Relocation: Phil Down Under returns to Australia for a second series

by Stephanie 14/01/2011 15:55:00

Property expert Phil Spencer uses his skills to find
perfect homes Down Under. (Image: Channel 4)

Phil Spencer returns to our screens tonight, helping to relocate six more families into their dream home in Australia with Relocation: Phil Down Under. 

This is the second series of Relocation: Phil Down Under, and during the six episodes Phil visits Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra, Sydney, the Central Coast and the Gold Coast to explore appealing areas for the aspiring ex-pat. He also provides tips and ideas for anyone thinking of emigrating to Australia.

Phil looks into the realities of life in Oz, from the booming property market to finding out the secrets of success stories from Brits who have made it. He also finds out the best jobs on offer to gain an Australia Visa, from catching Wombats in the Outback to being a flying instructor over Sydney harbour. 

In a regular feature in the show, Phil investigates the Skilled Occupation List, an important part of the Australia Visa application process under General Skilled Migration.  

Relocation: Phil Down Under. Friday nights at 8pm on Channel 4 and on 4OD

 

 

Season 2 Episode 1  – Melbourne

Tom and Julie Pickup  from Manchester are social workers seeking a new adventure and a fresh start. Tom and Julie are currently renting a house near the beach with their two young kids, but are keen to put down roots. In Melbourne, Phil meets up with a vet from Sheffield and a couple who have made a huge success out of their bakery business in Australia.
Friday, 14  January at 8pm on Channel 4 and on 4OD 

Season 2 Episode 3 - Canberra

Homebirds Rob and Catherine Morris had barely left Wales when they made the life changing decision to move with their family across to Canberra, Australia. Now they desperately need Phil’s help to get their heads around the complicated housing market and help them settle in. While in Canberra, Phil takes a ride from a balloon pilot from Surrey and visits the local neonatal ward, where he meets some premature babies and helps a Scottish nurse.
Friday, 28  January at 8pm on Channel 4 and on 4OD 

Season 2 Episode 5 – Sydney

Late-twenties professional pals, Alistair and David decided to escape the credit crunch in the UK and transfer to Sydney with work. These flatmates are both desperate to own a property, but buying individually in the most expensive place in the world is impossible. The pair have joined forces and decided to combine their finances to buy a bachelor pad in a young, funky area of the city. While in Sydney, Phil takes a lesson from a flight instructor who moved across from Hampshire and now does the job of his dreams. He also meets a Brit who started up her own business – teaching yoga on the beach.
Friday, 11 February at 8pm on Channel 4 and on 4OD 

Season 2 Episode 2 – Adelaide

Phil helps Jason and Lisa Dancer find the home of their dreams. Having had a tough time over the last few years, this family see their move as a fresh start. Phil also goes wombat catching with a conservationist from Aberdeen and meets a mechanic who moved to Australia en masse with 23 other members of his family.
Friday, 21  January at 8pm on Channel 4 and on 4OD 

Season 2 Episode 4 – Central Coast

Ian and Julie Leigh recently retired and were left with an empty nest when both sets of children moved to the other side of the world. They’ve paid a whopping £40k to be reunited with their children and grandchildren – meeting their granddaughter for the first time on arrival to Sydney. Phil also meets a science teacher from Yorkshire and takes a trip to a successful spice shop owned by two Brits.
Friday, 4 February at 8pm on Channel 4 and on 4OD 

Season 2 Episode 6 – Gold Coast

After holidaying to Surfers Paradise in 2009, the Hale’s fell in love with the Gold Coast and made the brave decision to sell their business and 6 bedroom house in Grimsby, pack up their lives and move to Australia in search of a more family orientated lifestyle. Can Phil help this fussy couple find the Aussie home they are after? He also meets a British boat builder as well as a successful couple from Sutton Coldfield who found a niche in the market for British Fish & Chips!
Friday, 18 February at 8pm on Channel 4 and on 4OD  

- Stephanie Bradley is Content and Communications Editor for the Australian Visa Bureau.

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

Wanted Down Under: Series Five now showing

by Stephanie 07/01/2011 14:38:00

Wanted Down Under Series Five is now being
shown on BBC1 (Image: BBC).

A new series of the popular Wanted Down Under television programme is now being shown on BBC1 on weekday mornings, and for a limited time on BBC iPlayer.

The reality series program hosted by Nicki Chapman flys British families to Australia and New Zealand for a week so they can experience how their life might be changed if they moved Down Under.

The episodes give an insight into the lifestyle in popular cities and a good indication of property prices, as well as employment opportunities.  However, Wanted Down Under also touches on the real challenges faced from moving thousands of miles away from family and friends, and the difficult choices a family might have to make. 

Those who are considering applying for an Australia Visa or currently in the process of moving permanently overseas may find the program provides a helpful illustration of Australian life.

The episodes include:

Season 5 Episode 1

Booth Family: Brisbane
Helen and Tim Booth and their two children, from Cheshire, try life in Brisbane for a week. Helen has dreamt of emigrating since she was 18, but teenage daughter Steph is not so sure. If she cannot be convinced of a new life in Australia, will Helen have to sacrifice her dreams? 
Monday 4 January at 9.15 on BBC1 and on BBC iPlayer

Season 5 Episode 3

Little Family: Melbourne
Simon and Heather Little and their two sons want to escape the rain of Britain and enjoy the outdoor life in sunny Australia. Wanted Down Under offers them a week to try out life in Melbourne to see if they can they afford their dream. But the biggest problem might be convincing their two teenage sons they have a future down under. 
Wednesday 6 January at 9.15 on BBC1 and on BBC iPlayer

Season 5 Episode 5

Paton Family: Adelaide
Nicki Chapman tries to help Alan Paton from Carmarthenshire find a home in Australia, where he hopes to have a better quality of life with his family. The demands of running a tree surgery business have left him wanting to spend more time with his wife and three daughters.
Friday 8 January at 9.15 on BBC1 and on BBC iPlayer

Season 5 Episode 7

McEvoy/Wareham Family: Melbourne
Science teacher Stephen McEvoy, from Port Sunlight, Wirral, dreams of playing tennis in the Australian sunshine, but partner Fred Wareham has a large family at home which he would find hard to leave behind. Would life in Melbourne be better for both of them, or just for Stephen? They have a week to see if Australia can provide the opportunities they seek.
Tuesday 11 January at 9.15am on BBC1 and on BBC iPlayer 

Season 5 Episode 9

Homes: Christchurch
Paul Holmes from Ulverston in Cumbria is desperate to move his family to New Zealand. However, his wife Sarah is uncertain about uprooting their five children from the town where she grew up, and where her parents and childhood friends still live. Paul faces a tough week in Christchurch trying to convince his family to make the move to New Zealand permanent.
Thursday 13 January at 9.15am on BBC1 and on BBC iPlayer 

Season 5 Episode 2 

Horn Family: Adelaide
Self-employed glazer Andy and pre-school teacher Lynn Horn from Herne Bay have their work cut out to try and convince their two reluctant teenagers that life would be better in Australia. They spend a week in Adelaide to see if Australia is for them.
Tuesday 5 January at 9.15 on BBC1 and on BBC iPlayer

Season 5 Episode 4

Mannall Family: Christchurch
Financial advisor Andrew Mannall from Great Yarmouth has found life tough since the collapse in the UK housing market. He wants to move to New Zealand, where he believes he can earn a better living and have more time to spend with his family. He has one week in Christchurch to convince everyone a move would work. 
Thursday 7 January at 9.15 on BBC1 and on BBC iPlayer

Season 5 Episode 6

Cliff Family: Adelaide
Nicola and Jimmy Cliff from Leeds want to build a better future for their three young boys. Bricklayer Jimmy has struggled to find work in the UK and hopes Australia will give him the chance to provide for his family but Nicola is reluctant to leave all her family and friends.
Monday 10 January at 9.15am on BBC1 and on BBC iPlayer 

Season 5 Episode 8

Nowell/Horton Family: Brisbane
Car mechanic Simon Nowell dreams of a new life down under, but his fiancee Laurie's doubts are holding them back. Whilst staying in Brisbane they look for work and a home, and try and find a lifestyle to make the move worth the pain of leaving close family behind.
Wednesday 12 January at 9.15am on BBC1 and on BBC iPlayer 

Season 5 Episode 10

Wells Family: Brisbane
Simon Wells lives near Brighton and wants to move his family and ice-cream business to Australia. He's already sold the family home and is putting everything on emigrating. However, his wife Kerry and their two children are reluctant to move. Will a week in Brisbane make Simon's gamble pay off or will he be forced to return home and give up his dream?
Friday 14 January at 9.15am on BBC1 and on BBC iPlayer 

The Wanted Down Under Series 5 contains 20 episodes, and we will update you with more episode synopses as they are released.

- Stephanie Bradley is Content and Communications Editor for the Australian Visa Bureau.

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

Australia Visa Update: South Australia State Migration Plan released

by Leonie 06/01/2011 14:33:00
 

The South Australian State Migration Plan has
been announced.

The South Australian Government has released their State Migration Plan this week. There are 258 occupations on the state migration plan, some of which will be unique to South Australia.

There are 4,890 places available for the 2010/11 program year, but the South Australian government have yet to give us an exact indication how many of these have already been filled by pre-existing applications for sponsorship.

The full list of occupations that the South Australian Government is willing to sponsor can be viewed here. The new state migration plan is designed to help meet South Australia’s skilled workforce needs by targeting needed occupations that are eligible for state sponsorship.

How does the South Australia State Migration Plan differ to other State Migration Plans?

One of the key ways that South Australia's SMP differs from the majority of the other states is in the work experience requirements it places on applicants, as the majority of listed occupations only require 12 months work experience in the previous 24 months (as opposed to others who ask for up to 7 years previous work experience).

Additionally, the South Australia State Migration Plan will come as especially good news to primary school teachers, metal tradespeople, hairdressers and farriers, as individuals in these occupations had very limited state sponsorship options previously.

Unfortunately, many individuals in IT and engineering occupations will be unable to apply under the South Australia SMP at this time, as they are currently classified as 'not available' due to South Australia having already met their quota for a number of these occupations. Applicants within these occupations may be able to apply from 1 July, 2011 though, when the next program year begins.

However, if you have previously secured state sponsorship in an occupation that is now listed as 'not available' and you have already lodged your visa application, you will still be assigned a visa processing priority level of Priority Group 2, which means your application should be processed within 12 months.

In terms of IELTS requirements, United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and United States of America passport holders only need to provide an IELTS test result if the listed requirement is for IELTS 7.0 or higher.  Where the requirement is less than 7.0, no IELTS test result is necessary.

- Leonie Cotton is Assistant Casework Department Manager for the Australian Visa Bureau.

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

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