kavitha Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Dear All, We got 190 visas to Victoria on the 1st of Aug'14 :laugh::laugh:!!!! We are planning to settle down in Melbourne .We have some queries which if answered would be a great help to us!!! 1-Which is the good and peaceful suburb in Victoria? We are both IT professions(Computer engineers) and need to look for jobs, so need it to be affordable too. 2. What are the immediate things to be done once landed? 3,We are planning to come down in mid on Jan 2015, would it be the right time to land in a job,keeping the Christmas vacations in mind. 4. What are the different means of finding the right job. Any help /guidance would be greatly valued!!! Thanks Kavitha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Landing in jan I would not advise, we did and everything closes for weeks that includes getting a rental/work etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kavitha Posted August 18, 2014 Author Share Posted August 18, 2014 Hello Aymie Thank u for the lightening quick reply . Any idea by when would thing be back to normal? Mid jan-or atleast by Feb? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Hello Aymie Thank u for the lightening quick reply . Any idea by when would thing be back to normal? Mid jan-or atleast by Feb? We were in Sydney..things started picking up in February. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seppo Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Concur with W&W, you can't anything accomplished in Australia between Christmas and mid-January.....as far as your to-do list: health cover; bank (you should do this before you arrive.....easily done via the internet at all the majors); job; rental; auto, if needed; auto insurance; TV; internet; telephone; utilities once you find a home...then you can head out to buy appliances!!!......I was Sydney based and retired, so can't chime in on other questions.....best of luck :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinkla Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Things get normal after Australia Day (26 January). First things to do include: get mobile phone; get bank account; get tax file number; register with Medicare; book appointment to get a Victorian driving licence; get a car; get a Myki and set it for auto-top up; look for somewhere to rent (open houses for half an hour on Saturdays and then submit bids - without a job this may be a struggle); look for work including perhaps registering with agencies for casual work. The phone is important as other things depend on you being contactable; the Medicare and driving licence are important as they will (eventually) get you ID which Australia seems obsessed with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeBoDee Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 There is a checklist of things to do in the back of Australia and New Zealand magazine which is really helpful. I haven't bought it for a while, but I think it suggests things to do from about 18 months before you fly out to when you land x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishfaq Ali Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Hi, I have the paid version of the e-Book from http://www.sponsoredjobsinaustralia.com/ PM me your email address I will forward it to you :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddynfamily Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Things get normal after Australia Day (26 January). First things to do include: get mobile phone; get bank account; get tax file number; register with Medicare; book appointment to get a Victorian driving licence; get a car; get a Myki and set it for auto-top up; look for somewhere to rent (open houses for half an hour on Saturdays and then submit bids - without a job this may be a struggle); look for work including perhaps registering with agencies for casual work. The phone is important as other things depend on you being contactable; the Medicare and driving licence are important as they will (eventually) get you ID which Australia seems obsessed with. Don't get a Vic drivers licence until you have to-drive on uk one until you need it.reason being speed cameras are rife everywhere and you get penalty points and fine.points can't be put on uk licence-you will still have fine to pay though.its very easy for speed to creep up a couple of k's in a 50 zone-learnt the hard way-also learn what all the parking signs mean-again we learnt the hard way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinkla Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Don't get a Vic drivers licence until you have to-drive on uk one until you need it. It's personal preference - but an Australian driving licence is the most commonly presented form of ID and if you're always handing over foreign ID you are more likely to look transient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Don't get a Vic drivers licence until you have to-drive on uk one until you need it.reason being speed cameras are rife everywhere and you get penalty points and fine.points can't be put on uk licence-you will still have fine to pay though.its very easy for speed to creep up a couple of k's in a 50 zone-learnt the hard way-also learn what all the parking signs mean-again we learnt the hard way! Also bear in mind, if you do have a UK licence and 'get points' i believe they can easily be added to your Australian licence when you do apply for it. Personally i would get the Aussie licence ASAP as it makes prooving ID much ,much easier and believe me , Australia likes you producing ID for pretty much everything,lol. Cal x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kavitha Posted August 31, 2014 Author Share Posted August 31, 2014 Thanks all for the replies!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NowPerth Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Your insurance excess is lower once you are on an Aussie license. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzukiscottie Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Your insurance excess is lower once you are on an Aussie license. I've never been asked by our car insurance company whether I have uk or VIC licence. Name, address, vehicle and named drivers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinkla Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 I've never been asked by our car insurance company whether I have uk or VIC licence. Name, address, vehicle and named drivers. Really? It has been a standard question on both insurance companies I have been with. Are you over 25 with an Australian driving licence? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzukiscottie Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 (edited) Over 25. I got a Vic licence for convenience. Wife didn't bother; yet. Haven't been asked about it for either of us. She is the policy holder. Will check the small print when I get a chance. Edit. Checked small print. Nothing specific; only that any drivers have not had licence suspended, cancelled, restricted. Edited August 31, 2014 by Suzukiscottie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NowPerth Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Usually there is a section of small print about the excess. The main part will state the standard amount of excess. The small print usually says how much extra it is for certain categories of driver (on top of the standard excess), such as under a certain age, less than so many years holding a full licence, driving on a foreign licence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzukiscottie Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 (edited) Usually there is a section of small print about the excess. The main part will state the standard amount of excess. The small print usually says how much extra it is for certain categories of driver (on top of the standard excess), such as under a certain age, less than so many years holding a full licence, driving on a foreign licence. No. Only mentions "licenced". Anyhoooo........ Back on track........ OP may need public transport in Melbourne once they get here; get a Myki. Edited August 31, 2014 by Suzukiscottie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tastastic Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 Concur with W&W, you can't anything accomplished in Australia between Christmas and mid-January.....as far as your to-do list: health cover; bank (you should do this before you arrive.....easily done via the internet at all the majors); job; rental; auto, if needed; auto insurance; TV; internet; telephone; utilities once you find a home...then you can head out to buy appliances!!!......I was Sydney based and retired, so can't chime in on other questions.....best of luck :-D Would there be a delay in getting a container through customs and then delivered to you, at this time too? We should have a rental sorted then but it looks like our container will be arriving in Oz in December/Jan. Will there be delays do you think? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinkla Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 I think the situation between Christmas and Australia Day is not well understood until you get here. It’s not that the country shuts down. Most people get 4 weeks annual leave a year and can’t take off the whole of January, as much as they’d love to. But most people will be taking some leave between Christmas and Australia Day, particularly because if you take leave over a public holiday period, you get longer away for less annual leave. The result of this is that offices, large shops, etc. stay open most of the time although sometimes people knock off early. Things look pretty normal. Straightforward transactions will not cause a problem. You can open bank accounts, get tax file numbers and stuff. But anything that requires a group decision (e.g. hiring staff, fixing up a rental contract) will end up being delayed because the crucial people will never all be in at the same time. And anything that relies on a specific person (e.g. building and maintenance work; gardening work) will be problematic because that person will be taking leave at some point, and holiday time is when everyone wants to get that sort of work done. Also, and this is bizarre, small proprietor run shops, cafes and restaurants tend to close for some part of the month (yes, really, cafes close at the time demand would be highest). You can function perfectly well in January as long as you’re not looking to make life changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith and Linda Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 I think the situation between Christmas and Australia Day is not well understood until you get here. It’s not that the country shuts down. Most people get 4 weeks annual leave a year and can’t take off the whole of January, as much as they’d love to. But most people will be taking some leave between Christmas and Australia Day, particularly because if you take leave over a public holiday period, you get longer away for less annual leave. The result of this is that offices, large shops, etc. stay open most of the time although sometimes people knock off early. Things look pretty normal. Straightforward transactions will not cause a problem. You can open bank accounts, get tax file numbers and stuff. But anything that requires a group decision (e.g. hiring staff, fixing up a rental contract) will end up being delayed because the crucial people will never all be in at the same time. And anything that relies on a specific person (e.g. building and maintenance work; gardening work) will be problematic because that person will be taking leave at some point, and holiday time is when everyone wants to get that sort of work done. Also, and this is bizarre, small proprietor run shops, cafes and restaurants tend to close for some part of the month (yes, really, cafes close at the time demand would be highest). You can function perfectly well in January as long as you’re not looking to make life changes. I never experienced any of this in the 15yr I have been here. Easter week maybe, but never to it being a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quinkla Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 I never experienced any of this in the 15yr I have been here. Easter week maybe, but never to it being a problem. Maybe it's something to do with daylight saving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortlepuss Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 I never experienced any of this in the 15yr I have been here. Easter week maybe, but never to it being a problem. Only been here 7 years... but would say, certainly as far as QLD government goes there is a complete absence of ability to make decisions and generally getting anything done in Jan is pretty tough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith and Linda Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Only been here 7 years... but would say, certainly as far as QLD government goes there is a complete absence of ability to make decisions and generally getting anything done in Jan is pretty tough With that particular body then I think any month applies, except of course if they are issuing penalties and fines, but still not experienced anything myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith and Linda Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Maybe it's something to do with daylight saving. I wish they would bring in 2 hr of daylight saving we haven't even got 1:wacko: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.