Anyone planning to migrate to australia? Pls give some advise. Thanks?

Answer 1

I'm not sure what type of migration you're planning. We're planning a spouse/children visa, and the immigration website (www.immi.gov.au) has SO much information! I've gone through getting a visa for my husband here in the US, so I'm pretty comfortable with the process. But even still, I get the feeling that as long as you thoroughly review all of the information on that website (as well as the website for your nearest Australian embassy--I found some additional information this way that is more specific to my location), you'll be completely prepared and won't need to pay a migration agent (unless you have the money to spend, for the convenience of not having to worry about it yourself).

Answer 2

Australia has a migration program for skilled workers and professionals. If your career or trade is in demand, the process is rather easy and takes up about 10 months to a year. I´ve just been granted the Permanent Resident´s Visa as a skilled professional (I´m a Civil Engineer) and it took me a year to complete the process. If you´re from the UK, however, the times are shorter.
If you apply through a migration expert, they will certainly charge you but everything will be easier. If you go to http://www.immi.gov.au you´ll find all the info you need, plus the list of jobs in demand.

Answer 3

Check the Department of Immigration web site at http://www.immi.gov.au

Answer 4

Check websites for "Australian Consulates" and the Department of Immigration.

Moving to Australia
Australians seem to be more relaxed about some things than Americans according to a New Orleans man who arrived here several years ago. For instance there is a lot less "fly the flag patriotism" in Australia but just because you don't see the flag at every house does not mean patriotism does not exist. Most companies do not have dress codes for staff out of the public eye since staff would tell management to get ***ed if they tried it on.

Public Safety
Crime rates are lower than in the US. The murder rate is a small fraction of that in the USA. One US criminologist here said the violence rate is actually not much lower but since Australians are rarely armed fatal injuries are rare. It used to be considered dishonourable to carry any kind of weapon. Most crime seems to be housebreaking by drug addicts. Prostitution is now legal in controlled houses and some forms of gambling have always been legal so there has been little chance for organised crime to get big.

Road death rates are higher than in the USA, but the difference is marginal and Australian death rates are lower than they are in some western European countries. The last heavy aircraft crash was in 1960 and there have been few major railway accidents since the 1950s. The most serious recent one was in 1977.

AIDS has a low incidence. As soon as it emerged in the 1980s the Gov’t of the day started a major public awareness campaign. Sufferers are usually male homosexuals and intravenous drug users. A few non-fatal diseases are slightly more common than average in some areas, but there are no endemic diseases. There is no malaria except among people who have brought it into the country and tuberculosis is all but unheard of. Some of the more stupid people refuse to immunise their infants and there have been a few local cases of whooping cough. The last diphtheria case was in 1992. The larger cities and towns are well supplied with doctors who are trained to international standards, or better. Hospitals range from slightly sub-optimal to good. There are government and private health insurance schemes which have varying amounts of cover depending on how much you pay.

Housing
Most Australian housing vaguely resembles the California bungalow or the “ranch house”. There is usually only one floor and no basement. Typically houses built before about 1970 have 3 bedrooms, one bathroom. After that many houses were built with an "ensuite" which is a shower booth and water closet attached to the master bedroom with a full bathroom elsewhere. Kitchens generally are smallish but well appointed. Most houses do not have pantries or "dens". Recently though land prices have risen while the cost of building has fallen so newer houses are larger and better appointed. I have just paid yearly land tax of $AU758 on an “unimproved land value” of $AU269,666. This tax would be the same whether the house was big, small or non-existent. This tax does not include water supply or sewerage charges.

Major cites and most medium to small towns have sewer systems and safe water supplies. Cable TV and mobile (cellular) phones in larger towns. There are up to 5 free-to air TV networks available, multiple AM and FM radio stations. The landline phones work.

As in the USA or anywhere else real estate values vary with locality. I've seen houses sell here recently for a million but they are at the top end of the local market. I live 20 minutes walk from a major employment centre and a large shopping mall. There is an elementary school five minutes walk away (set to close unfortunately) with a convenience store, small children's play area, sports ground, park, restaurant, local general practice medico nearby. There are Catholic and government high schools within twenty or thirty minutes walk. Typical houses in this area sell for $AU370,000 to $AU450,000. At present $AU1.00 + 79 US cents.

A natural gas pipeline and a coaxial cable for phone, I'net and cable TV run past the door. Power supply is 240V 50Hz and reliable. It went off the other day as some work was being done - must have been off 8 minutes. That's the only power cut for months and the previous one lasted about as long. For more details on Australian power see the following site and follow the link for type “I”, from the “Comment” column.

http://www.kropla.com/electric2.htm

This city's population is about 310,000. The house is an older one with three bedrooms and one bathroom, separate garage, brick construction, tile roof, central heating on a gas furnace.

There are several real estate dealers (realtors) who operate nearly Australia-wide, look for websites for "The Professionals" and "LJ Hooker" among other reputable companies. In country towns you can get good houses for around AU$120,000 or less. It all depends on whether the population is growing and how much work there is. I've heard of one whole village being sold for a few thousand, which was a local joke here a few months ago.

Work
Australia needs doctors and dentists for country towns. There is plenty of work in construction and mining. There are two low-rise buildings going up and another almost completed not far from the shopping mall I just mentioned. Same thing is going on in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne and even in some of the larger country towns.

Income tax is "high" compared to the USA but lower than in many other countries. This is levied by the Federal Government. On a salary of $AU65,000 you can expect to pay about $AU17,000 tax. Another federal tax is the Goods and Services Tax. This is levied at 10% on all goods except fresh uncooked food. A third federal tax which many people never have to pay is capital gains tax. This is levied on investments once disposed of, if the value has risen. If the investment is held for more than about five years (don’t quote me) then the tax is not payable.

You will not pay any direct taxes to the State governments unless you buy and sell land or apartments or buy a car in one state and take it to another. State governments also tax cars every year with registration fees, these are a few hundred dollars. I have a V8 coupe and recently paid $AU740. This included third party injury insurance.

Citizenship has required at least 4 years residence though there has been a move recently to tighten things up a bit, maybe put in a minimum competence in English.

Answer 5

Well Dreamcome, First I have to decipher your question.
Are you coming to Aust. or asking if anyone else is. and what advice do you want?? like where to buy toothpaste!! or do we live in caves, and should you bring a dictionary !!