Vacation Home Rentals

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Jul 23

Where to live in Australia is the topic for this installment of our guide to emigrating to Australia…

Sydney, the biggest city Australia has to offer, is situated on Australia’s south eastern coast. It’s a popular destination for immigrants despite being the costliest city in the country. A center of economic activity for the whole pacific region, it acts as the headquarters of virtually all of Australia’s banks and more than half of Australia’s top companies, and the regional headquarters for about 500 multinational corporations.

Melbourne, the second most populous city in Australia, is the capital of the State of Victoria. Viewed as Australia’s sporting and cultural capital, it’s also a centre for commerce, industry, education, arts and tourism, as is Consistently ranked as one of the world’s most livable cities. It’s seen sizeable population and employment growth in recent years and there has been substantial international investment in the city’s property market and industries.

Brisbane, the state capital of the Australian state of Queensland, is a center for business within Australia. Blue-collar industries include metal working, petroleum refining and paper milling, and white-collar ones include financial services, public sector administration and information technology. It’s also noted as being a particularly multicultural city, with over 20% of its residents being born outside of Australia (the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and South Africa being the primary contributors).

Adelaide’s history of attracting immigrants from non-English speaking countries has given the costal city in the state of South Australia a reputation of being a welcoming multicultural place. It ranks as one of the world’s most liveable cities and is noted for its many sporting events and festivals, its food, wine and culture, and its beautiful beachfronts. The economy there is principally based around Defense technology and research, exporting, and manufacturing form the basis of the the economy there.

Perth, situated in western Australia, is considered as the center for government and business for the whole of that side of the country. It’s the fourth biggest city in Australia, and has a growth rate consistently above the national average. British-born residents are plentiful there, and it’s also been a particularly popular destination for South African and Chinese immigrants. Manufacturing aside (due to its substantial distance from other populous Australian cities), a wealth of economic opportunities are on offer there.

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Jul 23

Getting an Australian visa is the topic of this part of our emigrating to Australia guide…

Australia has a universal visa system, which means that all people traveling to Australia (except Australian citizens) require a valid visa to enter the country. Failure to arrange this prior to arrival will result in you being turned away on arrival at the airport and being immediately sent back to the country you flew from.

The first step to getting a visa is to determine what type you need and whether you’re eligible for it. You can do this by visiting http://www.immi.gov.au, where you’ll find information on the various types of visas and be able to download an immigration application form.

The completing of the application form is an essential step as there’s no other way to obtain a visa (such as from an embassy, from a third party, on arrival, etc.). Once you have filled it in you should send it to the Department of Immigration and Culture (often shortened to DIAC).

They aren’t known for their leniency so you should check and double-check both your application form and all accompanying documents before sending it off. Any errors will result in it being automatically rejected, without you having the option to make any slight amendments to it.

How much the application will cost is dependent on which type of visa you’re applying for, but, when also factoring in police checks and copies of medical records, you can expect it to be more than $300. As for time, it normally takes at least 12 months for the processing of a successful application.

The DIAC will inform you of their decision by letter, which will also include details of how to get your passport updated (if your application was successful) or how do apply for a review of their decision (if your application was unsuccessful).

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Jul 23

Finding work in Australia is the topic for this installment of our guide to emigrating to Australia…

As with other English speaking countries, Australia is committed to equal employment opportunities for all, and your qualifications and work experience (and to a lesser extent flexibility) will determine your career, not your nationality.

Depending on your qualifications and experience, job prospects may be better in one part of Australia than elsewhere. For example, if you have a background in manufacturing companies, you will have more chance of finding a suitable job in Melbourne, and to a lesser extent in Adelaide. If you’ve worked in finance companies, Sydney is the major centre of employment, while those with a background in resources should look at Perth. You may need to live outside of the major cities though, where theres less competition for jobs.

Bring with you any qualifications, certificates and references you may have when you emigrate. However, bare in mind that the fact that they may have been recognized officially by the government as part of the migration process doesnt mean that an Australian prospective employer will also do so. Local qualifications are generally preferred over others and the majority of migrants to Australia would significantly improve their career prospects by getting an Australian qualification after migrating.

As for work experience, the same applies as with qualifications. The fact that you may have worked for the best company in your field in your home country may not make much impression on an Australian employer who has never heard of it. You can promote your case by including information on your former employer with any job application (a link to its website may be useful) but in many cases this wont be of great benefit. You must be prepared to initially take a less skilled (and less well paid) job than you are qualified for, to get some local experience while you look for something better.