₦airaland Forum

Culture Shocks.

You get to see things like this at work. They expect you to respect yourself and pay for anything you pick up. I see this and shake my head cos I know it's not possible back in naija.

This

And this

This [img][/img]

But then if you have a job, you can save yourself the stress and buy a new car. It's easy. Just walk in to a car dealer and get a new car with a payment plan of about 5 years. They usually ask for some payslips from your work. Maybe next year I'll try that option

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

You can get a used car for about $3k to 4k. Na the maintenance be the issue o. I've been driving mine for 3 months and I want to take it for servicing and I'm hearing $400 . Also you must try not to bash anybody's car here. It's not like naija where you can settle with 10k. I know a Nigerian who had to pay $1k just for making a small dent on someone's car!

Landing

I got IOM tickets and the journey to Melbourne was a breeze. No issues with immigration at Melbourne airport. I came in with my pregnant wife and three children and we stayed with a former colleague in Cranbourne West (South east of Melbourne). If you have PR, register with Centrelink/Medicare asap so that you can start receiving Aussie dollars. Those Centrelink payments really made sense for us before I got job. And like tyosho said, a concession card from Centrelink is a must.

Accommodation

Getting accommodation was tough. We were not really comfortable staying with a family and needed ours fast. I used www.realestate.com.au to look for places to rent. Then if you see one you like, you need to book for inspection where you and several others who are interested in the house will come to have a look at it. After inspection, try to be friendly with the agent and convince him/her that you are able to pay the rent on a continuous basis. This "pally-pally" is important before you submit a formal application (yes they apply for accommodation here) so that the agent can put in a good word to the landlord for you. Some of the documents you will need to submit along with a formal application are proof of identity (passport, Australian drivers licence, Medicare card, etc), statement of account, proof of source of income (i.e employment letter), rental history and history of payment of bills (which you don't have as a newbie). In my own case, after we don inspect house tire, one of the agents had compassion on my wife who was ready to drop at any time (her due date was in 3-4 weeks time) and spoke with one of the landlords and so we got our own place. Advice: please get a place that has ducted heating which uses gas. It is more effective and cheaper than buying all these standalone heaters (my opinion though). Most houses here have a backyard lawn so prepare your mind to do some work mowing it regularly. I just mowed mine on Saturday and have not fully recovered 48 hours later

Work
As a Aussie newbie, prepare your mind to do casual work. Simple and straight. I am an IT person (programmer with 10 years experience) and before coming I checked seek.com.au. I saw millions of jobs in my field and was very confident that I will land one in my first month. Na dem go dey beg me to come collect job (na wetin dey my mind). But after coming in and staying for almost two months without job, my eyes cleared . I had been applying for like 5-6 jobs every single day but with no results. They always ask for local Aussie experience. My 10 year naija experience did not count for jack. Omo I had to register for a factory job and did that for 6 weeks before I got my career job through divine intervention. And factory jobs plenty for here and they all pay well. Advice: If you will be doing factory jobs, please get a back support belt otherwise your back go hear am.
Yes work here is not as stressful as in naija. Yes, most jobs have table tennis and other games. In my own case, its a small office space so what we do is play cards. Omo see where my supervisor with other colleagues dey teach me how to play cards. That was a culture shock for me. But dont be deceived by all this and you think that you will come here and relax and not work hard. No be so o. Oyinbo wont give you this dollar free like that. You gast to work mehn.
If getting professional work is tough, you could also look at doing care for disabled or aged care. Men those jobs pay well o. I know guys who are making solid dough here. You could do a course on these professions. I'm currently doing one (Certificate IV on Disability online).

School
School age is from 5 years. If you have any children above that age, they can start school immediately at the nearest public school. You don't need to come with a letter from their naija school. Just go to the closest school and ask for their requirements which are usually intl passport of the child , visa grant, and maybe some little money for books. Tuition is free. But my problem with their school system is that the children play a lot and are not being given homework to do. So be prepared to do some extra work to help with your child's education like borrowing books from the community library for them to read when they come back from school and at weekends. I did not have time to compare and contrast schools. I just looked for the closest one where my daughter can walk to and fro by herself (she's 8 years). That's because I would be doing my factory job and my wife was heavy with child and taking care of 2 other children so nobody has time to drop her off and pick her from school.

Other tips. DO NOT COME HERE WITHOUT YOUR NAIJA DRIVERS LICENCE. Even if it's expired, still bring it. FRSC or no FRSC certified bring am. At all at all na him bad o. And I don't mean international drivers license. Somehow during the rush of packing I forgot mine in Lagos. I have to now start from learner's permit . An Aussie driver's license is as important as a means of ID as your naija passport. So no carry am play. I can give you some info on the different tests you would need to do to obtain your Aussie drv licence. Then since I have a large family, I needed to buy a car asap. Its an absolute must here. If all your children are past 6 years, a normal car would do. www.carsales.com.au is better than www.gumtree.com.au for new/used cars because you can get more detailed info about the car you want to buy. Also it's more expensive but safer to buy from a car dealer than from a private individual. Please dont come and be spending your newly converted naira dollars anyhow o (I mean the dollars you got after converting your naija naira). You might think this burger is just $10 and want to have a bite etc. Plenty things dey here wey go dey draw your eye. You children sef go add to your stress by carrying you to where tantalising chocolate and stuff are being sold. Pls hold body o. This is because when you finally get your first accommodation and start paying rent and bills, all that money will finish fast. We used up all our money to pay our first rent and bond, and did not have enough to pay the next rent. That was the point where my eyes cleared and I quickly jumped on the factory work bandwagon. I cant dull myself in this country abeg

This my article (or epistle) don too long sha. So I'll stop for a while and wait for questions.

Ah this is the thread I have been waiting for. Plenty tins to talk but no time now. Will compose and share my story later.

mctowel01:
Grant Finally.

Aussie, here I come

Congrats brotherly!

We don dey plenty for Oz be that.

Medicare/Centrelink Registration

Its important to do these registrations at least 24 hrs after you come into the country. I'm sure we all know the importance of these. For those who dont know, Medicare is for you to have access to free or subsidized healthcare for yourself and children (see https://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/subjects/medicare-services). Centrelink is the social security system where the govt pays you certain allowances based on some criteria (see https://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/subjects/payments-visa-holders). You need to give at least 24 hrs so that your info can be uploaded onto their database (that's what I was told anyway). Take your Intl passports and visa printouts along to the nearest Medicare AND Centrelink centre. Its good to go to a centre that has both Medicare and Centrelink so that you can do all at a go. I just did mine today.

Please ensure you open a bank account before going for these registrations, especially for the wifey. The account number is required as part of the registrations and they will tell you that they prefer to make these Centrelink payments into the wifey's account being that the system gives preference to women and children than to men. You can actually open an Aussie account online while in Nigeria which is what I did (I used Westpac though there are others such as Commonwealth Bank of Australia, etc). After you have opened it, you could actually send some money ahead via dom account transfer while still in naija. However you cannot withdraw until you come in and go to the nearest bank branch for proper ID with your Intl passport.


I'm still new to the system and so dont know much about these things. For more info pls contact the elders in the house.

All the best.

Kempguy47:
Vinsmuft thanks for the response. Will ensure to get there on time to avoid the wahala at MMA.

How about food stuffs, did you take some and how did they clear it. Did you have any issues at Melbourne regarding the food stuffs?

Just ensure that the foodstuff are dry e.g. dry fish, cray fish, beans flour (for moi moi) etc. Put them in a transparent bag that can be sealed and make sure you label them. You wont have any issues in Naija except the Immigration guys asking for their usual tip. When you are given the declaration form while in en route to Australia, please indicate that you are carrying some foodstuff. Aussie Immigration guys wont have a problem as long you had declared them earlier on the form. They will simply ask to see the declared foodstuff and send you on your way almost immediately. Also if you have money above AUD 10,000 (either in the USD equivalent or the actual AUD), you must declare it and show them the physical cash at the Australian immigration.

Vickglam:
Hello, please how can I contact IOM to book my flight?

PM me

lalaazo:
Thanks for the update and inspiration; how many family members was the fare for,analysis of flight cost please?

Family members were myself, wifey, two children and one infant. I didnt bother asking for breakdown as it sounded too good to be true. If you have ever flown Emirates before and experienced their top quality service, you will know that you got the deal of a lifetime.

Kempguy47:
Thanks bro for the update. Will be coming in Melbourne too. Leaving 9ja Saturday 20th to get to Melbourne on Sunday 22nd. We bought the ticket via IOM and going tru emirates via Dubai. Quick question, how did IOM get tru to you in Dubai? I'm asking so as to know if they will be expecting us too.

Yes they will be expecting you. In my case, while we were coming out of the plane at Dubai, an Arab guy dressed in a suit approached us and called out our names. I guess he had our passport details with our photos. So no worries, they will look out for you at Dubai. Also try to get to the MMA airport Ikeja at least one hour before the check in time. This will help you be at the top of the Emirates queue and save your waiting time. You know say chair to siddon no dey our airport. Then if you have many luggages, pls ensure that each one does not exceed 23Kg. I had to buy a scale to measure each bag at home before going to the airport.

Updates:

The Journey
We came in with IOM arranged tickets. The discount they gave us really made sense. If I had gone directly, I would have paid N2.7m for myself and my family. But with IOM I ended up paying N1.3m. Although I had to send them plenty reminders after filling their form and the initial one week they gave me had elapsed.

The journey though long, was very pleasant on Emirates. IOM waited for us at Dubai and took us to an all expense paid lounge where we waited for the connecting flight to Melbourne. In that lounge was a small buffet where we ate and drank without paying a kobo. Summary: Please if you can, go ahead and book with IOM. I highly recommend them pls.

In Melbourne
I came into Melbourne and met some serious cold weather. Though I was warned, the height of the cold (permit the english) was beyond me. So please when coming here, make adequate preps for yourself and your little ones. Buy thick jacket, gloves and thick socks. No go do Ijebu like me and go buy some lame sweater from Naija. I spent one day in Melbourne and had to buy a serious and expensive jacket. I was told that winter is about coming and so things would get colder . No dull yourself.

The transport system in Victoria is very organized and similar to what is obtainable in UK. They have prams, trains and buses. All can be paid using a Myki card. If you would be coming into Melbourne, pls get more info here https://www.ptua.org.au/2009/11/18/myki-qa/. Children above 5 years and the elderly pay half the price. In order to move around town, you would need this card. Then download this app on your phone https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.gov.vic.ptv&hl=en. This app is a must as it gives you bus/train directions on how to get from your current location to anywhere within Melbourne (or Victoria as a whole). Earlier today I go enter wrong bus and don miss road already. But with this app, I found my way back. Using this app requires you to have a SIM with a data plan. I was told Optus is a great GSM line with good data plans. So ensure you have good data before stepping out of your house.
Finally please if you have many children you have to know that the law requires them to be in car seats from ages 16 and below. Get more info here https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/safety-and-road-rules/road-rules/a-to-z-of-road-rules/seat-belts-and-child-restraints. Omo if them catch you carrying a child without car seat, you go pay heavy fine (as much as $350). I plan to sort out this car seat wahala tomorrow so that we can all go for necessary registrations.

Cheers guys. Will update you as I go along.

happy4lucy:
congrats dear, when did you get your VISA and how long do they give to migrate when VISA is granted?

I did my medicals in Feb 2017 and got my visa in March. They gave me till Feb next year to come to Australia which is exactly one year from the date I did my medicals

My people,
I am talking to you live from Melbourne, Australia. I left Lagos with my family on Monday 15th and arrived safely today. Currently staying with a friend (not a NLander). I plan to commence necessary registration from tomorrow.

Will provide updates as I go along. But my initial assessment about this place is that what others have said is very true. The place makes sense.

JERRYMAG4:
Hi Guys,

Please I need your advice. Going through the occupation Ceiling, I discovered that all the 3 ICT related professions have been filed.

Occupation Ceiling Value 2016-2017 Invitations to date
1. ICT Business and Systems Analysts 1482 1482
2. Software and Applications Programmers 5662 5662
3. Computer Network Professionals 1426 1468

I have applied to ACS for assessment and am very sure it will be positive.
My question is should I proceed with EOI when I get feedback from ACS? is there any hope or I should just wait for the new calendar year come July 2017.

your candid advice is required please.


CC
Bellong
Vinsmuft

I dont know the effect of submitting EOI for 189 after the ceiling has been reached. But you could go ahead to submit EOI for 190 (maybe NSW) as this does not rely on the ceiling.

Bnimz:
To the best of my knowledge, No state invites someone who hasn't specifically selected them.., so ya, I think selecting All states practically renders the EOI useless.

No, he can't receive an ITA without knowing. If the email failed to enter, it would still be on his skillselect page.

Is he sure he hasn't lost points somewhere? Probably a birthday at the edge, like 32 changing to 33? ... That could be an explanation... Somehow, his DOE must have changed

When I received ITA for visa 190 for NSW, it didn't show at all on my Skillselect. It was only an email that NSW sent to me that made me aware. I guess it's only 189 ITAs that show on Skillselect.

Bnimz:
To the best of my knowledge, No state invites someone who hasn't specifically selected them.., so ya, I think selecting All states practically renders the EOI useless.

No, he can't receive an ITA without knowing. If the email failed to enter, it would still be on his skillselect page.

Is he sure he hasn't lost points somewhere? Probably a birthday at the edge, like 32 changing to 33? ... That could be an explanation... Somehow, his DOE must have changed

Thanks for your response. This looks like a plausible explanation because it is actually quite strange that one's EOI would be skipped. I'll get back to this guy to confirm very well his DOE.

mctowel01:
You ve not mentioned the occupation, so its difficult to tell why the occupation was skipped. Remember that all prorata occupations have been filled for the 2016/2017 program year. Moreover, he cannot get 190 invite unless he has already been nominated by the state through an email, then subsequently applying with the necessary documentation, which he must have been aware of.

His occupation is Software Engineer and yes the quota has already been filled up. However as at the last draw, there were still some slots available.

Hello house,
I have a friend on another forum who has a peculiar problem. He used one EOI to apply for both 189 and 190 visas. His date of effect was sometime in March 2017 with 65 points. For the visa 190, he selected All States rather than specifying a particular state. The problem now is that as at the last draw, the Date of Effect for his occupation and number of points is now in April meaning that his EOI was skipped as he did not receive an ITA.
My advice to him was that since he used one EOI for both 189 and 190, it's possible that he already has an ITA for 190 and that must have deactivated the EOI which could be the reason why his EOI was skipped. However, he has checked all his mails and did not see any ITA for 190.

My questions:
1. Could it be because he selected All States in his 190 EOI that he did not receive any ITA for a particular state? What are the pros and cons of selecting All States rather than a specific state?
2. What could be the reason why his 189 EOI was skipped? Should he contact DIBP on this? Or what else can he do?

All contributions are welcome pls.

Thanks

.

sunvick:
I greet you sir.

I just saw one now from the crew.

#GMPC

This thread has been quiet lately.

Hello to all the #GMPC.... welcome on board..

You and this your GMPC... One day all of them go gang up come wait for you for road

Omoefe1994:
Hello House,

Please I'm new here and would like to humbly request for a clarification.

My husband just got his IELTS Academic and his scores were:
Speaking: 8, Writing: 8, Reading: 6, Listening: 6 with an overall average of 7.

Please will he be able to claim 10 points from this as from what I've read here so far, its appears he needs to have a minimum of 7 across board to claim 10 points. Please kindly advise. Thanks.

As you have been told, it must be minimum of 7 7 7 7 to get 10 points. And tell your husband to do IELTS General, rather than Academic. For most people, IELTS General is easier than Academic

moscow30:
Hello, House!
Please with these recent changes, Can I submit my EOI while I am waiting and preparing for my English test?
I have gotten Victoria state nomination last week.
My People, I need advice I beg!!!!!
I am confused

Sorry but I dont know how you got state nomination if you are yet to submit EOI?

Also you cannot submit an EOI without an English test result. But if you submit an EOI with a not-so-good english test result, you could always write another english test and update your existing EOI.

bellong:
Part of the changes is the citizenship requirements.

Before now, to become a citizen, you must have lived in the country for four years on PR visa or you have lived legally for four years on any visa while you must be on PR for at least one year.

Example,

Sam arrived Australia on student visa in 2005 but got his PR in January 2009. Sam is eligible to apply for citizenship in Jan 2010.

Kylie arrived Australia on work visa in 2012 but got PR in 2013. Kylie is eligible for citizenship in 2016.


In the new rule, there is an English language test requirement in addition to the citizenship test.. This is no big deal.
Now, you have to be four years on PR to be eligible for citizenship. What does this mean, example of Sam. Sam and Kylie will have to wait after four years of receiving PR to be eligible for citizenship compared to when they only needed just a year.

Thanks for the info Bellong.
Question: Does this English requirement apply to children of PR holders who are below 18 years of age? English test is a no-brainer for me but I'm concerned about my children who are still little. Which English dem sabi

Alphadoor:
.

Congrats man! As bellong advised, lets wrap this up quickly before things change

nkechima:
I feel like crying right now. DIBP removed my occupation from the list

Take heart and dont be discouraged. It will still end well for you.

akereconfi:
Please who has gotten past the EOI stage to the visa stage and what documents were required. I got my letter from ACS and at the stage of writing IELTS before moving to EOI. I didn't submit my payslip to ACS because where I worked there wasn't anything like payslip or bank statement to back it up.

Please does anyone know how I'll fare at the VISA stage without those documents (payslip + Bank statement).
And concerning Police report. I did my BSc in the UK for three years. Will i have to get a Police report from the UK as well?

Returned to Nigeria 2016

Thanks

Modified: Someone said once you cross the accessing stage that you are 70% - 80% done. How true is this

For information on the documents required for the main visa application (i.e. subclass 189), please go to this link
http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/189-/Skilled-Independent-visa-(subclass-189)-document-checklist

As you have been told, its better to upload all documents you can lay hold on as regards your work including payslips, employment letters, promotion letters, confirmation letters, commendation letters, pension etc. You will do yourself a whole lot of good if you do so.

Yes once you are given an invitation to apply, you are almost home and dry.

majiouk2002:
Good day all, please as regards to the PCC. Is it required to submit the certificate with the fingerprint form or just the certificate alone?

Thanks

In my own case, I submitted only the certificate which in my opinion is the actual PCC itself. And that was enough for me to get direct grant

Bnimz:
Toorh. One of our silent brethren... Congratulations

But come o, this timeline looks A LOT like mine

except for the grant

bros ur own dey come no worry. Na that CO contact dey delay you. But ur own go drop soon.

mctowel01:
Thanks man
Electronics engineer

Thanks for the answer. Oya respond to mamajaz enquiry. Who you hug? Fine geh cashier or security man wey help you charge phone.