It’s that time of year again in Canada; students are back at school, the days are getting shorter and you are remembering those summer strolls on the beach, camping or hanging on a patio. If you are not currently a Leading Out teacher and kicking back in Australia, this might tempt you to join our southern hemisphere teachers who are now gearing up for spring. Trust us, they are not looking for winter jacket sales and de-icer for their locks.
There’s no time like the present to start picturing yourself living abroad, meeting new and interesting people, and building on your skills in a new classroom environment. If you are already well seasoned traveler teaching abroad, or a new educator, here are a few reasons why you should consider Melbourne. For the first time in nearly 10 years Vancouver has been bumped from the number one spot as the top city to live. By a two point lead Melbourne has taken over and come out on top. A recent article by the Economist has ranked cities according to their live-ability which is defined by a number of factors. Check it out: at http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2011/08/liveability-ranking.
If you are looking for variety, unique experiences and immersing yourself in a laid back culture start the search for a teaching job or travel experience that Leading Out can offer! For those who have recently arrived, don’t forget the city of Melbourne’s public transportation makes it easy for you to visit new metropolitan destinations. Before planning an adventure, visit www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au to make transit simple and hassle free. There’s plenty to discover. For the most recent happenings in Melbourne we suggest visiting the City of Melbourne web page to read up on dining and nightlife, festivals, art and culture etc. It’s easy to see why Melbourne is the new number one city to live!
The chill is in the air and I bet for many of you Canadian teachers, all you can think about is Term 2 teaching holidays in Melbourne. Wondering where you should go?
1) Uluru – OISE student teachers and other Leading Out teachers just returned from a great 4 day camping trip to the Outback and they have said it was incredible!
2) Great Barrier Reef – don’t miss one of the 7 wonders of the world.
3) Tasmania – a secret haven not to be missed (although cold this time of year so may want to consider a summer visit!).
3) Moonlight Cinema in Royal Botanical Gardens. A fantastic way to watch movie under the stars. You can even rent beanbag chairs! Starts Dec 16th.
4) Rooftop Cinema in the City. Starts Dec 1st right in the heart of Melbourne.
Are you spending Christmas in Melbourne?
Well don’t miss the beautifully decorated Crown Casino where they come alive every half an hour in the evenings over December. They also have a Christmas Choir that usually sings two times each night.
Christmas activities are always going on at Federation Square and the Docklands. Also don’t forget the famous Myer’s Christmas Display. Go to What’s on Melbourne for more details.
There is nothing like going to the market to pick up your fresh veggies, fruit, meat, etc. and all of us who are from the Northern Hemisphere, we don’t get to do this for about 4 months of the year.
Melbourne’s markets are open all year long!
Not only are the open all year, but there are markets across the city. Many people go to the touristy and very popular Queen Victoria Market, but have you gone somewhere more convenient to you? White Hat is a great website that gives details, addresses, etc. for all Markets in Melbourne and across Australia.
Stop going to the Grocery Store (Supermarket) in Australia!
As teachers in Australia, we are always looking to save money. Stop shopping at the expensive grocery stores and go to the market. Not only are you buying local produce and supporting small businesses, but it is cheaper! My favourite is Footscray Market. The fish, seafood, and meat are by far the cheapest I have found. Also it is surrounded by Vietnamese stores and restaurants so if you want a good feed, this is the place for you!
But how about Dandenong Market, South Melbourne Market, Prahran, St.Andrew’s etc… The list is never ending so there’s nothing stopping you from getting fresh produce for a fraction of the price.
As mentioned in one of our latest blogs on the Working Holiday Visa in Australia, it is a one year visa and can be extended by doing particular work for 3-months in your first year. Most of our work is with teachers who want to teach during their first year of the 417 Working Holiday visa, but there are options during the year, where work can be done to get a 2nd Working Holiday visa in Australia.
Why would you want a Second Working Holiday Visa?
We explain to our teachers, that the 417 Working Holiday visa lets them work and travel throughout Australia for an entire year doing whatever they like. The only major stipulation is that they can only work with one employer for up to 6 months. Once the Working Holiday visa is over, it is much more difficult to stay. Likely most will need to obtain a full-time position and get sponsored by an employer. This is called the 457 Business Sponsorship visa and you are then bound to that employer and cannot work with anyone else.
The benefit of getting the Second Working Holiday visa, is it allows you to continue working as many jobs as you want in Australia, while travelling, and you are not bound to any employer. This is fantastic for teachers who are enjoying casual relief teaching, tutoring, holiday programs, and perhaps picking up jobs during vacation at a surf shop or in a bar etc. You won’t be able to do this on the Business Sponsorship visa.
So how do you obtain a Second Working Holiday Visa?
During your first Working Holiday visa, you must spend 3 months doing specified work in rural areas in Australia. For teachers this works well to complete the 3 months over the summer and term holidays.
The Specified work can be found on the Immigration site and some examples include:
picking fruits on a farm or orchard
feeding and herding cattle which are kept for commercial purposes
constructing a house
extracting ore on a mine site.
This work can be paid or volunteer work. Another fantastic organization is WWoofing where you volunteer your time to do work, and your board and food are included. There are many fantastic opportunities to travel and see the country, while WWoofing and making a difference. Plus this will assist you with your 3-months specified work towards a Second Working Holiday visa.
Just remember, the Working Holiday visa is unique and no other visa (as an overseas visitor) will give you the flexibility that you will want while travelling and working in Australia!
If you haven’t used Skype before, then you are missing out especially if you are overseas. We made the conscious decision to start using Skype with Canadian teachers interested in teaching in Australia (and UK and USA teachers) before they arrived, so that they learned about this tool early.
In one of our most recent blog articles, Homesickness while in Australia, we talk about how hard the first 3-months are, but then don’t give you many solutions to deal with this. Well one is Skype! It is FREE for you and for your family, friends, partner, etc. This means that even while teaching in Australia, you don’t have to worry about the expensive overseas calling rates, and can just use Skype. It will become your best friend and to make it even better, you can SEE them too! All you need is a webcam, or perhaps your laptop has a built in one, so it makes it feel like they are right beside you.
My suggestion is, sign up for an account now, and you will be surprised how many people are actually on it, even if you are not overseas yet. This way, when you are already on your computer, you can have a quick chat with someone too!
Ten years ago when I first travelling to Melbourne, Australia, Skype didn’t exist, or Facebook, and I was lucky to even have my family using internet regularly. Now back in Melbourne, having skype to quickly call my friends and family in Canada, makes such a difference to my enjoyment and love for living in Australia.
All you need to know about the Working Holiday Visa when coming to Australia:
You must be under 31 to be eligible for the Working Holiday Visa (WHV),
Only certain countries are eligible (go to www.immi.gov.au) for more information.
It is a one year visa and you can only work with one employer for up to 6 months (this means if you get hired with a school then you can only work with them for 6-months and then you would need to have the school sponsor you (457 Business Sponsorship visa) if they wanted to keep you longer.)
To get a second WHV, you must work a minimum of 3 months in an agricultural setting in Australia while on your first Working Holiday visa. It will need to be signed off and you then can get a second one-year working holiday visa.
The WHV is the only visa you can work as many jobs as you want, so take advantage of this (ex. you could be teaching in a school, tutoring on the side, working at a bar on the weekends, working at a surf shop over the school holidays).
The WHV can be applied for online and doesn’t take too long to get approval.
Keep your approval email somewhere safe, as you might need your visa details if you do end up applying for any other visas.
For any additional information, go to www.immi.gov.au. We also have other information on what to consider when moving to Australia and more specifically to Melbourne.
When working and travelling in Australia, one term that will likely be new to you, is superannuation. But it is important to understand what it is and what you are legally eligible for.
What is Superannuation?
It is similar to a pension plan but in Australia they call it Superannuation. When working here, you will notice that you don’t often receive benefits or medical extras from your employer when working full-time and this is the same whether you are Australian or from overseas. BUT, you get super!
If you get paid more than $450/month by your employer, then legally they must pay a minimum of 9% of your salary into a superannuation fund. This is ON TOP of your salary and not something that comes out of your salary. Your employer will deposit this into your superannuation account likely on a quarterly or biannually basis. This means, they help you save nearly 10% without even realizing it!
When can I receive my Superannuation?
The good news is, that for many of you, you will be working and travelling on the Working Holiday visa, which means that once you decide to leave the country permanently, you can get your superannuation back right away. They government will tax it but you usually get about 70% of it back. If however you stay in Australia and end up becoming a Permanent Resident, then you won’t be able to get your superannuation back until you retire!
For more information on what the government has to say about superannuation, click ATO superannuation.
If you have ever been to Canada (and now parts of the United States), you would have experienced Tim Hortons. If you live in Australia and ever do go to visit Canada, stop in to Tim Hortons (don’t worry you will find them on every corner).
Why do people love Tim Hortons so much?
1) It has quality food and drinks for cheap. I was just back in Canada for a visit now that I live in Australia and I ordered two muffins, a bagel with cream cheese, a coffee and a chocolate milk for under $5. Now that is a steal!
2) The coffee…now this is something that not everyone agrees on. Once you have sat down at a nice cafe in Melbourne, Australia or perhaps Italy sipping your cappiccino, it is hard to go back and really think Tim Hortons coffee is quality! However some people are die hard fans and won’t ever give it up!
3) The Donuts: Fresh, tasty, yummy! What else is there to say about them, other than, if you don’t want a whole one, then get a Timbit!
Our suggestion: Buy a can of Tim Hortons coffee and take it with you when you go and travel or live in Australia. Hmmm… you could try the donuts somewhere else in Australia but unless you go to Krispy Cream donuts, you won’t find anything quite like Tim Hortons!
As teachers in Australia, we are always looking to save money. Stop 
The coffee…now this is something that not everyone agrees on. Once you have sat down at a nice cafe in Melbourne, Australia or perhaps Italy sipping your cappiccino, it is hard to go back and really think Tim Hortons coffee is quality! However some people are die hard fans and won’t ever give it up!
