Relocating to Australia with my family

In total it took around 15 months. Visa fees for a family of four were over 9,000 Australian dollars, and the whole process, with assessments, tests, medicals and translations, cost around 12,500 dollars.

The move

We shipped a 20 foot container with furniture and the children's things. It cost 7,800 pounds and took 10 weeks. In hindsight, we would have sold more and shipped less. Our old sofa does not suit a Melbourne house anyway.

We rented a short-stay apartment for the first month, then found a three bedroom house in Coburg for 640 dollars a week. The rental market was very competitive. We applied for 11 properties before getting one. Having a letter from my new employer and three months of UK bank statements helped.

Schools

As permanent residents, our children could attend state schools for free. We chose our area partly for the local primary school, which has been wonderful. The school year starts in late January, which was good timing for us. The children settled within a term, and my son now has an unmistakable Australian accent.

Work

I found a job at a private clinic within three weeks, and my AHPRA registration came through before I started because I applied before we left. Pay is better than in the NHS, around 95,000 dollars plus superannuation, and I work four days a week. Tom, who works in IT project management, took almost four months to find a role, which was stressful.

What we love

• Outdoor life: beaches, parks and weekend trips to the Great Ocean Road
• Better work life balance for both of us
• Medicare: we enrolled within two weeks
• The children spend most of their time outside

What has been hard

• Missing family, especially grandparents. Flights home for four cost about 8,000 dollars
• The cost of living. Groceries and insurance are expensive
• Distance and time difference make video calls difficult
• Melbourne weather really does have four seasons in one day

Advice for families

• Start the skills assessment as early as possible
• Budget for at least two months without the second salary
• Choose your suburb for the school and the commute
• Join local parent groups on Facebook: they were a lifeline

Two years in, we have no regrets. It was the hardest thing we have done as a family and the best decision.