Marisawright

Even 15% isn't much. Homes in parts of Melbourne have risen by over 40% since we arrived two years ago. So the only people who'll be hurt by such a fall would be people who bought in the last year or so.

There are several good ones, and if you're transferring a huge amount of money, it might be worth shopping around to shave a few fractions of pennies off the exchange rate. However I've always stuck with Moneycorp because I've already got an account, I know they're easy and reliable, and it's convenient.

I've never heard of anyone getting an extension on a working holiday visa unless they've done the regional work

But consider what they were earning in the 1970s. That was a lot of money. The average salary in those days was around $7,000 a year. They paid off their mortgage not because it was so low, but because they did without. Nothing was more important than paying off the mortgage. They would have bought an old banger, second-hand furniture, no holidays. Take-aways and eating out were almost unheard of, and everyone bought a lot less stuff. Very few people had credit cards. When I first got married, we bought a unit. We had my father-in-law's old car, which was in such a bad state it failed its next roadworthy. The TV was so old you could hardly see the picture for snow. But we would never have dreamed of getting a loan to buy a decent car or a new TV, because everyone just knew that a mortgage was something you had to get rid of ASAP. Nowadays, people accept that a mortgage is for the long-term and they want to enjoy life in the meantime. That's fine, just don't think the earlier generation had it easy by comparison.

On a tourist visa, you are entitled to import only a small amount of goods necessary for your visit. To ship your worldly goods while on a tourist visa would be very unwise, as it would flag to Customs that you are planning to remain in Australia regardless of whether you get a further visa (which would be illegal of course). You should be aware that you are not guaranteed to get a bridging visa, so it would be unwise to ship before the award anyway. As for shipping in your daughter's name - I'm not sure about that, perhaps someone else will have more knowledge.

I have to say, I'm still worried by your plan to go for 12 months. I am extremely pessimistic that it will 'get it out of your system' and I can imagine you getting to the end of the 12 months and absolutely dreading having to return. Could you maybe spend the whole summer holidays (from mid-December to end January) in the UK every year instead? That would let you miss some of the worst of the heat every year and you'd always have something to look forward to.

The best and safest option is for him to apply for a partner visa now, and wait in the UK until it is granted. If he wants to arrive on a tourist visa and then apply for a partner visa once he is onshore, then he needs to be careful. If he arrives on a one-way ticket, Immigration is likely to question him about his intentions. If they come to the conclusion that he has arrived with the intention of outstaying his tourist visa, they can put him straight back on the next plane and he could get a three-year ban. People do it, but he needs to be conscious that he is taking a risk.

A couple of years may feel like a long time but it's not that long in the scheme of things, and you'll have a qualification you can use when you get home. There's lots of doom and gloom about work for primary teachers in the UK, but then there's doom and gloom about job prospects in Australia too, so i wouldn't take it too seriously. it does depend where you settle, too. Have you got your citizenship? Whether or not you feel you could ever live in Australia long-term, with an Australian partner I'd advise getting it, to give you freedom of movement.

But surely it's equally bad to encourage people with a bubbly, "You'll find a way!" when the reality is that it's very, very difficult. I'm not sure how the OP will feel about you suggesting her son should go and shack up with some Aussie girl just to get residency.

It was in the news a few months ago. Yes, they are just using it to get free labour.

Did you read my post properly? I specifically mentioned that the only pathways were EITHER skills/experience OR certain limited types of relationship with someone in Australia. If you have neither of those, the answer is NO. The great majority of people in the UK don't have either of those things. In theory, anyone COULD go back to university or college, get the qualifications, work for a few years to get the experience, and then apply - but they might fail the course, or they may have left it too late and lose points for age, or the rules may have changed by the time they're eligible, so it's a big commitment to make given the chance of failure. Also in theory, anyone COULD do a deal with an Aussie for a marriage of convenience. But as Nemesis says, it has to look like a genuine "equivalent of marriage" relationship with lots of proof to that effect - and if they're hoping to get PR, they're basically going to have to stay with that person, in a genuine relationship, for over 4 years.

If your cats were indoor cats, I'd be saying, bring them. As they're cats that are used to roaming outdoors, I'd think seriously about finding new homes for them, for a couple of reasons. The first is risk to the cats - there's nothing much that will hurt a free-roaming cat in the UK, but here they'll have venomous spiders, snakes, scorpions, ticks (including paralysis ticks which can kill) depending where you're moving to. Also humans, because many Australians do not approve of outdoor cats, because they kill wildlife. That's why some councils are getting very strict and not allowing cats out, enforcing desexing and placing limits on how many cats you can have. And it's true that the biggest risk is not to your cats, but to our wildlife. You may say your cats don't kill, but how do you know? Many of Australia's smaller mammals and birds are endangered so if you care about animals, you will not let your cats roam, even with a bell (they soon learn how to get around that). Do you think the cats would be happy if you had to keep them indoors or in a run? You may say they don't kill, but how do you know? I saw a TV program where they followed a number of cats with cameras over several nights, and nearly all of them played with small mammals or birds (which resulted in injury or death of the prey, obviously). All the owners were horrified because these were cats who had never brought any trophies home, or killed anything in their presence. It shouldn't surprise anyone because hunting is a natural instinct for cats, not something "nasty".

Yes, I believe you can keep them (though you can't open new ones). You will have to declare the interest on your Australian tax return as income.

Lots of people buy duty-free in Singapore while on holiday so that would be a good place to look. If you're going to be using hostels etc, even in Australia, I'd strongly suggest getting used to using Cloud services rather than keeping stuff on your laptop or even on a backup drive.

A positive outcome for a parent's visa isn't surprising because there is a thing called a parent's visa, the only problem is that it has a long waiting time. If you look at the population of the United Kingdom, the harsh truth is that the vast majority have absolutely NO way to get a visa to enter Australia, ever. Migration is reserved for a select few - people who either have a particular set of qualifications/experience or who have the right kind of relationship with someone in Australia. And the options are getting more and more limited every year. So I'm afraid it's unrealistic to say "there's always hope". In your case, it sounds like WRUssell may be able to offer you a way through, but for an awful lot of people, there isn't - their only option is to stay separated or for the rest of the family to move back to the UK.

Some people do arrive on a tourist visa, pretending they're coming on holiday, then apply for the Aged Parent Visa once they arrive in Australia. It's a risky option because you will be given only a Bridging Visa while you wait for the Aged Parent Visa to be processed, and while you are on a Bridging Visa, you have no status. On the Bridging Visa you will remain a non-resident of Australia, meaning you are not eligible for any benefits available to a resident. There are restrictions on buying property. You will be able to access the public health system (Medicare) but only for essential treatment, you will have to pay the full cost of any "elective" surgery. After six months you will cease to be a resident of the UK which means you will lose access to the NHS. So if you needed an "elective" operation and can't afford it in Australia, you couldn't just fly home and have it done in the UK, you would be charged full fees as a foreigner even though you are a UK citizen. I hope you're aware your UK pension will be frozen at its current level for the rest of your life, even once you've been awarded the Aged Parents' Visa.

"Success" is irrelevant. It's not like a lawyer, who might win or lose cases based on how much of a smooth-talker he is in court. Your case will be judged on your points score and your eligibility, whether you apply yourself or apply through an agent. An agent does not improve your chances of success by massaging the truth. If your numbers don't add up, no agent will get you in. An agent improves your chances of success in two ways: 1. He looks at your circumstances and works out what your best pathway is - which visa to choose and whether there are things you can do to improve your chances. 2. He knows all the pitfalls and fiddly bits in the paperwork so he's much less likely to make a mistake than you (which is important, because Immigration is inclined to reject applications with little mistakes, rather than give you a chance to fix them). There are a few agents who post on these forums, like @wrussell or Raul Senise. George Lombard is recommended if you have any medical issues.

You can transfer the money either before you leave or once you arrive in Australia. I found the process with Moneycorp easiest: I transferred the money into their account before I left the UK, then it sat safely in that account until I was sure I had all the formalities completed with the bank in Australia. You are assured of the best rate with a specialist company like Moneycorp.

In all likelihood there is a very clear, black and white answer but you need to consult someone who actually KNOWS the answer, not amateurs on a forum. This is the kind of advice you pay a migration agent for. There are excellent ones on this forum like @wrussell, but they will never give definite advice on the forum, because they need to examine your specific circumstances to make absolutely sure. I agree with Beffers, you're taking a silly risk if you don't get an agent's advice first.

You can't extend a tourist visa, you will need to apply for another type of visa. I'm not too familiar. However there is no tourist visa which will let you stay for five years, which is how long it takes to get the aged parent visa, so there is no point shipping your belongings.

Tulip hasn't said anything different because there isn't anything different to say. There aren't many people who look at only one section of the forum so you're not likely to get different answers here. I know it's really hard to believe there's no easy way to get your own flesh and blood to come and live with you but it's a fact. You're not going to find a magical way out of it. WRussell answered your post. He's a well-known, reputable agent. He suggested it could be done but that you need to move very fast - so I would be taking his advice and ringing his agency right now.

I'd think the courier cost would be high, the risk of damage significant and who knows what the customs charges would be. Taking it with you in backpacker hostels is a scary thought too. Laptops are more expensive here, but you could buy a cheap one at your last stop in Asia. Alternatively, how much programming are you thinking of doing? What specialist programs do you need? Most libraries in Australia offer free access to PC's. Some have tablets and laptops you can use in the library (after paying a refundable deposit). Usually you can use them for an hour or two hours a day, but if you're in a big city, you just go to suburb in the next library. The machines do vary - a small library will have old PC's but the Docklands library here in Melbourne has 3D printing etc. You don't need to be a member of the library, you just request a visitor pass.

You can't book an open return online, and if you get one through a travel agent, they cost the earth. The only way to do this, AFAIK, is through a travel agent. Ring or visit them and explain that your return travel date is beyond the bookable dates. Ask them to book the last currently available date, and add a note to the booking to say the date can be changed ONCE free of charge.

Is her husband an Australian citizen?

On a working holiday visa, you can work for up to six months with one employer - so there is no reason it should stop you getting a short term role. The snag is that it's six months per employer, not six months per school. Have you done all the paperwork for registration? https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/profdev/careers/Pages/job.aspx