BGD Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 From the BBC this morning: "The number of British people emigrating to Australia has already increased from 8,749 in the year from 2001 to 2002 to 23,290 in 2005 to 2006. And it has just become easier for Brits to make their homes Down Under. Changes to the points system, which come into effect on 1 September, will award five valuable extra points for people who can pass a standard English language test, a Brit-friendly policy partly designed to lure more "poms" here." As regulars will know, Kathy and I emigrated from England about 5 years ago to live permanently in Spain. So, is anyone else seriously considering emigration.....if so, to where and why to there; and when? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliveH Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Yes we have considered France and also Spain. Oz is very attractive to us as we have family there, and we are lucky that we fit the criteria for a retirement visa. Friends of ours have bought a plot of land in Portugal and are having a house built. We will visit them when they are sorted and see what Portugal has to offer. But as we look after an elderly disabled relative we can not do anything just yet. That is where the caravan on a permanent pitch suits us down to the ground so we can have w/e’s away but still be available in an emergency. But we are planning a trip to Oz next year where we intend to have a week with family, then take a MH up the coast from Brisbane to Cairns. We just may not come back!!!! Or if we do, it will be only to sell up and finalise things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Presumably Australia offers a more inclusive form of immigration where you have access to their national health service? where as I believe France has recently changed their system excluding immigrants ( yes that includes you:-D ) from free national health service until they reach retirement age..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 As I understand it of you retire to OZ you will NEVER have any entitlement to any Australian health or medical services unless you contribute into their system for a number of years first whilst working there? So expensive medical insurance seems the only answer if you want to retire to the land of OZ? Can't blame them - but I do hope that we reciprocate by suitably charging all our Antipodean cousins that benefit from our NHS? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 JudgeMental - 2008-02-04 1:31 PM Presumably Australia offers a more inclusive form of immigration where you have access to their national health service? where as I believe France has recently changed their system excluding immigrants ( yes that includes you:-D ) from free national health service until they reach retirement age..... I may be wrong on this, but I thought the recent change to the French system only applied to non-workers. What they more or less called "overseas passengers" on their Taxpayer funded system. If you move to France and get a job, and therefore pay your French Social Security contributions, I thought you became included in their "NHS" style system. Can anyone with a more detailed knowledge advise as to whether my recollection is correct, or whether the ban does indeed also apply to people moving to and working in France? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingpete Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Just back from 5 weeks in OZ. Land of opportunity for those prepared to work. Those that don't end up hanging around waiting for the liquor stores to open at noon.It really is an ideal place, if you can stick the heat & dust in some parts.The seaside towns of Jurien Bay, Geraldton & Leeman are superb places in development stage. Done well, with individual designs of housing, depending on size of pockets.But you need to be able to live their life to enjoy, like 40 + temps, cold beers, enormous prawns, (common as winkles here ) fresh tropical fruit in gardens, wonderful wines, empty roads, cheap fuel. What more can you want ? (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 ive always said id hate to one day say "i wish i had done this years ago" i admire people that do go to live in hotter climates, personally id like to give it a try but its a case of not wanted to mend something that isnt broken. i have a good mostly easy to run business close family and friends here in nottingham. we have three young kids two of which have just started school, i think it only fair to give them a brittish education our local schools are good (we live in a nicer part of nottingham for anyone stratching their head). and having moved down to live with me from manchester karen is very settled and has lots of friends in the village. so for now at least, personal circumstances makes us better off still in uk. looking forward to the holidays Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Moving to Austria in about 2Yrs to retire, as my wife has a lot of family there. Houses are cheaper way of life better and children still respect their elders. So no Yobbos and Rastas intimidating people in the shopping precincts. Can't wait to get out of the overtaxed overgoverned cesspit that this country is becoming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 We would love to have the nerve to go and live in Spain, Portugal or France. BUT even if we did we would still retain a home in the UK - just in case! HOWEVER as we are both useless at languages and are fearful of coping as we got older and less capable I guess the reality is that we will just chicken out and stay in the UK. I am no great world wide traveller but my perception is that, for all it's faults, the UK is still one of the best and safest places in the world to live? And it's home! And most people speak a similar language to mine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Emigrate or not? It depends where to.Still searching for that elusive place where common standards of decency, civic pride, and respect for the environment are the values that smack you in the face whenever you venture outside. If anyone knows such a place, I’d appreciate the nod. Norway/>/> is the closest I’ve yet seen. Sadly the UK/>/> falls way short – and appears to be getting worse, particularly regarding mutual respect and civic pride. I don’t feel like there’s any compelling reason to stay here at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Agreed Steve absolutely - shame Norway is so bloody cold and they speak Norwegian! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Been to Oz and found 11 relatives. It is without doubt that if we didn,t have direct familly and in-laws to look after here we would be in Oz now. So much oportunity and so little bullshine! lovely people. AND ITS WARM . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 But Clive ... who's gazebo would we gather under at shows???? :'( And .... you'd miss us all .... and we'd miss you. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thai Bry Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Back to my homeland of Thailand for me.Only issue I've got is that Mary -Mrs Thai- has no comprehension of the Thai language, though all our friends would look after her and see her safely back home to England.Sad I know, as I've worked here most of my life, paid my taxes & dues, only to see the country that my father fought for during the war to go the way that it is.Thai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliveH Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Hi Brian PLEASE do not take offence at this but I found your comment very telling. Sometimes it takes someone with a more dispassionate analysis of what creeps up on those of us that live within the "system” to make us see what has actually happened. Yours is one of the most sobering post on this thread and I thank you for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 I'm an Australian who did things in reverse! We came here for 1 year and decided to stay! I often get asked, "Why on earth do you prefer England over Australia?" It's an interesting question. Australia offers great weather, wall to wall blue skies, a tremendous feeling of space, no crowded roads (except in the big cities of course), relatively little corruption in politics or other (I said "relatively"!!!), cheap houses, cheap and wonderful food and wine, little care for the outside world, a modern healthcare system, a freedom of spirit, and one of the most noticeable differences - a beaming smile and "can I help you, love?" from just about everyone in the service industry. The 40+ temperatures are only in some places... Australia is a big country and it is a crime to visit just Perth, Sydney and the Queensland coast. Tasmania, for example, is like a mini England, Germany and Holland all rolled up in one, but just a little warmer and dryer. The one big thing that Australia, Australians, miss... is a true sense of belonging. I don't mean patriotism, I mean roots. And I'm sure to get clobbered by any hand-over-your-heart dinkum aussie readers for saying so! But we still can't decide as a nation whether to be independant of the Queen of England! She can still sack our Prime Minister, for heavens' sake! As she did in 1975. You can spot the Australian in the airport, the one who's passport is overflowing with stamps. We travel the world in search of something, to see the world, yes, but in the end that just doesn't quite do it. Things are better for the current younger generation because Australia is finally growing up, but still, we have never fought a war on our soil, never been truly challenged as a nation, have no memory prior to the early 1800s. I sometimes feel we're missing a little "depth", and it shows in the culture. Anyway, I love my life in England. I re-enact the English Civil War all over the UK, I'm involved heavily in community activities, I travel everywhere in the UK and Europe. I have grown to appreciate your tolerant society. It is your tolerence that leads to so many of your frustrations, so many of the things I read in this forum, but it is also your tolerance that keeps life pleasant for so many. Tolerance breeds fairness. You are a very understanding lot. I have grown to appreciate and depend on that. It is perhaps your greatest asset, culturally. I often hear in the pub "Why can't our government be like yours! You turn away the illegal immigrants. You take a tough stance. You make them learn English blah blah." True, but this "less tolerant" attitude comes with a price, Australians are less tolerant of everything. It will come as a culture shock to those of you who decide to stay in Australia. Being a tourist in any country rarely affords you the opportunity to make real friends, mix in community circles etc. Only when you get off the tourist trail do you meet the real people. Don't get me wrong, we are a loving, warm people, who prefer a laugh over an argument, but we also see black and white where you see shades of grey. It's not a problem for most, in fact it's a breath of fresh air for many, but the undelying point is that it is "different" and may take some adjustment. I had to do the same in reverse when I came here. My total lack of PC, my saying what needs to be said, my black and white opinions, have got me into trouble on more than one occasion over here! The things I like "less" about this country include the weather (though I love the changing seasons, more dramatic than Oz), the press, the open lying and corruption in politics (also in Australia, but at least they try to hide it!!!), high prices, trains!, crowded roads and cities, that aspect of your culture where people never quite tell the whole truth (sorry!), greed, and the class system which has now moved from "it sort of still works", to holding back progress in business and the service industry. Things I love about this country include you, your tolerant and friendly nature, your desire to pull together, the ability to put your hand up and be invited immediately to help to make a difference, a strong community atmosphere, depth. I love the seasons, the cultural diversity, the beer!!, the dramatic landscape. Quite frankly, in response to "How are you going?", my answer is "I'm having a ball! Every day, the working week or weekend, is like a holiday to me. Britain is a playground for people who like to explore and experience." And so, we stay. What it comes down to, is what you're used to and what you enjoy. Some see moving to Australia as "escaping to a warmer climate, leaving behind a declining infrustructure, moving to a life of space and freedom". For me, moving to England is "seeking out some real history, finding a sense of belonging, being emmersed in diversity". I am Australian, will always be, and I love my homeland and Australians dearly. But I am now also British, and slowly integrating into the way of life here. I guess I feel so very fortunate to have both. Sorry that I have rambled on!... the only reason for my hitting the reply button was really to say that you have a magnificant country and culture that many of you take for granted (motorhome owners excluded, of course!). Britain is facing some real challenges, unhelped by poor quality governments and a falling community morale. This country is not second rate, it is first rate, a leader, a force to be respected. Emigration to Australia or anywhere else, could be fantastic, the absolutely right thing to do for some, but before you go, have a good look at all the things you will give up. Make the decision only after you have listed all the things you love and will lose here and all the things you will love and gain there, and made sure you're comfortable with the gap. And always remember, all those problems (we all have them) you have at the family level go with you. Moving abroad will never fix family problems, it will make them worse. And one last thing, then I'll stop typing!!!, the common scenario for new Australians emigrating from Britain is: Arrive in Australia, love it for 3 weeks, absolutely hate it for 5 months. This is the danger period. Then in the 7th month return to England for a visit, searching out those things you miss. After a few weeks in Britain you realise that during the last 6 months, Britain has moved on, the same old same old has got worse, and you remember why you left. You return to Australia, and wake up one morning in the 10th month knowing that everything will be alright. Or you spit the dummy and go home! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Hi Mom, A belated welcome to the mother land.I understand what you mean by roots.For me its a bit different.My wife,s side of the familly were military people who travelled all over the world. We have the wife's brother who did his stint in the RAF and then BAE systems but is now retired and lives at Drixford.My side of the familly are terrible at keeping in touch. One of the things I wanted to do was to re-establish contact with my mob when I retired.So the first major trip took us to Houston in Texas to see my cousin and her tribe. Calling on route to visit a long term friend on my wife,s familly's side in Ottawa. http://www.aqwc55.dsl.pipex.com/Nature%20notes%20America.htmThe following year it was to visit another of my cousins in Perth. They were married in England and I attended their wedding. Then one of their children emigrated to Oz, then they followed, the so did the second of their children.I don,t have much left in the UK apart from the wonderful comradeship of the MMM brigade, my wife, our 2 children, 5 grandchildren and a 92 year old mother-in-law that we take shopping nearly every week.When MIL pops her clogs and if I could take our direct tribe with us it would be Oz for sure. But its not that easy is it? The visit in 2006 was to be a "once in a lifetime" trip stopping at Sydney, Ayres rock on route to Perth but now we are intent on going again when things are a little more stable here. We did include a couple of weeks in a motorhome and toddled down the coast from Perth to Esperance. Fantastic.http://www.aqwc55.dsl.pipex.com/Nature%20notes%20Australia.htmWaffle over. C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Thanks Michael for that wonderfully balanced view. I too try and think on what is right with this land of ours rather than what is wrong and it does help as does making a point on NOT watching the news on TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted February 6, 2008 Author Share Posted February 6, 2008 Mom - an excellent post. Measured, balanced, positive and thought-provoking. Well done! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Yep enjoyed that mom ..nicely put it made me remember that we are a tollerant lot But when will the tollerance run out I wonder . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 crinklystarfish - 2008-02-05 10:30 AMEmigrate or not? It depends where to.Still searching for that elusive place where common standards of decency, civic pride, and respect for the environment are the values that smack you in the face whenever you venture outside. If anyone knows such a place, I’d appreciate the nod. Norway/>/> is the closest I’ve yet seen. Sadly the UK/>/> falls way short – and appears to be getting worse, particularly regarding mutual respect and civic pride. I don’t feel like there’s any compelling reason to stay here at all.Check out Austria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 If the Queen can still sack the Australian Prime Minister why the heck has she not sacked some of ours on the odd occasion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 That's a mighty fine question! It's normally only invoked if the Prime Minister is incompetent or has policies in place that are ruining the country. Mmmmm, I think I just restated your case!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Clive - 2008-02-06 10:53 PM If the Queen can still sack the Australian Prime Minister why the heck has she not sacked some of ours on the odd occasion? Why limit herself to the odd occasion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syd Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Why emigrate, why not fix what we have already got?? Would only take about 20 fulltime firing squads wouldn't it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.