Emigrating/moving abroad. Anyone done it?
Discussion
Robertj21a said:
Vaud said:
Robertj21a said:
Vaud said:
New Zealand = UK in 1955 from what friends said to me...
I've said much the same when I've been there. You quite expect the small towns to be dominated by the Mothers Union but the cities like Auckland and Wellington are up there with most other modern centres. The scenery is exceptional, the pace of life is 'gentle' and the people are wonderful. It would be in my top 2-3 places to live long term. Robertj21a said:
Vaud said:
New Zealand = UK in 1955 from what friends said to me...
I've said much the same when I've been there. You quite expect the small towns to be dominated by the Mothers Union but the cities like Auckland and Wellington are up there with most other modern centres. The scenery is exceptional, the pace of life is 'gentle' and the people are wonderful. It would be in my top 2-3 places to live long term. I moved to Norway when I was 21 I think it was. The grass is a similar greenness the few months when you can see it. The sun is certainly not hotter... again when you see it! It's just coming back now after around 2 months of being away. Not 100% sure this is what you're looking for given your original post about heat etc!
King Herald said:
What would be the procedure for a Brit who wanted to live there? Visa required? Loads of money etc?
Points system to emigratehttp://www.visabureau.com/newzealand/emigrate-to-n...
Vaud said:
New Zealand = UK in 1955 from what friends said to me...
Depends where you live over here, alot of older (65+) peoples attitudes are stuck in the 50s. But on the whole its just as modern as the UK. We even voted for a pregnant woman to be PM.I've been here 10 years in May and would never moved back to the UK, lifes just so much better here. Despite a much higher cost of living.
I earn the national average, which is a high wage for New Plymouth. This gets me a 225sm house on 800sm of land. Something I could have never afforded in the UK.
The only thing I'd say I miss is availability of anything. It always has to be ordered in and unless you live in a main centre theres no specialist shops.
Edited by Tony Starks on Friday 19th January 19:19
I spent several years living in the South of France, near Monaco, and have recently moved to Mexico.
I'm 23, so obviously my outlook on life is going to be different to people with kids, massive mortgages etc.
The key thing to remember is that some things are going to be better than in the UK, and some things are going to be worse. It's up to you to weigh up those factors and decide if it's worth it for you. For me, it's pretty much as follows:
South of France advantages:
Laid back lifestyle
Great weather
Close to many beautiful countries
Lots to do all year round
Not prohibitively expensive - 1 bed flat 5 minutes from the Promenade Des Anglais in Nice cost me €650 PCM, studio flat 10 minutes drive from Monaco cost me €700
Almost every town you go to is clean, beautiful and interesting
Great French food and wine
South of France disadvantages:
No culture of service at all - getting basic stuff like internet installed is an utter nightmare
Horrific bureaucracy
High taxes (can be avoided depending on where you work / what you do)
Low wages unless you're willing to work very long hours, which kind of ruins the "laid back lifestyle" disadvantage
Not much decent International food
Mexico advantages:
Very friendly people
Ridiculously cheap housing: our 2 bed detached new build house in a private development cost £25k
Great weather
All kinds of fascinating cars around (I've somehow managed to end up with a boring Audi though)
Cost of eating out, petrol, etc etc very cheap
Lots of opportunities to work if you're motivated
Good service everywhere
Mexico disadvantages:
Very low salaries, although if you have the right contacts it's relatively easy to get a highly paid job
Poor infrastructure - roads with vast potholes, speed bumps 2x as high as UK ones, cities very polluted
Risk of crime - I wouldn't drive hours into the countryside late at night for example.
Inefficiency - people are often late, companies often don't work in a logical manner, etc etc.
For me, I'm incredibly happy with my decisions, but definitely acknowledge it isn't for everyone. I should probably mention that I had a job lined up before I went to France, and my girlfriend is Mexican, which made both moves far easier than they otherwise would have been.
I'm 23, so obviously my outlook on life is going to be different to people with kids, massive mortgages etc.
The key thing to remember is that some things are going to be better than in the UK, and some things are going to be worse. It's up to you to weigh up those factors and decide if it's worth it for you. For me, it's pretty much as follows:
South of France advantages:
Laid back lifestyle
Great weather
Close to many beautiful countries
Lots to do all year round
Not prohibitively expensive - 1 bed flat 5 minutes from the Promenade Des Anglais in Nice cost me €650 PCM, studio flat 10 minutes drive from Monaco cost me €700
Almost every town you go to is clean, beautiful and interesting
Great French food and wine
South of France disadvantages:
No culture of service at all - getting basic stuff like internet installed is an utter nightmare
Horrific bureaucracy
High taxes (can be avoided depending on where you work / what you do)
Low wages unless you're willing to work very long hours, which kind of ruins the "laid back lifestyle" disadvantage
Not much decent International food
Mexico advantages:
Very friendly people
Ridiculously cheap housing: our 2 bed detached new build house in a private development cost £25k
Great weather
All kinds of fascinating cars around (I've somehow managed to end up with a boring Audi though)
Cost of eating out, petrol, etc etc very cheap
Lots of opportunities to work if you're motivated
Good service everywhere
Mexico disadvantages:
Very low salaries, although if you have the right contacts it's relatively easy to get a highly paid job
Poor infrastructure - roads with vast potholes, speed bumps 2x as high as UK ones, cities very polluted
Risk of crime - I wouldn't drive hours into the countryside late at night for example.
Inefficiency - people are often late, companies often don't work in a logical manner, etc etc.
For me, I'm incredibly happy with my decisions, but definitely acknowledge it isn't for everyone. I should probably mention that I had a job lined up before I went to France, and my girlfriend is Mexican, which made both moves far easier than they otherwise would have been.
Vaud said:
I’m screwed already, a year too old. After 20 years of day dreaming about it I finally applied to emigrate to Australia a good while back. Filled in an online application, through an agency, they wrote back saying I was too close to my 45th birthday to get the process compelled in time. So after 20 years dicking around I missed the deadline by a couple of months.
I’m 57 now, retired, pension, house, so not like I would be some destitute beach bum in NZ.
I came to Australia on a working holiday visa, though through good luck I had a job lined up. Plenty come over, seek out sponsorship then permanent residency. I love it and have only been back to the UK once in 15 years. That’s the way to do it at your age and you’re not locked in to anything.
Today I’m moving house, first time in 13 years, to a place just a few beaches away from where they film Home & Away.
I can point you in the direction of many Sydney fire companies.
Today I’m moving house, first time in 13 years, to a place just a few beaches away from where they film Home & Away.
I can point you in the direction of many Sydney fire companies.
Geekman said:
I spent several years living in the South of France, near Monaco, and have recently moved to Mexico.
I'm 23, so obviously my outlook on life is going to be different to people with kids, massive mortgages etc.
The key thing to remember is that some things are going to be better than in the UK, and some things are going to be worse. It's up to you to weigh up those factors and decide if it's worth it for you. For me, it's pretty much as follows:
South of France advantages:
Laid back lifestyle
Great weather
Close to many beautiful countries
Lots to do all year roundabout
Not prohibitively expensive - 1 bed flat 5 minutes from the Promenade Des Anglais in Nice cost me €650 PCM, studio flat 10 minutes drive from Monaco cost me €700
Almost every town you go to is clean, beautiful and interesting
Great French food and wine
South of France disadvantages:
No culture of service at all - getting basic stuff like internet installed is an utter nightmare
Horrific bureaucracy
High taxes (can be avoided depending on where you work / what you do)
Low wages unless you're willing to work very long hours, which kind of ruins the "laid back lifestyle" disadvantage
Not much decent International food
Mexico advantages:
Very friendly people
Ridiculously cheap housing: our 2 bed detached new build house in a private development cost £25k
Great weather
All kinds of fascinating cars around (I've somehow managed to end up with a boring Audi though)
Cost of eating out, petrol, etc etc very cheap
Lots of opportunities to work if you're motivated
Good service everywhere
Mexico disadvantages:
Very low salaries, although if you have the right contacts it's relatively easy to get a highly paid job
Poor infrastructure - roads with vast potholes, speed bumps 2x as high as UK ones, cities very polluted
Risk of crime - I wouldn't drive hours into the countryside late at night for example.
Inefficiency - people are often late, companies often don't work in a logical manner, etc etc.
For me, I'm incredibly happy with my decisions, but definitely acknowledge it isn't for everyone. I should probably mention that I had a job lined up before I went to France, and my girlfriend is Mexican, which made both moves far easier than they otherwise would have been.
What part of mexico did you end up in. Its on my list of places to to live. I have the option of monterrey which should have job options. I'm 23, so obviously my outlook on life is going to be different to people with kids, massive mortgages etc.
The key thing to remember is that some things are going to be better than in the UK, and some things are going to be worse. It's up to you to weigh up those factors and decide if it's worth it for you. For me, it's pretty much as follows:
South of France advantages:
Laid back lifestyle
Great weather
Close to many beautiful countries
Lots to do all year roundabout
Not prohibitively expensive - 1 bed flat 5 minutes from the Promenade Des Anglais in Nice cost me €650 PCM, studio flat 10 minutes drive from Monaco cost me €700
Almost every town you go to is clean, beautiful and interesting
Great French food and wine
South of France disadvantages:
No culture of service at all - getting basic stuff like internet installed is an utter nightmare
Horrific bureaucracy
High taxes (can be avoided depending on where you work / what you do)
Low wages unless you're willing to work very long hours, which kind of ruins the "laid back lifestyle" disadvantage
Not much decent International food
Mexico advantages:
Very friendly people
Ridiculously cheap housing: our 2 bed detached new build house in a private development cost £25k
Great weather
All kinds of fascinating cars around (I've somehow managed to end up with a boring Audi though)
Cost of eating out, petrol, etc etc very cheap
Lots of opportunities to work if you're motivated
Good service everywhere
Mexico disadvantages:
Very low salaries, although if you have the right contacts it's relatively easy to get a highly paid job
Poor infrastructure - roads with vast potholes, speed bumps 2x as high as UK ones, cities very polluted
Risk of crime - I wouldn't drive hours into the countryside late at night for example.
Inefficiency - people are often late, companies often don't work in a logical manner, etc etc.
For me, I'm incredibly happy with my decisions, but definitely acknowledge it isn't for everyone. I should probably mention that I had a job lined up before I went to France, and my girlfriend is Mexican, which made both moves far easier than they otherwise would have been.
bazza white said:
What part of mexico did you end up in. Its on my list of places to to live. I have the option of monterrey which should have job options.
Monterrey, as it happens. You're right - there's a lot of work here: plenty of international companies and a lot of wealth about. The only disadvantage is that it's an extremely expensive place to live by Mexican standards, but still extremely cheap from a UK perspective.I left the UK 37 years ago aged 28, professionally qualified, moved back to the UK for a few years in the 90's and hated it.
If you go abroad,
1 forget professional progression, no country really recognizes professional qualifications obtained else where (except medical), you need to build your career in other ways.
2 Keep a way open to return, vey easy to get priced out of the house market, ( I still keep a small house in the UK in case I need it).
3 Think about the future, would you be happy for your kids to be educated in the local system? if not need to fund,
4 Do you get legal status in your chosen country, can you buy property in your name and build up assets?( I know loads of people 'retired in Thailand' who are on tourist visa, no long stay rights living in rented property.
5 If you go abroad with an employer, on a sponsored work permit and decide to stay, then look how to get of this onto a permanent right to reside in your name. You would not believe how many people I know in the oil industry who married and lived overseas for year, lost their job in the recession a few years ago, and their work permit and where forced to return. Lots of places outside the west do not grant spouse vises to males.
6 You need to be able to make living, working in bars on the beach is not long term, so you need good qualification that are needed and respected, or money to build your own business. I've meet several people in my daughters circle of friends who came overseas as fitness instructors in gyms, they all wanted to open their own gym, none succeeded,
7 Don't marry the first local girl you meet, (I told that to some one on here, and a few years latter he told me it was the best advice he ever had in his life)
If you go abroad,
1 forget professional progression, no country really recognizes professional qualifications obtained else where (except medical), you need to build your career in other ways.
2 Keep a way open to return, vey easy to get priced out of the house market, ( I still keep a small house in the UK in case I need it).
3 Think about the future, would you be happy for your kids to be educated in the local system? if not need to fund,
4 Do you get legal status in your chosen country, can you buy property in your name and build up assets?( I know loads of people 'retired in Thailand' who are on tourist visa, no long stay rights living in rented property.
5 If you go abroad with an employer, on a sponsored work permit and decide to stay, then look how to get of this onto a permanent right to reside in your name. You would not believe how many people I know in the oil industry who married and lived overseas for year, lost their job in the recession a few years ago, and their work permit and where forced to return. Lots of places outside the west do not grant spouse vises to males.
6 You need to be able to make living, working in bars on the beach is not long term, so you need good qualification that are needed and respected, or money to build your own business. I've meet several people in my daughters circle of friends who came overseas as fitness instructors in gyms, they all wanted to open their own gym, none succeeded,
7 Don't marry the first local girl you meet, (I told that to some one on here, and a few years latter he told me it was the best advice he ever had in his life)
been in Asia for nearly 20 years now.
Is it better than the UK? Dunno, definite pros and cons to both.
Would i go back to the UK? Only if i had absolutely no other option.
Plenty of problems, but then there are problems back in the UK too, just different ones!
You definitely not have as many safety nets, so have to make sure you have your own backup cash, insurances and options should things go south where you are, remember that in many countries if you loose your job for whatever reason, you generally have 30 days to bugger off or find another job.
The experiences however make it all worthwhile in my opinion!
So far have lived and worked in UK, Norway, Germany, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Hong Kong.
I have definitely learnt that i am more comfortable above 25c than below!!
Is it better than the UK? Dunno, definite pros and cons to both.
Would i go back to the UK? Only if i had absolutely no other option.
Plenty of problems, but then there are problems back in the UK too, just different ones!
You definitely not have as many safety nets, so have to make sure you have your own backup cash, insurances and options should things go south where you are, remember that in many countries if you loose your job for whatever reason, you generally have 30 days to bugger off or find another job.
The experiences however make it all worthwhile in my opinion!
So far have lived and worked in UK, Norway, Germany, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Hong Kong.
I have definitely learnt that i am more comfortable above 25c than below!!
I moved to NZ about 15 years ago, absolutely the right move for me. Lifestyle, country, population, climate all much better than where I used to live.
I've an awesome home with views you just can't get in the UK, beach right here, city centre 25 min away.
NZ is a pretty modern hitech place if you want etc.
Downsides is everywhere else is very far away and things like nightlife, big concerts theatre etc are more limited.
I've an awesome home with views you just can't get in the UK, beach right here, city centre 25 min away.
NZ is a pretty modern hitech place if you want etc.
Downsides is everywhere else is very far away and things like nightlife, big concerts theatre etc are more limited.
Dont mean to hijack but I have a bit of a specific question if anyone can answer. Currently in my early 20s, on my final year of my mechanical engineering degree. I really would like to move overseas, I am just not a fan of the UK (the weather, the curtain twitching culture, just doesn't seem a country for 'young' people), would love to try somewhere else before I settle down.
Got a few thousand saved, I've been looking at the US, Greece or Australia as I have family nearby there. Would those who've done it suggest sticking to the UK for a few years to get some experience working 'professionally', or to move the year I graduate?
Got a few thousand saved, I've been looking at the US, Greece or Australia as I have family nearby there. Would those who've done it suggest sticking to the UK for a few years to get some experience working 'professionally', or to move the year I graduate?
We packed up and moved out to the South Bay Area of California 4.5 years ago now. We didn’t have kids so that made it a lot easier. Don’t regret it for a moment.
I loved my cars and doing car things in the U.K. but got fed up of every weekend being wet and miserable and grey. For at least 6 months of the year here, it is sunny *every* day. It just makes you feel good waking up every day and it’s sunny.
We have the Sierra Nevada mountains 3.5 hours away and will often day trip there, Pacific coast 45 minutes away and so many hiking and biking trials, it’s fantastic.
BUT, it is damn expensive to live here. We’ve now bought our own property, but still expensive.
I loved my cars and doing car things in the U.K. but got fed up of every weekend being wet and miserable and grey. For at least 6 months of the year here, it is sunny *every* day. It just makes you feel good waking up every day and it’s sunny.
We have the Sierra Nevada mountains 3.5 hours away and will often day trip there, Pacific coast 45 minutes away and so many hiking and biking trials, it’s fantastic.
BUT, it is damn expensive to live here. We’ve now bought our own property, but still expensive.
If you can get on to a decent graduate training scheme then stay in UK for experience. Otherwise go.
I got two years experience in UK, then went to Asia 25 years ago. Originally planned for HK to be a short stint before India, (I hoped to get in early on their growth) but as stuff happened never went... now have HK and Indonesian residency rights but live/ work in Singapore
It took about 4-5 years for UK to no longer feel ‘home’. The reaction to Princess Di’s death was a turning point!
I got two years experience in UK, then went to Asia 25 years ago. Originally planned for HK to be a short stint before India, (I hoped to get in early on their growth) but as stuff happened never went... now have HK and Indonesian residency rights but live/ work in Singapore
It took about 4-5 years for UK to no longer feel ‘home’. The reaction to Princess Di’s death was a turning point!
Buy a cheap, simple Motorhome and book a ferry to France.
Download the 'Park4night' app to your phone. Use it to find free/cheap stops wherever you visit.
Drive and SEE as much of Europe as you can over a year. If you don't like somewhere, move on!
Obviously the above is budget-dependant but it's a good idea before you potentially commit to any one place.
You will come to the correct conclusion that the UK is largely and quite deeply s
t.... 
Download the 'Park4night' app to your phone. Use it to find free/cheap stops wherever you visit.
Drive and SEE as much of Europe as you can over a year. If you don't like somewhere, move on!
Obviously the above is budget-dependant but it's a good idea before you potentially commit to any one place.
You will come to the correct conclusion that the UK is largely and quite deeply s
t.... Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff