noble383

Does anybody know when the Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony invites go out? We are in Yarra Council in Victoria....yes the ones who are no longer allowed to have citizenship ceremonies due to refusing to have ceremonies on 'straya Day. So I am expecting that my wife, who got her citizenship confirmation letter in mid-October, to be invited (fingers crossed) to a ceremony in the surrounding suburbs, maybe the City Council. Are the Ceremonies on Australia Day larger events with more people invited than the standard monthly / quarterly ones?

Hello!!! Right, I have searched the site quite a bit and there doesnt seem to be any regular 5 aside games/meetups going on in Melbourne.... Thought I would try and start one of our very own in an aim to get some regular expats together to share our passion of footy, a few beers, a bit of socialising and of course we can also pass it off as a bit of exercise (at a push)!!! Nothing too serious, think more Messy than Messi and more Dire than Dyer!! :confused: I suggest we try and get something going every Saturday or Sunday mornings so it doesnt interfere with other's weekends etc....also in Central Melbourne so most can make it regardless where we live. I have got 2-3 people already keen, so please let me know if you fancy it and I hope we can get it going in the next few weeks!!! Look forward to seeing some silky skills soon!! Cheers Nigel

Hello!!! Right, I have searched the site quite a bit and there doesnt seem to be any regular 5 aside games/meetups going on in Melbourne.... Thought I would try and start one of our very own in an aim to get some regular expats together to share our passion of footy, a few beers, a bit of 11socialising and of course we can also pass it off as a bit of exercise (at a push)!!! Nothing too serious, think more Messy than Messi and more Dire than Dyer!! :confused: I suggest we try and get something going every Saturday or Sunday mornings so it doesnt interfere with other's weekends etc....also in Central Melbourne so most can make it regardless where we live. I have got 2-3 people already keen, so please let me know if you fancy it and I hope we can get it going in the next few weeks!!! Look forward to seeing some silky skills soon!! Cheers Nigel

Hey Stephen, I know how you feel!!! I am here in Melbourne on my tod until my wife arrives in Jan. I am 34 from Manc and play a bit of 5 aside if you want details. Likewise if anyone wants to head over to watch the Melbourne Victory vs Melbourne Heart game let me know Cheers Nigel

Hi, Yeah it's a funny one as I was in Singapore for a while and most of the CVs there ask for a photo. I think initially I did enlcose a photo, but was told by my migration agent that it wasnt the done thing in Oz (bit like UK). Normally the job ad will ask for it if they want it, but if you are just firing your CV around I would leave it off. That way it wont influence them either way based on your photo. Hope that helps N

Wicked news!!!Dead chuffed for you!!

It's Freaky Friday Grant Day....................................uploaded our PCCs this morning and within 2 hours......................... VISA GRANTED!!!!!:ssign19: We don't Adam n Eve it!!!!!!! Get the frigg in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fingers crossed for a few more - congrats to the others who got theirs today!!!!!!! It's Friday night, party night!!!!

Right well, thanks to the Singapore Police (very unusually) breaking the rules and allowing us to collect our PCCs instead of sending them and doing it in a week instead of 2, we have now uploaded our PCCs and with everything ticked off - we are just waiting for a grant now!!! Please please please don't hang us out to dry with more sleepless nights.................. We're in the mix......good luck for those waiting!!!! Fingers crossed!!

Congrats!!! Hopefully wont be too far behind you with the visa or the move!! PCCs being collected this week and flight to Melbourne booked 11th Aug....... Fingers crossed to see you there!!!

Eeeeek what happened?? Has the clock reset with their assessment after requesting some more info?? Vic SS are really quick though for teachers - we got ours in 4 days so maybe that might give you a bit of hope?? All the best - I really hope it all works out for you

Waiting and waiting and waiting........................ Well our meds have now been finalised and we did our Singapore PCCs yesterday (UK ones already submitted) which I am to collect and upload on Monday 25th June.....talk about going down to the wire............ I am excited, nervous, apprehensive all at the same time!!!! :jiggy:

Another good one for school rankings - http://bettereducation.com.au/SchoolRanking.aspx

The sites I used to check for jobs are: http://www.independentschools.com.au - this is where I found my job https://schooljobs.education.vic.gov.au/psp/ROLPRD_EA/APPLICANT/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_CE.GBL - this is for state school jobs http://mycareer.com.au - I think is linked to The Age paper in Melbourne I believe the main jobs for the new academic year tend to come out in August/September for the February start. As we are heading to Victoria, I had to get VIT registration first which took about a week - but you have to get letters from you previous schools to evidence experience, 4 year course (3 year degree, 1 year PGCE) and then university transcripts showing the practical time spent on the course inside a school teaching. Think they need 45 days minimum. http://www.vit.vic.edu.au/registration/apply-for-registration/Pages/default.aspx Dont think you have to register first as a teacher in all states. Hope that helps a bit - my head is a but fuzzy today for some reason :biggrin: but hope that helps. Let me know if you need more help

Thanks guys - it's still a bit weird as I will be working in Singapore till Christmas, home to the UK and then back out for the new academic year........so surreal!!!! Just got in and I'm a bit wit woosy but can now start planning!!!! I hope it all works out for you in getting to Oz (if you're not already there!!!) x

I am still in shock as I have just found out I have got a full time-permanent job in Melbourne after 2 Skype interviews!!!! I wanted to post on here, as I know there are a lot of teachers out there worried about jobs so I wanted to give some good news for a change!! I start in the new academic year Feb 2013 and it's a private school about 12km outside of Melbourne!! I know it will depend on what you teach - I am a language teacher - but it does happen!!!! Right off for a glass of champers!!!!!! Wahoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!:biggrin:

Have a look at this site - http://bettereducation.com.au/SchoolRanking.aspx Ranks performance of school in each state

You beaut!!! Gosh that'll come in quick too - now for a bit of planning!!! Congrats and all the best!!

Hi We are at the planning stage right now. Currently living in Singapore and I will be moving to Melbourne in August and then my wife following me in Jan 2013. We still have homes back in the UK and never shipped stuff to Singapore - could we ship stuff from the UK in January 2013 or even July 2013 to Melbourne or is there a set timescale in which you have to ship goods to avoid import tax or GST?? Could I even sneakily top the container up with some new gear but remove all wrapping and tags etc?? Thanks for any help you can offer.....

This must seriously warrant PIO legendary status for Jars!!! Superb stuff - a great little snapshot of how everyone is getting on!!! Let's hope we see a few more positive additions next week - cant wait for the next update now......

Just found out we have a CO - we submitted 29/5 and allocated today so in keeping with others on the forum - a pretty speedy 1 week from submission to allocation. Meds booked for Friday and then we already have UK PCC and now have to wait to receive the supporting letter from the CO for our PCC in Singapore and that takes 2 weeks....... Nervous, excited, apprehensive all at the same time!!!! Wahoooooo!!! Not heard form agent, but they will get any emails so I have told them to expect something in the next day or 2......

I didnt go with AIMS simply because they wouldn't tell me how much they would charge for the process unless I booked a $300p/h appointment. Typical rip-off Singapore!! Try emailing your issue to Australian Migration Agency, Singapore -James is an Aussie & seems to know his stuff. They have been a bit slow here and there but with a bit of pushing they've been pretty good and a bit cheaper too.

Wahoooooo!!! After 2 weeks of chasing and generally annoying our agent since we got our SS, they have finally submitted our 176 today and we have snook into the May gang!! Fingers crossed the COs keep coming as quick as of late!! Medicals booked for Monday!!! Good luck one and all!!!

A fellow Manc!!!! My OH and I move out on 12th Aug (both 34) so would be cool to catch up with a few people. I'll keep an eye on any future meet ups but also keen to meetup in smaller numbers. Very exciting!!!!

My agent emailed and called them!!! Dont think they were too impressed!!!! Our status was 5 weeks at 'Application received' and then 5 weeks at 'assessment in progress' if that helps at all

Financial Adviser was actually on the list a few years ago - I think 2009 - as I had some friends in the bank I worked at go on a employer sponsored visa with Bankwest, now part of Commonwealth Bank. I also heard of NAB bank looking for financial advisers a year ago at an Emmigrate Abroad Exhibition. Believe it or not, as superannuation grows in Oz there is a growing need for financial advisers, particularly as the existing workforce in the industry is ageing. Think your husband will need to speak with the banks there and he will probably need the ADFP (which is the advanced qualification )7 modules as opposed to the 4 for the normal diploma. Kaplan seem to be the main player with this, but others (pinnacle) offer the course remotely too. The industry in OZ is going through a similar thing as RDR in the UK with higher quals, fee for advice, no trail commissions etc. It was due to come in on July 1st 2012 but has been put back to July 1st 2013 but most companies are phasing the changes in over the next year.