Alphadoor:


Definitely not in Sydney

Really? I have not been to Sydney. In Melbourne, motorists seldom exceed speed limit.

stubbornman:



Nice one dear!!!
what culture shock have you encountered since your landing

i am actually enjoying the cooperation coming from this thread now....thanks to everyone for your input... just keep it coming!!!

For me:
Outdoor culture. It means a lot to Aussies. Eating out means a lot to them. I'm tired of answering the question "what do you have planned for the weekend?" What else do I have have planned? I'll be with the family and watch movies...lol. If you give such a response twice, they will see you as a boring person.. lol. If you tell them you are going on some trip to see kangaroo and koala... viola! you will be their friend because on Monday morning, they will cluster around you to hear "gists"

Another culture shock is how everything works. Australia is one giant machine with different parts like centrelink, medicare, tax, etc. one part goes into another. How they have managed to create a society where things work is a shock to me.

How majority drive within speed limit without the presence of police or patrol cars was a shock to me.

stepo707:

Trastar please help me understand this part.Do you mean on the CV, i remove all the experiences of Nigeria, or just list the experiences but remove the location from the CV?

What she meant was for you to remove the word "Nigeria" from your CV. Do not remove experience acquired in Nigeria. This is to prevent interviewers from prejudging you. However be ready to tell the truth during the interview or anytime the question of location comes up.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
If you are going to live in Melbourne and would be using public transport, download the PTV app to your phone.
You might also want to have this train route (pdf format) on your phone or a hard copy printed and kept in your wallet.

https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/assets/PDFs/Maps/Network-maps/0bc94c22f8/PTV_MetropolitanTrainNetworkMap_August2018.pdf


If you are going to be commuting to work daily using public transport, I'd advise you sign up on Manage Myki and register your myki card. You can either buy 7 days, 21 days pass, etc. Use your credit or debit card to load your myki card. Please allow about 30 minutes for the myki card to be topped up before you get on the train. You can also set up auto top up, so you don’t have to worry about topping up every now and then.

I have noticed, the train arrival time is sometimes later than the universal time (if there is anything like that). They might have done that to help passengers. Trains also sometimes arrive late. So, if you are rushing to catch a train and you think you are late, don’t give up, you might still make it. lol
On the flip side, I once thought I was late, I ran down the escalators and without checking the electronic board, I jumped into the train that just pulled up. As soon as I sat down, I picked up my phone and started watching musicals. I had been using that train line for a few months so without train announcements, or me looking up to check the train stops, I know when to start getting ready to get off the train. So, after 30 minutes in the train, I finally looked up and ops! I was in the wrong train in an area I didn’t recognize at all. I dashed out at the next stop not knowing where to catch the train bound to my station. At that time, it was 5:50pm. School After Care closes at 6pm! By 6pm, I was in the middle of nowhere. My phone went haywire with calls from the school After Care. By the time I made it to my kids’ school, it was 6:35pm!
I was slapped with a penalty of $140. ($2/min/child). Painful heh?

Driver’s Licence

If you have a Nigerian driver’s licence or any other driver licence not recognized, the first step is to book an appointment for its verification. In my case, it took a few minutes to “verify” as nothing was done other than to ask for identification(passport) and proof of address. I understand in some cases, they might write the embassy to verify the authenticity of your licence. So, make sure it is genuine.
Next stage is to book an appointment for the Learners Permit Test. You can book the appointment there, call VicRoads on the phone or do it online.

The learners permit test is a multiple choice computer-based test. Practice the test from this link. You are only ready for the test once you start scoring 90-100% in the practice test.
https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/licences/your-ls/get-your-ls/lpt
Next is the Hazard Perception Test. It is a computer test that simulates driving under different road conditions. It tests your knowledge of road hazards and how quickly you can respond to them. Many people find this hard. There are a few practice tests online.

https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/licences/your-ps/get-your-ps/hazard-perception-test

The third and final stage is the actual driving test. It is a very simple test. A lot of people fail because they either fail to practice or they fail to pay attention to the tips and tricks of passing the test.
Below are a few tips on passing the driving test. Note that this is not an exhaustive list.

Head Check
During the test, there will be lots of “turn right’, turn left”. Make sure to use your mirror a lot. The test instructor wants to make sure you are turning your head and not your eyes while performing head check. If your head is still, and you are only rolling your eyes left and right, you may fail the test. So, when he/she says, “turn right” make sure to check the mirror by moving your head, and at times your upper body right and left. There have been cases where ladies had to wear big dangling earrings just to make it obvious they are turning their heads (talk about women wayo…Just kidding oo). Make sure to also look over your shoulder when navigating blind spots too.

3-Point Turn or Parallel Parking
You will be required to do 3-Point Turn or the dreaded Parallel Parking. Practice these two very well. I personally think 3-Point Turn is easier. There are hundreds of videos on youtube that demonstrate parallel parking and 3-Point.

Changing Lanes
When you are asked to change lanes, look at the mirrors first before indicating. You do not want to indicate before you ensure it is safe to change lanes.

Speed Limit
Stay within speed limits. You will drive on a 40km/h, 60km/h and at times 80-100km/h road. Whatever the case, do not exceed the speed limit.

Traffic Light
Never drive through red light at the traffic lights. This a major one. If you drive through the red light, you have failed the test. the instructor will discontinue the test immediately. Please take it seriously.

Landed Seniors in NSW, South Australia and Queensland etc, can also give us tips about the process in their parts of Australia.

bellong:
@Goodmemory,

thanks for the contributions. Nice to read.

You are welcome

catchdwind4rmkd:
Nice posts!

Thank you

If you have kids here are a few tips on kids' schooling.

For many immigrants, the reason for relocating was for their kids to have a better life than they did. So the type of school he/she will attend and his social interaction will be of paramount importance to parents.

In Australia, public schools are excellent. They compete favorably with private schools and there are many public schools that are better than private ones. Many of Melbourne's best schools are government owned located in the Eastern suburb. I think pupils/teacher ratio is pretty much the same in public and private schools, but some parents still prefer to take their kids to private schools for personal reasons. There have been issues of concern on bullying in public schools. I know school authorities frown at bullying but there are more recorded cases of bullying in public schools when compared to private ones. Personally, this is me thinking with my Nigerian brain now, I think the reason why we have fewer cases of bullying in private schools are (1). In terms of number, there are fewer pupils in private schools and so kids are given more attention
(2). Many of the private schools are owned by churches; Catholic, Methodist etc so they instill discipline through the teaching of religion.

Now to fees, If you are here on a PR, government owned schools are free. Private schools, expectedly are not free. There are however fee packages that make things a bit more bearable. If you have more than one kid, you can choose the option of Family Package fee. So regardless of the number of kids you have enrolled in a school, you will pay same fee. For example, if the family fee is $2000/year, you will pay only $2000 even if you had 10 kids attending that school. If you do not have the $2000 lump sum to pay at once, there is an option of instalment spread over 12 months.

Back to the issue of bullying. I have met some parents who constantly impress it on their kids to defend themselves in school. Depending on his age, that might be good idea but it can be misinterpreted by the children so you really have to word it very well and make sure he understands what you are saying. If he/she does not understand, sh/she may become aggressive and the parents might be unconsciously raising a monster. My wife and I once met a Nigerian mother whose kid was very aggressive. He couldn't play with other kids peacefully. This lady was very embarrassed the conduct of her child. She told my wife she raised him not to take any nonsense from other kids. She raised him to hit other kids when they touch his hair in school, when he disagrees with his friends, etc. Well, I am not in a position to tell parents how to raise their kids, but what I tell my kid is as a first line of defense, if any kid is being rude/disrespectful to him, he should tell him firmly to stop! Afterwards he should report that kid to the teacher and when he gets home, he should report same to me and I will take it up from there.

Don't worry if initially your kids do not have friends. It is absolutely normal. Even in Nigeria, kids do not start making friends on their first day in school. Kids generally are very territorial, they love their space and it takes time before they start thawing and making friends.


Their mode of teaching is somewhat different from our system in Nigeria. While we place a lot of emphasis on cerebral knowledge, they tend to develop the student through art/music/communication, and proper understanding of concept. So do not be overly worried if at age 5 he cannot recite 11X11 multiplication table or count 1-1,000,000. You might even start worrying if you hear stories back home(Nigeria) of a 4 year old reciting the whole book of Psalms! Do not let that bother you, there is nothing wrong with the kid. It's just their system here. You can decide to support the teachers' effort by teaching your kids the Nigerian way at home. It's all well and good. There is nothing wrong in the kids becoming super brilliant and ahead of his peers in class.

Assignments are given them usually at the beginning of the week and you are expected to assist them in completing their home work. Assignments are sometimes dropped into your kiddies' google drive account(Imagine, kids have google drive account here..Nigeria wake up!!!!) or an app called Schoolbags. I'm not sure if the app is used all over Australia but I know it is used in Melbourne. Download the app and start getting familiar with it. For about $12/month, you can also subscribe to an online teaching platform called IXL. Check it out. There are tonnes of mathematics and English exercises there for your kids to practice.

To be Continued.....

segzyndpep:


Please sir do you know a thread that can help with visa application for family?or kindly enlighten me on how to go about it sir.I just got married January and will love to relocate to Australia.We planning USA before but after reading through the thread i see Australia as a good choice considering the stress i might face getting USA visa and settling.please i will appreciate your inputm

Here's a good place to start
https://www.nairaland.com/3053069/general-guide-australian-permanent-resident

Breathtaking view of St Kilda. Sorry picture is a bit dark

Melbourne CBD skyline

Hi buddies,
This is to my naija bro and sis who are working outside of Nigeria for the first time.

Before I start, let me state that your rights at work are fully protected and everybody behaves in a manner consistent with the code of conduct of their organization, so people are rarely ever rude. If anyone is rude, you may escalate the matter and trust me, you will get justice.

A lot has been said on getting a job but there is an area which landed seniors haven't discussed that much. It is dealing with co-workers, your life at work, and relationship with superiors and subordinates. You have worked very hard to get the job, deservedly so, now the next thing is retaining the job and consolidating your position at work.

I have noticed there are stages of relationship which you will experience at work here. Firstly, when you show up at work the first day, there might be a few heads turning. Don't let that bother you. Just keep calm and raise your head high.

Next stage; some people might be skeptical of your ability. There are instances when you say things in meetings and they will be like.. "Hmmm.....ok". Australians are very courteous at work. If they disagree, they might not say it verbally. That same idea you proposed but was rejected would receive an applause if it was proposed by another person they trust more. Again, do not let that bother you. You will need a great dose of emotional intelligence to be able to work successfully with Australians. There are moments I feel like beating the living daylight out of some colleagues. In such instances, I hold myself back, smile and assertively handle them differently. Some of them will intentionally make you angry. The key is NEVER show emotions. Imagine this scenarios; look at two people arguing afar, which of them would you describe as the aggressor? Definitely the one whose voice is louder. So as much as possible never allow your relationship between any of your colleagues to degenerate to that level. If you were right, but choose to handle it by being aggressively confrontational, you might be perceived as a threat. If the matter gets to HR, you might be blamed and referred for anger management etc.

The last stage is what I would describe as "Stage of Trust". You are now in charge. You have earned their trust and confidence. They will entrust you with more responsibilities and every minute of your 8 hours would be fun!

zicoraads:
GoodMemory, and every other commenter, between migrating to Canada and Australia, which would you suggest for someone who wants to relocate permanently?

My family wants me to move to Canada. But I think I prefer Australia, for reasons I can't even fathom.

I wanted starting the process in January, but I have been stalling.

In addition to what kylexy61 has said, I would like to add that depending on what you do, getting the first job might be harder in Canada than in Australia because of the stringent requirement for "Canadian Experience" in Canada. Though "Australian experience" is sometimes a requirement for first time job seekers in Australia, prospective employers often waive the requirement once your skills are extremely good or you have previous experience in any of the first world countries.

To encourage others who are planning to move to Australia, here's my story and lessons from life Down Under

Landed Feb 2018 with the family. We struggled a bit to get accommodation, so we had an extended stay in a hotel. We eventually got one. How did we do it? Well, after several rejections, we resorted to Gumtree. We targeted adverts where present occupiers were looking for tenants to complete their lease terms.
Landlords/Agents were less strict on documentation and particularly the much dreaded "rental history’. Within a few days, we got a place for about $350/week. So, first lesson: Don't get stuck with realestateview, try other avenues.

I had sent out many job applications offshore but none of them received the attention of recruiters and HR, but as soon as we landed, I started getting invitation for interviews.
My tactics was to send the application late in the night or first thing in the morning. I found this was helpful as recruiters, most times respond to applications on first come first serve basis. I even tested these many times. Applications sent out in the afternoon received less attention when compared to the ones I submitted in the morning. Second lesson, timing is very important.

With regards to CVs, while good formatting, easy readability etc are very important, the content of your CV is far more important than anything else. Though I am an advocate of brevity, but an oversimplified CVs will not convey the proper message as well. The length of your CV should be proportional to the years of experience you have. If you have 10 years’ experience, I believe you will be doing yourself an injustice by submitting a 2-3-page CV. Lesson 3, a good, well formatted CV with great content will get you more interviews and consequently a job.

There are web hoisting platforms where you can create a free website for yourself. I developed a free one for myself and populated it with a lot of information. I even added photos and details that CVs would not accommodate. The free website was my complete profile. I then add the link to my CV. Think of special things you did for your previous companies. If you have proofs such as photos, testimonials, letters of commendation, upload on the website. It is free to create. Lesson 4: Market yourself apologetically.


There is a psychological aspect to job search in Australia. Your first barrier is the colour of your skin. You cannot change your race, so it is what it is. The second challenge are fellow Africans who are quick to advise you to dump your profession for something else. Well, while such advice might be coming from a good heart with a good intention, I personally feel you should try and try harder to clinch a job in your field before you try something else. You may have to attend more than one interviews so don’t be discouraged. I remember one job I was being considered for. I had aced the first two interviews; the last stage was to meet one of the directors of the company. I was confident I would get the job. The interviewer walked in, I stood up, shook hands with her and sat down. She re-positioned her PC monitor so I could see it and asked me to solve her problem. I am an advanced excel user, I even write VBA/macros. Even though that wasn’t the core job description, advanced knowledge of excel was part of it I floundered a bit, tried to think but while I was thinking, she walked to the door and held open the door. She said "it was nice meeting you!" I stood up and walked out without a word. You will receive several rejection emails but don’t get discouraged. Keep pushing you will get it. So, fourth lesson is: please don’t listen to naysayers! Do not listen to people who tell you that you cannot get a corporate job in Australia.
I got a job right after the ugly encounter between the director and myself. My wife also got a job a few months after.

About groceries. We found it cheaper to eat Nigerian food. This is what I mean. Nigerian foodstuffs worth $300 lasts more than 6 weeks but an equivalent amount in Coles or any of the giant retailers, for example doesn’t even last one week. The only thing we buy in the big retail shops are non-edible stuffs toiletries and ijekuje(Biscuits..etc) Lesson 5: If you are an irredeemable lover of Nigerian food (which Nigerian isn’t anyway), invest in local food.

Public transportation is good but if you have a family, and can afford a car, buy one. With $2500, you can get a decent car to buy. Try as much as possible to buy a car that comes with a Road Worthy Certificate (RWC). I bought a car for $2500 without an RWC the week we landed. I can’t renew the registration since I must provide RWC and the cost of getting one after repairs on the car comes to $2000! So Lesson 6: buy a car with RWC.

Australia is an expensive country. At some point, you might find the need for a side job. I registered a company, though I haven’t done much because I travel a lot. I have met Africans who run their own thing and are very successful. If there is something you are passionate about, register a company and start right away. There are lots of potentials in Australian market. The stories of racism should be the least thing to deter you from going after your dreams.


I have to mention this. You might be surprised to find it hard to make friends here, especially with Africans. Don’t let it bother you. Just concentrate. There are friends I haven’t seen since I came. Everyone is busy or pretending to be busy. You will find instances where you want to meet a friend and he says, “hmmm...I will be free ending of next month”. Lol. You will be like “ending of next month? Are you traveling?’ He will reply: “No, I’m just busy, I have a few things to sort out”. Well, you have to get used to getting long notice before you can meet most people. Make friends with Africans and non Africans as well otherwise, you will be terribly bored. Try to make friends with everyone. Join clubs, do stuffs. Lesson 7: Don’t let anyone, especially fellow Africans restrict your enjoyment. Enjoy Australia. Life is too short.

Many things happened while trying to settle down, I do not have them handy, but as time goes on, I will update you guys.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask.