Links and information that may come in useful if you're thinking of moving to Australia
Immigration process
The immigration process for Australia is a very complex subject. This section is a list of information and links that I found useful when applying for "Independant skilled migration".
- Skilled migration homepage at DIMIA - http://www.immi.gov.au/migration/skilled/index.htm
- This is the best place to start. It gives lots of information about the application process, where to find forms and information booklets.
- Basic requirements - http://www.immi.gov.au/migration/skilled/basic_requirements.htm
- You will need to meet all of these requirements. This does not mean that you will be approved for immigration, but it's a good start.
- Australia computing society - http://www.acs.org.au/
- If you choose skilled migration you will need to have you occupation assessed. My occupation fell under the category of network administrator and as such needed to be assessed by the Australian computing society. For other occupations see the form "1121i". The assessment cost approximately A$350 (correct as of June 2002)
- Medical tests - http://www.immi.gov.au/facts/22health.htm
- Excluding the main application the medical tests can be the most expensive and complex steps in your application. This site shows you information on what will be tested and how to go about arranging the tests. Expect to pay somewhere in the region of A$300-400 per applicant.
- austimeline.com - http://www.austimeline.com/
- The application process can be time consuming and frustrating. This site will give you an idea of how long it will take for your application to reach various steps in the process, along with helpful hints on dealing with various hurdles along the way. Please note that DIMIA say the estimated duration from application to decision is approximately 50weeks.
Other stuff you may need to think about
- domain.com.au (housing and property website) - http://www.domain.com.au/
- One of the most important aspects of moving will be finding somewhere to live, this site should give you an idea of what to expect when renting or buying a property in the area you intend to live.
- whereis.com.au - http://www.whereis.com.au/
- A useful map site, helpful for finding locations of rental properties and how far they are from the beach.
- Aussie slang dictionary - http://www.koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html
- The basic requirements only say you need to speak english, but I'd recommend getting to grips with some of the local lingo and phrases.
