Australia Questions

Hetack

Hey all,

I have been granted a 12 month WHV for Australia and will be arriving in Sydney the first week of February 09. I have a few questions, if someone with some experience wouldn't mind answering.

1. I booked my visa through Visafirst (Big Mistake I Know!). Their affiliated company..Travel to Work, are now asking me to transfer money through them into my new Australian bank account. I dont want to do this as I envisage them taking a fee. How do I prove that I have the necessary $5,000 upon arrival at immigration?

2. I am planning to arrive on a one-way ticket. I have read that this is ok, as long as I can show available funds for the flight home. Would a credit card be accepted as available funds?

3. Upon arrival in Sydney, where would you recommend staying...ie Hostels and location/Price per night?

4. I hold a National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering and an Advanced Diploma in Management Practice. I would like to gain some Australian experience in the engineering sector and of course earn a decent wage! Would it be advisable to look for work through an agency and if so, are there any that you would recommend?

5. I am travelling with a mate and we would be looking to move into an apartment or shared accommodation. Which area of Sydney would you advise us to look at, bearing in mind that we would like to be close to trains etc. or even better close to the city center.


I realise that there is a fair amount in the above, so thanks for taking the time to read!

layke

Hetack wrote: »

Hey all,

I have been granted a 12 month WHV for Australia and will be arriving in Sydney the first week of February 09. I have a few questions, if someone with some experience wouldn't mind answering.

1. I booked my visa through Visafirst (Big Mistake I Know!). Their affiliated company..Travel to Work, are now asking me to transfer money through them into my new Australian bank account. I dont want to do this as I envisage them taking a fee. How do I prove that I have the necessary $5,000 upon arrival at immigration?

You don't need to they never ask, or at least not in my or anyone I know's case. If you need to they will ask before issuing the Visa. As my mate said when I put forward that question "If they were worried about you they wouldn't have issued the visa".
(a) they take a fee, (B) hold it in their account for a month or so to get interest off it.

2. I am planning to arrive on a one-way ticket. I have read that this is ok, as long as I can show available funds for the flight home. Would a credit card be accepted as available funds?

I don't think that matters but I would get onto immigration about that one. When I arrived and they issued me my Visa they didn't check my flight times out.

3. Upon arrival in Sydney, where would you recommend staying...ie Hostels and location/Price per night?

I went to Brizzy, which I love so I can't help you there mate

4. I hold a National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering and an Advanced Diploma in Management Practice. I would like to gain some Australian experience in the engineering sector and of course earn a decent wage! Would it be advisable to look for work through an agency and if so, are there any that you would recommend?

Now if you did I.T I could help you out but sadly not my area, although I seriously doubt you will have a problem finding work. Just make sure you negotiate a decent wage. I was ripped off when I came here so find out what the market Value is and remember, you are a contractor you should earn MORE then everyone else because you don't get sick leave or Holidays.

5. I am travelling with a mate and we would be looking to move into an apartment or shared accommodation. Which area of Sydney would you advise us to look at, bearing in mind that we would like to be close to trains etc. or even better close to the city center.

Again Sydney..

Hetack

Hi layke,

Thanks for the info.

Spud83

Hetack wrote: »

1. I booked my visa through Visafirst (Big Mistake I Know!). Their affiliated company..Travel to Work, are now asking me to transfer money through them into my new Australian bank account. I dont want to do this as I envisage them taking a fee. How do I prove that I have the necessary $5,000 upon arrival at immigration?

Get a bank statement before you leave Ireland showing your account balance. Set up internet banking where you would be able to log in and show them your balance.

Its right that it is rarely asked, but it is possible so your better safe than sorry.

Hetack wrote: »

2. I am planning to arrive on a one-way ticket. I have read that this is ok, as long as I can show available funds for the flight home. Would a credit card be accepted as available funds?

See above. A credit card would certainly be a plus point. As has already been mentioned I wouldn't stress about it as it is a rarity.

Hetack wrote: »

3. Upon arrival in Sydney, where would you recommend staying...ie Hostels and location/Price per night?

I would recommend you book a couple of nights in a hostel for you arrival and then set about looking for accommodation. The last thing you want is to arrive in Sydney and then have to go looking for somewhere to stay your first night.

I couldn't tell you what the prices are like at the moment. I will discuss locations later.

Hetack wrote: »

4. I hold a National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering and an Advanced Diploma in Management Practice. I would like to gain some Australian experience in the engineering sector and of course earn a decent wage! Would it be advisable to look for work through an agency and if so, are there any that you would recommend?

Basically if I was you I would get a job any way I could. Wouldn't matter to me if it was an agency or not. However I wouldn't rely on an agency/agencies to get you work either. However that applies in Ireland too.

Hetack wrote: »

5. I am travelling with a mate and we would be looking to move into an apartment or shared accommodation. Which area of Sydney would you advise us to look at, bearing in mind that we would like to be close to trains etc. or even better close to the city center.

I lived in the Coogee/.Randwick/Clovelly area. About 25 minutes on a bus to the city center, close to a beach. A little further south that Bondi. I would recommend it to anyone. Plenty of short term accommodation around there too.

Doop

just on where to stay, if your unsure (as we were when we arrived) try out central, its pretty close to all cept a train ride to the beach, if ur looking for proper work you could well end up working here as well. try the YHA hostel in central you cant fault them on anything, cept they are quite big (www.yha.com.au) or the wakeup hostel in central or 790 on George, they're all on the same block and a stones throw from central train station ( you can get almost anywhere in sydney from central tarin station. (its basically a metro system whixch they call the train.

But defo check out the YHA, you'd have to book tho cos they're popular, generally hostels cost boout $33 a night in say a 4 bed dorm.

slingerz

layke wrote: »

You don't need to they never ask, or at least not in my or anyone I know's case. If you need to they will ask before issuing the Visa. As my mate said when I put forward that question "If they were worried about you they wouldn't have issued the visa".
(a) they take a fee, (B) hold it in their account for a month or so to get interest off it.



I don't think that matters but I would get onto immigration about that one. When I arrived and they issued me my Visa they didn't check my flight times out.



I went to Brizzy, which I love so I can't help you there mate



Now if you did I.T I could help you out but sadly not my area, although I seriously doubt you will have a problem finding work. Just make sure you negotiate a decent wage. I was ripped off when I came here so find out what the market Value is and remember, you are a contractor you should earn MORE then everyone else because you don't get sick leave or Holidays.



Again Sydney..

hey i'm looking for an I.T job in Australia and looking to secure one before i go over can you help me with that

Hetack

Guys,

I would like to thank each one of you for your advice. Very much appreciated. If I happen to run into any of you I will buy you a drink!

layke

slingerz wrote: »

hey i'm looking for an I.T job in Australia and looking to secure one before i go over can you help me with that

First off 'securing' is one hard thing to do when I/they haven't met you.

That said I would have no problem in at least getting you started. I can hook you up with an IT contracting company that has gotten me work every time and you will enjoy working for. If you are going towards Brisbane forward me your CV and date of arrival and I'll make sure it get's passed on to the right people. I have some contacts in Sydney but that will be based on where you are going to.

Basically mate I won't stick my neck out for anyone who I don't know. I have a good reputation here and I want to keep it but I will certainly make sure the C.V gets around. That said if you do a good job I would have no problem recommending you for another position. If you have any questions send me a PM so I get alerted to a response.

Oh yes and www.seek.com.au