₦airaland Forum

Newmum0615:
True. If she is legally separated with documents to show it, I don't think she will need to provide documents from him sha. Her legal documents should be enough to exempt her from POF, PCC and medical palaver. My own opinion though.

thanks a lot, newmum...be like say this thing no dey straightforward like that...cos if she mentions him, she needs medicals for him, which she cant get...and if she doesnt, na misrepresentation...not really sure which way she can go now...might end up being a matter for LOE...

cochtrane:
Actually, depends. Is it "divorce" or "never married"? If it's "Divorce/Separated", I guess she has to mention him, except she likes to get a ban for misrepresentation.


Yes, she'd need to supply info about him and also get him to do medicals.

thanks a lot sir...

just another option...you can land and use your 476 visa for the period you have...and also pursue the Canadian PR in that time. key difference between Canadian and Aussie PR is that Canada requires you to show proof of funds in your account, while Australia does not...not sure if you're aware of this option, but I thought I'd raise it just in case...in the end, its a risk that you have to think long and hard about... I actually came to this country on a 476 as well, but I ended up switching careers (which I am loving, but that may not be an option for you)... I can say it's been worth it so far, but be prepared for the possibility of some lean periods and maybe having to get lower skilled jobs. this is largely because the $&^visa is really not that popular with employers. Goodluck with everything sha...hope whatever you choose favours you.

gcey2k:
Greetings to everyone here.

I will now post my testimony/query here.

I applied for the temporary skilled visa 476 back in December. This is after several months of job search in Naija after my MSc in the UK. This visa as many may know is an 18 month Work Visa.

On the 1st of February, I got a junior lecturing job in a newly opened federal institution. As expected, I have accepted this offer.

On the last day of February, I got the VISA grant, bringing so much joy, and again reasons to think on what path one would thread.

@ catchdwind4rmkd, I am particularly interested in you as it appears you have traveled with same Visa.

The major dilemma is if it will be sensible to leave a certain job here in Nigeria for this wonderful adventure. And considering that I have a limited grant period for the now.

What are the odds of getting PR if I choose to travel, given I don't have the required 3 years international experience and will require an exceptional English language test results? Are there easier ways one can go about this when one is on ground?

I am not so bothered about landing my first job in Aussie for the now, my major interest is in the future.

I understand life is a risk and I believe the benefits of moving to Australia are enormous. I am an adventurer and also a realist looking to make the best analysis before I decide on what to do.

Oga bellong and other bosses, please chip in some words to help a brother. Sorry for the long post.

I have other questions but will wait to get your views on this.

Thank you.

a little help, people...

a friend would like to apply, but she is separated from her husband and would prefer not to involve him in her app for obvious reasons (baba fit spoli ground by not providing her the docs she needs).

1. can she apply without mentioning him at all?

2. if she declares that she is married but husband is not coming, does she need to supply any info about him?

its just a very unique situation that i have never really come across before. Any info would be appreciated.

cc @abbylee...

not sure, but probably good to be careful with this as well. one of the conditions for a student visa is that you WILL BE RETURNING TO YOUR COUNTRY. if you've got PR and admission going at the same time, best not to apply for a student visa IMO...just to be on the safe side. might want to consider deferring if necessary. Any more knowledgeable people can also chuk mouth...

Osemigho:
Just seeing this. School has been tough. So long your payment deadline hasn’t pass, your tuition will reduce once you get PR. Got mine in November. So I had to pay fall semester as international student but winter as domestic. By the way, your landing document is sufficient evidence that you are PR. No need to wait for PR card before notifying your school.

Another reason to work on your PR is attached below. After I changed status, I was able to qualify for it and I applied. The rest is history. Thanking God for everything.

purem:
Thanks very much bro @bellong

But my problem is the documents required to be a immigrant and also arranging a visa, I think all this will require alots of money

Am a hair stylist (a barber) and I have a friend (a fashoinist) we are both planning to move in in illegal route, by sea, a ship to be precised

It's about bribing the ship captain and some others


A friend of mine did it to Turkey last year.

@purem see ehn...bellong is just trying to be nice and telling you it's not advisable. I will be honest with you: you will NEVER make it into Australia illegally. The reason is that Australia has a policy of housing refugees on an island off the coast of Australia. They never let refugee boats get to mainland Australia. Please, I implore you, spend that your bribe money on getting the needed trade certificate. If you do not believe me, please just google it. If you're entirely bent on going the refugee/illegal route, please consider another country. Australia will not favour you.

laminaria:
Rejoice with them that rejoice....this thread will continue to be flooded with good news. congrats @Glitteringstar @4Bar. And everyone waiting for one thing or the other. @newmum ur shoes oh.
On the other hand, pls how do u guys reduce your documents to a very small Megabyte or Kilobyte, my POF is 54 pages with 10mb, hence unable to upload it. Thanks.

Use [url]https://smallpdf.com/compress-pdf[url] for everything pdf on your journey. The above should be the direction link for compression. I used the site extensively for my documents. I notice you have already seen the site on an earlier screenshot, but give it another try. if you're having trouble compressing beyond what was in that screenshot, I would suggest splitting your file in two and uploading in two parts What you want to do can be done there. Be careful with overcompression though. If the file loses quality, the info on it will become impossible to see. Remember all scans and pdf uploads need to be at at.least 300dpi to be ok.
In plain words, make sure the info is still clear after compression. Compress/Split/rearrange, anything.

4Barr:
ITA – Oct 18, 2017
AOR – Oct 26, 2017

PPR – March 15th, 2018

FSW: London Visa Office – 140 days Post AOR.

Happy PPR day to you...

happytbaby:
You are not serious at bolded, abeg give Madam lots of TLC tonight. She has made you proud. Except there are constraints like ease of accessibility of her work references, I do not see why you may want to be PA. Did you ace IELTS too?

Don't mind him o...he dinor kuku ace it. I just dey look forward guy with side eye since. If you like, don't find one nice present to buy that woman and then fling her into the pool...make you dey do "not sure who will be PA"...until I come and do CRS for the two of you personally, Abi? All these children of nowadays sef...

Newmum0615:
This will forever be funny to me.

Lol abeg no mind me...I just dey always look the guy say you dey use use people future do maths and statistics term paper...I know he's trying to help, but it can pull people into a false sense of security that they are in a strong position in the pool, when they are actually not...

shyboy187:
How u tek scatter this ielts bro

Bro...na God, I swear. I dunno a lot of things, but I know English...na one of the few things wey baba God give me be dat...

oga, chill. don't be so dramatic. just go back to the start of this thread and read. FYI, a family of four actually needs 6.4M, no "at least 10 million"...where there is a will, there is a way.

Aim4Dtop:
And really I don't know if I could possibly get suggestions on what to do since its an e-family

A family of 4(parents and two kids) migrating to Canada would have at least 10million naira available in the account, wow...I keep wondering where that cash would come from... ...who has suggestions on how to build such account..

my brother/sister, stop all the afraiding. you already have the profile. first degree does not need to match experience in this hustle. just go back to page zero to get info on how to start for yourself (and your family if you have one). Also, use the comprehensive ranking score tool to see how many points you will have if you apply. good luck...

Aim4Dtop:
Please help me out... I studied theatre Arts and that's the only degree I have for now,though I have almost 10years working experience in the telecommunications industry and presently almost 2years in the managerial position of same company my questions are
1. Hope my choice of course and career is not a problem
2.I have a NIM CERTIFICATE (NIGERIA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT) would it be an added advantage?(based on the nok I am picking
3.is it my University Degree alone that would be verified by WES OR BOTH


Thank you as you help out,I wish everyone success at the end of it all

this is the funniest thing I've seen all day...

also the truest.

mcstan18:
Take a look at the tiebreaking rule - March 3 . So between March 3 and March 14, very high CRS score applicants entered the pool. The stats are scary sha. At this rate, only back-to-back-to-back draws will have a material impact on the draws cut-off score.

Well, I'll still be here in the thread having fun with my virtual family while also sitting in the pool sipping zobo.

In other news, any single lady below 30, with an MSc, 3 years work experience who is interested in getting married this year should contact me. I have a message for you from the "lawd".


_{If draws won't drop, let's kukuma increase our score anyhow. Acant shout}

now, THIS is I'm talking about! improve those points BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY! Set that P bro!

hope say you be fine boy sha...make we no go disappoint this woman...

mcstan18:
That's the spirit right there. I didn't see (f) next to your name but no wahala. The just shall live by faith, and my middle name is even Justin sef. See you in your pm

Congratulations, GlitteringStar...God don butter your bread and sugar your tea...

For those of us still waiting for ITA, please don't see me as the bearer of bad news here, but those cutoffs most likely will not come down to the old levels we used to see. I mentioned this before, but it may have seen like I was being insensitive or something. The fact is just that I have seen all this happen before and is still happening with the Australian process. As more highly qualifies and highly disillusioned people realise how easy this process is, more and more of them will continue to populate the pool and consistently push the scores higher. Please start aggressively exploring any and all means of improving your score. if that means PNP or dusting those old diplomas and trying your luck with WES or taking your IELTS again, please look into it. let's leave abishek with his predictions and just try to get the scores we have as high as possible. Please do not see this as trying to discourage. it is only a call to action. I know how close I came to missing the boat with Australia because I was thinking cut off will come down. I also know I had to push my Mrs to write IELTS so we can improve our score rather than wait for scores to come down. Yes, all I am saying is not always feasible for everyone because of time and money factors...but it is something to consider...

onyi888:
SORRY I JUST REMEMBERED, I THINK I DID. I ACTUALLY INDICATED THE COUNTRY SEF!!! THO I DIDNT UPLOAD THE DENIAL LETTER.

HEAD IS FULL SO SOORRRRRRRYYYYYY!!!!!

LOVE YOU ALL

If there is any chance at all that you did not, then raise that CSE. Non disclosure of information is considered misrepresentation/providing incomplete or misleading information. I don't really see any "dicey situation" in all of this. A decision has not been made on your application, so there is no misrepresentation yet. If you have not called God on your matter at the start of your app, I seriously doubt that calling him now (if you don't provide the necessary information) is going to change much...

onyi888:
HI. CONGRATS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS GOTTEN PPR!!!!!


i have a question, (we just applied 2 weeks ago). anyway, so my spouse was refused visa into the US in December 2017, but i didnt state that in my application neither did i upload her refusal letter. will that be a problem?

Didn't want to get into this before...but I believe a few pages earlier, there was a woman/who posted a timeline where IRCC requested ADR to explain non declaration of visa refusal. Still got PPR in the end. Either way, best to raise a CSE and attach the refusal letter to it before they ask you, because they will.

gcey2k:
Thanks a lot Bro for sharing your story.

And thanks @catchdwind4rmkd for the question which has led to more info like this one.

@Daddy...can you please shed more light on the bridging Visa? And what is its validity? Are you eligible for it at the point of skills assessment or only when you have ITA?

Thanks...

I am not dealing with ITA anymore. I have already applied. Since June of last year. Once you apply for PR, it comes with a bridging visa that is valid until a decision is made on your application.

foreverkind1:
Boss ,are you into finance ?
I will be coming to aussie for msc in finance ,with bsc in banking and finance ,will i be able to get Pr with msc in finance ,any idea please ooo

PR is not by education sir. Google it or check the PR nairaland thread. After your degree, you will be given a post study work visa, not PR. Please look into the whole thing carefully before you make your move. If PR is what you're after, consider just applying for it direct, either with Australia or maybe even Canada. In Canada, PR holders pay same school fees as citizens.

catchdwind4rmkd:
Fair enough then.

I wasn't asking for myself though as I'm already a resident.

Thanks for the little you've let go. Best wishes through it all.

Sent you a PM sir...if you would be so kind as to acknowledge...

bligs:
Risk of getting remove doesn't mean it will be remove, did you know that Victoria is still sponsoring mechanical engineering with at least IELTS of 7 in each band & minimum of three years working experience? The reason why i mentioned Accounting and IT are presently both occupations required a very high point than those you mentioned for ITA and reach occupational ceiling every year yet they aren’t remove.

Bro, I'm only trying to get people to act. I know the uncertainty I faced when chemical engineering was at risk of being taken off the list before I applied for my PR. I have never felt such joy as I did the day the new lists came out and I noticed that at least it was still on the 189 list, even if it had been removed from 190. If you think you have time, then more power to you.

catchdwind4rmkd:
Hi,

Thanks for sharing your experiences and advices. It's been very enlightening.

I'm, however, curious to know what are your challenges or setbacks with having your PR.

Your English skills seem to be very good to me, so I don't see having band 8 to be an issue even if it meant writing it 10 times or even more. And I expect you should have sorted your EA assessment already. You're even lucky enough to have financial security or assurance as early as 2 months in a permanent full-time role. Unfortunately, you can't claim points for your 1yr Australian Work Experience due to your preferred career change.

It would really be nice to share your main challenges for not securing your PR and almost letting your 18 months run out. This would be very helpful to current and prospective migrants on 476 to avoid same. Personally, I see the PR as main priority and getting relevant local experience next. Unlike you, my first professional role (though not relevant to my occupation) was on an initial 12 months period with the condition of providing my PR evidence. So, getting the PR wasn't an option but a must. And for what it's worth, I took the English test 5 times.

Lol...well I don't have any issues with my IELTS. I have 8.5 in both IELTS general and academic, and I have 65 points for my PR application, and I have already applied. There were complications, and the app has been ongoing since last June, but the complications were not to do with my eligibility. Unfortunately, that's all I can tell you in a public forum, cos the application is still under review. I'm fine though, cos if my 476 runs out, my bridging visa attached to the PR application will take effect until the PR decision is made. So if you can apply for your PR before your 476 runs out, I believe that will also be the case with you (assuming you are on a 476 as well). I am hopeful that the PR will be a success for me Sha...

bligs:
If professional accounting and IT ain't taken of the skills list, i see no reason why mechanical engr and chemical engr will be taken of the list, the only thing that can happen is having a very high point before getting an ITA.

Accounting and IT are not at risk, far as I know. All I am saying here are facts, not conjecture. I am a chemical engineer. I can ONLY apply for 189 visas now, cos chemical engineering is of the 190 list. And chemical and mechanical engineering have been under review for years now. Every year, they are at risk of getting removed. I am not saying these to argue or scare anyone. Just to inform and get people to act.

@IamPhilVitalis, I'm not sure what other occupations are at risk. That's only cos I don't follow other occupations, only mine and general immigration trends. My suggestion is check all the new skills lists and Google immigration news. See if you can find anything on your own occupation. But more importantly, apply before 30 June.

Nigerians Sha...because AdeyinkaSeun said one small thing that seems to burst the bubble, una wan crucify am. Plus people wey don land and people wey never land join. Nothing he has said is false, and that's a fact. He just sort of paints a disproportionately negative picture, but then again, it is WHAT HE SEES. Asking him to come back to naija rather than spoil your perfect view of the country is childish. I will say it again: he has not told any lies. So for those that have not landed, best to use his post as a cautionary tale, so that you don't fall into the trap of naivety. Come prepared, and don't just toss what he has said aside. His story might sound strange to most of us that have landed, but I am certain that no one who has landed will say it is entirely untrue. Be wise.


Also...

For those interested, the issue I noticed in my job search with the 476 visa is that recruiters and employers don't seem to know the visa. All they know mostly is PR and 457. Take it upon yourself to educate them during an interview if your visa status comes up. On your CV, just make it clear that you have unlimited working rights. This is what worked for me, and if it works for someone else, than thank God for that.

For those going through PR route, especially engineers that need EA assessment, note that the processing times have now gotten ridiculously long. The visa processing time as well with the DIBP has gotten long as well. And the Australian govt is starting to show some anti immigrant sentiment in order to pander to the far right (I am sure I am not the only one here that feels disgust every time I see Peter Dutton's face). The skills list is going to get reviewed again by the end of this financial year. Do all you possibly can to lodge your application before 30 June, or selse, your job may even be taken off this list (chemical and mechanical engineering seem to be at risk of this happening)....move fast.

quote]This is just my honest opinion. You can decide to take it or leave it. I know there are people who love it the way it is but before you crucify me, remember I’m only voicing out my experience of living in Australia for the last 13 months.
Melbourne is nothing but a huge disappointment. Run down houses and streets everywhere. The culture of keeping a well kept garden is non existent. An array of ugly old bungalow interspersed with one storied semi modern houses. The cbd looks second world, the suburbs are nothing but disappointing.!

Crime is on the increase. I was personally a victim of crime twice within 6 months of arrival.
When we arrived we lodged at a bnb, in preparation for moving to the house we rented, we bought a lot of household things, vacuum cleaner, plates, towels etc. When we got home that day, we were tired to pack them out of the car so we left them in the boot of the car.
In the morning, everything had disappeared from the boot.
Last week Sunday in church, car was parked outside the church premises. We came out to find the car door open. Apparently, someone had tried to open the door to steal something from the car. The alarm was activated when I switched on the ignition.

Electricity also went off on two occasions. We slept without light on one of those days.

Racial prejudices is high here compared to most countries I have been to. A day hardly passes without racial issues been mentioned in the news. Racial tension everywhere. They still stare at black people as if one is from the moon. This is not so in the whitest of Europe. My kid is enrolled in a school where he’s the only black kid. We make a scene each time I drop him of or pick him up.
The Sudanese community isn’t making matters easy. Even though there are criminal elements amongst them, the media over reports and sensationalize crimes committed by black people. This does not help Africans as everyone is viewed as criminals and racially profiled. Let me give you two instances: I went to buy a loaf of bread one night at around 19:00 at a filling station. The attendant refused to open the door. He only opened it when another white customer guy joined me there.

Quality of life isn’t fantastic as reported in the media. Internet is as slow as snail. Australia has the slowest internet amongst the first world countries. Malls close at 5:00pm. Limited consumer choice. I couldn’t get blue shoe spray polish to buy anywhere!
Most people are renting. Buying a house will take forever as the cost of deposit is often unaffordable for most people. Most people I have met live in shared apartments. It’s really disturbing to find people, (I mean Australians);
who have been working for 15 years in Australia living in shared apartments. They cannot afford to rent a whole house talk less of buying one. Most livable city in the world? That’s laughable

I don’t want to talk about getting your first job. It’s a huge challenge.

The whole skilled immigration is a huge revenue generating business for the Australian government. You won’t realize this until you get here. The beautiful index and statistics issued by world organizations are oftentimes manipulated to their economic benefits. It is a smokescreen that keeps their tourism industry alive. These are countries that understand the importance of PR. They say beautiful things about their countries and encourage people to come and stay by reeling out doctored stats and enhanced images of their countries. It is no secret that immigration business in the so called first world countries is a multi billion dollar industry.

To all those who are planning to come here, if you have the money, do an LSD trip first and then decide if you want to stay.

Cheers guys!

As much as I agree with pretty much everything you have said, I still think you paint a pretty bleak picture. Australia has its issues, but all things considered, I don't think it's that bad. I do feel though that the black experience in Australia is not as wholesome as it could be in other countries. That's part of why I am also looking to leave. I am worried that my daughter will not have any reference points as a black girl in school. I am happy in my job, but I am not too happy in my life, basically.

But for those looking to come, I would always encourage it. Just do not expect things to be easy, I think, is what my friend here is trying to say.

catchdwind4rmkd:
Just to add or correct an earlier comment,

Contrary to my earlier claim that I'm yet to hear of someone on 476 that got an offer for a professional role, I've just had one this morning from a very well known friend and I was in the know from the first stage of the recruitment through to the final offer...

He just got an offer this morning as a Controls Systems Engineer, and he's got no previous experience. The company is willing to train and upskill him for a period.

So, in all, your visa has nothing to do with your employability, it's all about you... Sell yourself to prospective employers...

And btw, it's worth mentioning that the job is in regional Victoria. Not many professionals would wanna move regional for an award pay. So, regional employers might be willing to make compromises or take their chances on those willing if they can convince them to be a perfect fit. You might wanna add this to your considerations.

Best wishes.

I came over with a 476 visa, and I am in a professional role. However, my job is in finance, not engineering. Which has worked out fine cos I find now that I enjoy working with money more than I enjoy working with process plants. I did have some difficulties with getting interviews for roles with my 476 visa though, I won't lie about that. As I said earlier, I actually believe that my company was not entirely clear on what sort of visa it was.

One thing I did do was make it clear on my CV that I had unlimited right to work, without mentioning what sort of visa I had. If I was asked, I told the truth, but I did not offer it up.

I would also recommend trying to get call centre roles. They never seem to run out of vacancies, and they are pretty loose in hiring. Once you're feeding yourself and money is coming in, start aggressively pursuing your PR. Once you have that PR, sky is the limit.

Ok...so I am not one of those "landed seniors"...people like malkinburg still senior me for this hustle...I am still finding my way and there are a thousand things I have seen here that I have never even heard of!

However...I notice the information on here is sorta skewed towards the big cities (Sydney/Melbourne)...I stay in brisbabe, QLD...so I guess I might have a slightly different perspective...

Your departure experience from Nigerian Airport?

Well, I went to Sydney via Dubai and Malaysia. Emirates to Malaysia, then air Asia to Sydney. I had to go to Abuja and get a tourist visa to Malaysia, then I actually booked two flight tickets separately to save costs. A bit risky, I think, but it actually allowed me to go out into Kuala Lumpur for a few hours. Beautiful city, I must say, from the little I saw.

Had no issues at the Sydney airport. I had a 476 visa, and I guess they could see it in their systems once I checked in. From Sydney, took a train for $90 to Brisbane, cos I had an in law in Brisbane. Been here ever since.

Stopover experience? When you landed at the airport?

No real experience beyond the beauty of Kuala Lumpur. Seriously, if you have the opportunity, visit that city. I know Nigerians havr a bad rap with drugs and stupid organ sales there, but I went into the city to catch the sights, not become illegal...

I will say I did not like Sydney though, even though I am prepared to go there for work if the need arises. Reminded me too much of London. Too many people with their heads down, walking fast and minding their own business. I guess there are people who like that, but I wasn't a fan...

I got to see malkinburg and his Mrs as well though. Great guy. Also a lucky guy, with that gem of a woman he's got. You can go places with the right woman by your side in these lands...

What are the immigration rules to follow?

Not much if you have nothing to hide.
Just present your travel documents and answer any questions asked

How did you carry all that cash with you?

Lol. Did I hear you say "all that cash?!" I was broke as funk when I landed. My Mrs and I literally bet everything on making this move. I barely had $2000 with me, and I carried it in cash that I got from bta. When I landed, I bought some stuff and then went to the bank to open NAB account and put the rest there.


Can you open bank account while still in Naija?

Yes, you can. NAB allows it, and you can also transfer your funds into the account before landing.

Which State/suburb did you settle in and why?

Brisbane, first off cos it was far more affordable than the other big cities. Also, my in-law was there. However, I stayed here only due to God's favour. I am an engineer, but I got a graduate role in finance that I never should have gotten with the visa I held at the time. 7 months later, HR actually found out my visa and notified my team lead, but as a Naija boy, I had already made myself indispensable. Now they ask me every other month how my PR app is going just so they can balance their books. The job pays close to Sydney wages, and I don't have Sydney expenses. I might need to move to Sydney or Melbourne in the end (assuming I am still in Australia in the near future), cos as a finance professional, that's where all the good stuff is happening, but for now, my God is supplying my needs.

Driving in Australia? How long can you use your Naija driving license before you get Aussie license?
Well, I don't really know a lot about this. I know I can drive with my naija license, but once I become a PR, I believe I have Only three months before I have to get QLD license. Doesn't bother me though, cos as soon as I got this my job, I moved very close to my office and now I just walk to work.


How easy was it to settle in, with your kids? How did you go about finding the right schools for them? What is their school system like for toddlers (age 5 and below)?

This is the part I wish I had a story for...but due to complications in my PR app process, I have been unable to bring the family over. It's hard out Here for a brotha..

NA

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

A lot of my colleagues do this. The govt provides a decent amount of support for people in this situation, so it's just a matter of finding out what you're entitled to and maximizing it.

What culture shock have you experienced?

It's weird, not having to downplay my achievements. By God's grace, I have done well in my job, but for months I kept looking down on my KPIs and saying they could be better, just cos as a Naija boy, no one comes around to praise you for a job well done. You only know you have done well in Nigeria when you get promoted. Here, you are encouraged to document all your achievements, so that when an opportunity for higher duties comes, you have the reciepts to show for it. In an interview, you are required to proudly show these reciepts. That was not easy for me.

Also... collegiate environment. Everyone here is your "mate". In fact, mate is like "ehen", "chairman" and "my guy" depending on how it's used. Get used to saying it a lot for your colleagues on the same level or close. For your proper senior ogas, get used to calling them by name. The CEO is Michael, not "Mr Pennisi sir"...

Also, don't know if this counts, but be prepared to be considered a refugee till you prove different. In my narrow experience, Australians are not as exposed as other first world countries, and their people are not as cultured as you would expect. Their major experience with black people has been with refugees, so it's not often they are actually confronted with a black person that is more qualified than they are. Never miss a chance to educate an ignorant Aussie when they call you a "Nigerian prince", cos they will. You will be doing the world a big service.

Tips on how to cloth and cope with the cold weather

Brisbane winters are mild. You can get away with a blazer and sweater most days.


Are there Nigerian food/restaurants etc? Are they very expensive?

You don't come to Brisbane for the naija food, I can assure you that. I only know one shop that sells naija stuff in Durack, I think. I go there once a month cos I shop only once a month. In this market, you can also take advantage and buy really cheap meats and fish and fresh stuff from the large number of Asians there. I actually go there for the Asians. The naija shop is largely an afterthought.

Can one start a business (exportation, consultancy) in Australia?

Well, I kept my clothes making contacts going, and I now supply bespoke suits to some of my colleagues...so yeah, if you have something that you can do, go ahead. Just remember to be careful and either pay your taxes on any earnings or hide your tracks well. The ATO does not play around with tax evasion here. A colleague thought she had dodged taxes from years back, till the ATO conducted an audit and sent her a backdated tax bill of $23000.

How much does your family survive on in a month?
Although my family is not here yet, I have been maintaining a 2 bed apartment for several months (thought PR was imminent. How wrong I was). Including rent and other bills, I basically spend $1600 a month. Note, however, that I am one of those guys that buys everything in bulk once a month and I don't have any vices. Once I go to Costco and Durack at the end of the month and I spend $300 on supplies, that's me done for the month. I have all utilities and set up a direct debit to ensure prompt payment. Also chose Kodi and Netflix for my TV rather than Australian Foxtel or Stan. Foxtel is VERY EXPENSIVE compared to my current set up.


And any other ...

Please do not fall into the debt trap. There is nothing more dangerous than owing money you cannot pay in a developed country. I advise a lot of Australians every day on debt management, and you find people who have fallen behind on their utility payments, their rent, their mortgage. It is surprisingly easy to become a debtor. Try and only spend what you earn. If you need to make a major purchase, save up or get an interest free credit card and be diligent in your repayments. If you take a loan, ensure it is something you can manage. Be careful with mortgages. I will never advise anyone not to buy a house, but "rent money is dead money" is one of the most overrated sayings I have ever heard in my life. Always remember that your payment will not stop at your mortgage if you own a house. You will pay rates, body corporate, taxes in relation to the home, stamp duty, and all that. Every year. If you're going to do it, don't rush into it just cos you have your 10% and you bank loan officer is sweet talking you. Be very careful with your finances.

Also...if you can, move with your family. Australia is no place for a black man/woman to be alone. Not many people around you will share your experiences. I have been here almost 18 months the now and I miss my wife every day. It's not easy. Don't do it if you don't have to.

Looking for work is an interesting one. I can't say was works universally, but for me, I learnt from malkinburg. I always knew how to write a decent CV, so I just made a job out of job hunting. I used to wake up at 5am to apply for the most recently posted jobs, just so that my application would be right at the top or near the top of the recruiters when they resume for work in the morning. I would then stay on my PC till 12 noon applying, tailoring my CV to EVERY JOB. I was applying for at least 20 jobs a day. It was slow at first and for the first month I was starting to panic when work no show. I even did door to door sales for a few weeks. But my breakthrough came in my second month when all my applications started turning into interviews. I was attending at least 3 interviews a week in that time, and I ended up changing jobs 3 times in 6 weeks before I settled for where I am. Just be diligent and pray to whatever God you serve.

NEVER EVER NEGLECT YOUR SUPERANNUATION! I AM SHOUTING IT NOW! YOUR SUPER IS YOUR RETIREMENT FUND! I work for a super fund, and I can tell you a lot of people get to 50 and start to fear because they don't have good amount in their super. By then it's too late/too risky to invest agressively. Consider consolidating your funds into one super fund. Keep a close eye on how you invest it. Also monitor how your contributions are made. Keep an eye on the contribution caps if you contribute extra or else the ATO will swallow the difference in tax. KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON YOUR INSURANCE! You can have insurance with your super if you like,but be wary cos the premium will come from your super balance. Consider taking out death, disability and income protection insurances. Research all these insurance and the super fund long term performance before you sign up for anything. I have used a lot of key words in the above paragraph. Please take some time to google them, cos I can't break them down for you in detail. And yes, all I have said applies to "landed seniors" as well. At least n this, I can claim to be more knowledgeable than the average person.

I don't think I have much else...I don't often post, but I just felt this might be useful for someone out there. Don't be afraid of the smaller cities. There are opportunities here as well...

Read through all the pages on this thread, and it's quite disheartening seeing all the personal attacks on these later pages. Please, let us encourage each other. The back and forth and singling out one person just cos you don't agree with their opinions does not help anyone. I believe oyinbo people call that bullying. We all have free speech, but it's safe to say we are all adults, so we should be able to express ourselves and disagree without resorting to name calling. If you disagree with something someone says, and they don't agree with your rebuttal, let it go. In the end of it all, no matter how much info is on here or how many prayers we pray for each other or how much abuse we hurl, this journey is a very personal journey. No one will share their success with others, and no one will offer to share someone else's struggles either. Please, if you cannot encourage, don't pull down. The point of this thread afterall was to give people info to help with the migration process. Please, let us not turn this into catfight central. We are all adults.

Tojued:
How long did you stay in Australia and in what city? Care to share your story?

Not a lot to share... Australia has been good to me financially, but I am a married man living single and watching my daughter grow up over Skype. Not to mention bodi dey catch my Mrs, not to mention me. And the reunification process is taking too long. More importantly, though, the govt policies here seem to be turning their backs on legal immigrants, and the people in my experience have a way of seeing every black man as a refugee by default. Never mind that I wear my shirt and got to work everyday for one of the largest funds in the country. I have been following this thread and I see all the support systems the Canadian govt has in place to help serious, hardworking, qualified immigrants, and it is astounding. But since I got to Australia, I have had to do it all by myself. I haven't heard from the govt except when it was time to file my tax returns. I don't mind doing it all by myself, but if there is a place where someone wants to help me succeed, I see no reason not to take the chance. And then finally (and most importantly) Australia is not multicultural enough. There are very few nigerians and black people here, and many are from the refugee system. I do not want my daughter to grow up the only black kid in her class and come home one day asking me why her hair is not long. So I guess, in summary, I am leaving Australia because of my young family.

I greet all of una o...Two weeks, 230+ pages...lots of information gained, lots of squabbles endured...finally made it to the current page...lemme just register and then go and get my PPR...I'll be back when I and my Mrs enter Canada... Australia hasn't been all that, so here's hoping Canada will be more rewarding...