Montreal to Australia

Hi there,

I have been living in Montreal for the past 27 yrs and I am seriously thinking of moving to Australia for the warm weather and more laid back lifestyle.

Are there any Montrealers that have moved to Australia? I have a couple of questions to ask and any help, suggestions or even your feedbacks regarding your experience so far would be greatly appreciated.

1. How long did it take for your visa to be accepted?

2. Where did you apply for your visa?

3. What kind of visa did you apply for?

4. Did you use an immigration agency?

5. Was the whole process complicated? Did you have any problems during the process?

6. Did Immigration Australia provide you with sufficient updates during the whole immigration process?

7. Do you have regrets moving to Australia?

8. How is the lifestyle compared to that of Montreal or Toronto? How are the people there?

Thanks again for your help.

Tam

Hi there,

I have been living in Montreal for the past 27 yrs and I am seriously thinking of moving to Australia for the warm weather and more laid back lifestyle.

Are there any Montrealers that have moved to Australia? I have a couple of questions to ask and any help, suggestions or even your feedbacks regarding your experience so far would be greatly appreciated.

1. How long did it take for your visa to be accepted?
2 months


2. Where did you apply for your visa?

Canada (Ottawa, Australia High Commission)

3. What kind of visa did you apply for?
Spouse (Partner Visa)


4. Did you use an immigration agency?
No


5. Was the whole process complicated? Did you have any problems during the process?

Very detailed process and much documentation required, otherwise no set-backs.

6. Did Immigration Australia provide you with sufficient updates during the whole immigration process?
Yes


7. Do you have regrets moving to Australia?
Sometimes as it is very isolated and backward thinking. If one thinks Canada is a nanny state, well, think again as Australia is over-regulated.


8. How is the lifestyle compared to that of Montreal or Toronto? How are the people there?
Expensive to live here, utilities, food, real estate. Many subtle cultural differences and some not so subtle! Less open-minded about foreigners and more xenophobia, in particular for non-whites. Lack of variety of consumer goods. Lack of price controls. Little innovation. Not very sophisticated even in major cities. More laid back and things can take awhile to get finished. No snow, true, but the heat in summer gets in the mid to late 40's celsius and this is measured in the shade. Nature complete with it's odd shaped or poisonous creatures is challenging and diverse; a ruggedly, beautiful country. People are friendly but not overtly so except in rural areas or when drunk, the latter which is quite common. The Outback is an experience that one must have.


Thanks again for your help.

Tam

Replies embedded.

You haven't mentioned which visa you will apply for. Bear in mind that it is becoming more difficult to emigrate here as immigration is becoming a populist topic used by politicians of all partisan stripes.

The most common categories are skilled migration and family. Finding a sponsor that will employ you much less sponsor you for permanent residency is becoming rarer. If you have family here they can sponsor you but there are strict caps in this category; my husband is an Aussie and he was my sponsor however I didn't receive my permanent residency visa until 2 years after I was granted a provisional one as this is the method used by Immigration (DIAC) to prevent sham marriages or partnerships.

Also, there are region-specific sponsored visas where you are tied to one state for a few years but the onus is on you to find a job.

Look at the immigration site, use the Wizard and look for a pertinent category.

immi.gov.au

Wow, I think peaches (below) nail it on the head with her reply. One thing thought, even though it's not as perfect as Canada Australia is wonderful.

You need to get yourself on a specialised employment list such as nurses and engineers (Google it, there is quite a list) to get a working visa. The easier way is to marry an Australian (That's what i did!)

That said, we can’t ignore the fact that Australia is one of the most popular choices with people from all over the world who are going abroad in search of a better life. It is considered the new world of opportunity with its wonderful standard of living, it’s stunning climate, its incredible beaches, fun people and really excellent quality of life.