Last year, Australia has been named again as one of the happiest countries on the planet by the World Happiness Report, a notable survey by the United Nations to assess the state of global happiness. Ever since the survey was first published in 2012, the country has been a constant inclusion in the top 10. Consequently, Australia also has one of the highest migration rates in the world, one of the highest migrants per net population, and one of the top destinations for skilled migration and sponsorships.
And there is a clear connection. Happiness is an essential ingredient to success, whether it is with your career, financial endeavors, relationships with people, or self-fulfillment. And if a country ranks very high in the happiness level, people will gravitate to it, whatever their goals and missions in life are may be.
However, Australians’ happiness level is not some unexplainable phenomenon with unknown sources. It is the sum total of various social, economic, and environmental factors that the country worked so hard over decades to achieve.
We dissected the many elements as to why Australia is such a happy and attractive place to live in with the help of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s report.
Being employed is very important for your well-being. Not only so that you can pay the bills, but it gives you the opportunity to contribute to society and the economy, hone your skills, and create professional and social relationships. Here, virtually everybody is being given that opportunity. As high as 72% of the working-age population here (aged 15 to 64) is employed and being paid. This is six points higher than the OECD’s 66% employment average.
The unemployed population (those without a job for a year or longer), on the other hand, is down at 1.3%, twice as low as the OECD average of 2.6%. Australians earn an average of US$51, 148 annually, higher compared to the OECD standard of US$40, 974.
We can never overstate the importance of strong social connection. In the age of smart phones, apps, and social media sites, our relationships have mostly died down to random “friends” we don’t even now and anonymous followers.
In Australia, however, connections are as strong as ever. 95% of the people here are secured that they know someone they could run to and rely on when the need arises, way higher compared to the OECD average of 88%. Strong social relationships provide people with strong emotional support, leading to a healthy physical and psychological dispositions in life. It also gives access to more job, career, and business opportunities to members of the community. Possibly another reason why nobody doesn’t go long unemployed here.
An educated country is a country ready to take on challenges and take care of its citizens better. Australia never misses that point. Aussies, on average, spend 19.2 years of their life studying between ages 5 and 39. Of the adults, 77% of them from ages 25-64 have attained upper secondary education. This is important because the skills required in the labour market are mostly knowledge-based, and such impressive educational statistics means that the country is prepared to meet minimum requirements of the job market.
Air and water is supposed to keep us alive. But with pollution both in the atmosphere and hydrosphere continuing to rise, they have become part of the death warrant. Dirty air and water have significantly contributed to increase in many illnesses from infections to cancer to developmental effects in children to shortened lifespan.
As far as air pollutants are concerned, Australia has the lowest rate within the OECD average at 5.9 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter. PM2.5 refers to the particulate matter that we inhale from air. OECD’s average is at 14.05 micrograms per cubic meter. Take note also that the World Health Organization’s annual guideline limit is 10 micrograms per cubic meter. Oz is still way lower.
On the other hand, 94% of people say they are satisfied with the quality of water. Way higher than the OECD average of 81%.
And because of this…
At 82 years of age, Australia has one of the highest life expectancies among the western nations. This is the result of many factors coming in together such as good living standards, lifestyles, quality education, healthy, and clean air and water, among others. Not to mention, the country’s health care is also efficient, making the people feel that they are properly being taken care of. As a result, 85% of people in Australia said they were in good health,
Democracy is a government by the people. And it is only important that the citizens are involved when it comes to nation-building activities such as elections and referendums. The most recent elections produced an overall 93% among registered voters. Civic engagement is proof that the people are well-educated, well-informed about current events, trust their government, and care enough to be involved in the decision-making process for its improvement.
Peace of mind is an important element of happiness. The people should feel safe enough in order to achieve this. Australia’s homicide rate is at 0.8, compared to OECD’s average of 4.1. As far as the trend in the previous years are concerned, crime rate keeps going down, a result of better policing, stronger criminal laws, and crime-preventive education among the people. In fact, the most prevalent offences here aren’t even threatening, as they are mostly public disorder offences, e.g. disorderly conduct or public drunkenness.
When enquired to rate their overall satisfaction with life on a scale of 0 to 10, Aussies gave it a grade of 7.3. This is higher than the OECD average of 6.5. Though this may be subjective, this enquiry produces measurements that provide useful data on the quality of life Australians are having. That only means that all the conglomeration of factors involved resulted on a positive experience they are having. That is the most important thing after all.
The post-holiday rush is perhaps one of the biggest challenges at the opening of the year. It is where we all go back to our normal routines after the holiday gatherings or trips with loved ones at another state. It is also the time when traffic jams are the worst and people rush to the airport preparing to go back to reality.
But of course, there are ways to beat the surge of people, and get you through through your flight. We rounded up the best ones to help you make it in time through the airport.
Nothing ruins a boarding experience than finding out that you have excess baggage. This means you have to take out the things you need the least or pay the fee. Weigh them at home beforehand. Do this by weighing yourself first with a bathroom scale, repeating it while carrying your luggage, and then subtracting the two numbers. Take out the excess weight and have a peace of mind.
More or less 90% of the passengers will board the plane carrying gifts. If they are still wrapped, sorry to bust your bubbles, but the honor and experience of unwrapping or unboxing them will go to the airport security, not you. You may either ship them in advance or unwrap them before going to the airport for less hassle.
Most of us get stuck in traffic because we didn’t know what to expect. Apps like Waze, Michelin Navigation, and INRIX will let you know what is currently happening on the road such as bottleneck, road closures, and road accidents so you may plan a detour in advance.
You may do everything on this list but if you leave on the dot, you may still miss your flight. Holiday rush is where the most unexpected delays happen, car breaks down, hotheaded motorists get into a quarrel on the road which causes bottlenecks, etc. Give yourself a few hours of buffer before your flight schedule to deal with these unwanted surprises. It is better to spend hours waiting at the airport (in case you arrived too early) than on the road stuck in the traffic jam.
Instead of spending hours waiting to pick up your boarding pass, check in online via your phone or laptop. Then you are free to do other tasks.
Footwear with laces and straps takes time to remove and put on again, robbing you precious minutes during security checks. Give yourself and everybody else in the queue a favor by sporting slip-on shoes and go through the inspection with quickness and relative ease. Likewise, minimize wearing too many jewelries.
And speaking of shoes…
Your shoes can help not only your balance, but your luggage’s, too. Place your shoes at the bottom of the bag foot to toe to avoid it from falling over. This makes your bag easier to grab during the rush.
For some reason, people tend to place their IDs and boarding passes in the most inaccessible parts of their luggage, possibly for fear of misplacing them. But you are both in a hurry and in a bit of panic to get to your flight, searching for these documents will feel like looking for Waldo. Place your ID and boarding pass inside your pouch, handbag, or wallet. Presenting them will be faster and easier.
Let us get this straight: introverts are not shy, nor do we hate people. We also aren't any weirder than others are. Our brains are just wired vastly different from most of the people. While the extroverts get their energy and excitement from socialization, risk-taking, and adventures, we get ours from within, and an excess of these external stimulants drain the vitality out of us. We recharge by withdrawing from people and enjoying our quiet times. That’s why you may find us most of the time in coffee shops, museums, or libraries, embracing solitude.
And this makes living in such a social country like Australia quite challenging for us. This is a country where barbecues, office parties, and drinking out with your work mates are the norms. Fortunately, there are jobs out here that do not require us to interact with people 90% of the time. Occupations that will allow us to toil alone in an enclosed office or isolated fields. If you are one of us, you better take note of these.
Annual salary: $65,000 per year
Required training/degree: A bachelor’s degree in a field such as zoology, biology, wildlife biology, or ecology.
A zoologist’s line of job can be pretty diverse, ranging from tending for a zoo to caring for sanctuary animals to research and drug development. But the thing is, you only deal with animals from the furry to the scaly, and they won’t engage you in small talks.
Annual salary: $90,000
Required training/degree: A bachelor’s degree in Library Science, Education, or History.
As an archivist, your job is to sort, classify, and catalogue historical materials, documents, or works of arts. You will usually work in museums, libraries, or research centers. These lines of work are what some people will find extremely boring. But as an introvert, you will find these amusing. You will have the opportunity to learn about history, art, or science on a first hand basis, coming straight from the sources of knowledge themselves.
Annual salary: $116,000
Required training/degree: A bachelor’s degree in Geoscience.
Geoscientists either spend their entire time on the field, surveying the site, gathering data, and collecting samples. When they are not out there, they tinker in their laboratories, analyzing said samples, cataloguing, and writing researches. Each day is filled with wonders of discovery, learning, and realisations.
Annual salary: $57,000
Required training/degree: A bachelor’s degree in Computing, Information Technology, or Computer Science.
Computer programming is another intricate task. Programmers usually spend entire days in front of computer screens, building software programs by manipulating codes to the best of their knowledge and whatever programming language they use (yes, computer programs have their own specific languages). It is so challenging that Internet memes have already been made out of it by programmers themselves to make fun of their otherwise arduous jobs.
Annual salary: $78,000
Required training/degree: A bachelor’s degree in Economics
Economics might be a social science, but as someone in the field, social interaction will be the last thing you do. You will be working either in the Government, corporations, or the academia, translating and analysing numbers, extracting patterns, solving complex problems, and analysing human behaviors to paint a bigger picture of their actions and possibly predict the future.
The only time there will be human interaction is when you speak with your clients or superiors to communicate your findings and reports, and these would not take an entire day.
Annual salary: $65,000
Required training/degree: A bachelor’s degree in Mathematics
Not all mathematicians end up lecturing in front of the class. Some of them spend their days inside offices and research centers tinkering with numbers, predicting patterns, and exploring the world of data, facts, and figures. Mathematicians usually work in the fields of astronomy, economics, software and hardware development, and the academe. But you may also find them in robotics, medicine, climate study, and national security.
Annual salary: $51,000
Required training/degree: A bachelor’s degree in Radiology
No, radiologist is not the person who operates the x-ray machine. That is the radiographer. A radiologist is a specialised physician who interprets and analyses results from x-ray, CT scan, MRI, and ultrasound examinations to detect and diagnose certain illnesses, which he/she will then forward to the general physician or the relevant specialist. These people mostly have no patient interaction and deals only with a secretary, a few nurses, and other doctors, which do not always occur.
When we were kids, most of us either wanted to be doctors, lawyers, accountants, and or bankers. We looked up to people who walk the paved streets of commercial centers wearing well-tailored suits and sporting leather brief cases. There weren’t many kids who dreamt of becoming wants to be wants to be mining workers, construction managers, crane operators, as these labourers are always greasy, dirty, and living a life of financial struggle.
Turns out, we got the world wrong. We have unfairly placed these labourers in bad light. Blue-collar workers have a repertoire of benefits the white-collared employees can only dream of. While some of us corporate slaves waste our lives away in our office cubicles, these manual workers are enjoying the day-to-day challenge of their jobs and appreciates the world as it is.
We rounded off some of these perks. So that if you feel like going for the blue-collar path is the best for you, then you don’t have to feel apologetic about it anymore.
Let us eliminate this on-going stereotype first, that manual workers and labourers are living inferior financial lives compared to the office-bound ones. This is not true for most occupations anymore, as they are now taking home upwards of $70,000 and even reaching $165,000. By comparison, average white-collar salary in the country is $73,000 annually, and a chunk of that hard-earned money has to go to settling your university loans.
In blue collar jobs, you will not have that dilemma, it’s because…
The world is continually changing. The technology we rely on today will be considered obsolete in two or three years from now. That’s why it is important to continue upskilling and training to catch up with the times, get ahead of others, and increase your salary.
This is good news since blue collar employees can attend trainings, obtain scholarships, and get certificates for affordable fees. And sometimes these may be settled by the Government completely. This way, you don’t have to go through sleepless nights worrying about your student loans since they are inexpensive.
Sure, companies can have the number crunching, customer service, and administrative jobs be performed by a person from the other end of the world, but good luck doing that with the tasks of repairing the pipe lines or driving the trucks.
This is one reason why blue collar jobs never run out in the country. They just keep coming. They have to be performed personally by people who are actually in the area. Also, you won’t wake up one day finding that your job already belongs to another person from another country with more economical labour rates.
And it also helps that Australia’s industries are on a roll right now with the boom in certain sectors like construction services, food processing, gas transport, and organic farming. We are seeing a secure future here.
Do you know what is the most prolific killer threatening our lives these days? The office chair. Sitting for eight hours straight causes increase in body fats (which results to heart problems in the long run) weakened muscles, lung inefficiency, increased risk of incurring diabetes, digesting issues, bad posture, and even cancer. No wonder, white collar people will tend to counter this by going straight to the gym or yoga sessions after their nine-to-five grind.
Most of the manual labourers, on the other hand, do not have to do this. Their job is already physically demanding, they are already working their muscles, pumping their hearts, and exhausting their lungs while at work. These people will only sit during their lunch or their short breaks. After that, it is non-stop walking and lifting and toiling again. After their shift ends, they just rest or pursue whatever hobbies they enjoy.
And speaking of hobbies…
Work-life balance is the Holy Grail of corporate life these days. A career cornucopia that we have yet to attain as employees and workers. The advancement of technologies allowed our work and off-work environments to merge into a heaping mass of constant confusion and ruined priorities. Smart phones and social media permitted us to attend to home duties while at work and check and write office emails while at home. There is no way to distinguish the two anymore.
The blue-collared workers’ line of work remains unchanged over the years. Most of them still have to perform things manually; repairing equipment, drilling on surfaces, and operating machines. They do not have to be wired constantly to computers and smart phones and work chat rooms. So once their work ends, they don’t have to worry about it anymore until the next day’s punch in.
As a white collar employee, it is not strange to feel like just an item on the huge company spreadsheet. After all, the corporate infrastructure is so technical, cryptically embedded within annual reports, and surrounded by hunky terms like debenture stocks, yield curves, volatility, residual values, and such. It is hard to paint a picture of how your grind actually contributes to the overall progress of the company.
On the other hand, if you work on the construction, you will see as the building gets slowly completed. The metal sheet mechanic sees the piles of steel plates they have tirelessly worked on get higher and then be delivered. The locomotive repair officer can witness as the train whistles again and move on the tracks after fixing it. And the service or welfare worker can see the people he/she has helped become happy and satisfied.
Blue collar workers end their shift with a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment because they have a firsthand perspective of what they have shared towards realizing a common goal. This is what drives them to look forward to the next day’s work because they know it is another opportunity to contribute again.
We personally didn’t expect the relationship to last. We met in a party in Woodlands, Singapore that a common friend threw. I strike a conversation, she responded. And it’s a match. A week later, we are still seeing each other, discovering each other’s quirkiness and mutual love of comic books and Korean cuisine. Then I have to go back to Brisbane where I am based as an IT analyst, cutting this majestic honeymoon period. We decided to keep the relationship with six thousand kilometers of land and ocean between us.
That was seven years ago. We are now together. It wasn’t easy. We were away from each other for four years, meeting only twice or thrice a year. Then we decided that it is time for her to move here. I sponsored her for a visa and it was another year of waiting and being separated. But it was all worth it.
It was simpler back then. You meet your partner, you build a house, work on your farm, and live happily together. But the world has gotten smaller. The surge of globalisation and economic fluctuations have thrown people out of their homelands in search of better life and career.
And a side effect of this are couples who have to endure living apart while one of them waits to have a visa so they can finally be under one roof. In Australia alone, countless wives and husbands are being sponsored for partner visas so they can be together for good.
We were one of those for half a decade. It was tough and harrowing. Yes, Facebook, Skype, and instant messaging are around, but they cannot hold a candle to going home to your sweetheart and throwing yourself into their arms.
We managed to stay afloat. And with us are lessons on how to survive relationships while being separated by physical distance. Here are five of them.
No couple deserves to live apart. And if they do, there’s got to be a damn good reason behind it. Ours are work and career. I have a flourishing career path here in Oz, and she has an essential role as a banking manager in Singapore. We both know we cannot leave the life and career we diligently built that easily.
If you are going to live separately, know and understand the reason(s) why you will go for this set up. Set goals and plan your milestones together so you will better see why this is the best plan for you. Once those feelings of loneliness and sadness rear their ugly head, you remember these reasons and hold on to them. This will help tiding the pain easier.
If you are not planning to be together in the foreseeable future at all, you better end this. You agree on this set up because in the end, you will be in each other’s arms for good. You hold on to this promise as the anchor that will keep you intact amid the surges of challenges. An Australian spouse visa will take months, even years, to be secured, so you have to be patient.
Once you get your visa and you fly in and are back together, you will realize that all those years of waiting are worth it. It is the best feeling in the world.
At this point, communication is the only thing that this relationship is real. You do not go out, cook breakfast for each other, or watch TV together. Your daily gestures do not go beyond texting or calling each other, so make sure you keep this alive and on going
Being clingy, however, gives the opposite results. Most couples fall into the trap of thinking that putting their partners in a 24-hour surveillance should compensate for the distance. This is not true. Make sure the anticipation and excitement of talking to each other is alive. If you overindulge in each other’s availability, the enthusiasm will be lost.
Every weekend, we set three to four hours of our day to talk to each other about our problems, challenges, achievements, internal celebrations, and our future as a couple. It was an opportunity to improve our relationship and connection. Other than that, it was all short calls and Facebook chats. But they were continuous and ongoing.
This is one of our quirky rituals, and creates a deeply personal connection. We sometimes leave each our laptops on with skype running as we do our house chores. Seeing what each other is doing like passive observers gives us a glimpse of what an ordinary day at home looks like. It gives a feel of living together as we do our own things, rarely interacting save for the smiles and nods and the occasional staring on the camera, and still feel the presence of each other. It is satisfying and relaxing at the same time.
She closed a significant sale for the company? Send her flowers (heck, you can send her flowers for no reasons at all). He met a setback at work? Give him a call or send texts of encouragements to show you are there. These little gestures keep the fire burning, and remind you that even if you are countries away from each other, you never left each other’s’ mind and heart.
We rarely send each other the usual gifts like shoes, clothes, and gadgets since we rather buy them on our own. What I mostly gift her though are videos of my guitar covers of our favorite songs (in DVD format, no less!). Then in return she will mail me her sketches of the Marina Bay Sands or the Singapore skyline. We even send snail mail to each other. Nothing beats the feeling of dried ink impressed on scented paper. It’s the little, even odd things that you do for each other that counts.
The age of expatriations and global diaspora might be upon us, but nothing can stop us from crossing oceans and be being with our loved ones. One channel for that is the partner visa. And the earlier you apply/sponsor for a visa, the earlier you can secure it. And always seek a professional for Australian visa advice as each individual situation is different.
Australian visa applications (or any visa application, for that matter) can be stressful and confusing. With confusing immigration policies that you need to adhere to, different forms to be filled out, documents to be submitted, and the people you have to talk to. This can be further complicated if you are a first-time applicant.
Here are some of the most common mistakes, which if you avoid, can make your application much more smooth and simple.
“What exactly do I want to do In Australia?” is the first and most important thing you need to ask yourself before applying for a visa. Each visa entails different purposes and intentions, and you need to apply for one that suits your objective. Are you planning to work? Are you planning a holiday? Do you want to study? Do you have relatives or a partner who is willing to sponsor you? Do you want to live in the country permanently?
The visa type that you need will depend on your answers to these questions, so you need to be clear with your goals, as there are many various types of visas that you can apply for. Applying for the wrong type of visa may cost you a lot of time, money, and energy, if refused.
Sometimes when people apply for an Australian visa, they are tempted to withhold information that they believe will jeopardize their chances of approval. We highly recommend that you do not do this. It is never worth it. The Department of Immigration and Border Protection, having gone through and scrutinized millions of visa applications in the past and ongoing, have become very efficient in spotting inconsistencies, misrepresentations, and distortions in the applicants’ stories.
Whether it is something you made accidentally or deliberately, they will scrutinize any discrepancy in your application, and it will be grounds for refusal or visa cancellation.
If you are uncertain about your application and believe your information may lead to complications of your visa application, then seek advice from a registered migration agent to help you with your matter.
It is mandatory to declare any prior criminal history you may have in your visa application. Not doing so may have a negative effect on your application.
The Australian government takes criminal records seriously, as their policies are designed to protect the Australian community. This does not mean that if you have one, you cannot get a visa. It simply means you have to declare it, so that your application can be properly assessed.
Again if you are unsure if your criminal history will have a negative effect on your application, seek professional advice from a registered migration agent.
Documents such as qualifications, employment references, marriage & birth certificates, etc. are pieces of a puzzle that will paint the entire picture of your visa application. As each visa type requires a different range of documents, it is important that you provide all the necessary documentation to support your claims in your visa application.
Immigration sometimes can refuse applications simply because applicants fail to provide all the necessary documents and evidence to support their application. So you have to be meticulous when preparing your application and also be sure that the type of documents you are providing are “relevant” to the requirements of the visa.
*Legal Disclaimer: Please note that this article is for general information only. Always seek professional legal advice in regards to your situation as every situation is different. Immigration legislation changes regularly and thus always, get up-to-date advice on your situation. Lodging a visa application is a judicial process and is based on the quality of legal advice and legal representation you receive. It is illegal for any Migration Agent or Lawyer to guarantee 100% of a positive result as it is a judicial process.
Finally, after two years of waiting, working hard, hoping for the best, you are now a permanent residence of Australia. You can now travel outside the country on unlimited basis, bring in your parents and children, and pursue any career you want.
This is the end of your waiting and the start of a new life and new opportunities. So it is best that you take care of the important things that you are now entitled to. Get your notepad and put these items on your priority list.
Securing health insurance is one of the most vital things you should do upon getting your PR visa. This will cover your expenses in case of sickness or accidents. Australia’s health care system is divided into two: the public and private system.
Medicare, a universal health scheme provided by the Government, handles the public sector, allowing people to have access to general practitioners (or GPs, as they are called here) and hospital services at low or sometimes no costs at all. However, it has its limitations. You cannot opt to be treated by your own physician and you have no control when and where you will be granted medical care. Also, waiting times for elective surgeries (those that are not urgent) can be long.
The private system, on the other hand, covers these limitations in addition to providing physiotherapy, chiropractic, optical, dental, other specific health care requirements. But before you can take advantage of these, you need to have health insurance. You may choose from the many privately-owned health funds in the country. Please note that each health fund have different structures and offer different policies. Also having a private insurance will not exclude you from the public system.
If you have been drudging with housemates whose company you don’t really enjoy or an apartment you don’t fancy, you should be delighted to know that as a permanent resident, you are now entitled to the First Home Owner's Grant, a one-time grant given to applicants to purchase their first home. Upon securing this, you can acquire a mortgage. Please be advised however, that the mortgage will depend on various factors such as the lender, the financial climate of the time, your income, and your credit rating, among others.
Choosing your home will depend largely on the location of your workplace or, if you are planning to switch employers, the city and the climate of your preference (find out here which Australian city is perfect for you). You may buy a property either from a house auction or a private seller. Either way, it is best to ask for a trusted agent’s help to guide you the way.
Also, remember that buying a property is not for everyone, since it involves a huge financial responsibility. How do you know if you are ready to get your dream home? Find out here.
Of the things in this list, getting a car is perhaps the most optional, as you could always go around via bus or train. However, Australia is large and teeming with places both gorgeous and unique, and owning a set of wheels allows you to visit these beautiful spots.
Once you have decided, you may start searching for the best deals online. Drive, Carsales, and Car City are some of the most trusted sites to look at. You may buy either from a dealer or a private seller, but there are pros and cons. You will pay more with a dealer, but they will handle the warranties, documentations, and insurances for you, as well as the road-worthiness of the vehicle. You may save a lot by buying from a private seller, but with none of the benefits mentioned.
Cars in Australia are pricier compared to those in United States and Canada but less expensive than in United Kingdom and New Zealand. Car prices in the bigger cities like Sydney and Melbourne are lower due to the supply. Be sure to negotiate and haggle for the price want. When negotiating, take consideration if your employment package includes a novated lease benefit. This agreement between you, your employer, and a financing company allows the employer to settle the cost and operation of a vehicle prior to tax (via salary deductions), lowering your taxable income in the process.
If you are employed, saving for the future, or wanting to manage your expenses, then you definitely need a bank account. And the steps are surprisingly simple.
Australia has four main banks, the Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, NAB, and WestPac. There are also international banks like HSBC and Citibank. Just go to any branch closest to you and provide a proof of identity (like your passport, driver’s licence or a company ID). You also need to provide your home’s physical address so they can send you your debit card. Also, be advised that banks apply a service charge of three to five dollars per month.
Family won’t be complete without your kids. And now that you are a permanent resident, you can bring them in. When the right age comes, they would have to go to school. However, the rules, requirements, and fees of enrolling kids at school vary depending on which state you are in.
In the Australian Capital Territory, they prioritise the children living within the Priority Enrolment Area (PEA). This means that only after accepting children from PEA will they start offering enrollment students outside the area. You may apply for enrollment via this form.
In New South Wales, the Temporary Residents Program permits eligible students with temporary resident visas to enroll in a New South Wales Government School from Kindergarten to Year 12. However, since you are a permanent resident already, there will be fee exemption schemes available for you.
If you live in the Northern Territory, you also need to know that public schools follow a priority enrollment scheme in your state. Enrollment forms can be found here.
Queensland, meanwhile, requires that your child is five years old by the 30th of June to be able to enroll. Starting next year, it is making compulsory for children to commence Prep prior to Year 1. In primary schools, Prep is a full-time program which your children attend Mondays to Fridays, from 9am-3pm. Enrollment form here.
Schooling periods in South Australia are divided into four terms. This coming 2017, Term 1 is from 30 January to 13 April, Term 2 is from 1 May to 7 July, Term 3 is from 24 July to 29 September, and term 4 is 16 October to 15 December. You must first contact an educational agent to have your kids enrolled and then submit a student education form.
In Victoria, tuition fees are all the same for Government schools. You may enroll your kids anytime of the year. You would need to provide evidence of your child’s date of birth, your contact details, doctor and dentist’s names and phone numbers, Immunisation Status Certificate, and any other documents the school may request.
As a permanent resident in Tasmania, you are required to enroll your kid(s) once they turn five (or four in case of Prep schooling) as of 1 January in any year. You may approach any educational institution nearest to you to inquire about the process.
If you live in Western Australia and your child turns four on or before 30 June 2017, you can enroll him/her to Kindergarten. Pre-primary or the first year of compulsory school starts at age five on or before 30 June 2017. This period is compulsory. To enroll your children, you may approach the nearest school in your area.
With the unemployment rates going down and manufacturing and consumer spending numbers going up, we have reason to believe that Australia is at its highest economic surge in the recent years. And riding on this wave of prosperity are the women who courageously tried their hands and end bringing home the highest salary this year. The 20 highest paying jobs for women this 2016 is topped by law professionals and then further dominated mostly by those in the medical field. A law or medicine degree really is your path to financial success.
The arbiters of the court took home the most expensive metaphorical bacon on this list. And to add more good news for the womankind of the law, Australia has just named Susan Kiefel as its first female High Court chief justice, a position held by men for 113 years.
Contrary to popular belief, a neurosurgeon’s s expertise isn’t limited to the brain, but they also treat disorders that involves the spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and the extra-cranial cerebrovascular system.
Australia holds one of the highest standards when it comes to plastic and reconstructive surgery. The guidelines are constantly being updated to keep up with the times and ensure patient safety.
No, these merchants do not time travel. Futures refer to financial contracts providing the buyer an obligation to acquire an asset (and the seller an obligation to sell an asset) at a predetermined future date and price.
Vascular surgeons deal with problems with arteries and veins.
Many people confuse the two (and understandably, there is an overlap). A gynecologist specializes in the medical care of women and their reproductive system. While an obstetrician deals with the surgical care of women and their children during pregnancy, childbirth and post-natal care.
Gastroenterologists are also among the highest paid medical practitioners in the UK, USA, and Canada.
While magistrates perform almost the same role as a judge, magistrates have lesser powers and handles only small and minor cases.
Anaesthetists and anesthesiologists are the same. The latter is an American term.
An ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.) specializes in eye and vision care and can perform. Not to be confused with optometrists and opticians (both not on this list). The former provide primary vision care via sight testing and correction to the diagnosis, treatment, and management of vision changes. The latter designs, verifies, and fits eyeglass lenses and frames
It is not uncommon for partners and spouses to be waiting for their partner visas to be processed without knowing the benefits they are entitled to in the meantime.
A bridging visa “bridges” the gap between substantive Australia visas. So if a visa expires, you are still allowed to stay in Australia until a decision has been made on your next visa. It is the transitioning stage.
A partner bridging visa allows you to stay in Australia until the decision of your partner visa has been made.
So what does a partner bridging visa allow you to do? Here are a few of the benefits.
Income stream is very important, especially if you are starting to build your life together in Australia. Having your partner be employed without any restrictions and be able to contribute to your relationship’s income pool is very essential in achieving your dreams.
Whether your spouse is an engineer or a zoologist - they will be able to build their careers in Australia. The country never runs out of skill shortages. These are brought forth by the ongoing expansion of the economy and the breakneck speed in which technological innovations are moving. Australia’s pool of workers and professionals cannot catch up because of the slow growth in the population as well as the aging demographic of employees, so the country has to rely on the flow of migrants coming in to fill in these gaps.
Your partner, whatever his or her degree, profession, or specialization is, should be able to find his or her place in Australia's talent pool and build a solid career.
As mentioned, Australia is an ever-growing country with technology, career and businesses. Whether you are looking to study to upskill further or looking to change careers or getting your first formal qualifications. A bridging visa will allow you to attend universities. However, International Student fees still apply.
YES. With a bridging visa, you (the applicant) can travel outside the country and still set your foot back in Australia. This is given that you return within the specified amount of time. You may go back to your homeland for a while or travel to other countries with your partner and Oz will still welcome you back.
That’s right. So a bridging visa will allow you to be with your loved one until a decision is made. Given the lengthy processing time, it is an advantage to not be waiting for the partner visa for months on end in order to live and be with your loved one.
The best case scenario for most couples is to stay together in Australia during the processing of their partner visa.
If you are looking to apply for a partner visa but unsure of which visa pathways have bridging visas to allow you to stay in Australia during the processing times, contact us for a free eligibility assessment by a VisaOne Visa Expert.
Otherwise, leave us a comment below for any visa questions you have unanswered.
Please note that this informative article is not a substitute for professional advice. Always seek a professional for Australian visa advice as each individual situation is different.
We know your story. You met. Compatibility kicked in. You fell in love with each other. Met each other’s family and friends. And decided that you want to spend the rest of your life together in Australia.
And then here comes the challenge of applying and sponsoring for spouse visa. Some people are living under the dread that same sex partners either cannot or will find it hard to secure a spouse visa to Australia due to the nature of their relationship. We are going to tell you right now: Yes, people in same-sex relationships can apply for, sponsor for, and obtain a spouse visa just like heterosexual relationships. It is neither tougher nor impossible. Australia does not discriminate nor does it prejudge what you can do and cannot do when it comes to relationships. As a couple, you are entitled to the same rights and benefits of a spouse visa.
However, just like any other visas, there are requirements you need to satisfy in order to qualify for a spouse, whether you are on the applying or on the sponsoring end. It is our constant mission to help migrants (and loving couples at that!) get a hold of their dreams together in Australia, so here is an idea of where to get started on a 820 spousal visa for a same-sex relationship.
That’s correct. You need to prove that your romantic relationship is genuine and you are not just conspiring to bring the other person to the country. You must have been living under one roof for 12 months. Nothing less. If you are worried that such set ups will raise eyebrows from other people, please know that Australia is a very accepting country. There are no prejudices here against same-sex relationships. Its liberal and open culture allows such ties to be part of the social norm.
In fact, Tasmania recently made a bold move of supporting same-sex marriage, the first of many steps in opening more opportunities for same-sex relationships.
The ability to register same-sex relationships is a way for same-sex couples to be recognised under Australian law for Immigration purposes. So if you don’t have the evidence to support that you have been living together with your partner under the same roof for 12 months or more, you can pop down to your local Registrar of Births, Deaths & Marriages office and get your relationship registered.
You may check the website for each territory to locate the registrar nearest to you here:
This recognition of families and friends can be proven via the form 888, a document being issued by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection to be filled up by someone who fully knows about your relationship. It is also important that the signee of the document is either an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident, and is 18 years of age or older.
Other supporting documents are invitations from families and friends sent to the two of you and your pictures together with your partner and families and friends. Please be advised, however, that falsification of these documents and other witness declarations is considered an offense.
These include joint bank accounts, finances, memberships, loans, mortgages, billing statement (showing the same address), rental agreements, travel tickets, hotel reservations, and other documents of activities/transactions that you are doing/have done together. So go ahead and start gathering your evidence. The stronger the evidence is, the stronger your case is. And always remember, conflicting evidence or evidence that may not make sense to an Immigration Case Officer will get your case turned down.
Just as you need to prove that you are together presently, you also need to do prove that this relationship extends into the future. The establish this via joint investment documents, joint insurances, or a joint last will and testament. These evidences show that you really are in a long-term commitment with each other.
For permanent residency, your partner will be invited to apply for permanent residency after 2 years.