Marisawright

Rough

That’s good to know, but we never assume. As VeryStormy points out, many people don’t realise what they don’t know, so it never hurts to mention. If it doesn’t affect you, you can easily ignore it

Unfortunately 45 is the cut off age for a visa

There are lots of transfer services. Many PomsinOz members recommend Moneycorp because if you join through PomsinOz, they don't charge any fees, and their service is good. However if you shop around, you may get a better exchange rate. It really depends if a few pennies difference in the exchange rate matters to you.

If you are only coming on a short term visa, will the employer pay to bring the car as part of your relocation expenses? If so, it would be worth doing. If not, then it's hard to see how you could justify the cost of shipping it to Australia and back for 2 short years. I am sure you know that the prospect of remaining in Australia after the 2 years is very far from certain.

It seems to me his best bet is for him to accept their offer of sponsorship, and see what happens. If they are genuine, they will start the process. If they're not, then he'll soon find out. The onus is on the company to kick off the visa, because they have far more work to do than he has. It's very rare for a company not to employ an agent (unless they're so big they have in-house staff), because the process is pretty complicated. It's illegal for the employee to pay for it. The reality is that it all takes time, so it may be unrealistic to expect that he'll be able to get it all done without going home for a short period. However let's face it, if the relationship is so tenuous it can't survive a few months apart, it's better for your daughter to find that out now.

Because the Australian pension is means-tested, so if you have a decent balance in superannuation, you won't receive it. Whereas you'll get the British pension once you reach retirement age, regardless. Also I have seen a few people who are planning to retire in the UK so they can't get the Australian pension at all.

I think it will be close to a miracle if anyone here can help you with a small specialist company. When considering an employer sponsored visa, do bear in mind that they are temporary, short-term contracts with no guarantee that you'll be able to stay permanently.

When you say the agent was no help, what do you mean exactly? If the agent said he’s not eligible to be sponsored, or not eligible for a skilled visa yet, then that is the truth. Let’s face it, agents are the experts and if they can’t see a way, there isn’t one. I know that’s not what you want to hear but the only thing I can suggest is, if you don’t like that agent’s advice, by all means get a second opinion from one of the highly experienced agents on these forums. If they say the same thing, at least you know where you stand.

In that case I wouldn’t go for Geelong if he’s thinking of working in Melbourne as the commute would be much longer than an hour to some areas of Melbourne. However he might find there’s enough work in Geelong and western Melbourne anyway

No, there is a double taxation agreement, but it is a bit complicated. Also if you do it yourself, you will probably miss out on claiming some tax deductions in Australia that you're entitled to. I'd suggest hiring someone like Alan Collett to do the returns for you, it's a worthwhile investment.

There are various types of partner visa. It's more likely, if your relationship is fairly new, that you'll get a provisional visa. If the relationship goes wrong during the provisional period (usually 2 years), then yes, you'd have to go home. However, it's worth knowing that once the provisional period is over, you then get a permanent visa which is yours forever, even if the relationship subsequently breaks up.

You will need permission from the other parent before you apply for the visa, regardless of where you are at the time. I would be a little worried about applying onshore. What you're proposing (I assume) is to arrive on a tourist visa and then apply for a partner visa. Normally you'd then get a bridging visa, which would allow you to stay on certain conditions. However I'm not sure whether you'd be able to get a bridging visa for your daughter, since her other parent hasn't given permission for her to do anything more than take a holiday. I think it would be worth consulting an agent.

The obstacle is that you have to apply to the Foreign Investment Board (FIRB) for permission to buy. I think the application fee is around $5,000 (but don't quote me!) and obviously there's a wait to get approval, but once you've got that, you're good to go.

By the look of it, the original plan was abandoned, this new increase looks a bit different.

This exactly. People expect to pay peanuts for second-hand furniture. My husband is still grieving the fact that we sold our $3,000 leather suite for $500. And I do think having familiar stuff around is helpful, especially for children.

Your best option might be to forget about the citizenship application and just make sure you keep your RRV up to date.

Definitely partner visa as it offers more certainty, provided you have solid proof of your relationship

If they have British passports then yes

You have to submit a tax return in both countries and declare it on both

Most reputable agents will give you a free initial consultation but obviously that's pretty high level. If you want more detail, then you have to pay - but frankly, I'd be hiring an agent anyway. The process isn't difficult but it is complicated, and Immigration is very unforgiving - if you make a mistake, they don't come back and say, "did you mean....". They just reject the application and you've lost your money. So while an agent sounds expensive, it's better to pay the extra than risk losing your application fee because you missed something important out of ignorance. I would be worried if the cost of an agent is making you think twice. Migration is very expensive and the agent's fees are small by comparison. You'll need to budget for air fares, a month's stay in holiday accommodation while you look for a long-term rental, a car (more expensive than in the UK), shipping your belongings (or replacing them all, which will cost more). On top of that, migrants are currently being advised to have enough savings for six months' living expenses (rental, food) because it can take that long to find a job. The economy is doing OK, but bear in mind that Australia is not a new country, desperate for skilled workers, any longer. It's a developed country with an unemployment rate about the same as in the UK. There is no legal requirement for fire risk assessment so assessors are not as common as in the UK. I suggest you call or write to some of the providers to ask them what qualifications they would expect, if they would need you to retrain, etc. Here's a couple of links: https://www.fullworksfiresafety.com.au/Fire-Safety-Consulting-Services/Fire-Risk-Assessment http://www.fpaa.com.au/sales/principles-of-fire-risk-assessment-in-buildings.aspx

Melbourne is a sprawling place. How long a commute are you willing to put up with? Do you have any preference for the kind of area you want to live? Housing in Brisbane is only two-thirds the cost of a house in Melbourne (so a house that costs $500,000 in Brisbane will cost you $750,000 in Melbourne, for instance). Have you factored that into your budget?

On that evidence, I think you may be in danger of not getting a RRV. You should hire a good migration agent (like Raul or Paul) who will know how to write the application to give you the best chance. I would not risk doing it on your own.

Yes it does sound expensive, but that's because nobody ever realises the value of what they've got in their home. Most of us buy stuff slowly over the years and don't realise how it adds up. Also of course, if you bought furniture etc five or ten years ago, all the prices have shot up in the meantime - so you leave a $500 sofa behind and then find that type of sofa now costs $1,000. So do the trial shop, it's an eye-opener! Don't worry about the cost of living, it's much the same as in the UK with one exception - housing. It depends where in Australia you're going, but some areas are very expensive indeed, whether you want to rent or buy. So make sure you've done your research on that side of things.

Actually I think you’ve missed a step. Book a consultation with a MARA registered agent to get an honest and accurate assessment of your chances.