I am wondering how long it takes for most people to settle in to the new climate and new country.

I also would like to know how long it take for most expats to find a job.

I am applying for a skilled migrant visa, as a boilermaker, is there plenty of work for boilermakers and welders in adalaide and surrounding areas.

i am doing the research on work and living in adalaide, it looks too good to be true.

mick

Eeerrr... how long is a piece of string :blink:

Some find work straight away and love the place, and never look back.
A few (a very few I think) have difficulty finding work, or at least work that is exactly what they want, in general you have to be prepared to pick up anything you can to get on your feet.

Settling though is another matter. Some stay here for years and never settle, others go back after a few months saying 'thanks for the experience but it will never be home' and others again enjoy the life here and happily stay. Too much depends on the individuals within the family to give any broad suggestions even!

Mick,

Paul found work about 8 weeks after we arrived, but he didn't look for the first 3 of those, if that's any help.

As to settling in that is a totally individual thing, we feel totally settled here now, we will have been here 6 months this week, but that is just our experience!

Nikkixx

Its different for everybody...

we have been here just over 2 months,

yes i'd say we are settled as much as you can be after 2 months.... our eldest daughter has struggled though...

Jon started looking for work late november and started a job just before xmas....

good luck
lorraine

best check out websites such as

www.careerone.com.au

will give you some idea what's around

lorraine

Like everyone says its so different for everyone.
We've been here 9 months now and for the first 6 months we couldn't settle, my daughter hated it and we were ready for going home. The only thing that stopped us was that I was pregnant and didn't want the 20 odd hours on a plane. Now we've turned a corner, my daughter is a lot happier, we've bought a house and I've had the baby. I still wouldn't say any of us feel settled though - just better than we did and things are improving.
As for work - my husband had a job lined up before we came as a Nurse but he's now moved onto Medical Sales which he did in UK - this took him about 4 months through an agency but he wasn't what you would call actively looking.
Hope this helps.
Joanne

Settling in depends on so many things - job/schools/houses/friends/coping without what you have left behind. The first four all help with the last one.

I think settling in schools is easier for the younger ones.

You need luck to get a job quickly and luck to find a good home rental/purchase. Moving into a real house really makes a difference as living out of a suitcase in an appartment or chalet on a caravan park starts to wear you down after a while.

Good luck

:bouncy:

Hi
we have been here 9 months now and we settled really well from the onset, I had a bad patch when kids were at school and hubby at work but since I started work in Sept it has been fantastic. Hubby got a job 5 days after arriving and I was 4 months (that was a bit of choice and lack of what I wanted to do!!!)

Like most people have said it is very personal and individual circumstances are vast but at least it does give you an idea.
C
XXX


ps hubby is a printer and I am a social worker.

Plenty of Boilermakers jobs around, i was one for the first 2.5 years then got out the trade in 93/94. I can tell you one place not to go to but not on here. ASC will be looking shortly probably 6 months to 12 months, to build the frigates for the navy, north of Port adelaide.

Stevo

Ady was offered a job the first week we were here and a week later he started. (He is a mechanic)

Our eldest son started school the week after that and made himself right at home.

Our toddler was next to get into his routine, we were lucky and got him into f/t childcare without the need to go on a long waiting list. Then I started work 3 months after arriving and have fitted right in, considering my work is quite specialised, I was pleased to find a job in such a short amount of time.

All in all I would say we felt settled pretty much straightaway, almost 5 months on and I could honestly believe we have been here forever.

Re: settling into the climate, we arrived in August so were here for the back end of 'winter', this has meant we acclimatised nicely although I keep getting told things will get much hotter

I reckon the trick to getting settled here is not to make too many changes to your lifestyle when you arrive. We now have the same routine as we had in the UK but loads more time at either end of the day. Ady and I are nicely busy at work so don't have time to dwell on life in Britain. Sure we miss our families and they probably miss us heaps more but once you realise that this is your new life, you need to make sure you grab it with both hands - which we have :dance:

It all seems to be very personal. I was lucky and came out to a job, so once the money I brought ran out I had a salary.

Like Andrea and Ady, my daughter and I have been here almost two months and fell in love with Adelaide on arrival, and still adore it. She made friends really quickly at Brighton School, and although our rental is basic and not modernised I like its character.. retro was very popular in the UK and we got it at no extra cost!! Even found to my surprise that the huntsman spider in the laundry was more attractive than frightening, and has since moved out.

I have found the key thing is that I have met several people who I feel will become friends over the years to come, and my daughter has found the same. People are magic here and it is hard to imagine the amount of support and help we have experienced from colleagues and neighbours and, as ever, through Adelaidebrits. It's been nice to meet some of you on the other side.

It's nothing like you think it will be, and our reasons for coming would not be our reasons for staying. We'd stay because of how Adelaide makes us feel in ourselves rather than all the practical reasons we had for migrating.

Good luck with the move and job hunt.

Claire.

I settled in no bother, however the heat over the the last 2 weeks while working arvos was pretty hard. Thought going on to nightshift would make it easier, which at work it does, but trying to sleep when it is 35 degrees outside is pretty hard - thank god for air con :dance:

Paul :ph43r:

I got a job straight away. My husband has not yet got a job - he has applied for many but no luck yet.

99% of employers/agencies don't even bother to acknowledge your application, never mind send you a rejection letter.

This is the only major issue we have with being here - if my husband gets a job we will be nicely settled.