Joe Foster dreamt about moving to Australia about 30 years ago when he was working in a packaging factory in Ireland, but he didn’t have the opportunity to realise his dream until about 10 years ago.
“I’ve been very fortunate that my wife and two children, have been travelling with me over a number of years, when I told them about moving to Australia and told them about the benefits, scenery, for them to do well, it was a very easy sell,” Foster said.
“I saw my two boys becoming late teenagers in life, and I wanted to give them a good opportunity. Melbourne, Australia, was where it was going to be…I felt that Australia had a lot to offer in terms of a beautiful country, people are fantastic and excellent scenery and unbelievable job opportunities.”
Foster said he was determined to make a packaging business work in Melbourne when he started their business out of the family home more than six years ago. After the first 10 months he opened their first factory and now have a thriving business, employing eight staff.
“When I came out to Australia, dragging my family over here and starting from scratch, it was one of the brilliant challenges I put to myself - I knew it was going to work and it was a matter of making it a successful story in a short period of time,” he said.
“There is so much that goes into the manufacturing of packaging, I just wanted to embrace the whole exercise, of being able to show that whole process to our clients in Australia and show them something different to make a real success in this county.
“I saw my two boys becoming late teenagers in life, and I wanted to give them a good opportunity. Melbourne, Australia, was where it was going to be…I felt that Australia had a lot to offer in terms of a beautiful country, people are fantastic and excellent scenery and unbelievable job opportunities.”
Foster said he was determined to make a packaging business work in Melbourne when he started their business out of the family home more than six years ago. After the first 10 months he opened their first factory and now have a thriving business, employing eight staff.
“When I came out to Australia, dragging my family over here and starting from scratch, it was one of the brilliant challenges I put to myself - I knew it was going to work and it was a matter of making it a successful story in a short period of time,” he said.
“There is so much that goes into the manufacturing of packaging, I just wanted to embrace the whole exercise, of being able to show that whole process to our clients in Australia and show them something different to make a real success in this county.
Foster says his business now supplies to New Zealand, Asia and into Europe. While work life balance wasn’t always easy to find as his family was establishing a business, they now have the time to really enjoy the lifestyle.
“We get on so well together, we love to go and have regular bbq’s together in this beautiful scenery - my son has a boat and we all go fishing together.
“This outdoor lifestyle, where you have the beach on your doorstep, and you’ve got lovely wineries and drives down the Peninsula, it’s a really stunning place to live.”
Foster said that he found the immigration process seamless from when they submitted their first application forms and were appointed a case officer to point them in the right direction.
“I thought what was very helpful was that whenever we needed information, the website pointed us in the right direction, to go to the next step,” he said.
“Australia is a country of wonderful opportunity, all aspects of business, so grab the bull by the horn and come over, you won’t be disappointed.”
“We get on so well together, we love to go and have regular bbq’s together in this beautiful scenery - my son has a boat and we all go fishing together.
“This outdoor lifestyle, where you have the beach on your doorstep, and you’ve got lovely wineries and drives down the Peninsula, it’s a really stunning place to live.”
Foster said that he found the immigration process seamless from when they submitted their first application forms and were appointed a case officer to point them in the right direction.
“I thought what was very helpful was that whenever we needed information, the website pointed us in the right direction, to go to the next step,” he said.
“Australia is a country of wonderful opportunity, all aspects of business, so grab the bull by the horn and come over, you won’t be disappointed.”