# I need to get out there... Kindly asking for some help and advice and a few answers!



## Adam (Aug 16, 2009)

Hello,

Firstly i am new to this forum and i understand asking help straight off isn't the best way to start! I have looked over much of the forum and will help as much as i can!!

My name is Adam and I've been thinking about going to Australia for a year (depending on the time out there, another year after as well) on a working holiday visa for ages now.

At this present time i am trying to save (haven't got a great deal of cash to my name) and would love to go really soon (end of the year, start of new year, or depending on financial situation April time).

I now really would like to get out there. Ideally i would like to get out there and experience what Australia has to offer for a few months, meet new people and then start working. There are some questions i have that i was wondering if anyone could answer for me.

1. What is the best time in the year to get started in Australia?
2. How much money, from yours or other peoples experiences would i need when i get there. 3. How much money would i need to get set up and have a few months enjoying myself before work?
4. Is going straight into work when i get out there a good option to take?
5. How easy would it be for me to get a job out there and is getting a job guaranteed?
6. Do these jobs pay well and would i enjoy them?
7. I have reasonabled good qualifictions, what sort of jobs are up for grabs in australia for a person on a working holiday visa?
8. Is there any good stories about people in the same position as me going out there and making a good life for themselves?
9. Is there a figure you could give, in money terms, to guarantee me a good experience out there?
10. How easy is it to find accommodation after leaving your first initial place of stay? How much does an average flat for two people of room somewhere cost?
11. What companies are the best to book flights / travel insurance. 

Thanks for your time and i understand if you don't want to answer all of these questions, but i really would appreciate it if you do!

Thank you again,

Adam


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## Wanderer (Jun 16, 2007)

No harm in starting off asking questions Adam and it's a great way to learn a bit of info that can make getting here a lot cheaper to start with and save you a bit of money while here, so as to your questions:
1. Best time is up to you really, saving money being one thing but then what are your interests for best way of meeting people can be joining in with local activities be it sporting clubs or say working in one place for a while and what kind of weather do you want to experience, hotter and humid like in tropics or cooler and more temperate, we've got the lot and the ability to avoid winter if you like by heading noerth during the normal winter months.
Harvest Trail - Harvest jobs - Australian JobSearch will give you an idea of where to find work during different times of the year.

2. As to how much money you'll need there're obviously a lot of factors involved, primarily how you want to live and for instance if you think it can be a non stop party right from the start you'll need a heap but if you want to plan a bit and use a bit of discipline initially, that can pay off in the long run and by that I mean what you could save in tax.
A normal working holiday visa holder would probably pay tax at the rate of 29cents/$earnt which on $20,000 earnt is $5800.
If however you qualify yourself as a resident for taxation purposes [details on www.ato.gov.au] you'll pay a lot less in tax, about $2100, not bad free bikkies for just being prepared to set yourself somewhere for six months, hopefully picking up a casual job and it'll help you a bit in doing what you want later on.

Also what you want to take into account is spreading your working time out so that say if for instance you were to be working for a total of 12 months in 24, you do it as a total of two six months lots in separate financial years and that will also give you minimal taxation.

So I suppose I've answered Q4. for you without Q3., but that one's about your budgeting - think of how you live now and our costs are probably not all that different, there being a mob called Sleeping With The Enemy that are a cheaper alternative to hostelling and could lead to you and a few friends deciding to share a house yourselves - heard of that being done in Sydney for $48/w - just an Advert at time but in round figures, $100/w for basic share accomodation and about same for tucker [doing plenty of cooking] and a $100/w for living/socialising with special events/trips all extras.

5 & 6 Not too many guarantees in life other than death and taxes they say but for people who want work there'll always be something about.
Even the YHA Australia want people fairly regularly it seems and $20/h seems not too bad for casual work and you might even be able to get some bonuses with their type of work, discounted beds and always the freebie shelves of left food in hostels to keep eating cheap.

If you have qualifications in demand, you could do better for work but the global economic crisis may not yet be over and if you want to get out in more luxury of sharing a 2 bedroom flat as you mention, better allow ~$200/w for accommodation. 
How much for a good experience? and what's that?

But people do come out on WHVs and than apply for permanent residency either through employer sponsorship or independently - all the eligibility criteria being on Department of Immigration & Citizenship and plenty of threads in our visas and immigration sectionm sticky #4 there being a good read on priorities for processing.

But don't try and run before you can crawl and if I was coming out on a whv, I'd consider in your case [to save a bit more if you have to] leaving it until just before winter sets in for you next year and so you get here perhaps in November/December depending on where your winter is.

If you're UK/Europe way keep an eye on Welcome to AirAsia.com, The World's Best Low-Cost Airline for they were running just this week gone, UK to Malaysia at 133 pound and Malaysia to Australia for A$99 and they have sales pretty often.
There's quite a few links in other travel posts re travelling/living on the cheap that you can read up on.

Saving some extra money can help you have a break for several weeks but ideally to get yoursel set somewhere before end of year and work through to about end of financial year [or earlier] if you want to get that ATO classification/savings and then you could travel a couple of months up to warmer climes, Broome for pearling for money and the second WHV qualification but even without that, WWOOF Australia can help you qualify.
Hopefully you have enough money saved/earnt to so that you keep going through until the end of the tear again and then set yourself up for a second ATO residency classification.

By then you may have sorted out something more permanent.


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## Adam (Aug 16, 2009)

Thank you for the reply.

I can see you have put a lot of time and thought into your answers and i am so very grateful for it.

Its given me a lot to think about and i really am buzzing about it now.

I'm thinking the best time for me to leave to go to australia on a workers holiday visa would be november next year and this is now my goal. This would cut out the on coming winter here in england and i would be greeted by the australian summer! The start of november is also the end of my companies financial year which would be a good time for me to leave my job. Leaving at this time also gives me a year to save up and and think about booking everything in advance. I hope to have around 4000-5000 pounds after booking flights and everything to go out there with. Is this enough?

I have seen a website, ozintro which sets everything up for you and helps you get started out there. Is this a good idea to do and anyone have any past experience in getting set up in oz through this company?

Your idea in getting a job in the YHA interests me greatly and i will definately be looking into that. Is there a particular type of job that you would recommend to get me started out there? Another good idea was your sleepingwittheenemy suggestion. This looks good and would definately help me when im first out there. 

If i could describe my dream scenario of getting out there it would be this:

Get a cheapish one way flight
Get started with Ozintro?
Experience oz to the full for 1-2 months, whilst living in reasonably priced accommodation.
Find a part time/full time job to get some money flowing my way. 
Rent or find a group of people to stay with at a reasonable price.
Continue to experience oz whilst in a steady job.
Get a 2nd visa for another full year and carry on.

Is this realistic?

Thanks for your help again, you've given me a lot to think about and really given me a new boost to get this into motion.

Thanks

Adam


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## Wanderer (Jun 16, 2007)

Well you'll still be having this winter to come unless you're planning on heading somewhere else!

And that brings up something else you ought to consider as a possibility of a break and so much cheaper - Asia - and seeing as most cheap flights will be via there why not a month or so there to experience a different culture on as low as 10 pound a day and really living it up for 20-30.
Airasia fly to GC, Melbourne and Perth, but you can get cheap flights between GC or Brisbane to Sydney.

.UKP4000+ is a good starter, far more than what a lot do it on and I wouldn't bother trying to book too much ahead bar accommodation for first few days, maybe a week and between Xmas and NY if you head for Sydney or any other hot spots on east coast which a lot of backpackers from england and elsewhere do each year.
Start getting that sorted in June-August, the earlier the better for everyone wants to head for Sydney for NYE.
YHA have a new hostel right down by harbour with some rooftop harbour views, it not opening until about November and bookings for dates from 18 December open today, probably nearly fully booked even at $42/6 bed dorm or I think they have a special on for the Xmas -NYE period, likely dearer, but whatever it is, it'll be dirt cheap compared to what you would pay elsewhere for a rooftop fireworks view NYE.

I'd save my money rather than book with Oz Intro for really all they offer is bugger all when you can book things so easily online, open a bank account online before you get here and have money transferred into your account when still back home, easy enough to apply for a tax file number as soon as you're here.
Plane lands, you go through immigration and customs [make sure you declare anything, and even good to have something to declare for the line with declarations is often shorter and quicker], you get some Aussie cash from an ATM out of your UK bank account which you can leave open and with some money in it for Asia and as back-up if you like.

Get a sticker put in your passport re having a WHV [there's an immigration desk at Sydney Airport ] or if flying into another city, you'll have to go to an immi office in town.

There's easy enough transport by train/bus/shuttle systems, the latter being a little cheaper and will take you right to your hostel you've chosen and it could be that the enemy mob will have a waiting list and they do have a minimum booking period of 4 weeks unless it has changed so you could see about booking with them earlier and if something was available about the time you're arriving you may want to take it, even if it means paying for from a few days in advance.

And so you start exploring, having a good time, looking for a job - what sort of job? - well if you want to be somewhere and set for that six months to get the tax advantage, what is your skill base? or if looking for something more casual, check the notice boards and free magazines/guides in hostels and see what's on offer.

Without the booking too far ahead, do have a rough plan and if something comes up that has you thinking of a change you'll know what in your plan would be affected and whether it's just means rescheduling.
You'd be anazed at the number of people who have no concept of weather patterns here in Oz, come out, have a blast in Sydney [many end up near broke, so be wary on how good a time you have and keep your finances to yourself] and then many decide they want to head to Cairns after NYE, great time for worst weather up that way.


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