Welcome to Australia Blog

How Qualified Am I?

One of the surprises for many immigrants is that some jobs do require you study for further qualifications before you can practice in your field of work.

Even though the skilled migration board has said you have all the qualifications you need there may be a need to do more.

Two examples we’ve heard of are:

1. A Physio (from the UK) who needed to extend his formal qualifications, even though he had a degree and experience. The job of a physio here has a slightly different focus. It is very difficult to have an international match in terms of job focus and study areas.

2. A Swiss midwife nedeed to take a further language course locally even having passed the IELTS test.

It is worth being prepared for the extra cost and requirements.

Australia ~ Not So Cheap.

Our first three months in Australia were bliss. We were living in between two worlds; Switzerland and all the long hours commuting, expenses and past stress was behind us and Australia with the reality of integrating here and setting up our new life somewhere ‘out there’ in front.

These first few months were spent imagining all we could do now we were here. The reality of decreased salaries, real comprehension of the daily cost of living and value of the dollar hadn’t hit home. This is what’s known as the ‘honeymoon’ period.

Point to Consider: During the time of planning the move and applying for visas, having an idea of the day to day living costs can suddenly become essential. With all the talk of Australia being great for life style, it is still important to consider whether you can afford to enjoy the life style you want and to start to build realistic expectations.

Arriving with large lump sums of cash after selling up overseas can leave an inflated sense of wealth, until the bills start rolling in.

During the ‘honeymoon’ or before, is a good time to start drawing up a preliminary budget. It is of course difficult to get an overall feel of the change of the day to day expenses all at once. Prices are different; some items cost more and others a lot less.

In a World wide Survey carried out by http://www.finfacts.com/costofliving3.htm, comparing the Cost of living in over 100 countries, at number 20 (listed as the most expensive city in Australia) is Sydney, at 68 Melbourne, at 84 Brisbane, at 89 Adelaide and Perth is at 93 (Darwin didn’t feature in the top 144). Compare these results to your own city to get a general perspective.

Relocation Nightmare?

It needn’t be a nightmare of paperwork and stepping out into the unknown (unless you like it this way!)

Even if you are coming independent, help with the move can make the change and settling in period easier.

More companies are setting up in Brisbane to help with the relocation dramas. This one will meet and greet you on arrival, help find you a temporary home, assist with purchasing a property and take you around the local childcare and schools.
http://www.relocationspecialists.com.au/

Australia ~Hosts the Most Expensive Cities Worldwide.

In a news report this week, it has been noted that Australian cities have now become the world’s most expensive and most unaffordable to live in.

The cost of houses, mortgage interest rates, cost of living (food and gas) etc. are not in line with current salaries which are staying stagnant.

It’s also worth commenting that the US market crash is helping to put Australia in the spotlight.