Arrived and now what?

[Dedrei]

I am sure there are many of you wondering what you need to do when you eventually arrive in oz.

Some of the other members already there and from experience, like to share what members need to do as soon as they arrive?

[Riekie]

Get a UBD map & explore! Don't get too comfortable in your little corner - venture out, get on a train, visit places, familiarise yourself with your environment, get your sense of direction and distance sorted out, join a group (scrap-booking, tennis, yoga - anything!) and meet other people. Read your local newspaper even though nothing makes sense at this stage - it soon will. Look out for events in your area & attend. Get on the forum, share your experiences and ask for help if you need it! Don't sit at home and wait for life to happen - it won't!

[Riekie]

.....and another thing..... the best advice I got was this:

Don't spend your days cleaning your house! Give it a good thorough clean once a week only and just maintain it the rest of the time (dishes, beds etc). I used to spend at least 3 to 4 hours every day cleaning my house until one of my RN friends gave me this advise and since then, I only clean once a week (but then I REALLY dig in!). Life is too short to spend your days in the company of a vacuum cleaner!!

[Hendie]

... en die res van die tyd is jy oppie forum né!

[Riekie]

LOL!!!! Uitgevang!!!!

[Dedrei]

Ek bedoel ook dinge soos registreer vir tax nr en daai tipe goed wat almal nie van weet nie.

[Riekie]

Deidre ek sal vir jou ietsie plaas - ek werk nog daaraan.

[Ajay]

Good question, and good answer from Riekie. Get out there and try to integreate as quickly as possible! Some of the more mundane things:

Opening a bank account - this is done really easily if you do it within 6 weeks of arriving in the country. To open an account, you need 100 identification points - and provided you've been in the country less than 6 weeks, your passport counts as all 100! However, if 6 weeks have passed, then the passport only counts for 75 points, and you need further proof of ID (like an employment contract, lease agreement etc) to make up the balance. Doesn't make any sense to me, but that's how it works! You can even open the account if you're here on holiday - say, on an LSD? That way, you can send your money out of SA via Telegraphic Transfer before you leave - much cheaper than any other means!

Tax Registration - all done on-line and you get a number within 2 or 3 weeks. Easy as anything.

[Pippa]

Hi Ajay,

Can you really open an account while on you Look, See and Decide trip? We are planning a trip to Oz in July and would like to open an account if possible.

Pippa

[Dedrei]

You can open an account online, just can't draw funds from the account until you arrive in oz.

[Bob]

There are lots of "official' things needed to be done on arriving, as soon as possible. It's no good trying to take money out if you don't have a bank account!

This applies to Adelaide, but the procedure, at least for Australian gov't things, is the same across the nation.

Firstly, I'd get a Vodafone "pre-pay" SIM card to put in my mobile phone which can be brought from South Africa, as long as it's "unlocked" from the South African network and will pick up an overseas network (Australian / New Zealand). Mobiles here work on the same 900 / 1800 Mhz frequency as in South Africa, so can be used here.

You'll need ID to open an Australian mobile phone number, so take at least TWO items . . .passport and driving licence. Go to any Post Office or Woolworths supermarket for a Vodafone SIM for your mobile.

Now you have a phone you can get "in the loop" with jobs, house hunting, etc., etc.

Next, you need a place to rent and a trip to half a dozen real estate agents will give an indication on properties for rent and prices, etc. The landlord may need references from folks you know back in South Africa. Have them written in English. You'll need to pay a "bond" of four weeks rent to cover any likely damages over and above "fair wear and tear", and a fortnight's rent up-front. In South Australia, the bond is paid to the State gov't housing trust . . . NOT the landlord, or you won't see it again. He / she will make up any excuse to keep it when you come to leave later on!!!

There are no Identification cards in Australia. The Australian gov't tried to bring it in back in 1986, but it failed to go thro' parliament, so the Australian gov't requires a Tax File Number (T.F.N.) from anyone opening a bank account, superannuation account (on starting work), employer needs to know (or you pay 48% income tax)and a few other things.

Your local Australian Tax Office (A.T.O.) is listed in the phone book. Bring passports and other ID. They will need that to make you an Australian tax-payer. You can do it on-line in the A.T.O.

Medicare . . . you will need to find where the Medicare office is out of the phone book. Take passport and other ID along . . . if you are PR . . . and register the WHOLE family. You are now on the books and can get cheap doctor's visits, etc.

Switch you driving licence over to an Australian licence. You will need to study the "Road" or "Highway" Code to learn all the Australian driving rules. Get the booklet from a newsagents and, after a week or so, you can sit the test in the office (or local police station if in the Bush). On passing you get given a slip of paper which together with your old South African licence will allow you to get an Australian licence. You can pay per year, up to 10 years. A photo will be taken.

Cars can be rented for a day or week. I'd advise going to a rental place that isn't "mainstream". They rent older cars for half the sum the main rental companies rent for. Who cares in Australia if you car is 8 years old?? Mine is 21 years old!!! Aussies don't give a stuff about lots of things . . . and cars and clothes don't matter too much. Dress casual to suit the climate and drive an old car.

[Ajay]

Hi Pippa,

Yes, you absolutely can open your account on your LSD trip - that's how we did it. We came out in August, popped into the local branch of St George and opened a savings account there and then with our passports as ID. We deposited $5 to take care of the monthly fees while we were away (it was $1 per month and included 10 transactions). We got our ATM cards issued on the spot and that was that! When we were ready to make the move, we took our forex allowances in telegraphic transfers directly into the account over here, so when we arrived, everything was ready to go. All I did when we arrived was go back into the branch and change it from a savings to a cheque account, and I received my debit card and cheque book a couple of days later. I'm not sure if this is a Sydney specific thing (or even a bank specific thing) but it was really very simple to do.

Once you've started working, you can apply for your TFN online - very simple process and should only take you a few minutes.

On a 457 visa (ie when you are sponsored by an employer), you don't have access to Medicare, so you will need to take out private health insurance with a company that offers repatriation cover. I'm with IMAN and have found them to be excellent. Go to www.iman.com.au for more information. For a family, we pay around $290 per month and it works in much the same way as the old traditional medical aids that we are used to (pre-Discovery days!)

Also, if you are on a 457 visa, you are able to drive on your SA drivers licence for the duration of the visa (provided of course that your licence doesn't expire during this time).

I'm not sure if this info is countrywide or is valid only in NSW, so if you are moving elsewhere, ask one of the other local hosts on this site for geographically specific info.

Hope this helps

Ajay

[Riekie]

Ek het op 'n ander "post" in hierdie afdeling mooi verduidelik hoe om 'n belasting nommer (TFN) te kry. As jy NIE een het as jy 'n bankrekening oopmaak nie, word jou rente nie aan jou uitbetaal nie, maar jy kan wel solank die rekening oopmaak. Sodra jy dan 'n TFN (Tax File Nr) het, gaan wys jy dit net by die bank, en al jou rente word beskikbaar gestel. So vir die van julle wat 'n bankrekening wil oopmaak op 'n LSD trippie, moenie stres oor die TFN nie.

[sa2auz]

I am sure there are many of you wondering what you need to do when you eventually arrive in oz.

Some of the other members already there and from experience, like to share what members need to do as soon as they arrive?

The best gift I ever been given was my "UBD" a Sydney Map Book everyone in Sydney has one in there car and it has been a life saver. One of the things I did right from when I started looking into moving to Australia was keep a little book which I wrote down areas, schools, clubs and web addresses in fact any little bit of information I found, this book has become a life saver and I still write down things, but now things have changed slightly and I write down restaurant names and childrens party venues etc.

My first few weeks with my husband at work it was very easy to sit at home with the kids after all I know no one and had nowhere to go. Everyday I made myself drive a block further, visit a different park etc and the best thing was it was okay to get lost because it is safe to pull over look at your map book and find your way around. Also its and idea to make a small mark in your UBD on the places you visit and write down comments like 'nice picnic spot, park on x road" also if you visit someone write their address on the edge of your map book so you know for next time and your will also have their mailing address.

Most banks allow you to open accounts over the net. Some suggestions St Georges, Commonwealth Bank and Westpac. Have a look they will have links for immigrants. You can use your handy card anywhere and you can get "cash out" (draw money) etc when you buy groceries which is a real win.

I also suggest you don't jump into too many contracts etc too soon, things add up and no matter how well you budget there will always be those unexpected expenses that creep in. You need to remember car registration, third party insurance, school uniforms, rental deposits, bonds, gas, water, electricity, pay tv, cellphones etc.

Also make sure you keep copies of any references, baptisim records, birth certificates, etc which you will need for schools, renting etc with you, your container might be delayed and then you will be stuck.

Also I found that the rental agents don't get back to you, so you will need to be the proactive one and if you see something you like phone them they won't phone you.

Lastly I think the most important thing is to stay connected, make sure you have a hotmail/yahoo email address so family and friends can contact you and know that you are safe and sound. Also nearly every club, school, pet shop, car dealer etc has a web address so staying connected is key.

[Nadine]

Just to comment on the driving license rules, this is different per state, I know that for QLD if on PR you need to complete your written test which can be done at your local traffic department this costs $16.30, you do not need to make an appointment as soon as you are ready you just go in a complete the written.

Once you have done this you then pay $38.20 to allow you to take the practical test. Which you then book.

But you must remember that if you are on PR or a business visa you need to do this within the first 3 months, if you pass that they will not issue an open license and you will be a learner and have to go through that whole process.

I am in the middle of doing this now myself and have book a driving lesson (which is this week) to make sure that I know what they will test – for example you do not parallel park etc in “they yard” all of this is done on the street during your test.

[Queensland Girl]

Good Luck Nadine.

I was out in peak traffic for a half an hour with a dour gentleman who kept on making ominous ticks on a piece of paper. have not been so nervous in a long time.

I went with manual car because I wanted a open license although I have been driving an automatic for years. I really gave the clutch stick.

After about ten minutes the gentleman asked me how many decades ago did I drive a manual car!

Got my license though- but I have kept well away of manual cars since.

[Kalahari1]

Gaan onder www.immi.gov.au in

Gaan in onder Life in Australia

Beginning a life in Australia

Gaan onder die provinsie in waar jy wil gaan woon en druk die boek!!

Ek het Queensland se boek gedruk voor ons na Aus gekom het en goed bestudeer.

In die boek verduidelik hulle stap vir stap vir jou wat jy moet doen as jy in Aus aankom, met al die kontak telefoon nommers en webadresse.

What to do soon after arrival

Help with English

Emergency Services

Where to go for help

Australian customs and law

Housing

Employment

Social Security

Transport

Education and child care

The health system

Recreation ad media

DIMIA

Local government and community services

Ek hoop dit help

[Rialet]

I am sure there are many of you wondering what you need to do when you eventually arrive in oz.

Some of the other members already there and from experience, like to share what members need to do as soon as they arrive?

Hi Deidre

What about when you start to work? You in a familiar environment but new market and you need to build some business contacts? I am a recruiter - arrived on the 1st of Jan together with my family and have started with my new employer on the 16th of Jan. I am very familiar with recruitment and the process is pretty much the same globally but the Brisbane market is soooo small and relationship based that you need some networking contacts to get into businesses. Any suggestions from anyone??

Rialet le Roux, Brisbane