Reasons to work in Australia

joannep · Apr 28, 2008

Go to Tassie to hike, and only go to Canberra if you really want to appreciate wherever you live!
Also, apparently Australia = the east coast,so to those of you in SA, WA and the NT, sorry!

Yes indeed, the best view of Canberra is from the back window of a car that is speeding away from it! :wink2:

tylerxx30 · Oct 23, 2008

I was thinking of going to Australia for a year to work..I've spoke with a recruiter and because I'm over the age of 30 I will need to choose a specific hospital for visa approval..they assure me that it's not a problem and they assure me that the immigration and visa process isn't going to be an issue... I have a BSN and work in adult CCU..SICU... here's the question:

1> money (pay), is is the same...how do taxes work, How much do you keep etc. Are travelers considered residents?

2> ICU work ..is the same...better or worse?

3> overtime..is that possible with an 8hr work week?

4> Fun?

5> friendly/ accepting?

6> I was considering Brisbane...b/c I'm a single male and wanted to learn to sail and I scuba ...wanted a bit of single life..If not Brisbane..any suggestions of a different place?

any suggestions would be appreciated.

tylerxx30 · Oct 23, 2008

I'm a little new to the forums..but, what did you decide..? are you going to make the trip? I've been playing with the idea as well..I notice that you are in Ohio and I'm in MN...I was considering Brisbane..and maybe leaving in June or August...sometime in that area...what recruiter are you using? I'm working with HSR. Seem's to easier if you under 30 yrs of age....

estuh · Oct 28, 2008

i am from the city in an african country and been working in Gold coast for a year and a half. i loved it at the beginning, but having been to sydney and melbourne a number of times, i am in the process of relocatiing to sydney. it just depends on what you are looking for. if you like a laid back lifestyle you might be better off in Queensland. otherwise its just good for holiday.

Kosmonavt · Nov 1, 2008

I was thinking of going to Australia for a year to work..I've spoke with a recruiter and because I'm over the age of 30 I will need to choose a specific hospital for visa approval..they assure me that it's not a problem and they assure me that the immigration and visa process isn't going to be an issue... I have a BSN and work in adult CCU..SICU... here's the question:

I'm not sure the recruiter knows what (s)he is talking about. What visa are you referring to? If temporary one, then you do need an employer regardless of your age, if you are talking about permanent one, then you have to calculate your points using the tool on official Aus. immigration website. After age of 30 you get 5 points less, but as long as you get more then 120 points nobody cares if you have an employer or not.

Kosmonavt · Nov 1, 2008

i am from the city in an african country and been working in Gold coast for a year and a half. i loved it at the beginning, but having been to sydney and melbourne a number of times, i am in the process of relocatiing to sydney. it just depends on what you are looking for. if you like a laid back lifestyle you might be better off in Queensland. otherwise its just good for holiday.

Hi. In my opinion it is hard to have a good picture about were to live by just visiting places for couple of days. Although it help to understand were you don't want to live :)

Could you tell us your reasons why you have chosen to move to Sidney? Where are you moving from?

Thanks.

Kosmonavt · Nov 1, 2008

Sorry, did not realize that the Gold Coast is a city in Queensland. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gold_Coast

talaxandra · Nov 6, 2008

Hi Tyler -

I drafted a response a week or so ago and the computer ate it, so take two:

On the money/tax front: salaries are the same in all public hospitals within each state, but vary between states. In general private hospital rates don't vary significantly from the state mandated rate. Penalties apply for afternoon, night and weekend shifts, and qualification allowances are paid for nurses who have relevant post-basic qualifications (eg an ICU certificate). For specific information about taxation check out the Australian Tax Office website.

I don't know if you want a comparison between ICU work and ward work, or between our IUCs and yours. As with everything, where you work will make a difference. Most Australian ICUs don't have respiratory therapists etc - the ratio in Victoria is 1 nurse per patient in ICU and 1 to 2 in step down.

Australia has a 38 hour work week. In most hospitals that's five 8 hour day (a combination of 0700-1530 and 1300-2130) shifts with an ADO (paid day off) every month, or four night (2100-0730) shifts, with an ADO every five weeks. In ICU and psych the hours are a little more flexible, with shifts ranging in length from 6, 8, 10 or 12 hours. Overtime will depends on where you work, the staffing, skill mix, and hospital budget. Paying full time ward staff overtime is sometimes more expensive than hiring ageency, but may be better overall if the skill mix is poor.

I have fun on my ward, which is social and has a lot of young staff. This isn't always the case, but I imagine that's true everywhere.

Ditto accepting - for the most part Australia's multicultural and flexible, and most Aussies don't care where you're from, who you sleep with, what you worship or who you vote for, provided you don't bash anyone over the head with it. There are bigots everywhere, but the prevailing culture (speaking as a UK-born, Australian-raised of Australian parents, straight, white, woman) is tolerant/accepting. I currently work - off the top of my head - with nurses from the UK, Africa, Mauritius, Indonesia, the Philipines, Malaysia, China, New Zealand and even Tasmania, with Christians of all denominations, atheists, agnostics, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs, gay, straight and celibate, Liberal, Labor and Independant, educated and ignorant, unionist and anti-union, and we all get along. And they're just the things I know about it.

All our capital cities are on the coast, so you can sail and scuba anywhere. The weather's certainly fine more of the time in Queensland, but you have to travel further up the coast from Brisbane to get to great beaches than from far smaller Victoria or Sydney. Between population density and culture, Melbourne and Sydney probably have more vibrant night lives, but you can meet singles anywhere. You're probably better off narrowing your choice by hospital than proximity to nightclubs, but it's your call.

Hope that helps.

pie_face · Nov 7, 2008

, but my heart and soul long for the beautiful beach and I'm being told Brisbane is the place for that. Plus it's cheaper lol I didn't expect it to be this hard!

Brisie has a river (complete with bull sharks) no beach, if you work at sydney childrens you will be a 15 min walk from coogee beach, there is a nice coastal walk from coogee to bondi beach covering some lovely smaller beaches, you can also stay in the hospital accomodation. It costs about $50 a week and is great for meeting people, but it is a little grotty, but what do you expect for $50!

pie_face · Nov 7, 2008

I'm not sure the recruiter knows what (s)he is talking about. What visa are you referring to? If temporary one, then you do need an employer regardless of your age, if you are talking about permanent one, then you have to calculate your points using the tool on official Aus. immigration website. After age of 30 you get 5 points less, but as long as you get more then 120 points nobody cares if you have an employer or not.

Your recruiter does know what they are talking about, if you are under 30 you can get a working tourist visa, which is valid for a year, if you are over 30 you can only work if sponsored or a permanent resident, or citizen.

Kosmonavt · Nov 8, 2008

Your recruiter does know what they are talking about, if you are under 30 you can get a working tourist visa, which is valid for a year, if you are over 30 you can only work if sponsored or a permanent resident, or citizen.

I don't have to rely on the information provided to me by the recruiter. I just know how to use "search" option in google.com. Since you don't, I will kindly refer you to the right source.

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/skilled-workers/sbs/index.htm

Temporary Business (Long Stay) - Standard Business Sponsorship (Subclass 457)
This is the most commonly used program for employers to sponsor overseas workers to work in Australia on a temporary basis. There are also special arrangements for employers in regional areas across Australia.
With this visa you can employ overseas workers for a period of between three (3) months and four (4) years.

It does not say that you have to be under 30 to qualify for that visa.

You probably did not read my prior post before answering to it. Let me teach you one more time.

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/175/index.htm

Skilled – Independent (Migrant) visa (subclass 175)
This visa allows you to migrate to Australia if you have good English language skills and have skills and qualifications in an occupation in need in Australia.
This visa uses a points test to select visa applicants with characteristics needed in the Australian labour market.
You do not require sponsorship to apply for this visa.
This visa is for you if you:
are under 45 years of age
have the skills and qualifications that meet the Australian standard for an occupation on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL)

Yes, it's a permanent visa, but who cares? You may get enough points to get this visa even if you are over 30 and without an employer.

Learn how to use Internet, my friend. And you won't have to rely on what other people say.

pie_face · Nov 8, 2008

I don't have to rely on the information provided to me by the recruiter. I just know how to use "search" option in google.com. Since you don't, I will kindly refer you to the right source.
http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/skilled-workers/sbs/index.htm
It does not say that you have to be under 30 to qualify for that visa.
You probably did not read my prior post before answering to it. Let me teach you one more time.
http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-skilled-migration/175/index.htm
Yes, it's a permanent visa, but who cares? You may get enough points to get this visa even if you are over 30 and without an employer.
Learn how to use Internet, my friend. And you won't have to rely on what other people say.

What a comprehensive and informative post, and I bow to your superior skills in searching the internet, I wonder if you would be able to post the details of the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462). Could this be the visa Tyler's recruiter was refering to? I would be grateful to you for teaching me this.

Whilst you are at it, could you also teach me some of the benefits and drawbacks of the 457, and the PR visas, with particular emphasis on nurses from the US who wish to work and travel in Australia for about a year.

Finally and purely out of curiosity where in Australia did you work and on which particular visa? Your final statement on learning to use the internet instead of relying on the experience of others truly displays your intellectual prowess, I prostrate myself before you:bow: