Why do you live outside of Oz?

[coolcricket]

Hi Prawn,

If weather is your problem, there is only one answer to your prayers --- sunny Dubai!!

You have the best of all worlds here--- 3am - ASX opens, 10am DIFX opens, after DIFX closes play the FTSE for awhile and at 6:30pm hit the DOW. Then do it all again.

We came for a year and have now racked up 4 and counting....

No shortage of things to do here and the "tax free" status has got to be a hook along with the weather.

Worth considering?

That sounds very nice EXDXBPAT. Wouldn't mind trying that myself one day, of course that is a few years off yet...

 

[theasxgorilla]

1. Girlfriend (be closer to her family)
2. Valuable life experience
3. Hedge my bets (dual citizenship)
4. Proximity to Europe
5. Could afford twice the house for half the money
6. Could afford twice the car for half the money
7. Much lower density living than Aust capital cities, but without the feeling of being in Hicksville
8. Career enhancement
9. See what Australia looks like from the outside
10. Get closer to the competitive 'horse sport' culture of Europe

 

[prawn_86]

EXDXBPAT,

We have considered Dubai and definetly want to go for a trip there to see what its like.

Can I ask about visa's and stuff like that? Is it as easy to obtain as Europe or are there any extra 'hoops' to jump through?

 

[Timmy]

Dubai sounds interesting EXDXBPAT. Are you working there or a private trader?

 

[EXDXBPAT]

EXDXBPAT,

We have considered Dubai and definetly want to go for a trip there to see what its like.

Can I ask about visa's and stuff like that? Is it as easy to obtain as Europe or are there any extra 'hoops' to jump through?

I agree that you should visit first; 30 day visit visa's are available at the airport and are hassle free for western/european nationalities. If you do take it further and intend to work here your employer will arrange visa's (3 years) for you and your spouse (very straight-forward but will have to have a medical - XRay and blood test).

For holiday purposes, Dubai is a 3-5 day stopover on the way to Europe. You can do all the touristy things easily in this time -the desert safari, gold souk, "Friday Brunch", Wild Wadi, shopping malls, 5 star restaurants and the dead calm beaches - (is this a ramp???)

In answer to Timmy's question I am not a trader, my partner and I work in Education here. Given that we have saved some cash and I have just completed an MBA ( a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing), I thought it was about time to do some research into the world of investing - and came across this site.

Re employment opportunities here: IMO given the intention of Dubai to become a regional trading & financial hub (and the fact that the region is flush with cash (from oil) and the fact that they are contracting finance professors from our Uni for "advice?" on investment methodologies) anyone with finance qualifications and 5-10 years experience would be snapped up quickly (one look at the Vacancies in the newspapers here confirms this). DIFX is only 3-4 years old so you would be pretty much getting in on the ground floor.... but may not be for everyone... DYOR!!


PS: I forgot one more hook - expat packages do include accommodation (which is a must) as it getting increasingly more expensive to source suitable accommodation as rents are increasing at min. 7% (law) but relistically 15% each year.

Hope that helps...

 

[Timmy]

Thanks EXDXBPAT - enjoy your Christmas celebrations there...just no brandy in the custard, right?

 

[wiseguy]

Looking at doing a london stint between 08-09 as the timezone would be ideal to trade the euro and US markets.
Just wondering if the weather is as 'bad' as they say it is?

 

[shonky]

The weather can be pretty grey if you are aiming to base yourself in London. Not a lot of sun in winter (although when it is, it is lovely). It doesn't get super cold, maybe -5 or slightly colder in a very cold winter. Summer can be lovely, not too hot, lots of sun. Admittedly the tube is pretty horrid in summer if it is hot, some of the lines add 7 degrees due to a lack of air conditioning (the tunnels aren't big enough, go figure).

From my perspective the pluses are:

- Travel - easy to get most places and for a minimal cost (£280 return to NYC, tax + £10 to get to a lot of European cities)
- Money - the £ is still very strong compared to the AUD. (Not as strong as 4 years ago, damn)
- Opportunities - you will be in a thriving economy and opportunities are endless

That said, I don't think I would rush to bring up children here.

Shonky

 

[prawn_86]

BUMP

Any other members out there want to share their reasons/experience?

 

[Porper]

BUMP

Any other members out there want to share their reasons/experience?

Seem to be a lot of people moving to the UK here, I moved from there to New Zealand, mainly because my now wife had lived here, also because I was sick of the lifestyle, work ethic.

New Zealand is far from paradise but it is so much more laid back it is not funny, yes wages pale in comparison, maybe earn a third less, but money isn't everyting.Lifestyle and being happy is.

I've been to Aussie numerous times and to me it seems to be somewhere inbetween the two regards lifestyle and wages.

I can't imagine why anybody would leave Australia or New Zealand to live in the UK, unless you are extremely wealthy and can afford to live in the well off areas.Of course the grass always looks greener on the other side.

 

[theasxgorilla]

I can't imagine why anybody would leave Australia or New Zealand to live in the UK, unless you are extremely wealthy and can afford to live in the well off areas.Of course the grass always looks greener on the other side.

You can earn a bucket in IT. Contract rates can be 3 x permanent wages if you are the right kind of specialist. The pound is a strong currency. If you earn in sterling, then save in sterling, then invest in sterling, all gains magnify when you move back to a region where the local currency has lower purchasing power.

And London has a special kind of lifestyle appeal to many. If you don't understand this then you don't understand this...no point arguing it, okay? But I do agree about needing a lot of money to live properly in practically any part of London. I know some of the upper-crust here in Sweden who refer to the houses in Chelsea that their relatives own as being rat-holes and shoe-boxes. Yet they cost 10+ times more than anything the Swedes would ever need to pay for a top shelf property. Bewildering when you think about it.

As for the rest of the country I can't comment because I've never been...but I hear the the countryside is something to behold.

I'll work and live in London for a couple of years before I die, and if learning Swedish gets to a point where it's doing my head in I'd probably move the the UK (countryside) before going back to Aust. I love Australia, in particular I LOVE Melbourne, but can't escape the feelings of isolation when I'm there. I also get disappointed by the lack of value that Australia places on style, class and innovation. Europe/UK feels so much nearer to the epicentre of these things.

ASX.G

 

[Porper]

And London has a special kind of lifestyle appeal to many. If you don't understand this then you don't understand this...no point arguing it, okay? ASX.G

I think London is great if you like the hussle bussle yuppy type lifestyle.It is one of the most cosmopolitan capitals of the world.A lot of Kiwis travel and work there to earn the big money and party all the time, they are usually very happy to come back though.

If you like the countryside, outdoor activities like fishing, not the place to live.

 

[Sean K]

South American rum.

 

[wayneL]

Seem to be a lot of people moving to the UK here, I moved from there to New Zealand, mainly because my now wife had lived here, also because I was sick of the lifestyle, work ethic.

New Zealand is far from paradise but it is so much more laid back it is not funny, yes wages pale in comparison, maybe earn a third less, but money isn't everyting.Lifestyle and being happy is.

I've been to Aussie numerous times and to me it seems to be somewhere inbetween the two regards lifestyle and wages.

I can't imagine why anybody would leave Australia or New Zealand to live in the UK, unless you are extremely wealthy and can afford to live in the well off areas.Of course the grass always looks greener on the other side.

Apparently, there are 400,000 Ozzies living in the UK.

It's horses for courses. I'll never bag Australia, but I don't miss it one iota. England has such a huge range of what "the English experience" actually is, that you can't say England is bad or good. It all depends on your situation.

A worker living in Birmingham or Nottingham inner city probably has a truly dire existence. But for someone with my interests (horses as one example), Australia is not a patch... not even remotely close.

Everybody is different.

 

[Porper]

Apparently, there are 400,000 Ozzies living in the UK.

It's horses for courses. I'll never bag Australia, but I don't miss it one iota. England has such a huge range of what "the English experience" actually is, that you can't say England is bad or good. It all depends on your situation.

A worker living in Birmingham or Nottingham inner city probably has a truly dire existence. But for someone with my interests (horses as one example), Australia is not a patch... not even remotely close.

Everybody is different.

I think you have hit the nail on the head there Wayne.The "English experience" is fantastic and I do miss the History, countryside, country pubs...............blimey, I think I want to move back

There is a big but though.A large percentage of citizens don't live like this, inner city life is not good and is indeed a meagre existence with drugs, violence and poverty all people can look forward to.

I take it most if not all people on this forum have not had a taste of this side of the UK.

 

[theasxgorilla]

There is a big but though.A large percentage of citizens don't live like this, inner city life is not good and is indeed a meagre existence with drugs, violence and poverty all people can look forward to.

I suppose this is among the reasons why the UK struggles to make the top 10 in the UN Human Development Index.