spikeuk1982

Hi, I stayed in the YHA last Febuary for about 6 weeks, while I found my feet and a long term rental. I found it quite pleasant, there is a mix of workers and travellers, quite a few revellers but they tend to be well behaved in the hostel, yes it has a small gym and a nice pool, there is also a bar that does food and the cheapest pints I've found in Perth! The rooms all have aircon and are 4 bed dorms, only a short walk to the food shops in the CBD and train station, only had a basic look around on review sites before going with YHA based on positive reviews and transport links, as I was travelling up to Clarkson every day. Though everyone has there own priorities when finding accommodation, so you might well prefer some of the other options. Alan

Hi, Sorry to here you're struggling to get started, I found it hard at first to get started, though being on a student visa by my self, my challenges are slightly different to yours. Though I can appreciate how scary it can be when you have no income and only outgoings, quite a shock after having a regular wage for a number of years. Have you tried Woolies? looking on http://wowcareers.com.au, they have 2 night-fill jobs, one at BigW and one at Woolworths, their only casual and at night (would expect around $400+ per week), but can bring in some much needed money (I do night-fill at Woolies, up in Joondalup area). Alan

Hi, I'm currently studding Cert3 Carpentry in Australia and have been looking into the verification procedures to prove i'm a carpenter at the end of the course. As with most things to do with migration there is a lack of detail in any of the information online, so I would recommend talking to a training provider, the TRA or migration agent. (which i'm yet to do!) But from what i can work out, with no prior Carpentry work, the process is like this: Study a 2 year course in Carpentry as an International Student, included in this you need to do 360 hours (2 days per week, for 6 months) of work experience (as far as i can tell it can be paid or voluntary). After this you need to do the TRA Job Ready Program (this is a new thing they brought in to stop people doing easy courses to get PR*), The First step of this is the Provisional Work Experience (which you did along side the course), then you move onto a Graduate Skills Visa, and complete a full years paid employment, with the TRA monitoring your work, at the end of that they should provide a Positive Skills Assesment, which is the proof DIAC require for a Skilled Migration Pathway. I'm not entirely sure about this info, but it's my interpretation at the moment! *"The Job Ready Program will be in effect from 1 January 2010, and will affect people who are resident in Australia and who wish to obtain a skills assessment for a permanent visa. The main group of people affected will be international students completing vocational qualifications in Australia and who wish to apply for General Skilled Migration." Links: http://www.deewr.gov.au/Skills/Programs/SkillsAssess/TRA/residenceVisa/JobReady/Pages/Overview.aspx http://www.gettingdownunder.com/tra-job-ready-program-further-details-released/ Hope this helps? Alan

Cost of living is higher than most places, but this does depend on what your circumstances are. I think you can get most everyday costs down by shopping around. Yes you need to pay tax, so your take home wage will be lower, the amount will depend on what your annual income is. I don't know anything more about the tax, as I've not looked into it too much yet. For bar work you need an RSA as Perthbum mentioned above, I did mine when I arrived, as I was looking at work in Bottle Shops, selling alcohol. I did the Western Australia one online for $65 took a couple of hours, It's not hard! I found my training provider from the Government approved training providers list, http://www.rgl.wa.gov.au/Default.aspx?NodeId=89&DocId=95

Hi, I just got a job this week, stacking shelves at a supermarket. I didn't try too hard, but it took me 2 months to get this offer. I would think if you're flexible with hours and locations, you should get a casual job in a few weeks. Most national companies use online applications, but it is also worth visiting some stores, as managers can bump you up the lists. also i was told by one manager that after 2 online applications you get offered other positions as a priority candidate (I think this is how I got an offer, as HR rang me to see what jobs I was interested in). Just as a guide, i'm doing part time, to fit around my studies and I will be earning $18.60 per hour! Alan