Usefulsense:
Before I commence my story, I want to specifically thank those who advised me not to travel. Your advise was borne out of genuine love and concern. One stated clearly that I should not leave known for unknown.

However, taking the bold step to leave Nigeria at the time I did was the best decision I ever made in my life. In fact, given the same scenario and even if I am 52 and my salary was #2million per month, I will still leave Nigeria.

The first 2 months was very difficult. The mistake I made was my insistence on getting accounting job. I did over 60 applications and all of them were rejected. I have no Australian experience neither do I have Australian certification.

My wifey was indeed an angle in human form. She provided the needed support. She shouldered all the financial responsibilities all by herself. This is the part that almost pushed me into depression. As an Igboman, we consider it a taboo for our women to feed, house and cloth us.

After two months, I decided it was time to re-strategize. I enrolled for a forklift training and within two week, I obtained my forklift license.
Not satisfied with that, I took some courses and did some checks that will qualify me to go into disability support work. I obtained First aid certificate, Diploma in mental health, certificate in infection prevention and control, certificate in care for the aged and disabled, police check, working with children checks, NDIS worker check, NDIS orientation certificate and many more.

I started applying for warehouse jobs. In fact, I had to reject a lot of them. I settled for one of the warehouses and it has been awesome working for the organization.

I have not gotten what I am looking for yet. I am using the warehouse to keep body and soul together. In the warehouse where I work, you will see people of different ages. from 18 years to 65 years working and making a good living. in Australia, there is always something to do.

The only thing I miss, is the big man mentality we have in Nigeria. Where I will sit in my office, call one of my staff in intercom and ask for a cup of coffee; and it will be brought to me in seconds. You can't try that rubbish here.

The level of security here is top notch. I have no fear, i move about anytime of the day/night.

After one week in Australia, I concluded that Nigeria is a completely lawless country and an animal jungle. Here everything is ordered. I am yet to hear a driver blow his car horn while driving. There are no touts, there are no omoniles. Electricity has never blinked for one second. water is constant, gas is there. I have never seen two persons fighting in the street. I have never seen a mad man or woman on the road or street beggars. The air we breath here is different from the air we breath in Nigeria.

It was in Australia that I realized that the saying in Nigeria that Nigerian police is your friend is actually true. Break the law in Nigeria and police catches you, just give them #2,000 you are off the hook. And the circle of lawlessness continues. Here, it is a different ball game. Proposing bribe will be used as evidence against you. It doesn't matter who you are. Every one is civil.

While in Nigeria I suffered malaria every month. There is no month I don't treat malaria. Since I got to this country, I have never had headache let alone malaria.

Children are doing wonderfully well at school and are already speaking through their nose.

In conclusion, I made the best choice. Even though I have not really found the kind of job I want to do, the little I am doing now contributes in paying bills and I have savings more than my monthly gross per month in Nigeria.

If you are above 45 years and have your partner already in this country, and you are an employee of a company, it is in your best interest to leave Nigeria. Provided, of course, that you are healthy and you are not lazy.

One dark side to moving abroad is that you have more chances of being divorced by your wife. This is a story for another day as I have gathered enough reason on why families divorce and will create a thread on this someday.


I am open to any question you may have.

Which class of visa did you Japa with, and how long did it take you from application to approval?

MT:


I admitted to your assertion that post covid bubble for IT will be gone but other sectors will be badly affected.

Ask yourself what caused the post covid bubble - many people who do not have the IT fundamentals sneaked into IT. They go into area of IT that is not so steep and these are the people that do not even understand what a "class" is IT means or how the tech ecosystem connects.

Many roles were created who do not require you to be steep in IT. Tech gets bloated.

These are the people that would be swept away. Tech will hold on to individuals with solid skill sets.

I just told you I rejected an 800 GBP per day job. I am negotiating for a 1000 GBP per day and we are still on it. I work on AI projects across the continents as well.

If you want to go into tech, understand the fundamental, have interest to create magic , not for the money alone.

A lot of companies want to build AI for their processes. The opportunities are bigger than they have always been, if you are thoroughly skilled!

You can say this because you are vast and highly skilled. For someone who already has the knowledge of the fundamentals, what area is less bloated in this AI revolution. Coming from a. Web development background.

DataDoc:


Which class of visa did you Japa with, and how long did it take you from application to approval?

seconded

Fools celebrating a 48 years old man in mental slavery. Let us know when hard physical labor that your mates did in their twenties take hold of your health in your fifties.

Still comparing foreign currency to naira, that is all it takes to lure you into slavery where minimum wage translate into billionaire in Nigeria. Are minimum wage earners happy in foreign countries?

Since you and your children are happy to lose valuable Igbo culture that brings family values and happiness, you will soon lose those children and your wife too.

Mark it, in less than five years! Money is a means of exchange like cowries. Contentment after you feed and shelter your family leads to better way of life. Greed for cowries will kill you.

DataDoc:


Which class of visa did you Japa with, and how long did it take you from application to approval?

Seconded

skultrick:


Just that you recently moved to Australia. Please can share the total cost of migrating including flight fees. Thank you.

I didn't spend Naira. I have not been to Nigeria for the past 5 years. I spent AED to AUD. When my wife left UAE July last year, she paid initial school fees of 20k AUD. Other expenses should also be approximately 20k AUD. I didn't show POF because I submitted my UAE business licence and a notorized latter to immigration online portal. Her flight to Australia cost 10k AED. I don't know how much it would be in naira presently. As at today, 1AUD is 870 Naira. Do the calculations. Please note, there are lots of new immigration policy that has been implemented recently. Do well to visit Australian immigration website. Last year, my wife did not write IELTS or any other English test. But now, it has changed. Before you start, please double check

TheBillyonaire:





Yes it is very humbling my brother. I can not imagine a man at almost 50 years decelerating from being a Boss to a Boy Boy for Oyibos. In exchange for clean 247 electricity and security. Definitely, they are better organized than us, right?

But it depends on where you lived in Nigeria. You mentioned being an Igbo man, so it could be that your city is not properly organized as opposed to other places with serene air and cleaner environments.

Alternatively, working as a warehouse handy-man is boy boy in your language. But congratulations for promoting yourself from big man to boy boy.

I promise you that we will build Nigeria, so your children can have a better place to return to, and hopefully you will be visiting often and not when you are too weak to be useful to Nigeria.

Same promise since 1960

peleson1:

Which route did you follow pls and did u do everything urself .

Just throw some light pls

I joined my wife as a dependent. She is studying Msc IT. We used an agent (studyco) for my wife's admission. Their head office is at Melbourne but they have sub-agent in many countries including Nigeria. Check them online and see if they have any agent to assist you in Nigeria. For myself and daughter, my wife applied for us without an agent.

Usefulsense:


I actually saw three near my street the day my family went for early morning jogging.

The first time I'm seeing kangaroos.

If you see rabbits please leave them alone o. Australian rabbits are not edible. Lol

Earning over ₦1m monthly in Nigeria.
Hmmm, does that mean you can't save anything from it at the end of the month?
With such pay; doe that mean you can't give your children quality education?

No dignity in labour

But earning around a million naira in Nigeria as a financial controller and u still decided to japa





I won't japa oo

My only grouse with usefulsense is that mundane and very derogatory submission he made which I rightly told him to personalize. Just imagine for a second that a white dude tells you to your face that my dog is better than you, na that same feeling accompany such a silly submission that a cleaner is better than a RM of Zenith bank, just because the cleaner is in a first world country. Now imagine someone saying that to himself and his kinsmen. Omo speak for yourself o. No be every financial controller worth their weight in gold. The ones wey weigh no fit ever reason like that much less talk/write that..onto exchange rate. Smh


For someone like op with the kind of exposure he must have had (to become a FC, if true) and at that age, to actually think that way was kind of a let down and that is why I expressed it. I don't care if you move out of the country and do whatever, but pls be sensible and don't act like your forefathers that saw a mirror and lost all their senses and exchanged mirrors for slaves. How can you say there are no beggars in a country( thank God at least he didn't push that one further) or say one cleaner somewhere is better than someone well-read, super motivated, an achiever with a career who rose to become a top exec/RM? Madness! And you can only read or hear that from Nigerians with no self worth. As backward as Africa is na only Naija dey fall hand and constitute nuisance like this and it is annoying. Then you say they don't recognize your experience and credentials. How can they? When you have told them repeatedly how you don't even measure up to their homeless people and how they have given your life meaning just by accepting you. Why were you guys hating on Emdee Tiamiyu when you are no different. Dem just never interview una or give you mic yet, you'd clearly do worse

Cheers

MT:


It reeks of inferiority complex when you write that "you started conversing with Australians when you first landed".

And does it mean they don't lose jobs in Australia and struggle badly to get another for months ?

Is it your inferiority complex?

boxypane:

Ok sir. Will say 25m be enough for one person sir?

Currently, it is not enough. Your POF should be between 30M to 40M. That 25M might just be your first semester school fees.

I don't get... So bosses in Australia don't call their junior staffs over intercom to bring coffee for them? I thought this behaviour was from the western world initially. Congratulations to you and your family.

Usefulsense:
Last year, I sought the opinion of Nairalanders concerning my plan to move to Australia.
My major worry was my age (48) and also considering that my net salary in Nigeria was a little over a million Naira per month as the financial controller of a manufacturing company in Onitsha.

You will find out in this thread.

To be continued shortly .........

Thanks for sharing an account of your triumph over adversity.

There is a huge cost to emigration at that age which seldom gets mentioned on NL.

- Your circle of friends changes (you will no longer have Ogechi, your Barrister-friend on speed dial; Musa, your former classmate but now an Assistant Superintendent of Police, within Peppersouping distance; Segun, your best friend and a Senior Consultant, who lives just 15 Km away, to give authoritative but reassuring medical advice. You will get disconsolate every once in a while over how disconnected you have become, so make huge allowances for an attitudinal change that takes time.

- Your children will thrive in schools, but you are going to have to work hard to keep them grounded culturally - as only 13,000 Nigerians were counted in the 2021 census. Yes, the Nigerian community over there is small...fractious too, just as it is everywhere in the diaspora.

- You will need to keep one eye on your pension fund in Australia - and this means contributing a disproportionate amount of your salary to make up for lost time - even as you continue to support extended members of the family back in Nigeria.

- Your children may become sociologically invested in Australia to the point that it becomes the only "home" they identify with. If you want them to maintain strong connections with their fatherland, you will have to invest time, money and effort...

I wish you all the best in your future endeavour.

jconsulting:
The only thing that annoys me about some of the idiots that travel abroad is how they speak ill of their motherland, calling Nigeria unprintable names, whereas is the same Nigeria you made the money to travel out.

No matter how long you stay there , they will still refer to your children as Nigerian-born Australia.

Nigeria Will be Great God bless Nigeria

we have been hearing this since 1960

Xwizard:
A guy here once said never to migrate to Australia but your story is different

Some folks are hell bent on getting a job that pays $250k a month because they were called mangers in their previous jobs in Nigeria. They refuse to explore other options to their detriment.
Not going to derail this thread but if you see someone that will excel, you will know.
Take advice but not order from anyone. Research information and make your own decision based on objective evidence.
Allen Onyema failed to understand that life is not all about 2M/month. Your kids need the best environment to grow. Your brain needs the best environment to thrive. There are profession you just cannot enjoy in Nigeria…weak regulatory frameworks etc.
That said, some folks are better left alone to be where they choose to live!

Bro,congrats.I plan to migrate to Australia,please which route did you use.schooling or?

Goalnaldo:
I don't get... So bosses in Australia don't call their junior staffs over intercom to bring coffee for them? I thought this behaviour was from the western world initially. Congratulations to you and your family.

You go make your tea. Ergonomics, time to stretch those tired legs, equity issues etc. Hollywood is not the real west!

Goalnaldo:
I don't get... So bosses in Australia don't call their junior staffs over intercom to bring coffee for them? I thought this behaviour was from the western world initially. Congratulations to you and your family.

It is an offence to call someone Sir or Boss or Oga in Australia. You address people by 'hello mate', or you call them my name like, 'Ayo' not 'Mr. Ayo'. The mrntality of oga and boss is not here. Infact, there is no office cleaner or coffee boy in Australia. You clean your office, wash your toilets and make your coffee by yourself.

Can I shock you? You don't even have a personal driver in Australia. You buy your car and drive yourself. If you are scared to drive, you call taxi .

chidi4sam:


It is an offence to call someone Sir or Boss or Oga in Australia. You address people by 'hello mate', or you call them my name like, 'Ayo' not 'Mr. Ayo'. The mrntality of oga and boss is not here. Infact, there is no office cleaner or coffee boy in Australia. You clean your office, wash your toilets and make your coffee by yourself.

Can I shock you? You don't even have a personal driver in Australia. You buy your car and drive yourself. If you are scared to drive, you call taxi .

wow 😳

Despite your beautiful story

Calling Nigeria animal jungle
You were onea an animal, you will always be an animal, your animal mentality will send u back.

When u dey command for office, Na better thing e be, Na u don reach there Na rubbish e come be rubbish.

You talk and type as if Australia is a perfect country

Crime and offence rate in both Australia and Nigeria are 20:37 respectively.

Respect yourself mate
U dey Australia nor mean say make u insult this beautiful and wonderful country

Na God go punish u

chidi4sam:


Australia pays the highest wage when compared with UK, Canada, US(in some companies) with minimum tax rate. In June this year, there is going to be a new minimum wage to be implemented with lesser tax rate. You can verify this on Google if you wish.

How do I contact you?

AmuDimpka:


At 48yrs that you were at the top of your accounting career earning good money in Nigeria, you spent millions to travel to Australia only to go and be learning forklifting and mental health and care giving job at 48yrs when you should be planning retirement

I know say ma your wife push you into this


I wish you luck sir ....they way it is you will work till your 70s! How do you guys even take such decision

Pride no go kill you oh.. See foolish talk. He said he saved more than when he was in Nigeria. Did your father plan retirement at age 48? Una too like big man for that country so you can oppress the poor. If he had travelled to Cyprus or uk ( this one for pain me). In abroad whether you’re a forklift driver or an IT specialist no body send your papa. In fact you drive the same car live in the same hood… He hasn’t spent up to a year, if he gets a better certificate he will upgrade to a better level/ job is just time.

ResoluteVenture:



How do I contact you?

I am not immigration lawyer or agent. All the knowledge I used was gotten on this plateform. Check https://www.nairaland.com/3786389/general-australian-student-visa-enquiries. By the time you read the first 5 pages, you will get direction on what to do next.

KosiGee:


So most people are in Nigeria because they are worried about their wives divorcing them!!!. Interesting.

I never knew me get agitated like this over divorce. Wow

Gerrard59:


OK. Point noted.



If the person was a truck pusher or Danfo driver while in Nigeria? Yes. But an accountant who was earning 1.1 million naira doing sheet packing? NO.

Please, let's fear God when we use the phrase "decent life".

Thank you.

If Nigeria were good today, there is no job we will look down on, even fuel pump attendant

DrAkpamudehe:


Forget about your wife money and stop adding it your income, how much do you earn as a man?

See wahala. You de your house de condition me how to relate with my wife. Problem no de finish oh.

I earn ten thousand naira (#10,000) as a man. Does that make you happy and satisfied?

TheBillyonaire:





Yes it is very humbling my brother. I can not imagine a man at almost 50 years decelerating from being a Boss to a Boy Boy for Oyibos. In exchange for clean 247 electricity and security. Definitely, they are better organized than us, right?

But it depends on where you lived in Nigeria. You mentioned being an Igbo man, so it could be that your city is not properly organized as opposed to other places with serene air and cleaner environments.

Alternatively, working as a warehouse handy-man is boy boy in your language. But congratulations for promoting yourself from big man to boy boy.

I promise you that we will build Nigeria, so your children can have a better place to return to, and hopefully you will be visiting often and not when you are too weak to be useful to Nigeria.

open bible.. You have a lot to learn from Jesus..

TheBillyonaire:


Right.

He may not be able to get return ticket for himself and family to visit Nigeria by packing cartons.

The best bet is to build here from remote and return back alone sometimes and plan how to get the family. I personally do not see his wife and kids coming back permanently;

Except his wife is planning to come back with him.

As for the children, forget it. They will not come back. What's the motivation to come back to a land their father left at 48

chidi4sam:


You are so misinformed. How much is ticket that people in Australia cannot afford? Let me shock you, I have not seen one begger in Australia. Whoever the person is, not withstanding his visa status, everyone is OK here. I can get my to and fro ticket fee by working only on Sunday. Australia pays the highest wages when compared to Canada, UK, and even US (in some companies). Use your google and search about it instead of displaying your ignorance online.

For someone like me , ticket or no ticket I don’t want to set my foot in that country again. I don’t care what people may say…