Saturday, May 16, 2015

The 20 hardest jobs to fill in Australia


Australian businesses are struggling to fill vacant positions, especially IT roles, according to research published today by one of the world’s largest job sites.
Despite rising national unemployment, companies are finding it tough to bring on board their ideal candidate – with an average one in four job vacancies remaining unfilled after a month.
Data released by recruitment platform Indeed and the Centre for Economics and Business Research reveals over 10% of job vacancies in Australia are unfilled after three months.
While the hospitality sector was found to have the greatest difficulty in recruiting new employees – with more than a fifth of advertised positions still open after three months – more than a third of the 20 hardest jobs to fill in Australia are IT roles. These include software engineers, analysts and IT professionals.
While Sydney has the highest proportion of job vacancies, with an estimated 14.4% of job vacancies taking three or more months to fill, Adelaide had the lowest proportion of vacancies and only 12.3% of advertised positions are still available after three months.
A lack of skills in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) has long caused a headache for Australian businesses, with the Australian Industry Group finding last month around half of companies struggle to recruit people with the right STEM skills.
The 20 most difficult jobs to fill in Australia are:
1. Actuaries
2. First-line supervisors/managers of non-retail sales workers
3. Sales representatives
4. Software quality assurance engineers and testers
5. Sales engineers
6. Sales and related workers
7. Management analysts
8. Computer software engineers
9. Network and computer systems administrators
10. Network systems and data communications analysts
11. Personal financial advisors
12. Travel agents
13. Accountants and auditors
14. Securities, commodities and financial services agents
15. Computer systems analysts
16. Training and development specialists
17. Sales managers
18. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
19. Human resources managers
20. Computer and information systems managers

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Australia Office at +61 456 431 058, +61 423 469 569, +61 405 439 278, +61 397 984 241  
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or mail us at info@australianeducationagents.com and our expert team will help you understand the whole process. So what are you waiting for?
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Low Cost Programs in Australia


So you think that you want to study in Australia right? First thing that have probably come to your mind during your decision-making process is how much your education is going to cost. Fortunately, there are a lot of factors that can play into the costs of studying in Australia. Where the institution is located, whether the university is public or private, and what level of study that you are pursuing all factor into how much it's going to cost you to attend university.

 One good thing about being an international student that is going to Australia to study is that you can pay your course fees before you even start attending. This will surly help you with many ways. As an example you can budgeting during your schooling and it can also help you with saving up money for your education before you even end up in Australia. Sounds good right?

 If you are looking to attend university in Australia, then here are some of the low numbers that you will be looking at when looking at your educational career in the country.

 Note: All values are estimated using the Australian Dollar (AUD).
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Australia Office at +61 456 431 058, +61 423 469 569, +61 405 439 278, +61 397 984 241  
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or mail us at info@australianeducationagents.com and our expert team will help you understand the whole process. So what are you waiting for?

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Friday, May 15, 2015

Driving License in Australia


The information provided in the following article applies to any one who plans to stay in Australia for quite a long time and needs to drive around. The information provided is only related to Class C driving licenses. For other licenses such as taxi, bus, heavy vehicle, etc, please check the respective RTA websites.

Can I use my country's driving license?

Okay! For the impatient one, I will answer the most frequently asked question stated in bold. Yes you can use your country's driving licence in Australia.
If you hold a current overseas Driver's Licence of a particular class you may drive a vehicle of an equivalent class in Australia if:
  • you also hold a current international driving permit
  • your foreign licence is written in English or is accompanied by an English translation of the details on the licence. Translation services are provided by different state government agencies e.g.www.translate.sa.gov.au. www.crc.nsw.gov.au/interpreting/index.htm
  • you are not disqualified from driving in Australia.
You are required to carry your license (and English translation if applicable) at all times when driving. You must produce the license and your temporary visa to Police on request.

If you are an international student in Australia, you can use your country's driving license for as long as you have the status of an international student. But, as the following article explains, it is in one's own interests to acquire an Australian driving license.


Why Should I get an Australian Driving License?
  1. It serves as your primary identification document. Every where you go, you will be asked for your driving license e.g. credit cards, police checks, etc.
  2. Most jobs involving driving require you to have a class C, also known as full driving license. Without a class C license, the insurance companies charge extra for covering you in case of an accident or emergency. Therefore, it is best to have a class C driving license.

How to get a class C Australian license

If you are coming from overseas, make sure you bring your home country's driving license. Your home country's driving license must be at least 3 years old at the date of application for your Australian driving license. If your home country's driving license is less then 3 years, you will not be awarded a full unrestricted driving license. Rather, you would be given a provisional license. Provisional licenses have their own restrictions like not driving over a specific speed limit etc.

Once you have your home country's driving license, just walk up to any RTA close by, and present your self at the counter. Depending upon which country you are from, you might not have to give any tests to convert your country's driving license into a full Australian driving license. You can check that list on the RTA's website.

If you are coming from the sub-continent, you will need to pass two exams before you convert your home country's full driving license into a class C Australian driving license.

The first exam is a computer based test comprising of forty MCQs related to basic concepts of driving and have familiarity with the different traffic signs used in Australia. The complete pool of MCQs can be downloaded from the RTAs website. This test costs around $40 AUD.

The second test is a practical test in which an instructor accompanies you on a short drive and tries to assess your driving skills. It is advisable to get some pre-test coaching from a qualified driving instructor who can teach you how to pass the exam. Most candidates cannot clear the practical driving test because of their lack of knowledge regarding basic driving concepts.

Call Our Office:

Australia Office at +61 456 431 058, +61 423 469 569, +61 405 439 278, +61 397 984 241  
Sri Lankan Office at +94 (11) 222 67 51, +94 (11) 222 67 52, +94 778 481 494, +94 775 254 255, +94 756 550 002
or mail us at info@australianeducationagents.com and our expert team will help you understand the whole process. So what are you waiting for?
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Just arrived in Australia. What next?

So you have just landed in Australia and you are completely clueless to about what to do in order to get all settled, up and running.


Okay here are some things you should try to get done as quickly as possible upon your arrival in Australia.

  1. Apply for a Tax File Number. To GET A JOB IN AUSTRALIA, you must have a Tax File Number, TFN. You can apply for a Tax File number online by visiting the Australian Tax Office's website www.ato.gov.au You can apply for the TFN while you are overseas if you know the residential address of the place where you are going to live. You can also give your friend's residential address. Once you have your TFN, most employers will have no problem employing you. **Please note that by law, you have to wait till your university confirms your enrollment to the immigration department before you can apply for your new student visa which allows you to work 20 hours per week. The visa that is stamped on your passport in the Australian embassy of your country doesn't allow you to work 20 hours. You have to get it changed when you arrive in Australia. You can apply for it as soon as your university confirms your enrollment to the immigration department. But that doesn't stop you from applying for a TFN. You can still apply for TFN and later on once your university confirms you enrollment to the immigration department, you can then apply for the student visa which allows you to work 20 hours per week.**
  2. Ok, now that you have your TFN, it would be wise to have your visa changed and get the new visa stamped on your passport. As mentioned in point number 1, you can do that as soon as your university confirms your enrollment to the Immigration department, DIAC. Normally this happens between 2 to 4 weeks of the start of the semester. Good. now you are all set to start finding a job. 
  3. One of the most important things you must do asap is to get an Australian class C driving license. If you want to get a FULL unrestricted Class C Australian driving license, you must bring from your home country, a driving license which is three years old at the time of your application. If you can get a full unrestricted class C driving license in Australia, you can find lots of jobs which require your to drive. So getting to learn driving vehicles is one skill you should have before you come to Australia.
  4. The next step should be to apply for a credit card. Getting credit cards is a tricky business. Having a credit card helps you in having a credit history. If you have a good credit history, you can have access to lots of credit which means you can buy things which you normally cannot. .
So the above mentioned 5 steps are the most basic steps which you must follow in order to quickly get settled down and get going with your life.
Call Our Office:

Australia Office at +61 456 431 058, +61 423 469 569, +61 405 439 278, +61 397 984 241  
Sri Lankan Office at +94 (11) 222 67 51, +94 (11) 222 67 52, +94 778 481 494, +94 775 254 255, +94 756 550 002
or mail us at info@australianeducationagents.com and our expert team will help you understand the whole process. So what are you waiting for?
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The Cost of Living in Australia

Houses:
Visit those links
Cars:
Here are some great resources for checking out the price of cars in Australia. The first one is the big one; it’s where both private sellers and dealers can advertise their cars for sale online.
Here are some other options to search for second hand cars, in fact all…
Second Hand Stuff
Not just a place to buy and sell second hand stuff using video instead of conventional listings, but a great website to discover emerging handmade designers and entrepreneurs…
Then there’s …
Food:
Our two major supermarkets here are called Coles and Woolworths. We used to have a couple of independent websites that would check both of these supermarkets prices side-by-side, but sadly those websites no longer exist. So it’s down to checking out Coles and Woolworths separately…
So click below to find out the prices for your grocery shopping…
Utilities:
This is a difficult one, because there is gas, electricity, water and telephony as well as rates. Prices vary from state to state too and with eight states there would be a lot of links.
To make things worse, utility companies hide their pricing structures behind plans, tariffs, peak times, off-peak times, they build in surcharges, standing charges and sometimes make the whole lot inaccessible by insisting you enter your address and postcode before giving you a price.
Electricity:
 There are really only three tariffs to look at.
Domestic
Super Economy Plan
Economy Plan
When comparing prices it only makes sense when you compare like-for-like. With this particular cost of living exercise that is sure going to be difficult. 
The Australian tariffs were slightly easier to understand in so much as the economy plan tariffs were simple night rate tariffs that could be connected to certain appliances, namely your water heaters and swimming pool filters and some permanently connected freezers. 
Anyway, forgetting the economy plans the cost for domestic electricity here in Australia is 17.13c per kwh.
And solar…
Water:
Water prices in Australia are the best kept secret in the world. Here are links to five of states water suppliers.
Here’s a tip though, don’t bother trying to look for prices, life is too short.
Telephony:
The national telephone company here in Australia is called Telstra. You can find out about their various plans here…
Clothing and small household items:
The following three stores are among the most popular in Australia. So they are like a mix of John Lewis, Debenhams and Marks & Spencer’s, but if anything, a little downmarket. You can buy all sorts of stuff from these people and their websites now show pictures and prices….
Baby and Nursery Goods
Insurances:
There are hundreds of insurance companies, all will require you to speak with them at length before they will quote you a price. 
Electrical goods:
This is one of Australia’s biggest electrical goods retailers, but more important than that, they have a good website….
Entertainment:
I’ve divided entertainment into 3 sections, alcohol, TV and going to the pub! Use these links to find the prices of alcohol and your digital TV package.
Find bargains here:
And for product reviews, go here….
Call Our Office:
Australia Office at +61 456 431 058, +61 423 469 569, +61 405 439 278, +61 397 984 241  
Sri Lankan Office at +94 (11) 222 67 51, +94 (11) 222 67 52, +94 778 481 494, +94 775 254 255, +94 756 550 002
or mail us at info@australianeducationagents.com and our expert team will help you understand the whole process. So what are you waiting for?
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The Cost of Buying or Renting a House in Australia

There are some raging debates going on over at the blog about the cost of housing here in Australia. The debate, of course, is are houses cheaper in the UK or in Australia?
Go back to 2007, Australian houses were a fair bit cheaper and much bigger. Right now, middle of 2011, there’s probably not that much in it in terms of cost, but you still get a much bigger house for your money here.
What the future holds, who knows? For those of you who are exchanging British currency from the sale of your UK home and changing it into Australian dollars to buy a house here, the exchange rate is everything. As exchange rates can change fast, how the prices compare largely depends on what day you turn up.
All you can do is shop and compare. And the best place to do that is on Australia’s number one real estate website called realestate.com.au.
It’s easy to go shopping for houses:
  1. Click on which state you want to live in.
  2. Type in the suburbs you are interested in, or highlight them from the drop-down menu.
  3. Then select your preferences; number of bedrooms, type of property and a minimum and maximum price.
  4. Hit the big red search button.

Do you want to buy or rent?

You can also search for new home and land packages if you want to build a new house of your own chosen design.
Happy house hunting!

More useful links:

Some of these posts are a little out of date now, but they are still worth a look….
Finding a Job and Somewhere to Live in Australia
Australia vs England at House Prices
The Cost of Living in Australia: House Prices
The Cost of Living in Australia: House Prices Revised
The Cost of Living in Australia: House Prices Part Four
Cost of Living in Australia: Stamp Duty.

Call Our Office:
Australia Office at +61 456 431 058, +61 423 469 569, +61 405 439 278, +61 397 984 241  
Sri Lankan Office at +94 (11) 222 67 51, +94 (11) 222 67 52, +94 778 481 494, +94 775 254 255, +94 756 550 002
or mail us at info@australianeducationagents.com and our expert team will help you understand the whole process. So what are you waiting for?
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6 Ways to Emigrate to Australia

Many international students want to settle Australia for good. Most students start their employment on temporary work visa, which only allows them to work for limited period.
This temporary work visa acts as stepping stone towards Permanent Residency or PR. PR holders and their families can remain and work in Australia for indefinite time.
Employer Sponsored Workers
If you can find an employer who is prepared to offer you a job, this can be the quickest way to get your first foot into Australia. It can easily lead to a permanent residency. Work for the same employer for two years, keep your nose clean and apply for residency.
This works for approved skills only and provided the employer can satisfy the government that no Australian worker is available for the job. For highly skilled jobs it is possible to come straight in on a permanent visa, dependent upon available schemes.
Professionals and other Skilled Migrants
Or the General Skilled Migration program, as it is also known. This for those over 18 and under 45 years old (Update: Now 50) who speak good English. The jobs lists are a bit of a minefield but there seems to be the Skilled Occupation List (SOL), Critical Skills List (CSL), Employer Nominated Skilled Occupation List (ENSOL) and the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL).

Business People

This option is only available to those over 18 and under 45 years of age (Update: Now 50). Known as a Business Skills Visa, you will need to establish or INVEST in an Australian business.
Provided your business successfully complies with the requirements, for example, by employing the necessary number of Australians, this too can lead to permanent residency. I believe buying a franchise can work.

Doctors and Nurses

There is a shortage of both doctors and nurses and as such there are many opportunities for those with qualifications to move to Australia on a permanent basis. 

Investor Retirement

Finally, if you are over 55 and without dependents, excluding your spouse, and can prove you are self funded, it is possible to retire in Australia. You will not get a permanent residency but you do get a four year visa. You can re-apply each time it is up for renewal and as long as you still satisfy the requirements, it is likely to be renewed.
The conditions that apply these visas has now changed, check out immi/retirement visas for more up-to-date information.

Working Holiday Visa (WHV)

The Working Holiday Visa is clearly not permanent. But for those aged between 18 and 30 it’s a fantastic way of visiting the country to see if you like it. You are allowed to work for the entire period if you wish, although you can only work for a maximum of six months with any one employer.
However, if you have a skill which is in demand here, then coming over for 12 months and demonstrating your skills to a number of employers may well lead to a Employer Sponsored job offer. This could be one of the fastest ways to get here in small steps. Holiday Visa – Sponsored Visa – Permanent Visa.
The WHV and the similar Work and Holiday visas are only available to passport holders from qualifying countries, at the time of writing (see the Australian Government website for updates) they are…
WHV: Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.
Work and holiday: Argentina, Bangladesh, Chile, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Thailand, Turkey and the USA.
Call Our Office:
Australia Office at +61 456 431 058, +61 423 469 569, +61 405 439 278, +61 397 984 241  
Sri Lankan Office at +94 (11) 222 67 51, +94 (11) 222 67 52, +94 778 481 494, +94 775 254 255, +94 756 550 002
or mail us at info@australianeducationagents.com and our expert team will help you understand the whole process. So what are you waiting for?

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