Getting started in Australia
IF you are planning a trip to Australia then you probably have a million and one questions. Here backpacklife tries to help you . . .
Visas:
This can be a confusing area. Visitors from every country apart from New Zealand need a visa to enter Oz. There are two main types of visas for tourists from the UK - a tourist visa and working holiday visa. The main difference is that one lets you legally work, the other doesn’t. To apply for a working visa you must be aged between 18 and 30. This visa lasts for a year from entry into the country and you can only have one of these visas in your lifetime. On this visa you can work for the whole year but it only lets you work for 3 months for one employer. You must apply for your visa while outside Australia and you can’t change from a tourist visa to a working holiday visa once you are in Australia. Tourist visas generally last for 3 months, but extensions are available.
For more information about visas and how to apply visit www.immi.gov.au
Bank accounts:
If you are planning on working in Australia then you are going to need one of these to get your wages paid into. Banks in Australia will charge you for just about everything . . . some charge a monthly fee (around $5) so that you can use the bank's ATMs without being charged (but then you are only allowed a certain amount of withdrawals a month and use of any other banks’ ATMs means there will be a charge involved). Some banks don't charge a monthly fee but charge you for each time you want to use an ATM so it's worth shopping around and seeing which sort will sit you best. If you set up your bank account within the first 6 weeks of arriving in Australia then it's pretty easy - you will only need your passport. But, they will require you to have an Australian address so they can send you your ATM card. It normally takes around a week for the card to be issued so if you know where you are going to be staying you can use the hostel address, otherwise you might be able to get it sent to another branch where you can collect it. Once you have been in Oz for more than 6 weeks you are going to need 100 points of ID to open the account (passport, driving licence and credit card will do it), and of course an Australian address.
Tax File Number (TFN):
You can work without this but having one will mean you don't have to pay quite as much tax on your wages. If you start working without one then you can expect to be taxed at around 47 per cent. You can apply for one of these online at www.ato.gov.uk. You will need your passport and again you will need an Australian address. This takes about 4 weeks to be issued.
Job Hunting:
There are many different ways of finding jobs and the best way for you will depend on what sort of work you are looking for. There are a few good job sites including www.CareerOne.com.au and www.seek.com.au. Employment National is a national recruitment agency and lists jobs online at www.employmentnational.com.au If you are looking for a job fruit picking then a good place to start is at notice boards in hostels or www.jobsearch.gov.au which includes a backpacker Harvest Trail allowing you to work your way around the country. Many hostels offer backpackers work at the hostel in exchange for meals or free board.
Medicare:
The UK government has signed an agreement with Australia which entitles UK residents to some subsidised health services for immediately necessary treatment. If you are planning on staying in Australia for more than a few months then it is probably worth registering with Medicare. When you visit the doctor or if you have to have any treatment at hospital then you can apply to Medicare to have some or all of the costs covered and it also allows you to have subsidised medicines. To sign up you can visit one of the many Medicare offices around the country where you fill out an application form. You will need to present your passport (with a valid visa stamp) and also proof that you are a resident in the UK - take something along like your travel insurance which should have your UK address printed on it. For more information visit www.hic.gov.au
Mobile phones:
A few years ago you would hardly see any travellers with mobile phones, but these days it’s a common sight. Travellers who want to get themselves an Australian mobile number can go about it in two main ways. The first is to bring out your phone from home and buy an Australian SIM card (which could cost between $20 and $40) once you arrive. Doing this may mean that you need to get your phone unlocked for the new SIM to work. The alternative is to buy a SIM card and phone package, which is a lot cheaper than it sounds . . . as long as you aren’t too fussy about the type of phone you get. Australia’s main networks are Telstra, Optus and Vodafone with 3 just recently launching their network in Oz as well. The coverage on the networks varies depending on where you are - you have to remember that Australia is a massive country, but you shouldn’t have too many problems in the main cities and towns. Probably the best way to get started is by visiting a few of the network’s shops when you first arrive and see what deals they have. Alternatively you could look on the notice boards at hostels to see if anyone who is leaving the country soon is selling their old SIM card.
