Saturday, June 11, 2011

How to Move To Australia



Finding a new home in a whole new country is a challenge. Although moving can present better opportunities for you and for your family, you will surely need a lot of preparations and adjustments to ensure that you will not encounter problems. Moving to Australia is no excuse. Although Australia is open to immigrants and has a very diverse culture, some of the natives are still territorial and you might experience a form of discrimination when you reach these areas.


Nevertheless, a move to Australia promises better life. If you want to move there, see to it that you have the essential documents. Here are some tips to help you.


  1. Get a visa. There are several types of Australian visas to choose from. You can apply for a working visa. Australia has a list of in demand skilled workers. Check the list and you might have what they need. While in Australia and a holder of a valid visa, you may apply for permanent residency, provided that you qualify. Pass all the requirements and you will be granted the privilege to be a permanent resident of the country. There are other ways to stay or extend your stay in the country. As long as it is lawful, then you will not get in trouble.


  1. Once you have the necessary documents you need, make sure that you think of other essential items. For those who will move to Australia because of work, you probably have an employer sponsoring you. If this is the case, finding a stable job will not be a problem. However, if you are petitioned by a family member to join him or her in the country, then you will need to find a stable job for yourself. Make sure that you have a valid work permit though. Another important aspect that you should consider is your accommodation. Where are you going to live when in Australia? Your sponsoring employer should be able to help. If you are petitioned by a family member, then you are expected to stay with them.


  1. Understand the cost of living in Australia. You might be overwhelmed by the wage presented to you by the employer if you convert it to your country’s currency. However, bear in mind that you will not be spending you salary in terms of your native country’s currency. This is why it is important that you check monthly expenses. Is your earnings enough? How much are you going to spend for rent, utility bills, transportation, food and other miscellaneous expenses? Is your earning sufficient? If you fail to consider the cost of living and assume that your earning is enough to support your needs, you might have difficulty adjusting in Australia.


Many foreign individuals find better career opportunities in Australia. After staying living and working in Australia for a while, they decide to apply for permanent residency so that they will be able to stay in the country indefinitely. Some even use this to petition their family so that they can migrate to Australia.

Being a permanent resident in Australia:


There are different benefits of being a permanent resident in Australia. First, everything will be so much easier as you can stay in Australia indefinitely since you will be granted a permanent visa. You can travel to and from Australia anytime you want. In addition to that, the resident can choose to pursue higher education and choose a college or university of his liking. He may take advantage of student loans as well. Moreover, he can also apply for a work he wants or change employers when he deem necessary. He does not have to worry about applying for a new work visa or permit.



If you have successfully acquired your permanent visa to stay in Australia and wish to bring your family here, you need to prepare them as well. Your family will need to pass the minimum requirement before being granted to join you. This is why they have to be ready. Here are some tips:



  1. Make the necessary preparations ahead of time. If you intend to petition them, see to it that they start learning about the ways of life in Australia. Introduce them to the culture, norms and the ways of life in general. You can send them books or tell them stories when you speak to them on the phone.


  1. Enhance their English skills. Since this is the language used in Australia, it is only essential that they are proficient in using the language as well. Besides, they will be tested in terms of how well they can speak and understand the language. If a family member has difficulty in this field, enroll him in a course that will focus on this. You can also provide study materials that will enhance their capacity.


  1. Move to a more appropriate home and neighborhood. If you are living in a small one-bedroom apartment, you should consider finding a home with bigger space and better neighborhood. This is especially true if your spouse and children will be joining you. You will need to find a home in a better community, with proximities to good schools and other essential establishments.


  1. Secure the essential documents and records of your family members. In order to be considered, your family should prove that they are of good health and of character. In addition to that, you will need different records. Make sure that you keep medical, school and other essential records. You should also keep important documents like birth certificates and marriage contracts.


  1. Help your family start a new life in Australia. Your responsibility does not stop once your family is already in Australia. You still need to assist them in continuing their life. Help your spouse find a job that suits his or her qualifications. Make sure that your children continue their schooling by enrolling them in a good school. These are just few of the things that you can do to help them.


  1. Take care of issues in your native country ahead of time. Decide whether you are going to sell your home and other personal items in your native country. If not, make sure that you have someone to look after them. Make sure that you take care of the details before the rest of your family members move to Australia.


You can move to Australia through migration. However, it is difficult to be eligible. Do not fret though as you can always find work in Australia and apply for permanent residency while you are here.

What You Need to Know Before Working in Australia


Australia is one of the countries with strongest economy and the trends for improvements are very well noticed today. This is why many foreign workers are looking at Australia for a possibility of starting a career in developed and improving country. Just like many countries, Australia also suffers from shortage of workers in certain industry. This is why it has opened its doors for qualified workers overseas. But having work in Australia, like in any other foreign country, is quite a challenge; and you should be able to have thorough understanding of the processes to improve your chances of finding work in Australia.

Tips for the Australian Visa Categories and the Work Permit

You should apply for an Australian visa to have legal permission to work in Australia. But before that, here are some essential things you need to prepare so you have better chances of approval:


  1. Understand the point based system for General Skilled Migrants. It is important to understand this because you can use your work qualification to acquire a permanent resident visa in Australia. The point-based system is used to rate your application according o your qualifications, employability, work experience and language proficiency. The said type of visa normally applies to foreign individuals without a job offer but have the skills needed by the country.


  1. You need to acquire an essential Australian working visa. Bear in mind that you will not be allowed to work in Australia without the right working permit. To be granted the said visa, you need to prove that you are of good health and of good character. These can be proven by supplying supporting documents to you applications. It is also essential that you qualify for the job. Most importantly, the Australian government should recognize your employer so that the employment and visa application process runs smoothly.

  1. As mentioned above, you need to find an employer. Although you can seek out employment after moving to Australia, it would be best if you were employed before you get here. This way, your employer can sponsor you. He will in part, process your visa application through endorsements as a sponsor and will even help you adjust to the new environment. This is the ideal means of Immigration to Australia.



The above items are some of the things you need to prepare before working in Australia. Once you have found a job, you need to think of other things to ensure you will not encounter problems once you are already here.

 

Tips for your Move to Australia

There are a lot of processes involved when moving to Australia and there too many options for finding work. With the items below, we will be tackling some tips and possible benefits once you have acquired work in Australia.

Your place to stay in Australia 

Where are you going to live? This will depend on where your work is going to be. In most cases, employers will aid there foreign employees in finding a place to stay. God employers will provide financial assistance for accommodations during the first few months, but this is scarce. If you are to look for a house, consider its proximity to your work place. You do not want to spend significant amount on transportation. If you have to commute, see to it that you will have easy access to public transportation. Make sure that you are just a ride away from your work place; this is for your own convenience.

Compensation

 Working in Australia should give you good compensation. Working in Australia is such an attraction because of the money involved in rates. Having good compensation should be focused as it would be useless to have work in Australia without having good pay.


When you acquire work in Australia, you should have almost the same compensation as citizens even if you are a foreigner. There have been cases of discrimination on pay for foreigners especially those who come from third world countries. This should be reported to the department of labor as this is not allowed. 


You should research on the trending of the rates before applying for any work In Australia. There are sites giving out this information. With the assessment of the pay, you should be able to have a clear guide for your employment rates.

 

Cost of living

Learn about the cost of living in Australia. Compare how much your monthly salary will be with the monthly expenses you are going to incur. Allocate amount for your rent, food, transportation, bills and the like. Bear in mind that the cost of living in your native country is unlike the cost of living in Australia. If you fail to anticipate this, you will surely have problems managing your finances, which is crucial if you are living in a foreign country. 


Apply for Permanent Residency

Consider an application for permanent residency, and know for a fact that the cost of living vary from one region to another.  Once you have adjusted to the life in Australia, consider applying for permanent residency.


 Permanent residents enjoy several benefits like being able to stay in the country indefinitely. With permanent residency, you can live and enter the country anytime you please. In this way, as long as the trips don’t affect your work, you can enjoy travels.


You can also study at any educational institution which is very good as education is cheaper when you have permanent residency. Foreigners have pay more for the education as compared to residents but having work will eliminate this.


You will also have the freedom to choose an employer once you are granted permanent residency; you will not need to apply for a new work permit once you quit your job. Moreover, you can also sponsor your family members so that you can reunite with them in Australia.

            Family reunion in Australia

Think of bringing your family in Australia. As mentioned above, you can bring your dependents in Australia once you are a permanent resident. However, you should be able to prove that you will be able to support them. Your finances will matter for the petitions of your family members.
Note that family members joining you in Australia will not have the same permanent residency status but will have an easier access to approval. Your dependents should pass the minimum requirements for English proficiency. They should also be in good health and should have good character. They will be asked to present police and medical certificates for the application.


Before you get too excited about working in Australia, see to it that you have collected all valuable information about it. What are the culture and norms? What is the educational system? Learning about such essential aspects will help you adjust better. You should also consider applying for permanent residency to make it easier to bring your family in Australia. Prepare the necessary documents and make sure that they pass the minimum requirements so that your dependents can join you here.



How to Apply For Australian Visa


Australia is a popular destination not only for tourists but also for foreign workers who wish to find better opportunities. There diverse culture also offers a good environment for different nationalities. Before you can visit, live, work or even study in Australia, you need to acquire the right visa that serves the purpose of your visit. Australian visas have specialized categories that can define the purpose of your stay.   


To know what type of visa to apply to, you need to be familiar with the different types of visa to choose from. Here are some of the common types of Australianvisa that foreign individuals apply to:

Business visa

This is granted to foreign individuals who have acquired or started a business in Australia. In addition to that, they have to actively participate in the running or the managing of the business.


The Australian business visa is also provided for individuals having business trips for short visits. These short visits should be focused in the business aspect but of course side trips are allowed for the duration of your stay. The type of business should be properly defined so the application process can be approved in the fastest possible time.


The Business visas can also be awarded for the purpose acquiring a business, and has been a very attractive type of visa for investors.


Family visa

Those who have acquired permanent residency status are given the privilege to sponsor their other family members to join them in Australia. However, the petitioned members of the family should be able to meet the minimum requirements to be granted the same status as their petitioner. In most cases, family members that are invited to Australia are given another type of visa a category before being issued the same visa type as the inviting party.


Skilled visa

This is for highly skilled individuals who wish to find work in Australia. The country welcomes such applicants who can immediately contribute to the economy of the country.


There have been a lot of applications for the Skilled Migrants Category and have been the primary focal point of promoting and attracting skilled individuals that have continued to seek out additional workforce for the in demand jobs.


You have to be able to support your claims of expertise on the Skilled Migrants visa, as being at the top of the list in the visa categories most applied for, you will have plenty of competitors.


Spouse

This is a privilege grated to partners or spouses of citizens or permanent residents of Australia. Certain conditions have to be met before the said visa is given to the applicant. One of the said conditions is that the sponsor spouse should be able to support the cost of living of his partner for a period of two years.


Because spouse visas have been abused in the past, there is a strong checklist before the Spouse visa is issued. Investigations and queries may be done by the Department of immigration and citizenship.


Travel visa

This is for individuals who are going to Australia for a short visit. Australia is a favorite destination of many tourists every year because of its beautiful landscape. The travel visa is made to cater for these trips.


As an alternative to the travel Visa, The Australian government has made a way to hasten the process. The Australian government has initiated the Electronic travel Authority (ETA). The ETA is allows for visits less than 3 months upon being issued an ETA. The ETA is a development of the Australian immigration and citizenship department for a faster processing of the tourist travel documents.


Working holiday

This is a type of visa given to qualified individual who wish to travel to Australia and do casual work during his or her stay. The said visa is only valid for 2 years. This is only applicable to foreign nationals who are from countries that have working holiday agreements with Australia.



The Working holiday for Australia has been one of the choices for individuals seeking permanent tours for the duration of their stay.  Working holiday visas are only given once with some destination taken as exempts to this rule.



The working holiday visa allows travelers to have extra income for the duration of their stay allowing for prolonged vacations over the country. Originating countries enjoy responsibilities too on the application processes of the individuals given this privilege. 



The above examples are the common types of visa categories that foreign individuals apply to. Now that you are familiar with them, you should be able to choose the type of visa category that suits you best. Before you apply, make sure that you are eligible. In order to be eligible, you need to have good health and good character. You should be able to speak and understand the English language. Before you are granted the visa you applied for, your application will be assessed by an immigration officer.



The Points Based System for Australian Immigration

A point-based system will be used for your assessment. How does this work? Well, points will be awarded to you based on different categories. The required points may vary depending on the type of visa you are applying for. Normally, this is used for the skilled migrant who wish to work in Australia. Applicants are given points based on age, employability, job offer, qualification, work experience and more.



The point-based system is used if the applicant qualifies for the general skilled migration program. As mentioned, some sectors in Australia have manpower shortage. This is why they are employing workers from overseas to fill out the said vacancies.

Understanding the processes

You need to understand that the processes for applying for the different types of visas are different. This is why you need to be specific with the type of visa you are going to apply to. You can apply for certain types of visa online. The ETA tourist visa is an example. Just make sure that you provide the necessary requirements. Bear in mind that this is only available to certain countries.



If you are eligible for the working holiday visa, then you may also apply online. Again, this type of visa allows you to travel Australia and permits you to take on casual work. This allows you to earn while staying here. The said visa has a life span of 2 years and may only be awarded once.  


The family sponsorship category will not require a point-based system assessment. However, it is crucial that the family member has a permanent visa or a citizen of Australia. See to it that you and your sponsored dependent are able to meet the requirements before applying.



Pursue your dream in Australia. With a strong economy, you can be certain to have a bright future here. Just make sure that you apply for the right type of visa for you and your dependents.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

The Australian Visa focus: 457 Visa


What is the Australian 457 visa?

The 457 visa Australia is a common name for the Class: UC (Temporary Business Entry); Subclass: 457 (Business Long Stay) Visa. This is the visa type given to individuals who want to do work and have business in Australia and by doing so adding sustainability to Australia's economy. It is a visa that is used for periods of stay from 3 months to four years.

The 457 visa Australia is a working / business type visa that offers semi-long term stay in their territory. It used primarily to draw attention to Australia immigration. This is part of Australia's campaign to having a good populace able to support their growing commercial and industrial entities.

This visa type is also a means to create a work force on the jobs that are lacking. There is a big hole to fill in Australia's working class. With this program, you will be able to do business / have employment inside of Australia. This visa type can also be extended to give you permanent residency.


What are the privileges in having a 457 visa?

This visa type gives you the privilege to conduct a business of your choice pending the approval of course on your visa. It entitles you temporary residence in Australia while conducting your business and the same time promote it.

The 457 also entitles you to find work in Australia. When we say work, we mean that you can have activities that are professionally paying you at a specified rate thus creating a source of personal income. Work can be temporary, part time or full time.

You will be allowed to have a prolonged stay of 4 years depending on what duration of stay was allowed by the Australia Immigration. You may be able to extend this stay if you apply for an extension, or have a permanent residency permit approved.


Who are entitled to a 457 Visa?

Individuals with sponsorship
Foreign nationals are given provisions to stay in Australia under the 457 visa if and only if they have passed all necessary screening by an employer. These are typically individuals who have passed the qualifications of the employer and Australian immigration department.


Individuals seeking to create business in Australia
If a foreigner wishes to establish a business, participate in partnerships, or to conduct international prearranged contract based work, the he may be entitled with the stay in Canada in accordance to the provisions of the 457 Visa.


Service sellers
Under the 457 visa provisions, you can be allowed 6 months of maximum stay on service selling. If you plan at all to move to Australia by offering your services, know that there is only a limited time offered. One of the options you have is to keep track of the duration of your visit and apply for an extension if you think you can fully support your stay through service entrepreneurship.

This also covers the individuals needing to do personal arrangements on Australia. This is a form of short term visit just to satisfy both you and your employer or client.



How do I apply for a 457 Visa ?

There are two modes into which you can apply; You can apply on line by using the internet for your interface or, you can also have the old trusted way of having document applications.


On line Australia visa applications
This is the easier way of applying for the 457 visa. You just need tom complete the forms from immi.gov.au and then submit, via email the Australia visa requirements through scanned copies. The Australia visa requirements should be completed as lacking requirements will not be entertained.
You have to find a way for the application to be done on line, electronic applications are given priority.


Document submission, personal Australia visa application
If you don't have any possible access to the internet for an online application, you may be allowed to submit the application forms, together with the requirements to Australia's department of immigration and citizenship.



What are the Australia visa requirements ?
For the application to proceed, you need to finish all of the requirements. A checklist would be obtained so you don't miss a thing on any of these:


Medical insurance
You need to have medical insurance to be able to qualify. The medical insurance will not be covered by the employer. This is the sole responsibility of the individual wishing to be hired under the 457 visa.


Sponsorship of employer
The employer should have readied an application for foreign employees. This is for applicants whose purpose for the visit is based on work.

For the businessmen seeking to be approved in under the 457 provisions, you need documents that will lay down proof of your business capability, together with financial reports. The financial reports are most important to assess business and your status to comply with the business maintenance prior to its establishment.

For service sellers, you should be able to provide documents certifying your experience and capability of providing services. You should also be able to have the specific service specifications. Australia department of immigration and citizenship will try to evaluate the legitimacy of your claims.



What is the processing time for the 457 Visa applications?
There will be a three month processing period and any incoherencies with your requirements may result to further delays on the process. Always be sure to have all the specific and general requirements.




How much do I have to pay for the visa application?

457 visa application fees don't come cheap. You should pass your applications only when there is a higher rate of possibility for approval. If you are rejected, then you need to pay the charges again. A total charge of $685 may be required from you during the application. $265 for the visa application charge alone, $70 for the nomination charge and $350 for sponsorship charge.




Some pointers on the visa applications
There have been reports of abuse from the employers' side regarding the 457 visa. Before applying for the visa, be sure that you are getting fair rates for your job. You should be getting, on average, the same rate as the locals in Australia will. You have to research on the actual market of rates for your specified applications.
During the visa application process, it is best that you have all the requirements ready. Use the electronic / online method as it is prioritize and faster. Scan the required documents properly and get the recent photos.

For your travel documents; such as the passports, be sure to have enough validity left to cover for your stay.
Know that the 457 visa was made specifically to attract business and workforce in Australia. With all of the requirements, finances should be the key especially if you are going to establish a business. When your purpose is work, you still have to show some financial capability to support your upkeep before the first pay day.