A British woman who moved to Australia citing boredom with her life in the United Kingdom has reported a substantial increase in her annual income and a more fulfilling lifestyle. Maisey Relph, 23, of Swindon, Wiltshire, left her job as a wedding and events coordinator in the UK, where she earned £21,000 annually.
Relph relocated to Sydney in September 2023, initially for a trial shift as a sailing instructor, a profession she had experience with from working summers in Greece. She had no prior connection to Australia and had never visited the country. "I just thought, 'Do you know what? Let's just book a one-way flight for literally a trial shift,'" Relph stated, adding that her parents were skeptical until the day she departed for the airport.
After securing the sailing instructor position, her income fluctuated due to her working holiday visa. To supplement her earnings, she also worked as a café supervisor and took on roles in nannying and food delivery. Relph has since moved to Perth and transitioned to a career as an end-of-life support worker, a role she finds unexpectedly rewarding. She now earns approximately £44,605 annually, a £19,000 increase from her previous UK salary. The average starting salary for a palliative care assistant in the UK is around £25,000, according to the National Careers Service.
Relph noted a significant difference in the societal approach to work and life in Australia. "The one thing I noticed immediately when I first moved here is that nobody asks you about your job. They don't talk about work," she said. "Here, nobody talks about that. They talk about what they did at the weekend, or what they're doing before or after work. It was very apparent to me that in England you live to work and in Australia you work to live."
In May 2024, Relph purchased and renovated a campervan to live in full-time. Despite the cost of living and working six days a week with terminally ill patients, she described her work-life balance as "100 percent better" in Australia. "Working around end-of-life patients, you're reminded how important this life is," she commented.
Official figures released last year indicated a decrease of 15,000 in the number of 16 to 34-year-old expats returning to the UK. Relph is currently applying for a partner visa with her Australian boyfriend and has no plans to return to the UK, stating, "It's easier said than done with the cost of living but my quality of life is just completely different. I can't imagine moving back to England."