XP - moving to Brisbane

[namasteak]

DH's boss has asked us to move to Brisbane for 1 year. Does anybody know anything about living there? What kind of things should we consider? Any advice on questions to ask his boss?

Trying not to panic but omg this would be a huge change.

Eta - please don't say anything on FB

[loira]

No advice, but how exciting!

[neeps]

What kind of package is it to be? Expat or local? Typically this makes a huge difference in what benefits/perks you can ask for. Home leave, housing allowance, tax prep, school fees, global insurance, cost of living adjustments, extra vacation. Make sure they'll do all the visa work for the entire family as well.

What a great opportunity!

[namasteak]

neeps We are still waiting on details. Thank you for the things to think about!

[neeps]

And one more - what about pets? Not sure if y’all have any, but if so, this is typically not covered. Also, the regulations are different for how strict they are on importation. I imagine OZ is very strict on this.

[namasteak]

Mar 28, 2017 9:24:21 GMT -5 neeps said:

And one more - what about pets? Not sure if y’all have any, but if so, this is typically not covered. Also, the regulations are different for how strict they are on importation. I imagine OZ is very strict on this.

We have 1 dog - from my google research it seems like we would have to leave her here but my brother would take her. She loves him & his dogs so I think it would be ok.

[dorothyinAus]

Mar 28, 2017 9:57:03 GMT -5 namasteak said:

Mar 28, 2017 9:24:21 GMT -5 neeps said:

And one more - what about pets? Not sure if y’all have any, but if so, this is typically not covered. Also, the regulations are different for how strict they are on importation. I imagine OZ is very strict on this.

We have 1 dog - from my google research it seems like we would have to leave her here but my brother would take her. She loves him & his dogs so I think it would be ok.

Definitely check into the quarantine regulations for pets, just ask Johnny Depp

[namasteak]

Mar 28, 2017 15:27:30 GMT -5 dorothyinAus said:

Mar 28, 2017 9:57:03 GMT -5 namasteak said:

We have 1 dog - from my google research it seems like we would have to leave her here but my brother would take her. She loves him & his dogs so I think it would be ok.

Definitely check into the quarantine regulations for pets, just ask Johnny Depp

Tbh I am really not comfortable with her in cargo that long. She isn't used to a crate and the flight is just so long.

[dorothyinAus]

Mar 28, 2017 16:17:10 GMT -5 namasteak said:

Mar 28, 2017 15:27:30 GMT -5 dorothyinAus said:

Definitely check into the quarantine regulations for pets, just ask Johnny Depp

Tbh I am really not comfortable with her in cargo that long. She isn't used to a crate and the flight is just so long.

That was one of the reasons I left my cat with my parents when I moved. She was 15 and I thought both the quarantine requirements and the flight would have been too hard on her.

I have no other advice as far as Brisbane goes, I'm south-east of Melbourne in Victoria, though I have a couple of friends who live around Brisbane.  As far as general moving to Australia advice, I would definitely pack enough of your preferred personal products to get you through finding a replacement here.  And enough of your preferred OTC medication in the US.  Some things are hard to get or unavailable -- I have the hardest time finding solid deodorant and tampons with applicators, but that could be because I'm in a rural area not really one of the big cities.