chanahluppens
From: United States
3/23/2004 14:49 EST
Hello,
I am new to the group and have been reading the previous messages. Currently my husband & I are living in Oklahoma City put plan to relocate to Australia in January 2006. We have US passports & he has sent his credentials (diplomas, work experience and so on) off to be evaluated by the engineering board that will hopefully say he is quallified to work in Australia under some trade agreement that the US has with Australia. He then plans to file for a work visa. We BARELY make the points cut off with his credentials.
I am a Registered Nurse, but for the last 10 years most of my nursing has been done in summer camps, privately and in private schools. I have CURRENT nursing licenses in BOTH Missouri & Oklahoma & have kept up on the education, however I do not meet the "actively worked full time 8 out of 10 years in the field" that would let us count my career as points. I grew frustrated with the whole HMO/insurance/hospital thing here in the States. I would VERY much like to use my nursing in Australia part-time and possibly full time with the right job, however I am 35 and cannot imagine the 12-15 hour on my feet shifts again. If we come in under my husbands work visa, may I then work part-time or must i have seperate paperwork?
I am planning on taking a "tourist" trip to Australia in the next couple of months and we are looking to settle within 50 kilometers of Melbourne since my husband would like to some day study there (he is structural./civil/environmental engineer and would like to receive his PhD in the future).
What areas or suburbs would you suggest for me to look at while on my trip for settling? Does anyone know anything about the nursing situation? I know they are in need of FULL TIME nurses but I am not sure I want to make that commitment. Should we reveal my nursing on the visa even though it would not count towards helping our points? What about small storage units? i plan on making several trips in the next year or two and would like to leave some stuff in a unit that we have pre-paid on. Is there a "group" of American-Australians whom I could meet with or talk to on my trip? Where do you reccomend staying for 2-3 weeks? Should I cruise the Internet or simply look for small home accomadations when I get there? Is there anyway I can get an address or post office box with my American Passport because we are wanting to get a tax ID # and open a bank account?
I have heard that furniture is very high in Australia. Would it cost more to ship solid wood dining room table or should I sell it & buy new when I get there? Do they sell Universal DVD players so my American DVDs will play? I notice there is no Walmarts in Australia (although they are in China :), what is the Australian equivalent of Walmart? I was told to bring my good cChina from Germany, that I would use it more in Australia then USA, is this true?
We are very attached to our cat & realize the paperwork & expense involved in bringing him. I have found a good home for him here in the States should we choose not uproot him like that, but will I be able to get another kitten from the pound? How hard & expensive is it to keep ONE domestic animal? What about LandLords-is it like the States where a deposit is required, are they more or less accepting of household pet? What advice would you offer, Im not sure our cat would adjust & do well with the quarentine & all the preperation and so on. Is animal population there a problem?
How hard is it to get peanut butter? Someone told me its very expensive abbroad.
Finally we ar planning on getting a new laptop but want to do it for australia, so should we wait & i buy one in Australia on my 1st trip or is it cheaper to get one here? I was told a switch on the laptop converts the power supply source so that it can go back & forth from 110 to 220 but we went shopping this weekend and none of the salespeople knew what we were talking about & told us we would have to special order that from the company itself. PLEASE HELP- we want the laptop to entertain me on the plane but also to use as our main computer when we first arrive in Australia. Are electronics, computers and so on more or less expensive there since you are closer to Japan & trade more with them?
Any responses & advise would be appreciated including tips on airfare-Can we join Qantas frequent flier while still in the State or must we wait until we resettle? We are very excited but feel very overwhlemed-it seems for every form there is two other forms they then send us. Any tips & advise are appreciated.
Chanah
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sueellson
From: Australia
3/24/2004 20:55 EST
Hello,
If we come in under my husbands work visa, may I then work part-time or must i have seperate paperwork?
This is a question you may like to post at the AustraliaNZMigrate Yahoo Group as they provide answers to migration related questions.
I am planning on taking a "tourist" trip to Australia in the next couple of months and we are looking to settle within 50 kilometers of Melbourne since my husband would like to some day study there (he is structural./civil/environmental engineer and would like to receive his PhD in the future).
What areas or suburbs would you suggest for me to look at while on my trip for settling?
http://www.newcomersnetwork.com/mel/oursay/expertadvice/buyingorrentingpropertyinmelbourne.php
Does anyone know anything about the nursing situation?
Contact Christine Smith from http://www.initialwelcome.com.au in Perth Western Australia as she was working for a company that would have contacts here in Melbourne initialwelcome@optusnet.com.au
What about small storage units? i plan on making several trips in the next year or two and would like to leave some stuff in a unit that we have pre-paid on.
These can be found at http://www.yellowpages.com.au
Is there a "group" of American-Australians whom I could meet with or talk to on my trip?
http://www.newcomersnetwork.com/mel/information/allcategories/expatgroups/usa.php
http://www.newcomersnetwork.com/mel/oursay/expertadvice/thingstoseeanddoinmelbourne.php
Where do you reccomend staying for 2-3 weeks?
http://www.newcomersnetwork.com/mel/oursay/expertadvice/tempacc.php
Is there anyway I can get an address or post office box with my American Passport because we are wanting to get a tax ID # and open a bank account?
See http://www.australiapost.com.au/
See http://www.newcomersnetwork.com/mel/information/allcategories/banking.php
I have heard that furniture is very high in Australia. Would it cost more to ship solid wood dining room table or should I sell it & buy new when I get there?
This is a very personal choice - depends on packing costs etc ask this question at Americans Down Under Yahoo Group
Do they sell Universal DVD players so my American DVDs will play?
Not sure, check out http://www.newcomersnetwork.com/mel/oursay/ouradvice/btm.php as it has a list of what to bring and what to leave
what is the Australian equivalent of Walmart? Probably KMart
I was told to bring my good cChina from Germany, that I would use it more in Australia then USA, is this true? Depends who you entertain!
We are very attached to our cat & realize the paperwork & expense involved in bringing him. I have found a good home for him here in the States should we choose not uproot him like that, but will I be able to get another kitten from the pound? Very easily, the Cat Protection Society is a no kill shelter, so you could even get an older cat (in Greensborough) http://worldanimalnet.org/new.asp?co=AUSTRALIA&geo=oc&prov=&cat=
How hard & expensive is it to keep ONE domestic animal? Easy but you usually need to register the animal with your local council and keep it in at night
What about LandLords-is it like the States where a deposit is required, are they more or less accepting of household pet? Depends on the land lord...cats are better than dogs (in the eyes of a landlord) - you usually sign a special letter to get the okay in addition to the lease
What advice would you offer, Im not sure our cat would adjust & do well with the quarentine & all the preperation and so on. Could be a long wait through quarantine http://www.affa.gov.au/content/output.cfm?ObjectID=768C53F1-E1E3-47B6-A1516B834217B7F8&contType=outputs
Is animal population there a problem? Not really if you only have one domestic pet
How hard is it to get peanut butter? Available most supermarkets...some people miss Reece's Peanut Butter Cups but you can get some from http://www.usafoods.com.au
Someone told me its very expensive abbroad. Depends where you live, what you buy, your lifestyle etc..
Finally we ar planning on getting a new laptop but want to do it for australia, so should we wait & i buy one in Australia on my 1st trip or is it cheaper to get one here? Warranty may mean it is better to purchase in Australia
I was told a switch on the laptop converts the power supply source so that it can go back & forth from 110 to 220 but we went shopping this weekend and none of the salespeople knew what we were talking about & told us we would have to special order that from the company itself. PLEASE HELP- we want the laptop to entertain me on the plane but also to use as our main computer when we first arrive in Australia. Are electronics, computers and so on more or less expensive there since you are closer to Japan & trade more with them? - again, this information is covered in the what to bring/leave link...
Any responses & advise would be appreciated including tips on airfare-Can we join Qantas frequent flier while still in the State or must we wait until we resettle? suggest you check their website http://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/program/welcome
We are very excited but feel very overwhlemed-it seems for every form there is two other forms they then send us. Any tips & advise are appreciated.
Chanah
My goodness Chanah...you have the record for the most questions in one post I have ever seen!
Join the Americans Down Under Yahoo Group, and ask only one or two questions each time...as you need to...they are a great bunch of supportive people.
Cheers
Sue Vitnell
Founder, Newcomers Network
new location, new life, make the most of it!
ask us a question - we answer them
based in melbourne, australia
suevitnell @ newcomersnetwork.com
http://www.newcomersnetwork.com
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cosmo
From: United Kingdom
4/1/2004 02:34 EST
Dear Chana,
I can't give any definitive answers to a lot of the questions so some will be just my opinion and suggestions.
Working: Not sure whether you can work on husband's visa - immigration should tell you but I'd contact the Australian Consulate by e-mail and ask them as i know they are desperately short of nurses. I don't think it would harm your application to mention it. It's worth investingating. If you are allowed to work and don't want to work F/T then register with an agency who will give you casual work - better pay and you could i imagine pick and choose the work. I worked in a hospital and there were many agency nurses who just did the 1 or 2 shifts per week and they were choosey about their times etc.
Melbourne Areas: Not sure about outside the Melb. city area. Toorak is most expensive suburb- restaurant/shopping area, Prahan (pronounced 'Pran') is inner city upper middle-class, Kew is suburban middle class, Balaclava - inner-city jewish near St Kilda, St Kilda (red light district but also trendy and quite safe in my opinion) lots of cafes and cake shops, Fitzroy - italian/greek area - good for restaurants. Really i think most places in Melbourne are fine to live in.
Small Storage Units - don't know who to recommend but i think most would be absolutely fine and readily available.
Group of Amer-Aust: not really sure but i would say there must be a group on the internet somewhere.
Recommend staying for 2-3 weeks - There isn't really a culture of Bed and Breakfasts in Australia - mostly people stay in hotels and motels. I'd stay in St. Kilda as it is a short tram ride to town and on the beach and there's plenty of cafes etc. St. Kilda has plenty of hotels.
PO BOX: Not sure if they'd accept a PO BOX to open a bank account - maybe you could try an international bank who has offices in America and Australia - might make it easier, then you could transfer everything. You normally get a tax id. once you start work (unless you're getting other income), when you fill out the employment paperwork you then fill out another form that says you request a tax file no., if you don't they'll tax you at the top rate. The employer should be able to give you advice about this at the time.
Furniture: Furniture is expensive - for a dining table and chairs it would probably cost AUST$1000 but depends on the quality - depends how much they'd charge you - you could look on something like ikea australia to get an idea of table costs.
DVD players: Not sure about this one - you could email someone like 'David Jones Department Store' and ask them if they sell them there.
Walmart: I think it is like K-mart in Australia (a large chain which sells all sorts of things other than food).
China: You'll probably do a lot of entertaining in Australia - people like to have dinner parties a lot and BBQs, but good china is usually reserved for when the in-laws come around:-)
Cat: Australia is very careful about allowing animals in and has strict quarantine rules - it used to be 6 months quarantine - not sure about now. You should easily be able to get a kitten from the pound - they do charge about AUST$50 as they neuter them. Otherwise, if you ask around the people you meet they're bound to know someone whose trying to find homes for a litter. Cat food doesn't cost much so wouldn't be expensive. The cats i think have to have a micro-chip by law and are not allowed outside at nighttime to protect the native wildlife (even in the city). The government is trying to cut down the numbers of feral cats.
Landlords: Generally landlords don't allow animals - you might find the occasional one who would allow it but it would restrict the properties you could choose from and your flexibility. They normally require 4 weeks bond (equiv. to 4 weeks rent) which is lodged with the Rental Bond Board (a govt body) and you apply to have it back at the end of the tenancy. You also pay 2 weeks rent in advance normally. The agent gives you a form for you to write any faults with the property, eg. an ink mark on the carpet 2cm wide, and you must put it down or they will deduct it from your bond at the end of the tenancy (however you can dispute this by ringing the Rental Bond Board and going to a tribunal).
Peanut Butter: In plentiful supply and only about AUST$1 a jar, they have Kraft and some supermarkets stock some American food items.
Laptop- sorry beyond my knowledge.
Qantas Frequent Flyer - you should be able to join when you buy your air ticket i would think.
Good luck with it all.
cosmo
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cosmo
From: United Kingdom
4/1/2004 03:54 EST
Chana,
I just read in the ABC (Australia) news on the internet that the govt. is increasing the number of skilled migrant workers by 5 000 - so thats got to be a good thing! The article implied that the new rules would be a bit more relaxed.
Cosmo
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dcthgreen
From: United States
5/9/2004 10:39 EST
Good luck living in Oz - I was there for two years (Sydney) with my wife. To answer some of your questions:
Visas
Your ability to work under your Husband's will be dependant on the type of visa. Also, relaize that you will be under HIS Visa, and some employers won't consider you because of this (If his Visa is revoked, or he has to return home, so do you). Finding "odd jobs" may be less of an issue (My wife's in advertising, and had issues finding a job). An alternative - Do volunteer work (assuming you don't need the extra income).
US Expats
There should be a US expat "community" in Melbourne - in Sydney there were several - check in with the US consulate when you arrive - they were very helpful.
Electronics
I'd sell any / all electronics - DVD players are region-coded, so what's in the US won't work in OZ. Also realize that the TV is a different standard as well (PAL).
Pets
It really isn't worth the effort - We have a dog, and the quarentine process seemed to be too stressful. Keeping a pet wouldn't be a problem, but I don't recall seeing many cats.
Laptop -
You're better off buying one in the states. Make sure it has an external power supply that can handle 110 or 240 (most do). Then its just a matter of replacing the extention.
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dcthgreen
From: United States
5/18/2004 13:50 EST
One last bit on travel - Check with you "preferred" airlines - find out who they are their "acrue / redeem" partners in the area. I think that United, American, and USAir have partnerships with Aussie airlines (either QANTAS or Air New Zealand). Also look into OneWorld and Star Alliance - these are Global Frequent Flyer programs that have great deals in the region.
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