LiverpoolFC

I spent less than 9 months largely in one state and working in one place for 6 of those months with some short voluntary work so I'm guessing I'm more Kate than lars.

For those who have been in Australia on a WHV and returned home - can you claim any tax back? I've read various opinions so I'm not sure. How would you go about it from the UK?

Things have progressed and my employer has submitted their nomination of me. So can I start my application now or do I have to wait to be contacted?

I'm on a WHV, been in work 4 months and my employer wants to keep me. They're apparently all set up for sponsorship so thats one hurdle cleared, my profession is on the list that is needed and I'm sort of wondering what I do now. I can't quite understand what I do. Given that they're approved do I just get a letter from them stating they want to keep me, weren't able to find an Australian resident to fill the post, and the length of contract, then submit for the visa? I don't know if I should be forging ahead with part of it or if I have to wait or what. I intend to ask them but wanted a heads up. I've read throught the help booklet on immi.gov.au but still can't make much sense of what my next move is. Its no doubt really simple and blindingly obvious and I'm just a bit slow :goofy: Any help most greatly appreciated!

I can throw some light perhaps on this issue as I recently purchased an iphone in an apple store in the UK and casually asked if anything happened in Australia would I just take it into an apple store out there to get repaired/replaced and was shocked at the answer; he said that in Oz and China they use different components in both the iphones and ipads - not with the macs or macbooks etc and so I wouldn't be able to. He double checked this with the manager and he agreed - any other country no problem apparently! I wonder if this is correct as I'd have though most if not all the worlds apple products would be made in China, plus it hardly seems fair! Only slight way around it is to buy out there if you're staying or purchase the apple care protection plan but it means that an iphone/ipad will have to be dispatched from europe instead of just going into the shop and lifting a replacement if something goes wrong. When I priced it a few weeks back it was cheaper to buy an iphone here but an ipad was about £50 cheaper in Australia.

Yeah you can I got mine delivered to the UK - its $10

lol the same could be levelled at carroll and henderson too but I'm hoping that they're young enough - downing is at least consistent - its just it so happens to be that he's consistently bad! I used to think I'd never say this but I see a time coming when Gerrard retiring may be a good thing for Liverpool - don't get me wrong - I love him to bits but it appears to be that if he's in the side the rest leave it up to him and if he can't do it then no one else steps up. Thats a sad inditement of 99% of the rest of the squad yet appears to be true. PS - any other team would love Reina (uncharacteristically shaky last year, though Hart is a class act) & Suarez (apart from the controversy) in my opinion

lol Well he's a fellow NI man so he'll be a certain success :wink: No but as you say I think if he's given time and funds and with his style and approach to the game it could be Liverpools best appointment in the last couple of decades. Plus if Mourinho had him working with the young players then I think that shows how good he must be! I just hope he doesn't lose 4 or 5 of the first 10 games otherwise he might not get the chance (but isn't that the premier league all over?). So yes I am really excited and for once hope that stewart downing will rise to the occasion and provide a bit of width that we appear to have lacked for so many years!

I've signed up too! :smile:

I'm in the exact same boat (with a lot less experience!) and can feel your frustrations - especially when you get rejected from a job that you're perhaps over qualified for. I'm holding on to the hope that when I'm standing on the doorstep - or at least on the same soil(!) - things will be different. If I didn't I'd be having second doubts about even going, but I want to make this happen and if i'm unsuccessful at least I can hold my hands up and say I tried everything! I understand that with a wife & child on the way things are perhaps not as simple as my situation but I'm sure you will soon be snapped up! Keep the chin up and keep going mate!

I used aveling too -not a bad word to say about them - all very good and quick and easily achieved too as most of these sort of H&S courses are!

coast fm in Mandurah (97.3) plays very good top 40 music but does have adverts. I was bored one day and decided to see what stations to listen to in WA!

Thanks! Thanks too! lol

Thanks - I did sort of guess that TAFE is a bit like a technical college here? Its a ND in Construction (2 years) and the city and guilds were both a 3d and a 2d computer aided design. I'm guessing the best bet is to email a TAFE and hopefully they can categorically tell me

Hi thanks for the reply! Ok if GCSE is School Certificate and A levels are a HSC, do you know what AS levels are equivalent to? They're a sort of intermediate qualification in the Uk in the year inbetween. I didn't contine to A levels, I just did AS levels. Yeah the city & guilds are usually trade qualifications and in my case are for CAD for use (aimed at construction) so its not really a trade qualification as such eg plumbing or plastering etc.

From trawling through google (and the fourm) there appears to be no real Oz eqivalent for GCSEs, AS levels, City & Guilds, National Diplomas etc. I assume these are recognised in some shape or form by the immigration authorities when going through more permanent visas but I only have a WHV and can't seem to list their equal (though perhaps that says it all - none may be equal). I'm trying to make my CV more 'Australian' to make me more employable and if anyone has any links or contacts etc I'd be very grateful :smile:

Ah right so its to over the expense of medical care and travel to get back to the UK. Thats cleared that up - Thanks Quoll!

For someone with a condition - I have crohns - if you struggle to even get insurance companies to quote never mind cover you (still looking) but you are a UK citizen and have a UK passport does it mean you don't really need any? All you need to worry about is paying for your prescriptions? If so then why does anyone from here take out health insurance? I declared all about it on my WHV so is it safe to assume even if i needed an op (sincerely hope not) that all costs are covered?

What are the best times of the year to go for agri work?

I booked mine with trailfinders for about £770 from memory for a return. The tickets had to be printed as returning about two months later but I was told that you could transfer this date for free once, and to do it after I've arrived. Thats with Malaysia Airlines. I intend to return home for a few weeks for a wedding about 9 months after arriving in oz and was wondering when is the best time to book a flight to bring me back from UK to Australia for July sort of time? Should I be booking it now, or would it be cheaper last minute to fill a space on a plane?

Yeah I know what you mean you could read books, magazines and the internet for the next 100 years and still not have it all read lol. Yeah i'm the same in that i don't want to spend the money on hotels but I was told by someone who went east a few years back that a hostel over there is like a good b&b here but I might try and book in somewhere quite good for a few nights and then scout out the cheaper but acceptable places during the day while doing a bit of exploring and job hunting! I'd also agree about the earplugs - sometimes an ipod keeps me awake because i listen to it so the earplugs sound a better job! I'm going quite soon - September. My plan is to land in Perth and hopefully by then to have a job or get one shortly after. If that doesn't happen I'll try to get some regional work organised to allow me to get another WHV if i can see myself wanting to stay. I'm going myself too so whilst its exciting its a bit disappointing I'll not have my good mates to enjoy it with.

Hi Toni! I'm sure someone who has been there/done that will be able to help more but I've picked up a few books on Australia and whilst I haven't went through it too much yet, from what I have seen the lonely planet book on Australia may be of use regarding accomodation, travel and sights to see etc. Because if you're wanting to do it without working I'm sure you'll really want to make sure you're watching your pounds (or dollars), and it gives food tips on transport and how much to expect to pay for certain accomodation etc depending on how many comforts you want etc.

Interesting topic for me anyway as I have only been on a plane a few times and maximum flight time was probably 90minutes! Without wishing to detract from the original post - the comment about setting your watch to the specific Australian time, how long do people find it takes to get over the jet lag and get your head and body adjusted to the time?