SWINDON WOMAN MOVES TO AUSTRALIA FOR TRIAL SHIFT, EARNS £19K MORE

Maisey Relph, 23, from Swindon, Wiltshire, booked a one-way flight to Australia in September 2023 for a trial shift as a sailing instructor in Sydney, despite never having visited the country or knowing anyone there. She secured the position and has remained in Australia since. Relph was previously working full time as a wedding and events coordinator in the UK, earning £21,000 per year. She stated that "every day felt the same" in her previous role, and after spending two summers working as a sailing instructor in Greece, she decided to seek work abroad.

Relph now works as an end-of-life support worker in Perth, earning £44,605 annually. This represents an increase of £19,605 compared to her previous UK salary. According to the Government's National Careers Service, the average starting salary for a palliative care assistant in the UK is around £25,000 per year. Relph said she "had a pretty good life" in Britain but felt bored, and decided to apply for positions "for fun" before committing to the move. Her parents were initially sceptical of her plan until she departed for the airport.

Official figures recorded a fall of 15,000 in the number of 16 to 34-year-old expats returning to the UK last year, with data indicating Australia remains a common destination for British migrants. Relph stated she cannot imagine moving back to the United Kingdom. She noted that growing up sailing around Mediterranean islands with her family had shaped her belief that "there had to be more to life than what Britain could offer".