should i move to oz?

learoy

Hi
I hope I have posted this in the correct form,
I’m thinking of moving to Melbourne/ Australia for a year or 2. I would like to hear peoples experiences of doing this, is the cost of living and the life style much better than Dublin?
How much roughly would it cost to rent a nice 1 bed in a nice location in Melbourne?
I currently have 2 n half years expeience in IT as business analyst, has any any idea how easy it is to find a job in IT with just a yrs working visa? And what kind of salary would I be looking at? compared to Dublin would I be paid better(eg im on mid 30s to 40 now)


I guess im just asking how easy is it to get set up once I move over? Does any one have any recruitment agencies that they would recommend that I could contact before I head over, I’m not planning on going till feb/march.
Also can ye share your experience of moving home an having to find job and new place to live etc..
The thing that turns me off going is the fact that I’m going to have to come home to find a job and I do not want to go if I’m going to back 10 grand in debt.

One last question, how much roughly should I have saved before I head over? I plan on going to Melbourne and looking for a job straight away but I know this may take some time, so any one any rough estimates on how much I would need to survive for a few weeks without a job? Would it be alone the same lines as trying to survive in Dublin with out a job?
I guess I’m just looking for reassurance that I should go! I don’t want to get older and more settled in job and never take da plunge, so id like to hear your experience if you have done a similar thing?

Thanks

_blank_

You need $3kAus in an account before you land.

You need to sort a Working Holiday Visa.

You need to book flights.

You need to go to Melbourne.

Smashing city, great lifestyle.

Beruthiel

We have a travel forum.
Moved.
B

datk

I was there - although it was quite a while ago - Melbourne wasn't great for temporary work - Sydney was much better. But of course that's probably changed a few times since!

Melbourne is a nice city - I loved Sydney. The whole way of life is different. I found it much more laid back, i never hated going to work which I do here and I was doing similiar work. When I was there things were much more affordable then here. You'll have a ball.

chantelle_49

Absolutely go! Melbourne is the most "European" city in Australia, but you will notice a difference to Dublin. I could be biased as an Aussie, but I fell Australia is much more relaxed and MUCH cheaper than Ireland, but you will still need a decent amount to set yourself up.

Temping may not be your best option as there are quite a few IT professionals floating around and most companies hire for themselves rather than use a recruitment agency. Try careerone.com.au or seek.com.au.

Accommodation wise realestate.com.au should give you a decent idea of what's available.

Don't worry at all about what's going to happen when you come home, it's a long way off and a lot can happen between now and then and the experience will give you a whole new perspective on everything!

learoy

thanks for your replies, i have not ruled out going to Sydney, maybe i could do both if i have enough time.. so i would be interested in hearing about both places. i guess id prefer to go where id find it easier to find an IT job.

The Sweeper

There are restrictions to how long you can work for one company on your temporary travelling visa, so instead of thinking "I'm going to do this job when I relocate" you may be better off aiming at basically "IT Temping" - three or six month contracts etc.

Melbourne's a good city. The CBD (Central Business District) is laid out in a grid and you can negotiate the place either on foot or by tram. Rent is cheap relative to Dublin and the UK, but remember your wages will be low relative to Dublin and the UK too - e.g. if your rent is €100 a week in Dublin and you earn €400 a week, in Melbourne your rent will be $100 a week which is only like €64, but your wages may only be $400, which is only €256. (That's just a representation, obviously...)

I think the cost of a basket of groceries is similar to the UK/Ireland, beer is NOT cheap down here, cigarettes aren't cheap either, petrol is pretty cheap, public transport is also cheaper than the UK/Ireland (especially given the distances you're travelling).

The weather in Melbourne isn't as good as it would be in Sydney - we're getting 24 degrees at the moment where they're getting 28 degrees, plus Melbourne is famous for "four seasons in one day" - starts off overcast and rainy and 12 degrees at 6am, by noon it's 25 degrees and the sun is splitting the stones, by 6pm it's 18 degrees and humid, by midnight it's 10 degrees and blowing a gale.

Go to www.gumtree.com.au to get prices on house shares in Australia - the real estate agency sites are more geared towards self-contained rents, e.g. one person or a couple renting a one bedroom apartment, and there is far cheaper accommodation than that available out there.

Other Australian observations (or at least observations on the state of Victora):

Much of the media is very Americanised and leans towards tabloid journalism. That and the Australians are becoming utterly obsessed with dieting, so be prepared to be bombarded by advertisements for weight loss plans. Anyway you should find something more interesting to do than watch telly.

Politics is important to everyone because you'll be fined if you don't use your vote, so be wary of slagging the political parties if you don't know your stuff - everyone has an opinion.

If you're buying something, be aware that haggling is widely accepted down here, not quite on your groceries but certainly on electronic goods, furniture or anything sold from a market stall. You'll know quick enough if the person you're talking to isn't a haggler and the price you see is the only price, but it's well worth trying the "Hmmm, what's your BEST price" or "I'll give you XXX for it" tactics - it's saved us literally hundreds of dollars on various items over the last six months.

All in all, this is a good country, and I've only seen a fraction of it. It's well worth a visit.

20 Times 20 Times

I have been in Australia for over 2 years and loving it , Its a great lifestyle and there is always something to see and do especially in Melbourne , Regarding IT work in Melbourne there is Unlimited amount of jobs going at the moment. The market has never been this good and to be honest the money is just about as good as it is at home if not better in some cases. For instance i earn a lot more money over here then I did at home. Regarding renting i would say to you to avoid Gumtree , Unless you want to live as a backpacker but then that brings me to my question. Are you coming out here on a 417 visa ? Oh and the urban legends that you need to have 3k in your bank account is wrong.


I lived in sydney for 5 months and it really is a party city , you need to ask yourself what your looking for melbourne for culture and expericence ? Sydney for drink and fUcking ?

Zambia

Sarge wrote: »

Sydney for drink and fUcking ?

That reminds me ,,,is the kings cross hotel still on the go ??