6 States / 2 Territories: Western Australia WA (Perth), South Australia SA (Adelaide), Victoria (Melbourne), New South Wales NSW (Sydney), Queensland Qld (Brisbane), Tasmania (Hobart), Northern Territory (Darwin), Australian Capital Territory ACT (Canberra)
Number of Time Zones: 3
Western Australia: GMT + 8 hours,
Northern Territory and South Australia: GMT + 9.5 hours
NSW, ACT, Victoria and Tasmania: GMT + 10 hours.
(Daylight saving is observed in Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and New South Wales)
Economics:
Australia is a country rich in mineral wealth – it is the World’s leading supplier of wool, a major energy producer, and expanding technological industries. It is also a land blessed with sun, sea, mountains and beaches.
Understanding the people:
With its vast space and relatively small population Australian’s are renowned for their active, outdoor lifestyle. 80% of the population lives in urban areas with 40% in Melbourne and Sydney alone. Population is concentrated on the East and Southeast coasts.
Most residents live a very comfortable lifestyle with a mild climate, abundant natural resources and extensive government social services. The life expectancy is 74.7 year for males and 81 years for females.
Australians enjoy a relaxed, easy-going lifestyle. They are generally contemptuous of social pretensions and are impatient with snobbery, pomposity, or arrogance.
Australia is proud of its multicultural society and generous refugee resettlement policy. Australia is made up of: 92 Caucasian, 7% Asian, and 1% Aborigine
Religion:
76% Christian (including Roman Catholic, Anglican and other)
12% mixture of Jew, Muslim and Buddhist
12% non-religious
Education:
Australia offers a very high standard of education when compared on an international level. The school year is broken into 4 terms. The school year runs from late January – mid December. December/January holidays are the major summer holidays in Australia. School hours are generally 9am – 3.30pm.
The individual States/Territories are responsible for determining education policies and requirements. They receive funding from the Federal Government. Education is free and compulsory from age 6 until age 15 (16 in Tasmania). Primary school covers 7 years. The first year is called prep (age 5/6), the second year is called grade 1 and continues to grade 6. Students will complete grade 6 at age 12/13. The following year they will enter secondary school at year 7 and remain at secondary school for 6 years finishing in year 12 at age 17/18. About 70% of children attend Government schools which are mostly co-educational. The remainder attends private, catholic, or special needs schools. Most children attend pre-school or kindergarten prior to the compulsory age.
Tertiary studies can be either University level, TAFE (Technical & Further Education Colleges), or private institutions.
Social
Most schools in Australia have ‘parent and teacher’ or ‘parents and friends’ associations. These are an excellent opportunity to initiate your active presence in the community.
Australian Tax Office (ATO)
A Tax File Number (TFN) is similar to the UK NI number which is essential in order for you to work and receive income in Australia. You can only obtain this once you have arrived in Australia on your residency visa. You can have an application form sent to you or apply over the internet.
www.ato.gov.au or phone 13 2861
Medicare
The Australian Government assists with basic medical expenses. To register you should go to a Medicare centre with your passport 7 -10 days after arriving in Australia. Medicare does not cover dental care, optical care or ambulance services and 1st Contact recommends you also consider private health insurance. Depending on your visa type you may not be eligible for Medicare cover, check with your visa consultant.
www.medicareaustralia.gov.au or phone 13 2011
Investigate your options for private health insurance before you arrive. Cover offered by some insurers such as Medibank Private can be taken out before you leave for Australia. (www.medibank.com.au)
Bank Account
You should open a bank account within 6 weeks of arriving and will usually only need to provide your passport. If you leave it later than 6 weeks you will need more proof of address and identity documents. The main banking corporations are
Jobs
Some major job search engines:
International Flights
When you make any flight bookings remember to ask the consultant for an emigration ticket. This entitles you to more luggage allowance than the normal 20kg per person. Each airline will be different, so shop around. They will ask for proof you are migrating you should be able to just show them your visa label in your passport.
Customs and Quarantine
Australian customs and quarantine services are very strict. Please consult your shipping advisors before sending any items made from plant/animal material, wood, etc
Telephone companies
2 main companies:
Electrical Standard:
In Australia electric current has been officially changed to 230V 50Hz, although 240V is within tolerances. Australia uses three-pin, oblique-flat blade, grounded plug. Not only are voltage-converters necessary to operate 110/115 volt appliances, but plug adapters must also be used with foreign appliances. Time-oriented appliances such as clocks, stereos, and automatic washing machines may not work effectively with converters and may be best purchased locally.
Vehicle:
We encourage you to thoroughly research the logistics of shipping your car to the other side of the world. You need to take into account the cost of shipping, the duties and taxes on a car, whether or not the car complies with Australian standards as conversions are costly, availability of spare parts in Australia.
For more information on shipping your goods please contact our shipping department: shipping@1stcontact.co.uk or 0870 178 2668
Drivers License:
Every state of Australia has their separate driving rules and driving license Authorities. You must investigate transferring your driver’s license as soon as you arrive in Australia as most states will require that it is done within 3 months of your arrival. Please contact the appropriate authority on arrival for details:
Buying or Renting Property:
Property in Australia is usually sold by either auction or private sale. Renting may be a good idea when you first arrive so that you can take your time to find your ‘dream home’ in the area that appeals to you the most. Property prices vary substantially from one city to the next and from the inner city suburbs to the outer suburbs. You may find the following websites helpful resources for investigating property:
The type of property you are able to buy when you get to Australia will depend on your visa status. For more information about your eligibility to purchase property please contact the Foreign Investment Review Board:
www.firb.gov.au OR CALL +61 2 6263 3795,
Mortgages and Finances:
1st Contact Money can assist.
Email: money@1stcontact.com
Things to look out for when buying/renting property:
- Termites - Get an expert to inspect your proposed property purchase
- Extreme Climate & Flash flooding - Is the property near a creek or river, subject to run off from higher ground?
- Hot Weather & Drought - Is the paint good quality and resistant to high temperature?
- Snakes & Spiders - Avoid junk yards, keep the garden clean and tidy, grass cut etc.
- Don’t go overboard - You will be overwhelmed by how far your money will go and the size, space and high quality of property you can afford. Remember, a huge house, a couple of acres of land and a swimming pool all requires a lot of maintenance.
Transferring Money
1st Contact has an excellent money transfer service that can guarantee transfer of funds of any amount within 3 days at a very competitive rate of exchange, often at far better rate than high street banks. As an existing 1st Contact client, you will also be entitled to a FREE transfer, with no transaction or transfer fees. Upon your instruction, your migration caseworker can register you for the service and provide you with our quotation of the current exchange rate.
In order to transfer money to Australia you must already have a bank account there. 1st Contact has a referral scheme with ANZ, one of the foremost banks in Australia, and can help you set up your account long before you arrive. Please let your caseworker know if you would like ANZ to contact you to set up your account in Australia.
Cities of Australia
The cities of Australia are vibrant and sophisticated with very distinctive natures and a strong sense of pride.
Adelaide:
Adelaide is the capital of South Australia with a population of 1.1 million. It is a graceful, calm, leisurely-paced city of churches with parks and pedestrian malls, fine museums, superb restaurants, and attractive residential neighborhoods. Adelaide is situated in a beautiful setting on the Southern Ocean with safe beaches, the Mt Lofty Ranges, and an abundance of fine wineries surround the city. Adelaide has become an international centre for arts, conferences, and exhibitions. Temperatures average around 28° C in the summer and around 15° C in the winter. Adelaide has become a popular choice for many migrants due to its relaxed sponsorship requirements. Due to this Adelaide has a large UK expat community.
Brisbane:
Brisbane, in Queensland, seems like the ‘vacation city’ with a generally subtropical climate, glorious beaches and quaint wooden houses that are raised on stilts to catch the breeze. Brisbane has an estimated urban population of 1.8 million. Queensland is a holiday destination for Australians and international tourists and residents will enjoy a beach and water sport oriented lifestyle. Temperatures average around 30° C in the summer and around 20° C in the winter.
Canberra:
Canberra is the capital of Australia and is located half way between Sydney and Melbourne. Canberra is the most planned city in the country having been built for the specific purpose of being the capital. The main industries are political, administrative, commercial, educational, scientific and technological. The city boasts many modern buildings and has a wide range of shopping centres. The Snowy Mountain Ranges and Mt Kosiusko provide for excellent recreational pursuits. The year-round sunny weather makes Canberra a pleasant place to live. Temperatures average around 30° C in the summer and around 11° C in the winter.
Melbourne:
Melbourne is the capital of Victoria and is located at the South-Eastern corner of the country with a population of approximately 3.5 million. It is the second largest city after Sydney and prides itself as a modern and elegant cultural centre. Melbourne is the centre for industry, business and finance and has been voted ‘The World’s Most Livable City’ with beautiful parks, broad tree lined streets, charming Victorian houses and numerous restaurants and shopping opportunities. Melbourne is the home of Australian Rules football and is considered the sporting capital, hosting the Australian Open, most major cricket games, the Grand Prix, Melbourne cup races and many more. Temperatures average around 26° C in the summer and around 13° C in the winter.
Perth:
Although Perth, in Western Australia, is considered one of the most isolated cities in the world (separated from the national capital by over 3,300km) you will never feel that Perth is lacking in anyway. Perth hosts a multi-cultural, cosmopolitan society surrounded by Australia’s best kept secret beaches, wineries and some magnificent national parks. The population is approximately 1.3 million and the climate is moderate year round. Like Brisbane, Perth hosts a beach and water sports lifestyle. Perth is an important mining centre with a booming commerce industry. Temperatures average around 32° C in the summer and around 17° C in the winter.
Sydney:
The capital of NSW has one of the most beautiful harbors in the World, graced by its famous bridge and renowned opera house. It is Australia’s largest city with a population of 4 million. It is a cultural centre with theatre, opera and music as well as trendy neighborhoods and a lively nightlife. It is blessed with famous beaches such as ‘Bondi’, the Blue Mountain ranges and national parks close by. Temperatures average around 27 ° C in the summer and around 17° C in the winter.
Darwin:
The Northern Territory is the most sparsely populated state or territory in Australia. It encapsulates a total area of 1.35 million square kilometres and accounts for 20% of the whole country. However, just 182,000 or 1% of Australia's population lives here. The capital city is Darwin. Darwin has a tropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. Red is the predominant colour found in the soil, the rocks and Uluru (Ayers Rock) which are all situated in Central Australia (also known as the Red Centre). Surrounding the centre is a number of meteorite craters, canyons and valleys. Far North Northern Territory (the Top End) is home to the vast Arnhem Land which is Aboriginal land, as well as the Kakadu National Park. Average temperatures in the Summer is 25-33° C and 19-30° C in Winter.
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