Moving to Australia - When you arrive

The day you come to Australia can be very full and a load to cope with because so much is new and different. You have just had a long journey along and with many other people; you must now complete some important tasks. Here is some information that will help you with these tasks.

On arrival

The first step to enter Australia is at the immigration desk. You will need your passport with visa and Incoming Passenger Card. The official there records your arrival and returns your papers to you. You then collect your baggage, which Australian Customs and Border Protection Service officers may check. They look for prohibited goods or items that have not been declared.

This is the end of official checks and you are now in the arrivals hall. This is where your family, friends or sponsor can greet you. This is where you can also change money, get transport and arrange short-term accommodation. There may be an arrivals information desk to provide answers to your questions.

You will need local cash soon so this is a good time to change money. Common usage is $20, $10 and $5 notes and $2 and $1 coins. The exchange rate varies often and you will pay a commission.

Travel from arrival point

If you are travelling on to another destination on the same day, you may want to transfer to a domestic air terminal or to a train/coach terminal. Airline staff members can assist you with transfer to a domestic terminal but you will need to get to the train/coach terminus by public transport.

You may wish to hire a car. You will need a driver's licence and there may be other restrictions. Talk to the staff at car rental booths for more help. The location of public transport such as taxi, bus and maybe train, will be signposted and a worker may be on duty to help with directions.

Accommodation

If you have not already booked somewhere to stay, you can do so at the airport. The cost and quality can vary greatly. Some accommodation places will provide a transfer for you. Seek help from staff at the arrivals information desk.

Perth [ The Fastest Growing City in Australia ]

New data by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show Perth’s metropolitan area’s population grew by 3.2 per cent in the year 2008-09, making it the fastest growing metropolis in Australia.

Combined with this, the City of Perth -which includes the CBD, East and West Perth and Northbridge – was the fastest growing local authority area in Australia.

The report Regional Population Growth, Australia 2008-09 showed that 12.8 per cent more people called the 12.7 square kilometre municipality home than the year before.

Most of the state’s growth was due to Australia immigration, followed by natural birth increase, then interstate migration.

Perth was closely followed by Darwin’s 3.1 per cent population growth.

In related news. The headline on the front of the local ‘Western Australian’ newspaper this morning was “Perth Average House Price Hits $500,000″

This and the strong Aussie Dollar probably won’t make good reading to those looking to call Perth their new home. It’s not as cheap as it used to be in the ‘good old days’ thats for sure!

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Country Overview : Canada

 

Geography

• Full country name: Canada
• Population: 33.5 million, and nearly 90% live within 200km of the southern border with the United States
• Border countries: United States
• Climate: temperatures vary widely by location in the country, and can range from a continental climate with harsh winters in the interior provinces to more temperate weather with mild, rainy winters in south-western areas.
• Terrain: Canada is the world’s second largest country, and encompasses a variety of terrains including extensive flat prairies, mountainous and coastal areas, and frozen landscapes.

Living in Canada

• Cost of living: the cost of living in Canada is cheaper compared to the UK and many other western countries. Education in Canada has estimates of costs for typical items and services that can act as useful guidelines. As in the UK, there are considerable differences between living costs in different regions, and particularly between the large cities and the rural areas.    
• Utilities: utilities that often have to be paid for on top of the rent bill include hydro, gas, water and phone. The cost of utilities depends on a number of factors, such as which services are included, how many people split the costs and the size of the house. 
• Internet domain: .ca
• Health: Canada’s health care system, commonly known as Medicare, is funded through taxes and provides access to medically necessary hospital and primary care. Canadian citizens and permanent residents are eligible for coverage, though they may be a three month waiting period upon arrival, during which it is recommended to buy private health insurance. Non-residents are advised to apply for travel health insurance if their regular policy does not cover them when abroad, as paying for services at the point of delivery can be prohibitively expensive.
• Laws and customs: Canada is a proudly multicultural society, and all newcomers are expected to abide by its laws and respect the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which prohibits discrimination based on ethnic origin, religion, colour, sex, age, and mental and physical disabilities.

Economy and finance

• Currency: Canadian dollar = 100 cents
• Type of economy: mixed market economy and one of the world’s top 10 trading nations
• Health of economy: one of the world’s wealthiest nations and a member of OECD, Canada has enjoyed steady economic growth between 1997 and 2007. However, growth has slowed sharply in 2008 as a result of the global economic downturn and tight global credit conditions are further constraining business and housing investment (CIA, 2009)
• Unemployment rate: 8.6% (Statistics Canada, 2009)
• Main exports: motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment, electronics, chemicals, plastics, fertilizers, wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminium

Culture

• People: one in five Canadians are foreign born. Ethic origins include: British (28%), French (23%), other European (15%).
• Major religion: Roman Catholic (42.6%), Protestant (23.3%) other Christian (4.4%), Muslim (1.9%), other and unspecified (11.8%), no affiliation (16%) (2001 census).
• Local etiquette: important Canadian social practices include being on time, queuing according to the principle of 'first-come, first-served', not smoking in private homes, respecting the environment and avoiding littering. Bargaining for a better price is not common but there are some exceptions, such as when buying a house or a car. The price on marked goods in stores does not usually include the federal and provincial sales taxes, which add from 7% to 15% to the cost of an item depending on the province in which it is sold.

Politics

• Type of government: Parliamentary democracy and federation, with Queen Elizabeth II - represented by the Governor General - as the head of state 
• Major political parties: Liberal Party, Conservative Party, New Democratic Party, Bloc Quebecois, Green Party

Australia : Country Overview

Geography

• Full country name: Australia
• Population: 21,807,000 
• Border countries: none 
• Climate: varies greatly - large areas of desert, tropical and sub-tropical and temperate climes 
• Terrain: varies greatly - desert, tropical rainforest, coast and bush
• Natural hazards: Certain areas of Australia can be dangerous due to extreme weather and natural conditions, caution should be taken when visiting remote areas out of major cities. Hazards include bushfires, cyclones, earthquakes, floods and severe weather. Australia is also home to some deadly plants and animals.

Living in Australia

Cost of living: differs between major cities and regional centres, and relative cost will depend on the exchange rate of the pound/euro to Australian dollar. If you are living in Australian capital cities and earning Australian dollars, you will find rent, entertainment and food to be similar to living in smaller UK and European cities, yet cheaper than London. 

• Utilities: there are many companies offering water, gas, electricity and telecommunication services to Australian homes. It is worth getting a quote from a few providers to ensure you get the best deal. 
• Internet domain: .au
• Health: healthcare in Australia is of a similar standard to the UK, and is both public (through Medicare) and private (health insurance).
• Laws and customs:  the legal age for consumption of alcohol is 18, fines and penalties apply for the possession of illicit drugs, smoking is banned in most indoor spaces including restaurants and pubs, theatres, shopping centres and some outdoor public spaces and littering is illegal.

Economy and finance

• Currency: Australian Dollar (AUD)
• Type of economy:  western-style, capitalist economy
• Health of economy: Australia has had one of the strongest economies in the world, experiencing two decades of growth until 2008. The global economic crisis of that started in 2008 has had an impact on the economy of Australia, dramatically reversing the economic growth associated with the mining boom period of 2003 - 2008.
• Unemployment rate: Prior to the global economic crisis, Australia experienced a sustained period of low unemployment rates. The impact on the resources sector in particular has led to an increase in unemployment to 5.8% in June 2009
• Main exports: coal, iron ore and concentrates, education services, gold, personal travel (excluding education) services, crude petroleum, natural gas, aluminium ores (including alumina), professional technical and other business services, aluminium

Culture

• People: Australia is a modern, multicultural society with a diverse population from over 190 countries. The majority of Australians are from an Anglo Celtic origin, the 2006 census revealed the most common ancestry as Australian (37.13%) followed by English (31.65%), Irish (9.08%), Scottish (7.56%), Italian (4.29%), German (4.09%), Chinese (3.37%) and Greek (1.84%).
• Major religion: Given the multicultural nature of Australia, most world religions are practiced. Christianity is the most common religion in Australia, followed by Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. There is no state religion, and many Australians identify themselves as having no religion. 
• Local etiquette: Australia is a friendly and informal society based on social equality, respect and fairness. You will need to sign a Values statement on your visa application, which identifies the key aspects of Australian society and culture 

Politics

• Type of government: The Commonwealth of Australia is a constitutional democracy with three levels of government - the Australian government (federal), state and territory government and local government (councils).  
• Major political parties: The Australian Labor Party, the Coalition (the Liberal Party and the National Party)

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Excellent Opportunity for Telecom Engineers to get Australian Immigration

Telecom professionals are now eligible to apply for Australian Immigration under the new Skilled Migration Program 2010. They are also in great demand in the rapidly growing Telecommunication industry in Australia.

Don't miss this chance to apply and settle permanently in Australia for your career growth.

Our service charges are Client-Friendly.

Remember, This opportunity will remain opened for 1 year so better apply now.

The following Occupation Titles are eligible to apply:

- Telecommunications Engineer

- Telecommunications Network Engineer

- Telecommunications Field Engineer

Telecom Job Prospects in Australia:  "Excellent"

Major industries: Agriculture, Mining, Tourism and Manufacture.

Recent growth areas: Tourism, Telecommunications, IT, Mining, Services.
 
Major companies: Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank, Westpac Banking Group, ANZ Banking, Telstra, Wesfarmers, Woolworths, QBE Insurance Group, AMP, Macquarie Group, Suncorp-Metway, Qantas Airways, Origin Energy, Woodside Petroleum, Westfield Group.
 
Major cities: Sydney (largest), Melbourne, Queensland, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra (Capital), Darwin.

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Settling in Australia

Having arrived as a skilled or family migrant, or a refugee or humanitarian entrant, there may be many new things for you to adjust to in your new country. 'Settlement' is the process of adjustment you experience as you become established and independent in Australia.

Some migrants feel settled quite quickly, perhaps within six to 12 months. For others it may take some years. How quickly you settle into your new environment may depend on a range of factors, such as your English ability and your level of health, and whether you came as a skilled or family migrant or as a refugee. If you have visited Australia in the past and you are familiar with this country and society or if you join the work force quickly, you may settle quite quickly.

Most of you will need some help to settle successfully. As soon as you arrive, you will need somewhere to live, money to live on and information on services available to help you get started, such as schools, transport and health services. Shortly after you arrive, you will also need access to employment and education. You may also need access to English language classes and help to form individual and family social networks.

Things to do First

Below is a list of 7 important things that you should do as soon as possible after arriving in Australia.

1. Apply for a Tax File Number (TFN)

Do this first. To receive an income in Australia, you need a Tax File Number (TFN).

2. Register with Medicare

The Australian Government provides help with basic medical expenses through a scheme called Medicare.

3. Open a Bank Account

In Australia, most income including salary or wages and government benefits are paid directly into a bank account.

4. Register with Centrelink

Centrelink is a government agency which delivers a range of services to the community.

5. Register for English Classes

Communicating in English is very important and the key to your successful settlement.

6. Enroll Your Children in School

Under Australian law, children must attend school until they are 15 years old.

7. Apply for a Driver's License