australia

[HeaveHo]

My wee brother is over there on a years working visa, in Sydney and has got a bricklaying job and already sponsored with the firm. He hadn't been working over here properly for two years and decided to head over. I hope it works out well for him and he stays, though i miss him, it will be better for him 

There doesn't seem to be much work here or potential work here for a while

Will give me a good reason to head over for a visit. Every cloud.......

It was a $1 a brick for good brickies awhile back - not sure of the rates now. Bricklayers will become rare in Australia in time as there is move towards prefab walls (pre formed tilt up panels) or pressed cement panels. Apparently the latter options are stronger, cheaper, quicker (the usual dribble).

[Radda bout yeee]

Just doing some maths here for the future and I would appreciate help:

Cost of getting out to australia:

Visa? £200??
Open Ended Flight? £900??
Bank Balance to Prove you are able to support yourself? £2000??

Are these estimates reasonable?

[blewuporstuffed]

Just doing some maths here for the future and I would appreciate help:

Cost of getting out to australia:

Visa? £200??
Open Ended Flight? £900??
Bank Balance to Prove you are able to support yourself? £2000??

Are these estimates reasonable?

sounds about right, although i'm not sure they actually check your bank balance unless you only have a one way ticket

[Radda bout yeee]

Just doing some maths here for the future and I would appreciate help:

Cost of getting out to australia:

Visa? £200??
Open Ended Flight? £900??
Bank Balance to Prove you are able to support yourself? £2000??

Are these estimates reasonable?

sounds about right, although i'm not sure they actually check your bank balance unless you only have a one way ticket

Cheers

[hairyhog]

Just doing some maths here for the future and I would appreciate help:

Cost of getting out to australia:

Visa? £200??
Open Ended Flight? £900??
Bank Balance to Prove you are able to support yourself? £2000??

Are these estimates reasonable?

Landed here a few weeks ago and I would say you need a fair bit more.

Obviously the flights will change in price depending on what season you book for, so £800-£1200 is a reasonable return price, check online prices for a guide with skyscanner/ethihad/emirates,etc.
Visa is in the region of £250 now I think, although when I flew STA travel were offering a free one year working holiday visa if you arrived in Queensland(Cairns/Brisbane).

I think you've underestimated the amount you need in spending money, legally you are meant to have $5000(around £3250) and although I have heard of noone who has been asked for it by immigration, it is the absolute minimum you'll need, I would say closer to £5000 if you want to do any travelling or foresee yourself being out of work for much longer than a month when you arrive.

The cost of living is way ahead of that at home, double the price of everything and then some for almost everything-groceries, rent, booze, etc, etc

It will depend on what line of work you do but by the time you have a car, deposit for somewhere to live, induction/safety papers, work gear, tools, not to mention a welcome rip or two you'll need every penny.

[Radda bout yeee]

Just doing some maths here for the future and I would appreciate help:

Cost of getting out to australia:

Visa? £200??
Open Ended Flight? £900??
Bank Balance to Prove you are able to support yourself? £2000??

Are these estimates reasonable?

Landed here a few weeks ago and I would say you need a fair bit more.

Obviously the flights will change in price depending on what season you book for, so £800-£1200 is a reasonable return price, check online prices for a guide with skyscanner/ethihad/emirates,etc.
Visa is in the region of £250 now I think, although when I flew STA travel were offering a free one year working holiday visa if you arrived in Queensland(Cairns/Brisbane).

I think you've underestimated the amount you need in spending money, legally you are meant to have $5000(around £3250) and although I have heard of noone who has been asked for it by immigration, it is the absolute minimum you'll need, I would say closer to £5000 if you want to do any travelling or foresee yourself being out of work for much longer than a month when you arrive.

The cost of living is way ahead of that at home, double the price of everything and then some for almost everything-groceries, rent, booze, etc, etc

It will depend on what line of work you do but by the time you have a car, deposit for somewhere to live, induction/safety papers, work gear, tools, not to mention a welcome rip or two you'll need every penny.

Some more good advice! Thanks! - time to start saving then I take it!!!

[lfdown2]

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/joondalup-area/tradesmen-labour/bricklayer-/1000009864?mobile=false

Just seen this on twitter.

[seafoid]

Since I was in Australia three years ago the AU$ has strengthened considerably. When I was out there at the start it was approx STG£1 = AU$2.20. Now it's about STG£1 = AU$1.50. It means anyone looking to go to the country on a WHV will need even more pounds or Euro to meet the AU$5k threshold you're meant to enter the country with but as already mentioned it rarely is check for unless you're suspicious. I was able to cover that with funds of about £2,300 - now you'll need around a £1000 extra.

Cheapest time to get flights to Australia from Ireland is in June/July, in the Australian winter, while flights around Christmas/New Year are the most expensive. I got £850 return for a flight out of Heathrow in late June with Emirates at a time when oil prices were high (US$150 a barrel).

Cost of living is much more expensive than home in some elements and the same if not cheaper in others. Rent in many parts of Sydney and Melbourne is insanely high, it's forced many locals to move out towards the suburbs and beyond where even some of the regional towns that at one time would have been their own areas are starting to be dormitories to the capitals. For food shopping it's probably best to check out the likes of the main supermarkets, Coles, Woolworths and Aldi. Some farmers markets can give good produce for fruit and veg though at a good price if you're willing to make your own meals.

Another thing to remember - Australia is HUGE! Distances that would seem far in Ireland are nothing over there, if you want to get from one place to another reasonably quickly that's over 150km away, internal flights are probably the way to go. However if you are doing some planning as to where to go and you're in no real hurry, taking a Greyhound coach is an option and they often have good offers on popular routes. Within the cities, public transport is generally good though in Sydney especially they come down tough on fare dodgers - always retain your ticket.

P.S. HeaveHo - I wasn't talking BS, but thanks for tying up some things.

In the medium term that's going to slow Australia down. All booms eventually die and economic changes speed up the process. 

[mannix]

Do the kangaroos really make that " tut,tut" noise that skippy used to make?

[Bord na Mona man]

Do the kangaroos really make that " tut,tut" noise that skippy used to make?

Years ago during class in national school, a fella let out the same whistle that the little boy (Sonny?) did at the start of the opening credits for Skippy.
The opening sonnet in the teacher's volley of chastisement was 'tut, tut, tut, tut, tut'.
A great moment!

[Nally Stand]

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/joondalup-area/tradesmen-labour/bricklayer-/1000009864?mobile=false

Just seen this on twitter.

Think it would be rude not to message this p***k

EDIT: I see the ad is no longer there!

[thejuice]

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/joondalup-area/tradesmen-labour/bricklayer-/1000009864?mobile=false

Just seen this on twitter.

It seems some of our more recent arrivals in Australia have been letting us down.

Shame, some lads just need to calm down. There's nothing special or distinguished about drinking yourself into a stupor but for some they think being Irish will excuse showing up at work drunk or hungover and laugh it off.

[LeoMc]

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/joondalup-area/tradesmen-labour/bricklayer-/1000009864?mobile=false

Just seen this on twitter.

It seems some of our more recent arrivals in Australia have been letting us down.

Shame, some lads just need to calm down. There's nothing special or distinguished about drinking yourself into a stupor but for some they think being Irish will excuse showing up at work drunk or hungover and laugh it off.

There was a discussion on this just prior to Christmas.

http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=20864.0