Moving To Australia - Moving Abroad

Many people consider a move to Australia because it has great weather, relaxed attitude to life and great job prospects. Moving to Australia is a way for many people to start a new life and with only around 6% unemployment skilled trade�s people and professionals like nurses, accountants and teachers are normally in demand.

Making the move to Australia is big decision and it might be a good idea to take an extended holiday there to see if it suits before making a final decision on relocating to Australia on a permanent basis. It is also possible to get a working holiday visa that allows you to stay for 12 months and work during that time. There are stipulations and criteria attached to the visa being issued but if you don�t have a criminal record and have enough funds to support yourself for your stay, then your application should be pretty straightforward. This might be better than an Australian holiday for some as it gives more time to make a final decision on a move to Australia. It also lets you assess work opportunities and gives a taste of the lifestyle you might have if you eventually decide to emigrate to Australia.

The cost of living in Australia is pretty similar to that in the UK. Many people initially think it is cheaper, but when wages and accommodation costs are evaluated there�s not a whole lot of difference, (apart from the brilliant weather, wide range of outdoor activities and sports on offer. Need we go on?)

We all know about the sunshine, the beaches and the barbecues, but what about living in Australia permanently? How do you go about making a move to Australia?

Australia � the emigration process

If you want to emigrate to Australia there are some criteria you have to fill. The only way for skilled workers to emigrate to Australia is The General Skilled Migration (GSM) Program. To qualify, applicants must meet the basic requirements of the program and pass the Australian immigration Points Test. These skilled points test are available online and points are awarded for different criteria, skills, age, etc. Only jobs on the current Skilled Occupation List (SOL) are considered in applications and this list and other available type of visas can all be found online at the Australian Visa Bureau.

A shortfall of skills in certain professions especially medical � like doctors, and dentists means a move to Australia can be fast tracked so professionals in these fields can gain Australian visas quicker.

If all the points counting and form filling seems like a chore, you can get someone to do it for you. A Migration Agent will assess your eligibility for moving to Australia (usually for free) and if you are eligible they will tell you all the various forms you need to get to apply, They will then fill in the forms �with your help- and then present the application for your move to Australia for you.

The whole application process to emigrate to Australia can take up to 12 months, so if you are thinking about moving to Australia it may well be worth setting the wheels in motion now.

If Australia as a country sounds like it might be for you, then read on for some further ino on the country�s favourite cities for relocation.

Melbourne

One of the UK�s favourite cities for a permanent move is Melbourne.  This city is often said to be move �livable� than the likes of Sydney, but still has plenty of pull factors including a wonderful city centre for shopping and nightlife, plus the nearby Great Ocean Road and Yarra Valley.

Sydney

The most glamorous of Australia�s cities, Sydney is a tourist hot spot, but can also make a great permanent residence.  I actually lived in Sydney�s Eastern Suburbs � Rushcutters Bay, to be precise � and absolutely loved it.  I was only a couple of metro stops away from Bondi Junction, home to the Westfield shopping centre.  From here, it�s just a 5 minute bus ride to Bondi Beach and its neighbours Coogee et al.  There�s also the delightful Manly, a small beach just a short ferry ride away from Circular Quay.

It�s all-go in Sydney, with plenty to see, places to eat and things to do.  Job prospects here also tend to be great, although property is certainly not cheap!

Other options include Brisbane and Adelaide � very livable cities but without the �wow� factor of their cousins.  For a more relaxing escape, Perth in Western Australian is a very popular choice with Brits.