Hi we are the Cosgrove family and like so many others are waiting for our visas.We thought that we would be in OZ by June but have been told that our application wont be processed now till 2012!.One minute Plumbers/Gas fitters were top of the list then there not even on the list.We even sold our house because the prices were dropping and are now renting and we are just in a waiting game (so frustrating)..We would love any support and advice on any matters re;living and working in Brisbane.Im a plumbing and gas engineer with solar qualifications,will i be able to land with my feet running or will i have to re-train? I know i need a liscence is this hard to get? cost? Do solar fitters earn more than plumbers/gas fitters? Whats the work situation like over there at mo? I was advised by my agent to do the Vet-Asess thing which i done and passed on Plumbing/Gas,was that worth doing,does it carry much weight out there?What can i expect to earn in my trade? We are not coming with tons of cash so will need a morgage to buy a house so salary will be vital,whats the rules and regs on that do we have to be there for any period of time before we can apply for morgage? Sorry to blitz you with questions but we just a bit scared but excited at same time.Me and my wife are both 39 and our kids are 11,9,and 2.Bye for now,Dave:wink:

 

Hi Guys

It was wrong how immigration just changed the rules ,but thats immigration for you !
I guess the benefit you have is that once it is granted you won't have to hang around waiting for a buyer for the house,lol.

Brisbane is great and its going no-where,lol, hopefully the exchange rate will have improved by the time you move, its not great at the moment,especially if your transfering a few quid.

Plumbers do have to get licences here,but lots of employers will still take you on whilst you are sorting it.
Have a look at this link as it should tell you whats required,depending on what certs you have now
http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/plumbing/plumbers-licensing.html

Good Luck with everything and yell if you need anymore info

Cal x

 

The waiting game

Hi Cal,thanks for the reply and the contact re;plumbing licence.Great website mate you might come in handy by the look of things!:wink: Speak soon Davey C

 

Hi Davey
Its good you are aware of what awaits you prior to your arrival,, but as i said don't worry too much as ive had a few plumbers stay and all secured work with companys before their licences came through, one is my now best friends husband and he had it tough due to his Corgi cert being out of date however he as worked flat out since he started job hunting and is never short of work.

You may want to look at a White Card too,these are safety cards that allow you to work on building sites,, the white card is state recognised unlike the original blue card, you cannot send off for it until you have an address here but you can practice the questions on-line
http://www.bluedogtraining.com.au/

Cal x

 

Hi Davey

So many people are in your situation and it stinks! It is terrible that these changes were made with no warning. Keep your chin up and don't give up.

Love

Rudi
x

 

Thanks Cal i will check that out,keep the priceless advice coming my friend.I get so many mixed stories its good to hear from someone like yourself x

 

Hi Rudi,yeah your not wrong,cant believe how they done that,but thats life.Thanks so much for your support we will get there in the end!!!!

 

You probably hear mixed story's because every family is different,, i see so many familys its easier for me 'to generalise' if you know what i mean.lol. I have seen plumbers arrive who had no idea they wouldnt be able to work accompanied or that they had to get licences,, its sad and can really set you back.
The forums are good because you get views from lots of different people but never take anything you read as gospel because one persons negative is anothers possitive.

Do you watch Wanted Down Under ? We should be on 2nd week of Feb, the BBC filmed an update with us a few weeks ago to be shown at the end of this present series (we were on series one),,you will be able to see how we have ''survived'' our first few years in Oz,lol.
A family i am friends with have also filmed one to be shown around the same time, so it would be good for you to see how different people 'deal' with everyday life once the 'holiday period' as worn off,lol
We arent allowed to see the shows until they have aired, and i cant get BBC over here so no mickey taking till i have seen it! lol

Cal x

 

Wanted down under! No ya not/Yes u are!

:rofl: Wanted down under (but not if your a plumber! that is until we change our minds again! lol).Hey Cal there is no chance of me missing that episode mate as the misses has it sky plus series linked! We watch WDU like other people watch Eastenders! LOL.I promise no micky taking mate,honest.Seriously though what you say is true about positive and negative views.We watch WDU and you see people saying OH THE GARDEN AINT VERY BIG or OH THE SMALL BEDROOM IS SMALL! then you see there gaff back in England and its tiny with no garden! Me and the mrs are shouting at the tv like nutters! Im sure some just go on there just for a free trip to oz and who can blame em.We have tried so many times to get on that programe we lost count.Anyway mate take care speak soon :rofl: DAVE

 

LOL, Im double hard me ya know,,lol ,you can take the mickey if you really wanted,lol, must admit all me and Gary did when we first saw our episode was laugh,and take the pee out of each other. Its funny how they edit things and even funnier how bloody northern i sounded,lol.
Will be interested to see the update as people say my accent as changed but i dont think it has, my daughter who is 6 bless her as a mix of aussie x northern and she sounds soo cute,lol.

You will see it before i do anyway, so make sure you let me know what its like,lol, warts and all ,lol

Cal x

 

Hey Cal cant wait to hear what a northern accent mixed with oz sounds like! Its a miricle anyone can understand you at all!LOL.Its so lovely when the littleones pick it up aswell.Just to let you and Gary know,i played golf at the weekend in ankle deep mud and rain!! Dont you ever wish you was back in blighty!NOT.Catch you later,Dave and Em.x

 

LOL, cold mud,,umm i really do miss that - Not,lol

Been pretty darn hot this last few days and rushing around getting the kids organised for the new school year as been no fun at all,lol,, thank god we have a pool to cool down in,lol, hard to get one in a rental but a must whaen you come to buy a house, especially if you have kids,lol.

Gary strugged with his accent when he arrived, a month after we had been here he went in the motorbike shop and asked for a chain and sproket for a CBR6,, the girl said '' a side car for what??'' lol.
You find youself talking r e a l l y s l o w ,lol just so they can understand you. My friend is an Aussie and her daughter is around here loads, its funny as some words she says now have a pommy northern twang too,,lol

Cal x

 

Hey Cal just watching you and Gary on the box and you have done so well ! You have a beautiful family. You 2 have inspired me and Emma (and the kids)to really see this thing through.You all look so relaxed and healthy compared to the film of you all when still in england.We did laugh at the lady who said how close the neighbours were (when you first went over).How are you with the spiders now? Garys foot looked quite bad on the film,still its better than getting eatin by a shark(BLIMEY)!Anyway hopefully one day soon we will meet you over in OZ.PS;Sorry but we had to watch with the subtitles on !! Espcially Gary !! Only joking Cal (Bloody Cockneys!!!!) Dave and Emma x

 

LOL,
Glad you enjoyed it,, maybe we need portable subtitles to help us with the aussies,,lol

Cal x

 

Hi Cal,

You're Wanted Down Under Revisted was on last week or the week b4 on BBC1 ! The hair has changed ! but you and the family look to have settled in no probs. We are starting to look again at Oz, we lived in Dubai for a few years and came back home 3yrs ago to the UK when we where having our baby girl, but we had started to look at going from Dubai to Oz back then, so back on the drawing board again. It's either Brisbane or Adelaide, and for what I have seen, a lot of sames and a lot of differences. Tons of websites, forums, books to look through, so will see what happens, and there is also a monthly magazine, Australia & New Zealand, here in the UK that I have started buying, which gives some good pointers. Hope your relocate biz is doing well, and say hi to the family, watched your episode about 5 times now !.

Cheers xx

 

Thats 5 times more than me then!! lol
I am dying to see it now, just waiting for the postman to drop a disc into my letterbox,,lol

Cal x

 

Hello Davey
Looks like we are in the same boat mate. Race ya there Best of luck to you and yours.

 

Also Dave if you dont mind me asking, as you are a plumber/gas engineer to im guessing you have done the practical vetassess test?
my paper test is being looked at as we speak but hope that should be ok, so just wondering where you went to take practical? also any info on how the day went and what was involved i would be gratful to hear.
Cant wait to get the vetassess out of the way, then i will feel i got the ball rolling for sure.
Thanks Dave
Kev

 

Hi Davey, this is a really late response, but I thought I'd add it in incase anyone else needs help in the future. If you are looking to work in that industry then you'll definitely need to complete your white card training certificate. If you (or anyone else) gets stuck and needs to know more information then checkout this site - www.whitecardinfo.com.au Hope it all worked out for you.