Moving to Australia!

[Speak]

Hey everyone,

I'm planning on moving to either Melbourne or Sydney at the end of this year. I'm currently a hairstylist in beverly hills, ca. I'm thinking about using a travel program which would allow me to live/work in AU for around 7 months. How hard do you think it would be to find a job that would hire for such a short period of time? Or are there many establishments that perhaps pay under the table? (does not have to be hair related). Any advice would be great! Thanks!

[BOORADLEY]

doing the same this fall. ill be in brisbane though!

i got my work visa, but i heard tons of places will pay under the table. what have you applied for? also, since you are a stylist, you may be able to get a "skilled trade" visa. look on the aus government page for more details.

I'm Canadian though, and since we are a commonwealth, it is easier for us to be granted visa's and such. eh?

that, and the rest of the world hates America.

[Klangspiel]

that, and the rest of the world hates America.

Not so with Australia. Last I checked, little Johnny Howard

has a paralysing man-crush over Dubya.

[BOORADLEY]

Not so with Australia. Last I checked, little Johnny Howard

has a paralysing man-crush over Dubya.

may be true! however the actual citizens who dont need to stroke the power peen tend to dislike them.

[Pogi]

may be true! however the actual citizens who dont need to stroke the power peen tend to dislike them.

Americans are welcome if you're a pretty girl, otherwise, go home.

jkjkjkjk

[cuddlysheep]

becareful of stingrays.

[glenn]

a lot of fruit picking gigs available for foreigners on work visas i've heard...

[homme.homme]

Speak I dont think you will have trouble finding a place that will hire you for 7 months only if you are willing look at a broad range of a employers. I think getting work at a salon could be very difficuly, especially if you want to be a stylist like you are at home.

You could definately get a retail job quite easy once you get here, but I imagine if you start making enquires before your departure you could probably set something up before you arrive.

A lot of restaurants and cafes pay under the table.

[spacemanvt]

yeah picking fruit or working at a bar is no big deal

if you want to stay warm go for SYD tho

actually scratch that

spend half of your time in each place

they both are awesome in their own ways.

[sybaritical]

why do you have to tell anyone you're only there for 7 months? unless you have to show employers your visa of course, no one need ever know until it's time to leave ...

[Speak]

Thank you all for your replies.

Wouldn't I need to show them my working visa in order to apply for the job? I'm just going based on my experience of applying for jobs in the US (needing a social security # etc).

Well, I definitely wouldn't mind picking fruit, that would actually be a good break from cutting hair, haha.

I looked at the site a while back, and it seems it takes about a year to qualify for the skilled trade visa? Also it's quite pricey right? Something like 4k I was told.

Also, any advice on inquiring if a job would pay me under the table? I don't even know how to go about asking that, haha.

I would prefer to live in Sydney over Melbourne (i hear the surf is better), but I've been told that rent is very expensive there. I've also been told to look for a place in Coogi (sp?) or dubi (sp?) anyone know anything about these places?

[Speak]

Americans are welcome if you're a pretty girl, otherwise, go home.

jkjkjkjk

I'm definitely not a pretty girl, but I'm a tiny asian guy, so perhaps in some parts of asia I could pass off with the proper clothing? j/p haha.

[sybaritical]

Isn't the working visa generally valid for a year? Unless it's a private thing or an education exchange, a seven month visa would be weird.

I did a year in Aus on a working holiday visa. You get plenty of cash work float past .. talk to other backpackers in the hostels and they'll give you heads up. You could hit up noticeboards at hostels and travellers info centres in the cities as well.

Fruit picking is a scam: hard work and underpaid. Don't do it unless you have to. I did 3 months picking bananas in far north Queensland so I know what I'm talking about there ....

anything else, holla.

[homme.homme]

Wouldn't I need to show them my working visa in order to apply for the job? I'm just going based on my experience of applying for jobs in the US (needing a social security # etc).

Also, any advice on inquiring if a job would pay me under the table? I don't even know how to go about asking that, haha.

I would prefer to live in Sydney over Melbourne (i hear the surf is better), but I've been told that rent is very expensive there. I've also been told to look for a place in Coogi (sp?) or dubi (sp?) anyone know anything about these places?

Having interviewed internationals for jobs before, employers will want to see your visa so withholding information regarding your length of stay could be a bit tricky.

As for payment under the table I dont know of any way you would really find out. Big cafes and restaurants especially those within the CBD will definately not pay under the table. To be specific I know most places in a suburb called Leichhardt (like a little Italy) pay under the table in most cafes/restaurants.

As for Sydney vs Melbourne I agree with a previous poster who recommended spending time in each place. Rent is more expensive in Sydney but with share accomodation I'm sure you won't really notice. Sydney is slightly warmer which is nice but not a huge deal.

Coogee in my opinion isn't really that great. A lot of backpackers which might be good to get connections and such and right on an OK beach but it is kinda over run by the backpackers and gets a bit trashy there in my opinion. It's not a bad place but it's worth while looking into some other places. My rec is Paddington, Surry Hills, Darlinghurst... closer to the city but still really close to places like Bondi beach. As for Dubi I dont know where that is supposed to be lol.

[Speak]

Isn't the working visa generally valid for a year? Unless it's a private thing or an education exchange, a seven month visa would be weird.

I did a year in Aus on a working holiday visa. You get plenty of cash work float past .. talk to other backpackers in the hostels and they'll give you heads up. You could hit up noticeboards at hostels and travellers info centres in the cities as well.

Fruit picking is a scam: hard work and underpaid. Don't do it unless you have to. I did 3 months picking bananas in far north Queensland so I know what I'm talking about there ....

anything else, holla.

I wasn't aware that the working holiday visa was good for a year? If/so I would definitely opt for that!

Based on your experience, roughly how much money do you think I would need to be in AU for about 7 months?

[Speak]

As for Sydney vs Melbourne I agree with a previous poster who recommended spending time in each place. Rent is more expensive in Sydney but with share accomodation I'm sure you won't really notice. Sydney is slightly warmer which is nice but not a huge deal.

Coogee in my opinion isn't really that great. A lot of backpackers which might be good to get connections and such and right on an OK beach but it is kinda over run by the backpackers and gets a bit trashy there in my opinion. It's not a bad place but it's worth while looking into some other places. My rec is Paddington, Surry Hills, Darlinghurst... closer to the city but still really close to places like Bondi beach. As for Dubi I dont know where that is supposed to be lol.

Thank you very much for you information! My current roommate and I will be travelling together, so we are planning on splitting a studio or 1 bedroom (against our wishes, but wth). So hopefully cost won't be too bad.

I'll definitely look into Paddington, Surry Hills, and Darlinghurst. How do you like Bondi?

[knucks]

Good thread as I am considering doing a study abroad program in Sydney or Melbourne..what's the school year like? Do you guys go to school same time as the United States? (September>April) or do you have school in your winter (our summer?)

[homme.homme]

How do you like Bondi?

Although I personally don't visit Bondi very frequently it's pretty nice. North Bondi beach is pretty good and the atmosphere is way better then Coogee - nicer shops, cafe's, restaurant and although lots of tourists there is a lot of locals as well.

Finding a place there should be quite easy, possibility of work in the immediate area also. There isn't really anywhere in Sydney that you can't get to by public transport - Bondi to the CBD is a frequent bus route and is a short trip.

[homme.homme]

Knucks as for school... there is a aprox 2 week holiday over easter. Over a month during Winter. A week and a bit over spring and a month and a bit over xmas.

Give or take...

edit: thats for New South Wales - other states are slightly different I imagine.

[Pandemonium]

NSW holidays are similar to VIC holidays.

[knucks]

It's kinda late here and I'm not thinking straight, can you explain better on when the typical univ. year is?

Here I start school in September, first semester ends in beginning of January. Second semester ends in late April.

How is it typicaly there?

[homme.homme]

Ahh right I get you. I just listed the school holidays before. I go to a private college rather then uni so I dont know how it works. 1st semester starts in Feb and 2nd in July? something like that... someone here will know.

[apu]

for most Universities, semester 1 starts around early March and ends around late June

semester 2 starts around late July and lasts till about early December

[apu]

also, i think this cafe-like place called "Pankcake on the Rocks" hires quite a lot of international travellers and they should be looking to hiring new ppl cos sometimes they do get pretty busy and they operate 24-7

[spacemanvt]

im sure if you goto some of the hostels in syd or mel you can find some work

theres like a billion backpackers looking for work all over the place in australia

man i miss it.

[styleofmind]

Uni holidays this year were as follows..

1) Week long break over Easter in March

2) A break about a month long midyear. This year, mine was pretty much the whole of July. Started uni today.

3) Another forecasted break end September. Week long.

4) Fat ass 3 month break end of the year till about Mid feb. Starts when you finish your last exam.