Where to begin and where to live.
There are two questions I am repeatedly asked here at BobinOz.
- The first is “how do I start the process of getting to Australia?”
- The second is “where is a good place to live in Australia?”
Well, I’ve got good news on both counts.
Your first step in moving to Australia.
There has been a revamp to the website run by the Australian Government which is all about the immigration process and the various visas that are available. I only noticed it today, so I ‘m not sure when they did it, (probably ages ago knowing how observant I am!) but it sure looks pretty good.
People often ask me which kind of visa they should apply for or if their particular skill is on the government’s wanted lists. I can’t really answer these questions, I am not qualified to do so. But fortunately there is now a “walk-through” kind of setup over at the government site.
It’s called the Visa Wizard and you will find the link to it by clicking on the blue image with the heading “Finding a Visa – Information to help you find the right Australian Visa” which is on the top left hand side of the website’s homepage.
Click on my Australian Visa below to get to their home page and then click on the afore mentioned blue image to start the process of checking out your Australian Visa.
Click Me!
Simply answer all the questions and you will then be presented with your options. If you’re option turns out to say that you have no options, you can always hit the back button and change one or two of your answers to see if that helps any.
If you’re thinking of moving to Australia, this must be the best place to start, not forgetting of course that you can always read my entire series “Moving to Australia” from the beginning. If you try in the Visa Wizard I’d love to hear how you got on.
On the other hand, if you are already on your way, then you are more likely to be asking the other question I am often asked.
Where to live in Australia?
I am pleased to announce that I’m now starting work on my membership site (about time) which is all about answering that exact question. I have huge ambitions for that part of my site, and I hope it will be open before the end of this month. I am a bit behind schedule with it but who knows? I might just catch up.
Huge swathes of the membership will be available completely free to members but there will also be a paid option for those who wish to access the premium areas. But the price will be so low that it will have you all laughing like drains!
And if you can’t laugh like a drain, try laughing like a kookaburra!
Update:
Well, I did say I had ‘huge ambitions’ for this part of the site, maybe too huge. Needless to say, it hasn’t come off yet. One day it will, but right now I’m working on plan B. Stay tuned!
Hi Bob,
So we (my husband, 2 daughters and I) have a permenant residency visa to Australia and we are looking forward to move there ASAP. My questions is do you think we need to secure a job before moving? Or is there a good chance that we’ll find a job there in the first year?
Also, if we decide to go there before finding a job what is the best city to move to?
Thanks
That’s an impossible question for me to answer, but I do suggest you read my page called Getting a Job or a Sponsorship.
Also, take a look at the following post…
https://www.bobinoz.com/blog/17033/whats-it-really-like-trying-to-find-a-job-in-australia-2015/
It may be almost a couple of years old, but not much has changed in that time. Do be sure to also read the comments on that page to hear about other people’s experiences searching for work.
Hi. I am a South African citizen. I just want to know how everyone finds it so easy to get into Australia.
I am running around in circles. I have no degree. I left high school when I matriculated and immediately started working. In S.A it doesn’t matter whether you have a degree or not. Here jobs are based on experience. I was told to apply for a student visa to Australia. Can anyone give me so insight to this. PLEASE
Trish, nobody finds it ‘easy’ to get into Australia, I can assure you. If you want to cut to the chase, invest the small sum necessary to go through my Visa Assessment Service and he will let you know if you have a chance or not.
But I have to say, if you don’t have a specific skill that is on one of our skills list, then you will probably find it very difficult to come here on a working visa, so who ever suggested a student visa may actually turn out to be on the right lines.
Good luck, Bob
Hey Bob!
I’m 17 years old and planning on going to university for law when I graduate in 2014. Do you happen to know is OSAP applies to those studying in Australia? I haven’t managed to find anything on the internet. I’ve been looking at Griffith University and Bond University in Gold Coast QLD. I’ve always been a fan of Australia, I can’t want to begin the second chapter of my life there.
Kind Regards,
Emily
Emily, no, sorry, I don’t even know what OSAP is! 🙂
Hi,
I am from Nepal right now in Kuwait as a trailer truck driver its possible for me get same job in Australia
thank you
I have no idea, how could I? You really need to read some of the pages on this website, start with this one – Questions I can’t answer….
hey . iam 16 years old .
I am from Poland . i lived in new zealand before but now we are in germany . I really miss new zealand 🙁
my boyfriend is in new zealand now . And we are wondering what can we do to be together because he cant come to germany and i really want to live in australia or new zealand .
what can i do ? no matter how much it costs .
please help me .
Adrianna
At your age I think you have to do what your parents or guardians tell you to do. Sorry, I know that isn’t what you wanted to hear.
Hi Bob
Hopefully this one doesn’t take long to answer! I’m a 28 year old graphic designer and my partner is a 28 year old office manager. She travelled to Oz a couple of years back on a holiday Visa but we’d like to go back there and work. Is our only real option for her to get sponsorship and me the same/or get my own holiday Visa? Main query being…she couldn’t travel on my Visa (if I got sponsorship) as I’m guessing we’d need to be married for this to be an option?
Great site!
James
No, it won’t take long at all. I don’t know!
My guess is that she may be able to travel with you if you qualify, but only if you can convince the government of your relationship. But that is only a guess. I think the only way to find out for sure is to go through the process.
Good luck!
Hi Bob,
I want to say thanks for providing such comprehensive information on moving to Australia.
I am a specialist physician looking to move to Australia (Brisbane) from the US for 12 months; longer if it turns out Australia and I are a good fit. At this point I’m excited about living and working in Australia.
A special thanks for the info on moving with a canid-family member: turns out that was my largest worry to date. But it’s hard to imagine moving without my German Shepard.
Thanks for all of the good work. Cheers.
Glad to have been of some help, you certainly can’t be leaving your loyal four legged friend behind. That would be a big mistake!
Hope it all works out good and you get to love Brisbane as much as I do
Hi Terry
Congratulations on getting your visa.
One of the main reasons we moved here is that we wanted a better environment in which to raise our daughter. We haven’t been disappointed. In many ways moving to Australia is like going back in time 20 years and that seems to apply to raising children too.
Children’s attitudes seem much better here, most still thank the bus driver before they get off. It’s been a long time since that happened in England. They’re not perfect, otherwise they wouldn’t be kids. But I don’t see them hanging around outside the 7-11 causing havoc.
I’m sure we still have spoiled brats here too, but it’s not an epidemic yet.
Australia is also very much a “family” country. Always plenty of family things to do, the beach, sports, events, the park, I’m sure your girls will love it here.
Let me know what you think of it when you get here.
Hi Bob, We recently got our visas for Australia. Yea! I would love to know about the children and schools. I have 2 girls 12 and 7. We are currently living in America and very frustrated about the way children are raised here. The kids think adults owe them. Most are spoiled brats, mine included. I really want to get them back to earth. What do you think of the way kids are raised there? I hate hearing from my kids that I’m the strictest mum, ever.
Thanks Bob.
By the way, I saw that properties in Aussie is quite expensive, how are the average citizens able to afford mortgage? Or do most people rent?
Compared to England, I think house prices here are a fair bit cheaper. I gave myself a headache writing a post about house prices but made lighter work of it in my free ebook. You can download it by submitting your email above right if you haven’t already done so.
But compared to American house prices, it is probably a bit more expensive here.
Check out Australian house prices here, see what you think. I’d love to know how they compare.
cheers
Bob
Hi Bob,
My fiance and I are sick and tired of living in America. We’re not even from here and we are being ripped by the government. But anyway, we are planning to live in Oz. Is it difficult to find a job in Oz when it comes down to the finance industry? If not, what state/city would be great for it (i hope the weather is not like the sahara desert though)?
Also, do you think it would be wise to invest in a property prior to moving?
Hi Valerie
No, you’re alright, it’s not like the Sahara desert! They’ve got hail the size of golf balls down in South Australia right now. But it’s usually just hot and sunny.
Not sure how hard/easy it is to find work here but you may want to read the post I have added today about average salaries, as there is a link on there to an Australian website that specialises in finding work. But I did read recently that Australia has ridden the global recession better than anyone else, so here is probably as good a place as any to get a job.
As for buying a property before you arrive, I can’t say whether it is wise to do so but I can tell you that we did. And we certainly don’t regret it. And after two years of stagnation, property prices are rumoured to be on the rise here again.
Good luck with your application, I hope it works out.
Cheers
Bob
Hi Pierre
I checked out the article, it just sounds like a few boisterous kids. But the article was nearly 4 years old, they’ve probably grown up now! I’ve heard nothing locally here about trouble at Byron, so I guess it’s still gorgeous.
And safe!
Cheers
Here is where I read it http://www.byronbay.org/?p=151 (Byron Bay crime rate). Feel free to remove this comment if you don’t want to have URL’s in your comments.
I think you’re right. I went there in 2002 and remember walking out to such a point, there was a lighthouse I think.
Not sure about the crime stats there, when I went the place was full of hippies and surfer dudes. Too laid back for serious crime I’d have thought.
You should. As I remember there is hill/cliff that is sort of a viewpoint that you can visit and that is actually the most eastly point. Correct?
Recently I read that the crime rate is very high in Byron Bay. Is that true?
/Pierre
OK!
Byron Bay is still beautiful and it’s the most eastly point of all Australia mainland.
Maybe I’ll do a post about it.
Thanks for the suggestions but I rather move straight to Australia. Since the time when I was 16 (all by my self) when I stayed in Australia for a month I have been longing back. A magic trip from Sydney to Cairns with a couple of stops. The most memorable town of course Byron Bay.
Spain wouldn’t be bad either but Australia is in my heart.
/Pierre
Hi Pierre
Glad you found my site even though you are probably not going to move to Australia yet.
I wouldn’t advise you moved here yet either, not direct from Sweden. Too much of a shock to your system.
Go to England > Spain > Cyprus THEN Australia!
cheers
Bob
Hi great resources for beginning your journey visit Australia. I didn’t know about the step by step site. I’ll use it when it’s to to visit.
I’m probably not going to move to Australia, yet anyway. But I will definitely join the free membership site.