to stay permanently, you can look on that cost as an investment. If you're just coming for a short-term adventure, it's just money out the door - and then you'll have to face very similar costs when you go home again. If you can get an employer to sponsor you for a 482, the employer may or may not contribute to your relocation costs (worth asking), but you would know you have the security of a job from day 1. Plus you may find the employer will be helpful with getting you settled in, especially if you're going somewhere in the country (for instance, we had a member recently who was moving to Tasmania and contacted the employer for a recommendation on a holiday let - and she was offered a free stay at a staff member's home).

You just get an exemption on compassionate grounds https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/departmental-forms/online-forms/covid19-enquiry-form

Yes, you are right. I'm very confused about why you're asking the British Consulate about this. It has nothing to do with them. Your right to leave Australia is checked when you get on the plane in Australia, not when you get off the plane in the UK. All you have to do is apply for permission to travel on compassionate grounds. Write a statement explaining that your partner's mother is dying of cancer and you need to be there to provide support to her and your partner (this may not be precisely true but it is more convincing than just saying you want to be with your partner). Provide a statement from your partner saying the same thing. And a medical certificate for your MIL's illness. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/departmental-forms/online-forms/covid19-enquiry-form

Having a job in Australia won't get you permanent residency, and neither will having a family there (unless you're an elderly parent). To get permanent residency, you need to be qualified and experienced in a job that's on the skilled occupation lists. If you are, then you just apply. You haven't said what your occupation is, but it might pay to have a consultation with a migration agent, to see whether your skills and experience fit any of the categories on the list. If you can get permanent residency, then you can come and go as you please. If you're absent from the country for extended periods every year, that could make it difficult to qualify for citizenship, but it wouldn't affect your permanent residency. You'd need to apply for a RRV (resident return visa) every five years, but if you maintain a permanent home in Australia, that shouildn't be a problem.

Yes, of course it's all relative. But the fact remains that you don't have to go to rural South Australia to buy a house that's half the price of a comparable property in Sydney. Juist go to Core Logic or any other property analyst and you'll see the facts there in black and white. You seem to be convinced that I've got it in for Sydney because I'm a Melburnian. Actually, I've only lived here for 4 years. I lived in Sydney for over 30 years and had many happy years there. And like I said, I suggest you see if you can find any posts where I recommend Melbourne to prospective migrants over Sydney - you won't find them.

Actually, a lot of people don't have a choice because that's where their work is. Most of the big companies have their headquarters in Sydney, and it's the financial centre for the country. If you're in the corporate world, it's where you need to be if you want to get ahead. It really comes down to what kind of lifestyle you want. Sydney can feel great on holiday, but you may not like it so much when you have to deal with the trains, especially in hot weather. It's a big sprawling city, and with a small child, you might find a smaller-scale city, where distances are shorter and traffic and shops aren't so busy, to be more family-friendly. On the other hand, you may love the big-city vibe. Everyone's different.

That's a very bold claim. Sydney is a big, brash, bustling city. That's heaven for people who love a big-city lifestyle but hell if not, so it's entirely a matter of personal opinion. A lot depends on what people are looking for and what they can afford. Sydney is also twice as expensive as everywhere else in Australia (except Melbourne) for housing, and that's just a statistical fact that newcomers need to be aware of when budgeting. Yes, you can live in the far outer suburbs - but you can do the same in any other city and you'll be paying half the price for a comparable house. I love Melbourne but it's so unlike the rest of Australia and can't offer the sun-and-sand that most new migrants want, that I don't usually recommend it on these forums. If you read my posts, you'll see I've been suggesting Brisbane.

It is a nice area. About an hour's commute to town on the train but that's good by Sydney standards. We lived a little closer in, in Oatley, and my MIL lived in Gymea which is lovely. You haven't said what your idea of a reasonable rent is, so it's hard to judge whether you'd find it affordable.