Moving to Melbourne

Celticwarrior

Hi,

I was wondering if I could get some advice from people on the following as to what their thoughts are, and whether they have done anything similar and had some good advice.

I'm a qualified accountant planning on moving to Australia in April on a 1st WHV but want to get sponsored while over there by an employer if possible. Ideally I would like to work in Melbourne having spent some time there previously. I want to do some holidaying in Bali or Fiji or somewhere like that on the way over. However, I'm a bit worried about lugging all my cases around somewhere like that, the hassle of it and whether I'd be a target given I'll have valuables etc. So I was thinking would it make sense to enter Aus on a holiday visa for a 2-3 days, leave my cases with friends, then exit for 2-4 weeks to go travelling in Asia. I would then apply for a WHV whilst abroad. Does this make sense? I don't want to waste the first month of my WHV by being in another country other than Aus. Will this cause me any problems with Australian immigration ?

Also, does anybody know of any good apartment rental or hostel rental websites or suggestions for Melbourne where I could rent decent accommodation month by month given that I'll be unemployed until i get work? What's a realistic budget per week to pay for accommodation in a good location with decent facilities. It'd be great if could get somewhere with wifi.

Thanks in advance for anyones help and advice.

mandrake04

I spent 3 months in Asia before arriving in Australia and had 2 bags (a backpack and a large holdall). I left a bag in a locker for 3 months at Singapore airport and only picked it up when I was departing for Sydney.

markymark21

Celticwarrior wrote: »

Hi,

I was wondering if I could get some advice from people on the following as to what their thoughts are, and whether they have done anything similar and had some good advice.

I'm a qualified accountant planning on moving to Australia in April on a 1st WHV but want to get sponsored while over there by an employer if possible. Ideally I would like to work in Melbourne having spent some time there previously. I want to do some holidaying in Bali or Fiji or somewhere like that on the way over. However, I'm a bit worried about lugging all my cases around somewhere like that, the hassle of it and whether I'd be a target given I'll have valuables etc. So I was thinking would it make sense to enter Aus on a holiday visa for a 2-3 days, leave my cases with friends, then exit for 2-4 weeks to go travelling in Asia. I would then apply for a WHV whilst abroad. Does this make sense? I don't want to waste the first month of my WHV by being in another country other than Aus. Will this cause me any problems with Australian immigration ?

Also, does anybody know of any good apartment rental or hostel rental websites or suggestions for Melbourne where I could rent decent accommodation month by month given that I'll be unemployed until i get work? What's a realistic budget per week to pay for accommodation in a good location with decent facilities. It'd be great if could get somewhere with wifi.

Thanks in advance for anyones help and advice.

Why don't you do your Asia travelling on your way home from Australia? This has a few advantages in my opinion:

1)You'll know how much money you have to spend and odds are you'll have more money from your time working in Oz.

2) you'll probably enjoy it more. Loads of people I know have gone loopy in Thailand etc and then when they reach Sydney/Melbourne they are either exhausted financially/emotionally or physically!

In terms of renting Gumtree is your friend! If you are looking for accommodation in Melbourne without a long binding contract check out Jackson apartments. I'm with them and they only ask for one weeks bond up front (That's the security deposit, most landlords will ask for four) and no rent in advance. You can also leave any time - just give them one weeks notice.

For hostels wise check out hostelworld.com. In a shared dorm you'll pay around $30 a night. Your own room will cost your around $99 a night

GiftofGab

You'll find it very tough getting a job as an accountant on a WHV. I even find it very tough to get a job in any sort of administration job and I worked a pretty decent banking job back home. My room-mate - a fully qualified accountant worked KPMG back in England and he'd yet to find a job in accountancy and he was searching for the last 2.5 months. Be prepared.

dave3004

2 of my friends got jobs in PWC in Southbank recently so try there if you have the qualifications.

Carlosd

Go through asia on the way over and somewhere interesting on the way back, assuming you leave after the year. Don't waste the opportunity to travel and just end up in Oz

Pisco Sour

GiftofGab wrote: »

You'll find it very tough getting a job as an accountant on a WHV. I even find it very tough to get a job in any sort of administration job and I worked a pretty decent banking job back home. My room-mate - a fully qualified accountant worked KPMG back in England and he'd yet to find a job in accountancy and he was searching for the last 2.5 months. Be prepared.

Rubbish. I worked in Big 4 back in Ireland and literally every single person who worked with me back home that has movde to Australia on WHV's, not only have jobs, but are sponsored. Most of them are sponsored within weeks out here. I'm only part qualified and I'm confident that with hard work I will get sponsored. Fully qualified, you basically walk into sponsorship.

Pisco Sour

markymark21 wrote: »

Why don't you do your Asia travelling on your way home from Australia? This has a few advantages in my opinion:

1)You'll know how much money you have to spend and odds are you'll have more money from your time working in Oz.

2) you'll probably enjoy it more. Loads of people I know have gone loopy in Thailand etc and then when they reach Sydney/Melbourne they are either exhausted financially/emotionally or physically!

In terms of renting Gumtree is your friend! If you are looking for accommodation in Melbourne without a long binding contract check out Jackson apartments. I'm with them and they only ask for one weeks bond up front (That's the security deposit, most landlords will ask for four) and no rent in advance. You can also leave any time - just give them one weeks notice.

For hostels wise check out hostelworld.com. In a shared dorm you'll pay around $30 a night. Your own room will cost your around $99 a night

The OP is coming out with sponsorship in mind. There is no travelling on the way home. It is travelling on the way out, or not travelling at all.

Celticwarrior

Thanks for all advice.

I don't plan to travel on way home, as I am travelling on way over for 2-3 weeks, and want to stay in Aus to get sponsored.

I have Aus work experience in a Big 4 in Melbourne from a previous stint over there, but this is my 1st WHV. I've over 5 years experience in Big 4 in Ireland also.

Has anyone done what I am proposing, enter on holiday visa, leave a few days later and then re-enter on a WHV 2-3 weeks later? I rang trailfinders and they said it would be no hassle, I tried the embassy in Ireland but they were no use. Or should I just enter on the WHV and sacrifice the first 2-3 weeks of it anyway?

The logic is, is that I don't want to be leaving my laptop and suits etc at the airport, or lugging them around Bali / Fiji if it's a load of hassle, so I think I'll just leave them with friends in Sydney. I just dont want to overcomplicate it either if it's easy to just enter on WHV and lose the first 2-3 weeks of it.

Good advice on hostelworld and gumtree. I think if own room is $99 p.n. - that's nearly $3k p.m - so would be better to try get a short term let in Melb if possible as I assume it won't be as expensive as that. I'll mail Jackson apartments and get a quote from them. I just don't want to be overstaying on someones couch for longer than a few days, as it isn't fair.