I need information on Australia.

Moving to Australia, need to know information!?

• For a long time, I have wanted to move to Australia. I have narrowed my search down to 4 cities: Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, and Melbourne. I have a Masters in Business Administration and a Bachelors in Economics, both from an American University. Which city would be the best for a person who wants to enter the Australian Business Field. Can anyone give me any advice on what living in Australia is like, and what the work ethic is like compared to that of the United States. Also, can anyone give me information on immigrating to Australia? What visa type(s) do I need? Are there any forms that I will need to fill out? Also, what are the differences between living and working in the Australian cities that I mentioned above, and another city that I've also thought of was moving and working in Auckland, New Zealand. Any information, help, and/or advice that you can give me would be fantastic! Websites would also be very helpful! Thanks for answering!

• Answer:

  Before you can work in Australia, you must have a visa that allows you to do so. You must have qualifications and experience in an occupation listed as being in need of workers and you must also pass the points test or have employer sponsorship. Simply having an MBA and a B.E. isn't enough - you must have documented experience in a qualifying occupation. There is no provision for visas for unskilled or partly skilled workers or even for highly skilled workers whose occupation is not listed. There are several lists of eligible occupations: 1. The Skilled Occupations List (SOL). http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/_pdf/sol-schedule1.pdf If your occupation is on the SOL, you may be eligible to apply for an independent visa. These visas are permanent; there is a points test and formal skills assessment for your occupation is required before a visa application can be lodged. http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/175/ Skilled – Independent (Migrant) Visa (Subclass 175) http://www.immi.gov.au/asri/ Skills assessment 2. Each Australian state and territory has a State Migration Plan (SMP) which lists the occupations for which state sponsorship is available. Refer to each state's SMP to see if sponsorship is available for your occupation. Once you have state sponsorship, you can apply for a state sponsored visa. These visas are points tested and skills assessment is required. http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/176/nom-state-terr.htm State and territory migration sites. http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/176/ Skilled – Sponsored (Migrant) Visa (Subclass 176) 3. The Employer Nomination Scheme Occupation List (ENSOL). http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2011L01228 If your occupation is on the ENSOL but not on the SOL, you must have employer sponsorship; 3 years work experience and an offer of employment for at least 3 years. There is no points test, but skills assessment is required (as above). http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/skilled-workers/ens/ Employer Nomination Scheme (Subclass 121/856) 4. The list of occupations eligible for temporary 457 employer sponsored visas. http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2011L00246 If your occupation is on the 457 list, you may be eligible for a temporary employer sponsored visa which can sometimes lead to sponsorship (after 2 years) for a permanent visa but ONLY if your occupation is also listed on the ENSOL. http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/skilled-workers/sbs/ 457 visa The only work visa that has no list of eligible occupations is an employer sponsored Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (Subclass 119/857). The work must be in a designated regional area in a skilled occupation requiring at least diploma level or equivalent qualifications. RSMS visas are not points tested and skills assessment is not usually required. http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/skilled-workers/rsms/ Even though you're very much putting the cart before the horse asking about where to live before you have a work visa, my thoughts on the cities you've mentioned are as follows: Sydney is Australia's largest city and work opportunities are generally good in the Finance sector. It is situated on one of the most beautiful harbours in the world; has a good climate and provides a great lifestyle but Sydney is now one of the most expensive cities in the world when it comes to the cost of housing. Melbourne is Australia's second largest city and will provide the best work opportunities. Its weather is very variable, but it's a lovely city and is the sporting, shopping and fine dining capital of Australia. Housing is expensive but not as high as in Sydney Brisbane (where I live) has the best year 'round climate and is a lovely city, but is an hour or so away from good beaches - travel that hour or so though and you'll find some of the best beaches in the world. Work opportunities in the finance sector are far more limited than in Melbourne or Sydney. EDIT: Brisbane is NOT extremely hot all year around and has had TWO floods in 37 years and ONE bad bushfire season in the last 25 years - that's hardly "prone to floods and bushfires'! Forget the Gold Coast - OK to visit for a week or so if you like glitzy, tacky tourist traps and beautiful beaches, but very little available work outside the very variable tourist industry. On the subject of the Australian work ethic... Professional Australians work hard and we have our share of driven workaholics but most Australians work to live rather than live to work. People are very friendly and approachable and first names are the norm, even with superiors in the business world. I've worked in both the US and Australia and Australians definitely have a far more laid back approach to work which is often (incorrectly) mistaken for laziness and/or lack of professionalism by people from overseas. We get the job done but we're not stiff and formal about how we go about it.