any RSers emigrate to Australia?

[valent|n0]

Can you share the experience?
What process did you follow? permanent residence or temporary work visa?
did you get permit and find job later?
or you secure a job first and get permit after?

hows life in australia? melbourne, sydney any other major city
post pros and cons compare to vancouver?

any australian car scene / forum / bulletin board worth noting pelase post them here too ?

I have only heard about http://www.gumtree.com.au/ is the equivalent of Craigslist here.

Thanks

[StylinRed]

emigrate

my friend is in the process of this as well btw

he went on a work visa loves it there but says its more expensive than vancouver

[Levitron]

I'm in the process of moving to the UK, so not exactly the same but some similar aspects.

One thing I find that most people over-look is the availability of working holiday visas to Commonwealth-ish countries like Canada and Australia. If you're under 30, have a look here: Working Holiday Visa (Subclass 417)

8 times out of 10 (this is completely unscientific ) I noticed that people who have relocated anywhere in the world (either cross-country or to a different country), people have said that they didn't actually get job offers until they were actually in the destination city/town itself. But that said, do look ahead of time and start applying for jobs from over here. For me, I work in tech so job boards in the UK are easily accessible from over here.

Also something to consider for yourself if you're looking for work: what would be the reason why an employer would need to reach all the way around the world from Australia to hire you from Canada? Unless you have a very specific skill-set that they need (or if you fit like a glove for the job), there really is no real reason why they would want to sort out visa sponsorship, or even deal with relocation costs for you.

Hope this helps a bit.

[godwin]

Wages are higher in Australia. However so is living standards, anything electronics, non Australiasia produced will be expensive.. (that includes pretty much anything high tech including internet).. However whenever you leave the country, you are allowed to bring as much stuff back in without tax. Gas prices are the same as Canada however imports are out of this world if you compare with North America.

It depends what are you qualify for.. medical professionals can go back and forth easily however billing is a PITA.

As for job offers, that depends on your visa... eg you can't have a job offer if you are entering as a tourist etc. If you work for a multinational eg Accenture etc.. inter office transfer is really easy.

Just be aware that the economy in Australia is slowing down quite quickly due to the drop in demand in iron.

[CRS]

Not sure how applicable this may be to you but some of the things that the news has brought up recently is the racism that still exists in Australia. I'm by no means saying that racism doesn't exist in Canada (let alone the world) but it appears as if racism is a lot more tolerated there than it would be here. Or that diversity/culture is something that accepted/embraced rather than shunned.

[StylinRed]

^^^ good point

there has been a lot of mass violent incidents recently due to racism

[quasi]

I have a friend that went there for school to become a physiotherapist. She has since graduated and never came back, she loves it. I'm not sure what sort of Visa she has but I know she went straight from school to work and I think she's been out of school for probably 3 years now.

[PiuYi]

visited there a few months ago (Adelaide)

...very American, if you ignore the accents and driving on opposite side of the road, feels like you're in the states down south somewhere

[doggface]

Hey,

I'm here in Brisbane for school on a student visa so I can't comment on the other work visas. Staying here is definitely an option so that will mean applying for permanent residency in the near future.
Life in Brisbane is great, everything is very laid back and relaxed which is the typical Aussie culture. Brisbane is not as busy and doesnt have a big city feel like Vancouver. Sydney and Melbourne would be more like Vancouver. Wages are definitely higher here, like you can be paid $20+AUD working at a grocery store. However, living expenses are also a lot higher especially property/rent and cars.
The weather here is way better than Vancouver. It hasn't rained in months and winter technically just ended but it's like 24 degrees during the day right now.
The food here sucks compared to Vancouver, especially if you're looking for any type of Asian food, from pho to sushi.
As for Brisbane, there is no car scene. The cars here are distastefully modified and looks old school. They will put tacky rims and a fart can on any old junky car and they love their Holdens and utes.

[nabs]

my cousin did, for work, he's on RS, i'll get him to respond, he's on his second year now.

[Culture_Vulture]

when i think australia, i think giant spiders

[too_slow]

-rent is paid weekly (that's what "p.w" means when you're looking at ads on Gumtree)
-banks are very generous with interest (pretty sure Australia is the only country that gives govn't guranteed term deposits @ over 5%)
-You don't have to tip when you eat out (eating out is very expensive though, compared to Vancouver)
-I was blown away by the amount of Asians in Sydney
-The train/public transit system in Sydney is very good. However, you have to pay for every trip (no monthly passes, you cant use the ticket to transfer between train and bus like in BC)
-I'm 5'9", 152lbs @ <10% BF. I felt fat in Sydney (people appear to be very fit + skinny there)
-I seem to have met more girls from Austria/Germany than local ones from Sydney for some reason (they are super friendly and pretty)

Err.. I can't think of any thing else. It's 6am and I'm getting ready for a roadtrip to Alberta. I'll do another mind dump later.. LOL (BTW, I was originally from Sydney.. will be moving back there in January)

[GFunk]

I'm in Melbourne right now on a working holiday visa. Been here since the beginning of the year and it's probably been the best decision of my life to up and leave.

Melbourne is very much like Vancouver. Big city with a lot of character. Not very good for beaches though. Sydney is more like Toronto. Asides from the harbour and beaches, it feels very much like a templated major city to me.

To get a working holiday visa, you can apply by completing an online form. From the time I hit submit, it only took 10 hours til I got the email saying I was approved and it's all digital so no paper work is necessary.

Getting a job can be fairly easy or difficult depending on how picky you are and what experience you bring. If you have barista or bar experience, there are plenty of jobs there. If you're not picky, there are plenty of restaurants needing kitchen hands. If you're looking for work specifically in your industry, it can be a little more difficult. Keep in mind that you can't have a job for longer than 6 months so everything will be contract work.

I'll add more later but feel free to ask if you have any questions

[asian_XL]

[godwin]

If you hate Aircare, you would hate their annual inspection. They check everything and have to be certified by a 'geer.

Originally Posted by asian_XL

[Boostslut]

I was living in Melbourne for almsot two years, and have basically the same experience that GFunk. What he said is truth. At first I was there on a working/holiday visa while my fiance was going to school over there. It was a good experience, and really enjoyed it alot. The weather in Melbourne can be crappy at times. "4 seasons in one day," "if you don't like the weather wait 15 minutes." It does get cold there during the winter times 8 - 10 degree's windy and gloomy. The summer can be really nice and hot too. Although i believe they have been getting a hail storm a few times during the summer. Go figure. Like GFunk said, Melbourne = Vancouiver, and Sydney = Toronto. I'd much prefer to live in Melbourne than Sydney. Wages are high, but expenses are high as well. I had no need for a car when i was in Melbourne, since their public transportation system can basically get you anywhere. It is expensive just like anything else. Rent, I was paying about 1600 a month for a one bedroom shoe box in Carlton (close to the "CBD" downtown). Going out to eat is expensive. Melbourne has a great coffee culture! Lots of nice arts, museums and shows. Australian Grand Prix (F1), Australian Open (Tennis), Australian MotoGP at Philip Island. Cricket, Footie, lots of things to see and do there! Melbourne as a city is BIG! Beaches aren't that great. Their lane-ways are awesome, and you need to get to know people on where to go and see different things because everything is SOO hidden! The Melbourne Zoo is fun, i liked it. Great food too! Hmmm.. that's it for now I guess. If you have any questions, let me know.
I forgot to say earlier, I got my visa extended for a second year on my fiances student visa as her partner, so it was called a defect'o visa i think. No "environmental" work for me to get my visa extended. Hope this helps.

[drunkrussian]

i have not been but had a few friends go/have a coworker planning for it now/have a coworker from there

my coworker is in your situation and she is going there and is planning on working a non-career type of job (such as at a restaurant) and taking it from there. Often people who move to other countries to explore and have fun do that and then it's a good gateway into possibly working a more career relevant job there later, if they do decide to stay

like someone said, the inspection thing exists. I know in new zealand it's actually every 6 months. However, in new zealand insurance is also optional and if you do choose to get it is a few hundred per year. Not sure if it's the same in australia or totally different?

i also heard from friends that travelled there that it's quite expensive to live there, but i suppose the salary is also higher so overall i really do think it might be more affordable than vancouver, for someone making a small wage lol

[GFunk]

Boostslut - I'm actually living in Carlton right now next to Brunetti's. Definitely an expensive area but cheaper than what I was paying in Port Melbourne.

I believe Australia is more affordable than Vancouver after you factor in wages. In marketing, the equivalent role in Australia makes approximately 50% more. Expenses here are definitely more expensive but not 50% more. Boostslut made a point that I forgot to mention. If you're at all a sports person, Melbourne has an incredible sports culture. Just being able to attend the Australia Open and Grand Prix was worth it.

[CP.AR]

I just got here 2 days ago (Adelaide)
Though I'm only here for about a year so my experience is not at all applicable.

but holy shit stuff is expensive here.

[JesseBlue]

when i think of australia, i think of hot chicks in their aussie accent