I need to make a tough decision and need some serious advice

[chibi_chibi_tsukino]

Hi guys, I need to make a really hard decision and just want to know what other people think. I seriously need some unbiased advice.

 

In late 2010 I moved from Germany to Australia to get a Master's degree but mainly to be able to be with my Australian boyfriend. Now that the end of my degree is approaching the big question is: Should I stay in Australia or move to Europe?

 

My main worry is that although I really want to be with my boyfriend in Australia, I am very concerned about getting a good job there. Getting my first job in Europe might (!) be a lot easier and I might be able to get a better position. But then there is the financial crisis … I have no idea whether I have reasons to worry about not getting a good job in Australia or if its most likely all going to be fine.

 

There are many pro's and con's:

 

Stay in Australia:

 

(+) I can be together with my boyfriend. The relationship means a lot to me.

(+) I love the climate.

(+) nice people

(+) Australia is NOT affected by the global financial crisis

 

(-) I would have to get a $ 3000 loan to pay for my visa (yes, it's THAT expensive!). I already have a $ 2500 student loan and I'm terrified to get into more debt.

(-) I am worried that my chances on the Australian labour market aren't very good. I will soon have an Australian Master's degree but I don't have much practical experience (2 internships and a few unqualified student jobs). Plus there aren't many vacancies in my field in Australia.

 

 

Move to Europe:

 

(+) I can move back in with my parents for free and apply for jobs in English and German speaking countries in Europe (I am considering Ireland, UK and Austria, NOT Germany)

(+) Getting my first job might be easier in Europe and there are better jobs out there than in Australia (salaries in Europe and Australia are comparable)

 

(-) It will be very difficult for me and my partner to have a future together. He just started his first job can needs to get 1-2 years of work experience before he can consider moving to any other country. It can also be difficult for us to arrange a permanent visa for him, unless we get married but I'm only 24 and feel way to young for that.

(-) Europe is in a deep economic crisis.

(-) If I consider how much a flight to Europe, paying rent for the first month, a bond, some basic supplies, etc will cost me once I found a job but before I get paid for the first time will cost me, I will have to get a loan, too. Probably comparable to the Australian visa cost.

 

What would you do?

[Nimphal]

I think your relationship is the most important thing - if you see a future with that person, I don't think anything else matters. And you seems to really like Australia, so my advice would be to go for what would make you happier :)

[Trig]

Okay, while I don't necessarily agree with Nimphal that your relationship is all that matters however I think you answered your question in your question. It seems that you moved to Australia mainly to be WITH your boyfriend, so I don't think you should throw that away. Nimphal is right though in that you should go for what makes you happier, and if you see a future with this person, then they should be a part of your decision. I also think you have demonstrated that there are more pros to Australia than there are to Britain- and your costs to move to Britain will essentially be the same as staying in Australia. Personally I would stay in Australia and try and find a job, and if something still isn't working out then you can consider other situations? If it's what makes you happiest- then go for it! Also I'd talk to your boyfriend about this :)

[lilshadowdweller]

I personally can't stand long distance relationships. I need the physical factor. It's a tough choice that you must make, however, if you are in a very serious relationship with a person who you can count on, you maybe alright. I know that it's important to be self-reliant and that in many circumstance relationships don't always work. If you have a special connection with somebody, that relationship can be just as important as your career as you pick a life partner. I share, financially, everything with my boyfriend.

 

Even if you don't obtain a job in your career, you could always take a small sale's job/fast food job on the side. Europe is heading down hill right now because of the Euro. I'm not sure if it's going to recover or not. The Australian dollar is pretty powerful.

 

You're merely worried that your choices aren't good. I would still research it. Entry-level jobs get your foot in the door. Recall not to set your expectations too high.

 

I'm like you, I despise being in debt and instantly re-paid my $3000 student loans. I'm sure that if you got just, say, a side job you could quickly focus on the loans you have and rid of them.

 

And two years isn't a lot to wait it out with your boyfriend, then, hopefully, you can make the decision to move or not together.

 

I'm envious of you being in Australia and all. xD

[Nataluna]

one issue with Australia is that you will probably need to get your PR for most jobs, and thats the expensive part. $3k is if you do it yourself, i've heard quotes of $5-7k for using an agent.

 

the speed of applications has improved, i know one person was on a bridging visa for ages (3 years), but recently the department seems to have done all their backlog (i know someone who got theirs done in 1 month). if you are also on the priority job list you probably won't need to worry about getting the PR though (but remember can't travel overseas once you submit an onshore application until its finalised)

 

it also depends on what your degree is in also. the window for government jobs i think has closed, but they take people from a variety of degrees, sometimes on contract work and its supposedly good pay.

 

if you are concerned about the job market, Australia has standards for pay, and so minimum wage standards are pretty high compared to other countries (base wage for a part timer over the age of 18 is $15-16/hr and casual is more like $20/hr i think. haven't looked at it recently but i know it went up a little, and most companies pay a bit more than the minimum wage. so getting a casual/part time job while you look for more permanent work is an option :)

 

depending on your degree, rural australia is seriously understaffed for health care and education, education i know if you rotate a year there, you can get higher pay than the city, and a first preference for city placement once its over. work experience is also a great way to start. if you are a business/law degree, many of the large companies run intern programs during the summer, and it often leads to job offers.

 

i'm probably.. a little biased (because i live here also :P) but i hope whatever you chose, you are happy with your decision :)

[Welcome Back Apathy]

If you obtained your master's in Australia, your chances in AUSTRALIA are probably better than in Europe. There may not be very many vacancies in Australia, but there aren't very many job vacancies in ANY field in Europe. And places tend to like it when they've heard of the college you went to.

 

I know this suggestion is going to be WAY THE HECK OUT THERE, but...

 

Marry your boyfriend.

Visa no longer necessary.

[nika_p]

I would suggest you that you stay in Australia and stay with your boyfriend.

 

I don't know if you know.... but... you know how many people are leaving Europe and they are moving to Australia or New Zealand? Because they don't have bright future here and they are going for a better life? Also in my county in really "trendy" to do that (if I can say that). Specially young people who are well educated don't want to work here because they don't get jobs and even if they do get it they are not paid well. And they're leaving.

 

But I know that's a hard decision to make ;)

[kittyparty]

How serious is your relationship with your boyfriend? It's a lot to think about so make sure your relationship is very strong before making such a costly commitment.

 

I think you would be very valuable in the job market in Australia because you can speak German and English. You will have an Australian degree so they already know you are somewhat established in Australia. Maybe you can even speak to the German embassy about potential jobs because you could be a translator or something!

 

You might be able to have your workplace help you pay for your visa or maybe there is a student to worker visa. For example, in my province (in Canada), if international students get a degree here, they can get a special work visa. Maybe there is a student to worker visa that would be a lot cheaper and easier to obtain versus a regular Australian work visa? I'd suggest talking to the international centre at your school because they could probably help you research your options.

 

Good luck and hope I was able to help you make your decision :)

[Guest little4lupe]

I would definitely stay in Australia. The pros outweigh the cons and - yes, if you think about it - the cost of the Visa will probably be similar to the amount you'll spend returning home, plus the expense of being away from your boyfriend!

[chibi_chibi_tsukino]

Wow, I didn't expect so much response! Thanks to everyone who wrote, I really appreciate it.

 

To answer a few questions that came up:

 

The ONLY visa I can possibly get is a (de-facto) spouse visa. This is the visa for all married and unmarried couples. There is no separate visa for married couples, they have to do exactly the same thing as I would have to, same cost, etc. (Only difference is that generally married couples don't have to provide as much evidence for their relationship. But I'm not worried about this aspect, my partner and I have plenty of evidence.) There is no other visa I can get, this is my only chance to stay in Australia and be able to work.

 

The relationship is pretty serious. We have been living together for about 1 1/2 years and plan our future together. The only serious problem is that I don't want to have kids while my partner wants to have kids 'someday'. It's not an issue at the moment but it might be in the future.

 

My worries about my future in Australia are fuelled by the drawn-out application process for the visa. If I'd apply tomorrow it would take 2-3 years until I get permanent residency. Until then I am allowed to work full-time, but a BIG concern is the question if potential employers would hire someone who is only on a temporary visa. The visa would always be dependent on the relationship and if we'd break up I would have to leave the country. I'm not worried about a break up, but an employer might be.

 

EDIT - I just did what I should have done months ago - I picked up the phone, called Australian companies and asked if they'd have a problem with someone on a temporary visa. Turns out it doesn't worry them at all. They would still hire me as long as I meet their selection criteria and make it through the interview! I just felt such a relief!

[Jacky]

Hi there ^_^

 

I just wanted to drop my 2 cents here, as I kind of have experience with this issue.

 

I am from Holland. When I met my current hubby (Half Belgian, half Italian) the first thing he asked was if I would go to the USA with him if we had the chance. I told him that I would go to the end of the world with him if that was what it took. :P

 

Anyway, about a year and a half later, he got the news that he had won the green card lottery. The first letter is not very serious though, so we didn't worry about it, until another year later when we got another letter saying we were invited for an interview at the US embassy in Belgium. One problem; if I wanted to go, we had to be married before the interview, which was 7 weeks later. So, either we had to part ways, or I had to marry him. Obviously, I chose the latter. Anyway, what I am saying; I didnt feel like I was ready to get married yet, but I listened to my heart. And my heart tells me that if I didn't do it I would have wondered what it would have been like my whole life.

 

So to keep it short, I say: GO FOR IT! Your family will ALWAYS be there in Germany, and if it ever goes wrong, you can always hop on a plane and go home. Going back to Aussie will probably not be so easy anymore after you leave.

[Nataluna]

glad to hear you got a positive response from companies :D wish you all the best in applying for jobs and hopefully settling here! :D or in still deciding (its a seriously big decision) i know someone who got the spousal visa, and it seemed pretty straight forward, they didn't have any problems :)

[chibi_chibi_tsukino]

Many thanks to everyone who replied. It was really helpful! I've now decided to stay in Australia and I'm so happy with that decision. (My family back home to so much, but I think they sort of felt it was coming). The last few weeks I started applying for jobs and about 20 applications got me 3 interview invitations. The jobs I can get are not that great but they are ok for now. This all made me realize that I could never ever leave my boyfriend behind, not after all the thing that we've shared <3

[Jacky]

Great that you made this decision! Like I said earlier, you can always go back home. :) Good luck getting a wonderful job, I'm sure you'll do perfectly fine!

[chibi_chibi_tsukino]

Anyone guesses what happened next? Yesterday I got an awesome job offer from an organisation in Germany. Many because my dad has the right connections. Salary is decent, above average and the job offers a enormous amount of responsibility from an entry level position which I'd love! It would give me a fantastic start into my career. The downside is that the what I would actually do at the job doesn't interest me that much. I would also have to stay there for 3-4 years and that would most likely be the end of my relationship =/ Although the job offer really really tempting I seriously think I will have to turn it down. I don't wanna move back to Germany and I really want to be with my boyfriend. Just hope I can find something close in Australia.

[Jacky]

how long do you have to consider it? But then again, to me it sounds like you already made up your mind anyway ;)

[chibi_chibi_tsukino]

I have another week. But you're right, I've pretty much made up my mind. My decision is probably not the smartest choice, but then again I'm only 24 and I think it's okay if being with my boyfriend and living/travelling abroad is more important to me than getting the best possible entry level job. I know that one day I will have to focus on my career but for now it's okay to take a risk.

[silbert]

I guess I'm slightly late to this discussion, but here's my experience with long distance relationships -

 

I'm originally from Singapore, but I've spent time living in California, New York and Hong Kong because of my family. I'm now studying in London and I've got a job offer for when I graduate.

 

I've been with my girlfriend for almost 7 years now, which is amazingly long considering the fact that I'm only 24, but hey, she's the love of my life and I've never felt more comfortable with any other human on this earth. SHHHH I'm proposing to her in a couple of months and I'm totally freaking out. We share our neopets account ;)

 

She's from Singapore too, and we spent a year doing long distance - it's complicated because I spent a couple of years in the Army while she went on to university, which meant that she was 2 years ahead of me. When it came time for me to go to university, she was starting her third year.

 

In short, long distance never works. When I first left for London, we were at the 4 to 5 year mark in our relationship, and all it took was 3 weeks to break the whole relationship down. I really didn't want to lose the relationship so I flew back and forth like 12 times that year.

 

But.. if you're really meant to be together, things somehow have a way of working themselves out... after much effort she's managed to get a job in London. she's moved here and it's been awesome. In exchange, I promised her that we'd move back after about 5 years and finally settle down.

 

It's not just a one way road - perhaps you could come to a similar arrangement with your boyfriend? I hear that applying for jobs is insanely difficult for a foreigner in Australia and I'm going to bet you'll miss your family lots too. Plus the beer in Australia is total rubbish. <3 Oktoberfest :)