Visas & Advice Detail
Research trips or not?
Relocating thousands of miles across the world to Australia might be enough of a challenge, but what if you’ve never even visited the country before you make the permanent move?
Steve, Marie and Laura Wright went on a fact-finding trip before they moved to Oz, while Linda Jones took a leap of faith. So, which is best for you?
Linda Jones first featured in Emigrate Australia in December 2005. She and husband Richard decided to leave the UK and settle in Australia without a research trip. The couple now live about 25 kilometres north of Sydney. Linda now works as an emigration agent.
As to whether a research trip could have prepared us better, the answer is definitely no. One reason was the fact that we did not want to look at Australia through holiday glasses. Also, given that we were on the Skilled Independent visa with no family, friends or jobs, we wanted the challenge of all or nothing. A research trip to Australia would have eaten into our savings, and we didn't know anyone there who could have helped us anyway.
A visit can also delay your departure because once you have validated your visa you then have another five years to make the final move.
On the other hand, I do feel our migration circumstances are relatively different to the majority of people who migrate and have family and friends for support therefore I can see a research trip being of benefit as each state is so different and so are the work opportunities. Some people have specific lifestyles they want to maintain that are also determined by area. It is so important to get settled in the right place with all the boxes ticked, after all it is a huge step in the first place to emigrate to a new country.
The choice to make a fact-finding trip should be made on an individual basis. A lot of people come to Australia on the Working Holiday Visa or visit relatives so they know exactly where they are headed.
For others who have not visited Australia before, a research trip would be of benefit as they may want to research the area where their relatives are settled. It can also depend on work opportunities. With Australia being so vast, and the states and territories so different, if one is going to make a research trip then a well planned and scheduled itinerary is essential for the first visit. Some people can be unprepared for the distances between the capital cities so there is a lot to prepare.
The single best way to research Australia before heading there if you're not going to take a research trip is the Internet. For us there were two factors that influenced our decision as to where we wanted to settle in Australia: jobs and climate. For others it can be dependent on where their relatives live for family support, as well as the work factor. There would be no point in going to a state where there was no chance of attaining employment unless one was retired.
Research on employment opportunities can be done via the Internet prior to the move - try EmiLinks to start with! We contacted several agencies with my husband's CV prior to our arrival in Australia. One recruitment agency was so keen to see us that he interviewed Richard the day after we arrived. He then subsequently arranged a job interview and my husband is still with that employer. An employer will generally not wait for you unless there are mitigating circumstances, therefore searching for employment should be done in a timely manner in order to pre-arrange interviews before your arrival, when the actual physical interview can take place.
Steve and Marie, along with daughter Laura, chose Australia after visiting Florida. They moved there permanently in 2004 after two separate research trips. They now live in Hervey Bay, Queensland, which they discovered on their fact-finding trip.
We think that a research trip is essential. How some people emigrate without ever setting foot on Australian soil is beyond us. We found it very rewarding and satisfying to know when we left England we had some idea on where we were going. We actually had two research trips. On the first Steve went by himself and travelled from Sydney to Cairns, checking out all the places we had researched on the Internet.
From that trip we were able to shortlist a few places and then we had another trip for all the family to see the shortlisted places. Although the two trips did not come cheap we were lucky enough to be able to afford them and not make too much of a dent in our funds. I suppose those on a tighter budget would ask if the trip was necessary. Yes it is! From the research trip we were able to get a feel for the places, something you can't get over the net.
We talked to everyone we could and got local opinions, although they were all biased towards their home towns. Speak to the locals and take time in each place to have a good look around. We obtained local maps from the real estate offices and drove around putting smiley or sad faces on the areas we liked or disliked. When you get back home you can't remember all the information you have obtained so take plenty of notes, and maybe keep a diary as I did, to help keep track.
British expats are really helpful in providing ideas and helping you. We have made loads of friends and all help one another out. It may be easier if going to the city to find other expats but as we were going to a smaller place we just used the pen pal column in the newspaper and we now have two really close friends in Hervey Bay.
Research trip tips
For job-hunting purposes, network in the area as much as you can. Word of mouth is as important in some cases as handing out CVs to potential employees. Expats can also be a good resource for finding out local knowledge and opportunities for migrants.
It's best to go during off-peak season to get a good idea of weather, daily congestion and so on – going during the holiday season when there is hardly any traffic and all-day sunshine will give you an unbalanced perspective.
Be realistic as to how much ground you can cover. It may be a good idea to focus on some specific areas that you have planned to see beforehand.
Remember to strike a balance between having a great holiday and actually researching the areas you visit – it's no good knowing the local beaches inside out and not visiting local schools and estate agents.
Be honest with yourself, and your partner if you are travelling together. Evaluate Australia with an open mind. Instead of trying to 'cover over' any negative points – ask yourself if you could live with them day to day.
Register for your FREE emigration starter pack
Let EmiLinks help you with your Australian research
Subscribe to Emigrate magazine. Read more ...