STILL DECIDING

[Carien]

Thanks Johan and Zorba.

I totally agree with you. We decided to give it a go. It was a hard decision, but we prayed and prayed and finally received a green light from Above.

We applied for our passports and I am preparing my skills assessment. If we dont try, we might just never know what we have missed.

So, we are working on Plan B - now for the dreadful wait...

Carien

[Ready2go]

Glad to hear you have received the "green light". This is a very difficult decision to make alone.

If you just remember that line on the bottom of your post, especially when the immigration rollar coaster seems to be going down when all you want is to go up, you will be just fine.

I was where you are now last year, got the green light, waited at the crossroads for 267 days, and am now soon to be on the highway flying out of here.

Hang in there,

[LeeInOz]

I also heard that in the future it is going to be very difficult to get a VISA not even to mention Permanent Residence. I believe they start to limit the amount of people coming into the country. The economy also has a roll to play and we know the worlds finances are in trouble. For the people that still want to come, don’t stop trying. You never know.

If you don’t have a hook with bait on the line in the water, you don’t stand a change of catching anything!!

I went to the immigration website and downloaded a document called the DIAC plan 2008 2011. It does not mention cutting back on visas, and infact says will deliver the largest migration program in over 60 years. Many years ago I was wondering whether migration would stay on the charts (before we applied in 2003). On the government site it said that migration will be the key to Australia becoming a bigger player. It said that skilled Australians leave here to work elsewhere CAnada USA UK etc, so migrants will stay as is. VIC and NSW will reduce but QLD WA are still booming. China buys a lot of coal from here and China is slowing to 6% growth

Calibrated. I have met several South Africans I silently wish had never arrived here . I am not saying you are one but they run down Australia to Australians, and woder why they are abused, much like foreigners were in South Africa.

I agree with Johan, life is an adventure and 4 years later despite the reluctance to change systems, I have had more training here in the last 4 years than I had in the last 15 years in South Africa

[Carien]

Wow, 9 slapies!!!! I am sure you have butterflies in your tummy!

Please let us know your first thoughts on Australia.