Moving to Perth in September, HELP

Sneebly

Hello all,

First time poster but long term lurker around here. I think i need some help on moving to Australia in September/October of this year. Myself and a mate of mine from college are planning on leaving for Australia in September, quite daunting i guess but looking forward to it. As far as im aware, i may have most of the information on lock down, hopefully you can point out if i don't.

Visa - VisaFirst Option 1 for €295
Flight - Looking at Etihad or Emirates for around €750 one way. The baggage restrictions, i take it the 23kg or 30kg is for all flights you take on your travels to Australia?
Insurance - What is required here? Where is best and how much is the cost?

Savings then, it is a minimum of €3500 isn't it? But a bit more if you have a one way ticket, either way hopefully i will have at least €5000 to tide me over.


The thing that i have been a bit worried about is the cost of living, it seems massive. I was looking at rentals for accommodation, and came across huge fees etc. Does anybody know much about the price of renting in Perth, where is best to rent etc??

I have a degree in Administration and Information Systems, and hopefully in a few weeks i will also have a degree in Information Systems Management. So the IT industry is my area, what is the work like in Australia? I have been looking up jobs etc in IT in Perth and there seems to several jobs in this area. Just wondering how likely they are to employ somebody on a WHV with my qualifications? Would you start applying for jobs before you headed off or take a couple of weeks when i get there to start applying?

Lastly (for now), what is Perth like from an Irish persons perspective? Typical lads going away, love going out and having the craic etc meeting new people. Where is the best places to live for all of this? and basically what is it like in general there?

Sorry for all the questions, thank you in advance

Sneebly

Bump

Xavi6

Being a citizen, I know nothing about visas so someone else will have to help with that.

Perth is expensive for an Irish person coming over, but so is the rest of the country. The weak euro is a big factor in that so it's just something you have to deal with.

The average rent in Perth at the moment is $420 and you would be very very lucky to get anything that isn't a dive in a decent location for less than $400. The closer you live to the city, the more expensive it will be as well. Throw in four weeks rent as a bond to start with and you are looking at about $2500 between however many of you there are/the place allows to get going.

With a WHV your chances of getting a good job are limited because you can only work in the one spot for six months, it's not an attractive prospect for a company. However if you're *that* good at what you do you might get sponsored but it's by no means an easy thing.

Send off your CV now but it's not likely to get you anywhere because they no doubt get loads of the same from people coming over and those already here. Best bet is to get cracking on applying for jobs as soon as you get off the plane.

On Perth itself, this time of year is miserable. It's currently in the teens temperature wise and has been pissing rain for over a week now. It will stay like this until August/September. If you're chasing the sun then all the major cities are going to be like this at the moment so be aware of that.

I've been here five years and love it. The lifestyle is chilled out, the people are generally relaxed and there's plenty to do if you get up off your arse and have a car. It's not a wild party town (clubs do stay open til 5am-ish though) so if that's the sort of lifestyle you're after then you're best off heading east.

My last piece of advice would be to avoid falling into the trap of getting off the plane, going to an Irish bar, and not leaving until your visa expires. The city and country has way more to offer than sort of thing.

Sneebly

Thank you very much for taking the time to fill me in.

Rent wise, i may be being completely dumb here (i probably am) but when you say $420, do you mean per week? between two people etc? or month? I understand i may come across a little foolish in that regard, but from renting for college, i am used to monthly payments of around €300.

I certainly don't just plan on going to an Irish bar and stay there until the visa/money runs dry, because the money sure as hell will run dry before the visa i can guarantee that.

Our other option is Melbourne. We had decided on going to Brisbane but on investigation and research into it, i think it's best we decide on either Melbourne or Perth.

catbear

rents are advertised as per/week here, I believe Xavi6 means per week too. If you have a rental reference bring it, it helps to bump you up the list. Try gumtree for house shares and short term rentals.

Public transport in the city is good, especially if you're near any of the trains. A car is essential for getting out of the city though.

I've no idea if you'd get work in your chosen field, if nothing is stirring try getting office temp work as way in.

There are ways of living cheaply here, watch out for bulk offers in supermarkets and coupons for eating out.

Xavi6

Sneebly wrote: »

Rent wise, i may be being completely dumb here (i probably am) but when you say $420, do you mean per week? between two people etc? or month? I understand i may come across a little foolish in that regard, but from renting for college, i am used to monthly payments of around €300.

Yep I mean per week. Have a read of this -

http://blog.realestateview.com.au/2012/04/rental-pressure-not-set-to-ease-off-for-the-rest-of-2012/

December quarter median rents published by REIA for a 3 bedroom home indicate that both Sydney and Perth are becoming increasingly less affordable than they already were. Median rents for a 3 bedroom house in Sydney and Perth increased 5% from the previous quarter to $420 per week. However, year on year Perth median rents saw a much larger rise increasing by more than 10.5% from $380 per week in Dec 2010 to $420 per week in Dec 2011. This increase is another sign of Australia’s two-speed economy and is being driven by interstate migration with the many new arrivals in Western Australia causing a tightening in the Perth vacancy rate by 1.1% over the year.

bobbles87

Hey there!!

I moved over to Perth 2 months ago, so said I would help you out on your questions.....

First off - getting here

1. Visa - cut out the middle man -these agencies annoy me, they rip you off, its as easy to do it yourself. Apply directly online here http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/working-holiday/417/ and it is issued to you in 1-3 working days, sometimes within hours. By the way you dont get a physical visa, once approved it will be electronically applied to your passport number and activated when they scan it at immigration here when you arrive. I think it cost approx 220 euro - so you will save yourself some money and hassle.

2. Flights - try looking on various websites such as jetscanner, trailfinders, e-bookers. I got my flights through e-travel, they were 725 euro one way with Eithad. I stopped off in Abu Dhabi for a few days. Eithad dont fly direct to Perth though, so Emirates will probably be a better option if you want to come straight over here. Try malaysia air, signapore airlines, quantas as well.

3. Insurance - I didnt book any. To be honest, I was advised by different people that if I wasnt backpacking then there was probably no need, so this may apply to you guys if you are coming direct - so that would be another 150ish euro saved!

4. Accommodation - As the others have pointed out, accommodation is a nightmare to come by over here. Because there isnt enough to meet the demand, the prices are sky high. Popular areas are Freemantle, Subiaco, Mount Lawley, Leederville, Victoria Park. There are also other nice suburbs south of the river, but the ones mentioned are generally where a lot of people live and are expensive. And to be honest since I am relatively new, I dont know many other areas yet, so someone else may give you advice on other places.
Try and get somewhere on the trainlines - all of these places are. I live in the city and I was looking for a houseshare and even found that a nightmare. In the end my rent is 290 bucks PW. From speaking to my friends that live outside the city, they seem to budget between 200-250 bucks per week for rent and then there are bills after that. So be prepared with this in terms of money you bring over. As pointed out already $2500 would be a good amount to leave aside for accommodation to get yourself up and running. So account for this. Ensure you have as many written officially certified references from rental companies and landlords you have had. it will make all the difference.
I reckon, try and pre - book a hostel for at least 3 weeks when you arrive. I was lucky enough to have somewhere to stay for my first few weeks. Most people seem to stay in hostels close on a month or even a bit more until they get sorted.

5. Bank Account/Transferring money - there is loads of info on this in the stickies - I opened mine with ANZ. It was dead handy. I transferred my money using CurrencyFair, setting up the bank account only took a few days, same with the currencyfair account. transferring the money only took 5 working days - sometimes its less. I would advise you to start getting all this sorted a month before you leave. You can access your funds once you provide Identification in the branch to verify your account, once you arrive here. I would also advise you NOT to transfer using banks, they totally rip you off. There are other transfer agents - so just read up on them and find what works best for you.

6. Get your phone unlocked

7. MONEY!!! yes it’s as expensive as everyone says, probably a bit more on this side of Australia because of the mining industry. Overall if you are aiming to bring 5k euro then that should be grand, just dont go mad until you get sorted and try do everything on the cheap!(if you can!)

When you get here....

1. Apply for Tax File Number - http://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/content.aspx?doc=/content/38760.htm&pc=001/002/001/008/002&mnu=1106&mfp=001/002&st=&cy=1
This can only be done once you arrive, so do it asap - usually takes about 10 working days to issue - but once you have the reference number given to you at the application stage - then you can call up and get the number whilst you wait for it to be posted out.

2. Verify your bank account with your chosen branch

3. Apply for your Proof of Age Card or get your drivers licence:
They are very strict on ID over here and they will not accept the irish drivers licence so I would advise you to get this sorted as soon as you can to avoid bringing out your passport http://australia.gov.au/services/service-task/apply-for/proof-of-age-card

4. Job hunting - The main online database used over here is seek.com.au. Ensure that you touch base and organise a meeting with a lot the agencies as soon as you can. Most (although not all) are a nightmare to deal with so you need to keep hassling via calls and emails. Be aware the CV format over here is different to home, it is longer. I work in Human Resources for a software comsultancy company so I am used to checking out CVs on a regular basis. If you want more advice on this, feel free to PM me. You will be looking at securing temping roles first. Have you any experience? They look on work experience here with high regard, as well as qualifications, but enthusiasm and a positive attitude can go far as well - so please dont come out here expecting a full time perm postion offering you sponsorship straight away. Temping roles is what you will be offered, and I wont lie your visa will go against you regardless of what people say. I was turned down for 3 jobs on that basis as I didnt have the adequate residency. Keep working through the knock backs though and something will come up. There are plenty of IT jobs here and good money to be made too.

5. Accommodation - Gumtree, agencies, newspapers will all be you accommodation bible. See above also in what I have previously mentioned. I had a group of mates who came over the last week in March and they are still looking for a house - there are 4 of them - so please realise that it will take some time. There is loads of competition and sometimes renters will offer more than the required rental price to try and undercut the other people looking to try secure the property.

6. Nightlife (i now this is the bit you have been waiting for!!) - As already pointed out in an earlier post, Perth is very laid back - but not a city for wild nightlife. Personally, I think the nightlife here is pretty crap, although I do try to go to new places every night I go out, so still finding my feet!

I am sure you have spotted an ongoing thread on here about the Irish and trouble in Perth. What I will say is, yes I have seen it. And yes it is not only the Irish but for the most cases I have encountered it has been. Northbridge is the main area where there are bars and clubs. It will be hectic at the weekends and there are places that are very scummy and rough. Overall it’s expensive to go out (suprise, suprise!!). Pints are around $10 -same for spirits - although in some cases they are more. They are also strict here and shots or redbull aren’t served after 12am. Some of my male mates can spend anything up to $200+ on a heavy night, so probably best to not go mad until you have yourself set up!
Finally - don’t get caught in the irish trap of getting off your flight and heading straight for an Irish pub and spend your whole time in the same area/pub during your time here. There are loads of things to do and loads of other good places to socialise such as Leederville, Mount Lawley, Subiaco or in around the CBD you will find a lot of other nice bars, explore them too!!I don’t understand people coming half way across the world to spend 10 months solid drinking bottles of magners in Rosie o'gradys all weekend long! So make the most of it.

Good luck with it and don’t get bogged down in the job hunt and accommodation hunt when you get here. Make sure you guys see what Perth has to offer as a tourist too

NakedNNettles

bobbles87 wrote: »

Some of my male mates can spend anything up to $200+ on a heavy night, so probably best to not go mad until you have yourself set up!

:pac:

Christ!

catbear

Great post Bobbles, clear and concise. May I suggest it be included in one of the stickies.

Sneebly

Bobbles87, Absolutely fantastic information, thank you very much for taking the time to give me the heads up. Thank you also to everybody else who has helped out, much appreciated.

I may shoot you a PM some day about the CV format etc. I have no experience in working in IT as i am straight out of my Honors degree in college in two weeks. I have 5 years of part time working experience in sales (shoes, dress hire, suits etc) but i'm guessing that may not get me far.

I was talking to a girl that i know who went to Perth a couple of months ago, it would seem that the agencies seem to be the best bet to get some temp work going on. I'm not going out there to jump right into a permanent job, and sticking at it.

The plan seems to be that once we arrive, spend a few weeks (probably 2) in a hostel, seeing the sights and enjoying what Perth has to offer (we're not the types to be antisocial like the other thread shows). Once that time is up, i guess it will be time to look into accommodation etc, at the moment there will only be 2 of us, so i guess trying to find share houses will be on the cards.

My friend plays music, guitar and sings very well, he was thinking of bringing some cd's with him to hand out, to try and get some gig's going etc. We both have qualifications in IT though mainly.

You see, we planned on going to Brisbane, but it would seem Perth seem's like the option at the moment. I am full up for going, but am a worrier in regards to money over there and not being stuck, having to phone home etc for money, it's enough that they see me heading off, i don't want to have to bother my parents all the time.

As regards to work, is there as much casual work going on as people say there is? As in bar work, shop work etc? Ideally i wouldn't have to go down this route and get a job in my area, but what sort of money are you looking at for these types of jobs?

Thank you for the replies again

Slidey

Have a look at easy roommate.com.au

I got my room there. Paying 250 including bills for my own room and bathroom close to BUrswood casino. Bus and trains are nearby.

If you are going to buy a car be prepared for a shock. Cars hold their value something daft. The local version of the buy and sell called the clocker or something like that has the cheaper end of the market covered.

MaureenMac

Slidey wrote: »

Have a look at easy roommate.com.au

I got my room there. Paying 250 including bills for my own room and bathroom close to BUrswood casino. Bus and trains are nearby.

If you are going to buy a car be prepared for a shock. Cars hold their value something daft. The local version of the buy and sell called the clocker or something like that has the cheaper end of the market covered.

The local version of the buy and sell is called Quokka.

markymark21

Xavi6 wrote: »

If you're chasing the sun then all the major cities are going to be like this at the moment so be aware of that.

.

Was 24 in Port Macquaire today :cool:

token101

Slidey wrote: »

Have a look at easy roommate.com.au

I got my room there. Paying 250 including bills for my own room and bathroom close to BUrswood casino. Bus and trains are nearby.

If you are going to buy a car be prepared for a shock. Cars hold their value something daft. The local version of the buy and sell called the clocker or something like that has the cheaper end of the market covered.

I'd be looking to just take a room somewhere and live with others, not a whole house and I wouldn't want to live alone, but there seems to be some palaces on there with pools and on craiglist for about €100-€150 a week! Seems almost too good to be true.

Xavi6

markymark21 wrote: »

Was 24 in Port Macquaire today :cool:

Was 28 in Perth yesterday but that was a once off, hovering around 21 these days.

Slidey

token101 wrote: »

Slidey wrote: »

Have a look at easy roommate.com.au

I got my room there. Paying 250 including bills for my own room and bathroom close to BUrswood casino. Bus and trains are nearby.

If you are going to buy a car be prepared for a shock. Cars hold their value something daft. The local version of the buy and sell called the clocker or something like that has the cheaper end of the market covered.

I'd be looking to just take a room somewhere and live with others, not a whole house and I wouldn't want to live alone, but there seems to be some palaces on there with pools and on craiglist for about €100-€150 a week! Seems almost too good to be true.

I'm sharing with the owner of the apartment at that.

There is a few scams going around, if it sounds too good to be true it probably is.

sponge_bob

Xavi6 wrote: »

Was 28 in Perth yesterday but that was a once off, hovering around 21 these days.

going in 9days time, so that will mean perths winter will be better than our summer:D.
kids are looking forward to going for a dip in the sea when we get there, obviously we will be the only shower of ejits on the beach.
spot the newly landed snow white irish family:D

Xavi6

sponge_bob wrote: »

going in 9days time, so that will mean perths winter will be better than our summer:D.
kids are looking forward to going for a dip in the sea when we get there, obviously we will be the only shower of ejits on the beach.
spot the newly landed snow white irish family:D

Don't mean to burst your bubble but 20 degrees here is a lot different to 20 degrees at home. You'd be mad to go anywhere near the beach at this time of year but good luck to you if you do.

BabyMonkeyy

The west Australian newspaper has jobs advertised on it every Wednesday and Saturday. You can pick it up in most shops. but get it early in the morning and start ringing people straight away.