This is the kind of thread av been looking for

einsteino:


thanks alot. what is the cost like for public schools; elementary and high school?

you spoke of the need to get a car, could you give insights on cost of acquiring one and maintenance; say gas/fuel, insurance etc.

also how easy is it to integrate into ones profession? i hear the australian work experience is a must have, are there bridging programs for immigrants? thanks alot

My kids go to kidcare so I don't have any ideas on school costs.But a quick search on google will let you know the prices.

For cars,I used carsales.com.au and gumtree.Any other maintaneance costs will be determined by your usuage.To compare insurance costs,make use of iselect.com

Yes it's a bit of challenge getting your first becos they require Oz experience but people get good jobs all the time in their fields so it's not too tough.I do not know of any bridging programs for immigrants.This is my first time of hearing that.
What I have heard of is some people doing unpaid internships to get that Oz experience

joannes7:


Thanks for taking the time to write this. But hows the IT scenario over there?

.

I don't know about IT scenario but I'm in a what's app group with some Indians and they constantly post openings.Someone who's in the core of that field will have a better response

edoman2016:

How much is average salary for entry level graduate jobs in Australia? And what is the average total expenditure for a single guy in a month in Australia? Kindly help with my enquiries.

This is my opinion but you can look at around $24 -$26 per hour starting.It can be way more than that though or just a little less.
Your expenditure will depend on how you live.

Mcslize:
tyosho wow that's quite a fascinating narration. I am intrigued. Thank's for sharing. I am wondering if it possible to get Garri over there. If not is it Semovita?

Almost all Nigerian food items are available for sale here so don't worry so much.They are just a little pricey that's all but it's nothing you can't afford.

samge:
Thanks for creation of this group & for the valuable insight given already.

Is it necessary/worthwhile to apply for a job before leaving Nigeria? Is there any chance of getting a job when you have a definite date of arrival?

Thank you.

It is doable to get a job before you arrive in Australia but I don't think it happens very often.
But pls start applying for jobs before you leave Nigeria if you wish to.

tyosho:


Almost all Nigerian food items are available for sale here so don't worry so much.They are just a little pricey that's all but it's nothing you can't afford.

What a good news for me. Cuz I like EBA wella . Thank you for clearing my doubts. I have been thinking of it all the time how I will survive without EBA not knowing I will still see EBA to wack when I finally get over. Thanks for that.

salford1:
It would be nice if contributors can post pics once in a while to bump the thread. Thanks.

Thanks for bringing up my previous posts.i had even forgotten about it.

The aged care/disability matter didn't happen again as we both got other jobs.

Bellong is coming to Melbourne this month end so we are all planning to have a meet.We go get plenty pictures to upload then.
Please if we have any melbourne nairalanders that Bellong is yet to contact,please raise your hand so details can be sent to you for our groove

@salford,what kind of pictures would you like

Post every pictures available... snap everywhere...

kamotisha:

They just did. It's roughly 1.6M. 2 adults, 2 children and 1 infant. We plenty for our yard

One and or two adults nko?

I will write my contribution in series when I have enough time to do it.

salford1:

cc WellEndowed

I agree. This thread should be about life in Australia. Some of us cannot remember what the immigration/departure process was

Your departure experience from Nigerian Airport?
Chaii. I can’t remember it has been a while but I did not depart from Nigeria. I lived in Europe and left from there

* Stopover experience? When you landed at the airport?
I flew Cathay pacific. Stop over was Honkong. Can’t remember how many hours though..not more than 5 hours I think

* What are the immigration rules to follow?
Immigration was pretty quick for me. I don’t think I spent up to 30 minutes at Perth International Airport.

* How did you carry all that cash with you?
I had siblings here so their account came in handy. I think I might have had less than 3k AUD on me that day

* Can you open bank account while still in Naija?
I don’t think you can. I opened my account after like 2 weeks of being here. I went with ANZ and have been with them ever since

* Which State/suburb did you settle in and why?
Regional Western Australia.

* Driving in Australia? How long can you use your Naija driving license before you get Aussie license?
Ok. Me sha overdid my own. I continued to drive with my Nigerian License even after 18 months of being a PR. I don’t know how I escaped fine

* Where you live and why you like it or don't like it? Tips on choosing the right neighborhood, mortgage plans, proximity to work etc.
I lived in regional area so work was always close.

* Can a mother combine work and taking care of the kids?
Yes ke

* What culture shock have you experienced?
Calling people by their first name. No aunty, uncle brother, sister, grand father, grand mother, e.t.c

* Tips on how to cloth and cope with the cold weather
Our cold weather no reach Canada own …cc Salford. Our last winter was like summer for me

* Are there Nigerian food/restaurants etc? Are they very expensive?
Never been to one.

* Can one start a business (exportation, consultancy) in Australia?
No idea

I recently came in contact with my first love "Original plantain" at a local market and my Jollof game has been on point since then. Salford you people in Canada, America and UK don't know what you are enjoying. I am moving to Canada

tyosho:


This is my opinion but you can look at around $24 -$26 per hour starting.It can be way more than that though or just a little less.
Your expenditure will depend on how you live.

Really? do graduates earn that? are you sure? I have never met a graduate that earned that little per hour

salford1:
It would be nice if contributors can post pics once in a while to bump the thread. Thanks.

I agree. Your pictures made me fall more inlove with the Canadian thread. I will start taking photos with my Nokia 3310

Recently visited Cairns in Queensland...that's where I found plantain fresh, yam, e.t.c all sold in the local market not in African shops

Anyways so I decided to do the skyrail and boy did I say my last prayer from the point of departure till I landed. The fear gripped me so hard that my wig nearly fell off thanks to got2b glue. I will post a few pics from the life changing trip

I don't know how long I will be in Australia for maybe not anytime soon but there is plans for relocation .

.

WellEndowed:
I recently came in contact with my first love "Original plantain" at a local market and my Jollof game has been on point since then. Salford you people in Canada, America and UK don't know what you are enjoying. I am moving to Canada

plantain is everywhere cos of the close proximity to the carribean island. i still bought 8 plantain fingers this weekend for less than $2 at walmart.

I love those skyrail. We have ones going through the mountains in Alberta. I dont think i would get on one again. Felt very dizzy the last time i was in it.

Its the same types at Obudu ranch.

You can visit Canada for a change of scenery or environment. You already tasted what perfect weather feels like, so you might run back to Australia cos of the cold sha

Great initiative Zany.

Let me book my space for my story-telling.

zanyzara:
This thread is about Life in Australia for Immigrants or Permanent Residents.

Departure

I initially planned to book my ticket with IOM but I couldn't get the package I wanted, I had to book through a travel agent friend. I wanted to first travel to Turkey for one week before continuing the journey to Australia. I got the ticket I wanted at a cheaper price to what IOM would have offered me for the direct flight.

I left Lagos in May 2015 via Egypt airlines for Istanbul, Turkey. There was a 9 hour stop over in Cairo, the airline lodged us in their 4 star hotel till the next flight. I continued from Cairo to Istanbul. I spent one week in Turkey to pay a visit to old friends before leaving from Istanbul to Dubai with Emirates airline on the same ticket from Lagos.

On the day I was leaving from Istanbul, the airport was very very busy as we had to queue for taxi for about 35 minutes. The pilot showed us the long queue via the onboard screen. Due to this delay at Istanbul airport, we didn't arrive Dubai on time for my connecting flight. Therefore, Emirates airline had no choice but to lodge me in their hotel. The next flight was in about 28 hours. This gave me the opportunity to tour Dubai city and still had enough rest. It was only unfortunate that the Emirate's staff in Dubai didn't allow me to go free with my excess baggage I managed to get through from Istanbul

The next day arrived for my flight from Dubai to Adelaide......


Arrival

I declared everything I came with on the immigration card, I had no issues with customs but was picked out for immigration drilling and questioning. It was a friendly questioning anyway but thorough. I didn't understand why until after spending some days listening to news I understood why I was singled out.

The time I arrived coincided with the period when many Australians of Middle Eastern extractions were leaving Australia through Turkey to join ISIL. The immigration officer was concerned on why I had to first go to Turkey before coming to Australia when I have a PR. The thinking was maybe I am a recruiter for ISIL or went to Turkey to get package for local contact etc. After giving convincing answers to all the questions asked, I was allowed to go.

Lessons: You can get good travel/ticket deal aside IOM if you are not doing a direct flight. In addition, you can enjoy two four start hotel like I did in the same ticket

Look well, compare ticket prices around and don't forget other factors like baggage allowance, comfort, stop over and if you will be lodged. Let it be confirmed that there will be hotel accommodation for stop over more than 7 hours before committing to pay.

At the immigration entry point, when singled out for questioning, don't fidget. Answer all questions with confidence, be sure of what you are saying and be consistent. Don't give unsolicited answers, only answer the questions you are asked. Be friendly, firm and relaxed while answering. Remember that they are only doing their job in keeping the integrity of the border.

To be continued later..

kamotisha:

They just did. It's roughly 1.6M. 2 adults, 2 children and 1 infant. We plenty for our yard

Pls,how much did charge for the infant?

WellEndowed:
Your departure experience from Nigerian Airport?
Chaii. I can’t remember it has been a while but I did not depart from Nigeria. I lived in Europe and left from there

* Stopover experience? When you landed at the airport?
I flew Cathay pacific. Stop over was Honkong. Can’t remember how many hours though..not more than 5 hours I think

* What are the immigration rules to follow?
Immigration was pretty quick for me. I don’t think I spent up to 30 minutes at Perth International Airport.

* How did you carry all that cash with you?
I had siblings here so their account came in handy. I think I might have had less than 3k AUD on me that day

* Can you open bank account while still in Naija?
I don’t think you can. I opened my account after like 2 weeks of being here. I went with ANZ and have been with them ever since

* Which State/suburb did you settle in and why?
Regional Western Australia.

* Driving in Australia? How long can you use your Naija driving license before you get Aussie license?
Ok. Me sha overdid my own. I continued to drive with my Nigerian License even after 18 months of being a PR. I don’t know how I escaped fine

* Where you live and why you like it or don't like it? Tips on choosing the right neighborhood, mortgage plans, proximity to work etc.
I lived in regional area so work was always close.

* Can a mother combine work and taking care of the kids?
Yes ke

* What culture shock have you experienced?
Calling people by their first name. No aunty, uncle brother, sister, grand father, grand mother, e.t.c

* Tips on how to cloth and cope with the cold weather
Our cold weather no reach Canada own …cc Salford. Our last winter was like summer for me

* Are there Nigerian food/restaurants etc? Are they very expensive?
Never been to one.

* Can one start a business (exportation, consultancy) in Australia?
No idea

ive been trying to contact you but to no avail...... give me alternatives to reach u please

Jamson I can see you viewing this thread,abeg contribute

Hello all,

Nice to be here to talk about experiences of living in Oz. Tyosho has done some real justice to much of the areas. I will just chip in some bits from a NSW (Sydney)perspective .

Housing: Rent in Sydney is quite expensive, though depending on where you stay, you might get some cheaper deals. In a month , it could be as high as half of your monthly wages excluding other small bills. The only good news is that the further you are from the city, the cheaper it is for you. Talking about my experience, I decided to come in first on my own before bringing in family and I think it worked fine for me. I got a shared apartment close to the city and paid about 250 per week for a small room. It was just me so I didnt mind. Used the opportunity to research the different areas. I finally settled for one in the MacArthur region , about 54km from the city...about 1hr train ride from the city. I didnt mind the commute , as I use the time to do other things. In this area , houses , apartment are cheaper and you have more open spaces and parks for children to play. Applying for a house through an agent is another story altogether which I know would be dealt with in this thread.

Transportation : Everyone in OZ would always tell you to get a car as a necessity. Everywhere is far from each other. You can manage with bus waiting times and walking to train stations for a while but as time goes on, you would definitely need to get one. Depending on what you want , car prices are not bad . I know someone that got a Camry pencil light for just $600 with little or no issue. Just some paintwork needed but that's based on preference. If working in the city, the train is your best bet, however if working in the suburbs...a car is needed. In NSW, you can use your naija licence for only 3 months, after that , you become a learner. Dont know about Victoria , but NSW test is usually difficult , its a rule that they don't pass you the first time and one little wrong move , its failure. I got it at my third attempt .

Other experiences still to come depending on what people want to know.

@ Bellong, I have always wanted to say thank you to you for your help during my application journey, sometimes in 2015. Greatly appreciated.

tyosho:
Jamson I can see you viewing this thread,abeg contribute

space booked. Will be back after the commercial break

Ok folks,

Been itching to come around and drop my memoir. It's been quite a while isn't it? Will be 2 months old in Sydney, Australia in a few days time. I missed you guys no be small

Same same story with medicare, centrelink and Tax file number. Tyosho did justice to those already.

Well, as planned, we hit the Aussie's ground running. Got white card within 3 days of arrival and a forklift license within 2 weeks. On the side I kept applying for the pro job. I got a Forklift job immediately I got the license and the pay wasn't bad for someone who just arrived. Turns out if you want to get a job on time, you do not only push out your CV but also call the advertising agencies to follow up on your application. More often than not, I got to secure interviews with recruiters I called up after applications.

Accomodation is story for another day, but in the end, God win and devil lost...lolzz. I'll advise those coming to start hunting as soon as they arrive so they don't fall under intense pressure like I did to get a place. It's not mere gainsaying that you must come with enough money so you can get what you want without sweat. Real estate agents give preference to people with:

1. Good rental history (sorry, your Akowonjo or Okokomaiko rent does not count)
2. Enough payslips to show you have a job (so for house rent sake, don't mind picking up any ok job as soon as u land as the payslip will work wonders for u)
3. Fat account balance (like one month of average wage sha)

House rent in Sydney is not cheap, but at the same time, it's all about location and individual preferences. So it's hard to a 1 bedder goes for this or a 2 bedder goes for that. But all I can say is that, Sydney hourly rates will definitely pay your bills if you are not lazy or unnecessarily choosy.

Agents usually organise general inspections for properties they are letting out. Na there you go see crowd wey come check house. There is a tendency for you to lose the house to some other people who have better credentials than you do (JJC). The secret here is to call the agents ahead of the inspection days and request for a private look and feel of the place not forgetting to mention how serious you are in getting the place. At least, that's how I eventually got my place after more than 3 weeks of fruitless house hunt.

It's good to get a car for job and domestic purposes. But I advise you get from a dealership where you can cause trouble if your car coughs.
The story about getting a car for job purposes is not one size fits all. Within 2 months I have worked in 3 places, 2 of which requires a car.

I failed my first driving license test (didn't have time to prepare for it well, was busy making money...lolzz and looking for house too sha). You must be more than prepared to leave behind you the insanity of Lagos driving and become a born again driver. Use a drivign instructor ahead of your test and pay attention to traffic signs and other details. Enjoy your 3 months of naija license while it lasts.

Happy to say I'm on my first professional job and I have every reason to be thankful to God and to friends that helped make my journey so far as smooth as possible: Bellong, Ibiyemiara, Iceberg54 and Bnimz.

Now that I'm settling down better than ever, I hope to be here on the forum make we dey gist like before.

Love you guys!!!!

Thanks for coming onboard Bellong and Debsty.
We hope more people will join in

bellong:
Departure



Lessons: You can get good travel/ticket deal aside IOM if you are not doing a direct flight. In addition, you can enjoy two four start hotel like I did in the same ticket

To be continued later..

True, I got cheaper tickets but I opted for IOM’s cos it was just 1 stop.

You guys are doing awesome job here, pls it would be great if you shed light on how to obtain the visa aswell. Thanks

Ezege042:
You guys are doing awesome job here, pls it would be great if you shed light on how to obtain the visa aswell. Thanks

Pls go to this section (thread) below & start reading from the first page.

https://www.nairaland.com/3053069/general-guide-australian-permanent-resident/459#61296965

thank you for the information. this means for 2 adults, 1 child and 1 infant it should be like N1.2m abi

kamotisha:

They just did. It's roughly 1.6M. 2 adults, 2 children and 1 infant. We plenty for our yard