So, I think we're moving to Australia!

[Caspers_240]

As everyone probably knows, the US is going to hell in a hand basket! So, we're (my Gypsy wife, our two sons, and myself) trying to find a better place to raise our family and have a better quality of life.

My top 3 requirements of a new home land are:
1: Quality of life. School systems, health care, career opportunities for both myself (Electrician/Automated Systems) and my wife (Bookkeeper/Business Admin.).

2: How "racer friendly" the country and region is. I like time trials, drifting, autoxing, and would love to get into club racing and beyond in the future, so, I'd definitely want to move to a race friendly region.

3: Weather. I HATE cold weather, but, I don't really want to melt when I walk outside either. Something in the "moderate climate" region would be awesome.

Any info or links to help us decide what region of beautiful Australia to migrate to, would be greatly appreciated.

[Matt]

1. There are a number of Australian states which rank high with quality of life and live able cities. See here for more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World%27s_ ... ble_cities

Includes Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Sydney in the top 10 surveys on the page.

Adelaide is a small town compared to the other capital cities but tends to be more easy going at the same time (I'm biased here also). I also liked Melbourne and Brisbane for their more vibrant lifestyle and more things to do, but they are larger and more expensive places to live in comparison

2. Melbourne has Calder Park drag strip and Adelaide has Mallala race track as well as excellent roads up in the hills (but no open drag strip). Not sure on other states. Drifting is done often at Mallala. Police are a problem regardless of state if you have a imported/modified vehicle

3. It will get cold but not snow. Expect downto 0 degrees C in winter and up around 45 degrees C during a heat wave in the mid eastern lower states. Queensland has warm-hot and humid weather

[Caspers_240]

Thanks for the link and the info! My wife and I are really excited about the [likely] move.

How many road course tracks are there in the South to SE part of Australia? Mallala looks very fun and also like they stay busy year round, which is a very good thing; but are there any other tracks with-in reasonable driving range?

Thanks again!

EDIT: Sry, I was on my way to work this morning... Serious lack of coffee!

I've found that Australia is my dream racing destination! SO many different hi-grade racing circuits in the southeast... I'm amazed . You guys have awesome road courses like we have huge NASCAR tracks everywhere... It appears that they are also pretty "amateur friendly". Are my assumptions correct? Is time-attack as huge as I think it is over there?

Thanks.

[Fordy]

how easy is it to get into australia as i heard it's quite hard unless your profession is pretty decent?

will all ways be a dream for me tho

[Caspers_240]

I know you guys can import cars from Japan, but, I've put a lot of time in building mine and want to take it with me when the time comes. I got a shipping quote from FL, USA to Sydney is $3205 insured.

I've found that you have to have a special license to drive a LHD car, but how hard would it be to make my car street legal there? Paper work and such...

Or, should I just sell it for about 12k and take that to Oz and put that on a R33?
From a brief look at the "for sale" ads, it doesn't look like I could get much with 12k.

Thanks... and sry for all the questions, but you are the only Australian based board I know of at the moment.

[Matt]

Yes a special licence is required for LHD vehicles. As for the particulars, it depends which state you land in as each have their own laws. You should be okay I think, remembering seeing a LHS Charger on the roads last weekend

Yes $12K will get you an R33 (see carsales.com.au for what you could get). To get an R34 here is about $18K upwards, four door versions cheaper

[Caspers_240]

Thanks for the link!

There appears to be no shortage of Skylines! I'm debating between a S14, R32 and R33.

If I go S14, then most of my s13 parts will cross over since I have a 2871r .86, S14 front and rear subframes, suspension arms, 1.5 LSD, coilovers, brakes, Z32 uprights w/ sphericals, ect..

BUT. If I get a R32, I can have multi-link front suspension w/ a RB25 on a well balanced chassis.... what to do, what to do?

R33, same as above, but add some length, width, and ~300lbs (136kg)

Haha, Looks like I'll have about 10 months to decide!

We're looking really hard at the Melbourne area.. My wife loves art from different cultures, I like the multiple road courses!

Thanks again!

[davehoos]

career opportunities for both myself (Electrician/Automated Systems) and my wife (Bookkeeper/Business Admin.).

look into this first.the answer to this issue answers all other question.
remember that trade skill levels are not compatible--my mechanical trade excepted in europe,but they have a higher level when they come here.my qualifications are excepted aust wide but we also have state lience.
same deal if not worse with electrical trades.there are lots of levels of electrical trade and qualification needs and liences and at this time they havent standardised qualifications across australia.
brother and brother inlaw have stopped working for mining construction projects due to the paperwork hassles.

import-you normally ship with personal stuff.
LHD are normally old-collectable-or have to be exported or destroyed.

depending on you job prospect you might be better of in a population area melb/sydney.
brisbane is going ahead and has high growth area to the south.

[Caspers_240]

^^Thanks for the wake-up call! I guess I should focus on the most important stuff first...

I'm 28 and have 6 years experience with electrical at different levels and applications. Hi and low voltage AC but, more recently, AC/DC automated systems using servo motors [plus extensive mechanical] controlled by eithernet based programming.

I'm very good at troubleshooting and have a extensive mechanical background that includes welding, and basic machine shop skills.

I think a high-level maintenance job at a production factory would be a good fit for my skill set. (Unless I can make a living building and driving race cars there! ) I work at a place that builds automated machines used for wrapping, sealing, and packaging cigars currently.

I have a degree in Computer Networking, but I do want to take some more electrical classes. Are you saying that I may need more qualifications to get a good job in my field?

Thanks for the input/info! This is really helpful in guiding me to better prepare myself for what isn't found in the other "migrating" websites.

[davehoos]

I have a degree in Computer Networking,

this isnt a electrician or electrical trade that i read into the question,I think matts at your skills level.
If your qualification is from known university it should be easy sailing.

productruction lines etc etc may well need you qualification IM thinking project planning.-computor networking degree gives off the smell of phone and IT not packaging.mates daughter installing phone towers across asia pacific.

large factory to reduce cost employ trade level workers then train them internally with skills needed.a supervisor signs off on a job if required.he is required to have the bits of paper.

I think a high-level maintenance job at a production factory would be a good fit for my skill set.

a common thought or comment when dealing with americans is lack of training or skills.
aussies travel over states side to work in and run race teams and hitech jobs without bits of paper.Ive a few mates that have done that.they get employed easy as they have better skills training than USA equivilent and over a broad range.

australia now due to skill shortages has been adopting american practice and changing the skill levels and training systems,training people to be wire conectors and bulb changes and calling them electricians.
im told this comes from europe but i find they have higher skill requirments than here.
however university is international.your training at a degree level should be recognised and be the same as if done here.

im in NSW north of newcastle and other states can have different systems.
Im a tradesmen/motor mechanic-automotive engineering certifcate level II.
I have other qualifications obtained at TAFE,,you may have to do exam or bridging coarse to recognise your other qualifications.I am a member of automotive engineershttp://www.iame.com.au/ and couldnt google a sencible link for you.just electrical trades union in each state and tafe training.

the people that know will be able to fill in the blanks. and electrical/computor trade will have similar association.

[Caspers_240]

I have a degree in Computer Networking,

this isnt a electrician or electrical trade that i read into the question,I think matts at your skills level.
If your qualification is from known university it should be easy sailing.

I have a two year (Associate's) degree in computer networking, but never had a chance to use it... The only job I could find in my location only paid out $7.50 per hr! I had to find other options in a town that didn't have many at all. So, I started working in the electrical field. And I've been doing that ever since. It "pays the bills," but I want more... There just isn't any opportunity here anymore, and it's not looking good for the future either!

I had a daughter at the age of 18, so to me, moving away from her wasn't really a option. I was stuck. But, she lives with us now , her mother is completely out of the picture, its time to find a better quality place.

Exactly, what do you call a "trade level worker"? If I'm understanding correctly, you mean skilled workers with out the proper certificates/degrees... Correct? I guess I need to google the pay-grade for them too! I would love to be put in a challenging situation such as project planning! I've always been way too held back at jobs from what I am capable of doing. Other people get angry and defensive if you pick up quickly and are eager to learn more.

aussies travel over states side to work in and run race teams and hitech jobs without bits of paper.Ive a few mates that have done that.they get employed easy as they have better skills training than USA equivilent and over a broad range.

Of course they do! Most American's import everything, and only turn left on the race track!

Honestly and sadly, I do not doubt this at all. America imports EVERYTHING, and exports almost nothing. [Now we're broke] Then when budget cuts are needed, the schools suffer first and the most. I want better for my kids and myself. This is what has lead me to Australia!

Thanks for the honestly and information. We have a 12 month plan to make it there and start a new life; but we realize that it's not going to be with out hard work and sacrifice. Any other helpful tips, links, warnings or other information is greatly appreciated.

[Matt]

Australia is lucky that it has a lot of resources to export otherwise we would not be pulling in as much money as we are now. If the circumstances were different we would be in larger debt like a lot of other countries importing more than they export

Even internationally recognised qualifiications are sometimes not enough to get you the same job here. Sometimes extra training is required before practicing the same profession here (for example medical degrees overseas may qualify for 3 of 7 years of a medical degree here)

A computing network degree may be enough to get your foot in the door here, but any electrical work may need to be supplemented by a electricians diploma or similar regardless of what previous training you had in the states before you can do electricians work (several friends have gone through TAFE and followed by low paying apprenticeships but now work in the mines and pull more money than I do). Agreed with Dave that Queensland, Melbourne, Sydney are better places to find work for what you are looking at

Dave - My degree was Bachelor of Information Science (maths and computer science) so that enables me to have the qualifications to perform software engineering (background in commercial and defence) as well as software/firmware used in Nistune which was originally began as a hobby

[davehoos]

Associate diploma is higher end of TAFE system.
mums been at me to do this type of stuff as famly members,she is a RN, have engineering degree and younger cousin a proffessor.sister has degree in busness management.25% of OZ has a degree or equal.20 yrs ago it was 10-15% and certified trade was king.

Ive just finished up at work put in notice at january-have a new job to go to.I was offered job to fit mudflaps and that aprentise get $25+hr and on call rates for breakdowns.skill not required as im known and others had qualifications--long term trap.

-US7.50 -is AU$8 now..I pay next to no tax,earn about $40K-but pay 10%GST for everthing I pay for medical but dont need to and education is reasonable free,I dont have dept-as a good third of oz do.-I live in a regional area similar to adelaide,the powers that be think we deserve lower rates of pay.locally you are divided into state and fedral pay awards,not a socialist but the trap for new aussies is contract pay as the conditions may be short term and one sided.

In 1988 I earned $50K+ doing the same work in sydney that i got $19K for in newcastle,and was better off.
in the years since then higher skills was required for higher pay.my tades certificate then was equal to a degree now.
no longer the case except for government and big buisness,electrician-plumbers are on statistics as being highest payed worker.brother inlaw last week was telling me how bad things are in the building trade as pay has dropped bellow $100K mark.

depending on cost-get a truck lience forklift crane ect.my mate earns more than i do doing odd jobs and pickups for an engineering company,another just quit as an engineer to pump concrete doing curbs and cemetary plots.

I have a heavy ridgid class lience unlimited wieght and axles but not a semi or a truck-trailer.
cost me AU$1000 as i dont have a truck.here you need this for a time to get a semi lience but most medium sized companies will have trucks requiring occasional drivers.

lots of work at decent pay for these "SKILLED" jobs and these are the SKILLs that companies look for.

BUT you need to work out what is minimal to get here Visa etc as plenty of people lined up to come in.
once here you find that a pay rates and conditions may be much higher doing things that you may not think of.
i know people that earn much more than I do mowing lawns and takeaway foods.

[davehoos]

http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1121i.pdf
contact address at the bottom for qualification needs.
you wife can get CPA qualification should get you up the list.

find someone to sponsor you-last resort is a regional sposor,that may suit you as its a 3 yr deal.
much better than independant migration.

[Caspers_240]

Even internationally recognised qualifiications are sometimes not enough to get you the same job here. Sometimes extra training is required before practicing the same profession here (for example medical degrees overseas may qualify for 3 of 7 years of a medical degree here)

A computing network degree may be enough to get your foot in the door here, but any electrical work may need to be supplemented by a electricians diploma or similar regardless of what previous training you had in the states before you can do electricians work

Hmmm.... Will I live in poverty while going through the training there?? I'd love to go back to school! I would do it here, but I just cannot afford it. =(

I went to school for networking strictly for the money I was promised, it's not my passion. i do like electrical though. Mainly PLC's and such... For the last two years I have been working with control systems; having both low voltage 220V/AC (controlling servo motors, heaters, ect), and 24V/DC (for banner sensors, fiber optic tri-tronics, and other safety features).

If I have to go back through a "apprentice program," or basically, start over, then I may try to get on with a tuner shop. That would DEFINITELY be my dream job. It's just not a option in my area... Out of curiosity, anyone have a idea of a expected salary for a reputable tuner shop? Matt... would you like to help "sponsor" our big move?!?

From my research; it seems as if I would need a job that would produce a salary of around $50k a year to support my family in Melbourne. Does this seem accurate, and/or feasible for me to obtain a position that will support us there (given my background already explained). My wife is also a hard worker, so I won't have to do it on my own... But I would love to be able to save some money for the future. It takes everything we can earn here to live comfortably. We have no retirement (or Super as it is called there) either... kinda scary.

Thank you guys so much for reading my extremely long post and offering your time and information!

I've read tons of info on the immi.gov site, plus lots more on others. The more I read, the more excited I get! But at the same time, it's a real treat to get a insider's view from real people!
Thanks again.