living/working in SA - practical advice required
Discussion
hi guys,
I had a telephone interview for an engineering role in SA yesterday. the feedback was very positive and I am expecting a face:face meeting either here in the uk or in SA. the position holds a lot of appeal for me and would be a 2 to 3 year commitment.
I like to know things in advance, so whilst the employment opportunity is still speculative at this stage, I have a few questions.
salary hasn't been discussed in detail, but likely to be £30-35k plus pension etc. what standard of living can I expect on such a salary? what benefits should i be looking for as standard? I.e. medical cover, or is this cheap enough to pay for myself?
what is the income tax rate out there and what other deductions are taken from salary?
what is the Somerset west area like as a place to live? any areas to go for or avoid? I'm 29 so would be looking for a good social scene. I have read the usual SA scare stories and would like to feel safe whilst I gain a feel for the place and develop my street smarts. I imagine I'd be provided with digs for a period but would be looking for a houseshare ideally.
do things like uk no claims bonus transfer over there? how do car insurance and running costs compare?
last one is speculative as the relationship is young and I don't know if she'd come with me, but what are the employment prospects for a mid 20's photographer. she has press credentials and currently works for the regional papers. I'm not sure how I feel about her coming in any case as I would probably worry a lot about her personal safety. is this justified?
I'm sure I'll have more qns as things develop but these are the ones currently on my mind. I have done a quick walk around the area on google maps and must say that the mountain roads look very appealing!
thanks in advance.
I had a telephone interview for an engineering role in SA yesterday. the feedback was very positive and I am expecting a face:face meeting either here in the uk or in SA. the position holds a lot of appeal for me and would be a 2 to 3 year commitment.
I like to know things in advance, so whilst the employment opportunity is still speculative at this stage, I have a few questions.
salary hasn't been discussed in detail, but likely to be £30-35k plus pension etc. what standard of living can I expect on such a salary? what benefits should i be looking for as standard? I.e. medical cover, or is this cheap enough to pay for myself?
what is the income tax rate out there and what other deductions are taken from salary?
what is the Somerset west area like as a place to live? any areas to go for or avoid? I'm 29 so would be looking for a good social scene. I have read the usual SA scare stories and would like to feel safe whilst I gain a feel for the place and develop my street smarts. I imagine I'd be provided with digs for a period but would be looking for a houseshare ideally.
do things like uk no claims bonus transfer over there? how do car insurance and running costs compare?
last one is speculative as the relationship is young and I don't know if she'd come with me, but what are the employment prospects for a mid 20's photographer. she has press credentials and currently works for the regional papers. I'm not sure how I feel about her coming in any case as I would probably worry a lot about her personal safety. is this justified?
I'm sure I'll have more qns as things develop but these are the ones currently on my mind. I have done a quick walk around the area on google maps and must say that the mountain roads look very appealing!
thanks in advance.
Edited by shirt on Saturday 26th June 03:17
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