I said at the start of writing this blog that one of the main goals I wanted to achieve was learning to be more flexible and to go with the flow. I am someone who loves plans, and lists, and schedules. So travelling the world has been a great way for me to relax and just think, you know what? It doesn't matter if this doesn't go as planned, because it's just not that important.
And the last couple of weeks have been the biggest test so far. My granddad back in the UK died two weeks ago, sending me into a manic phase of trying to organise a way to fly back and attend the funeral. Absolutely everything was up in the air, and I was so lucky to be staying with family here, because they've given me a safe base where I can try to sort everything out.
The main thing I've been trying to sort was the possibility of my return flights being covered by my travel insurance, which I bought through True Traveller, underwritten by Global Response. And they have been absolute gems. The customer service was fantastic and they're 24 hours, with an office in the UK and in New Zealand.
We were batting back and forth, first they didn't think that I would be able to apply for my flights to be covered before buying them, and they would only be able to reimburse the cost after the fact. A couple of days later I spoke to them again and they said that they would try to push it through beforehand so I'd know if my claim was going to be successful or not. What followed was an insane couple of days, with me getting paperwork from various people together and sending it into them.
I had a phone conversation with the insurance company a couple of days ago, and the woman handling my case said that they hadn't come to an official decision, but it wasn't looking likely my claim would be successful. So I spoke to my family and had quite a blue day, knowing that I was going to miss the funeral, and the idea of seeing my family and friends was going to be snatched away from me.
Yesterday morning I had a phone call while I was still in bed, and the woman on the other end of the line asked which of the two flight itineraries she'd emailed me I wanted to choose.
My claim had been successful. And I am now flying home next weekend, for the maximum two weeks the insurance company allows. I paid the excess of GBP35, and that's covering my return flights Melbourne to my hometown. I could not be happier.
Australia is so similar to the UK, and the winter weather here in Melbourne is definitely familiar, plus I'm staying with family, so I haven't been feeling homesick. I did in South America, but from New Zealand onwards I've been in familiar territory. But I do miss my friends and family, and it's important for me to be at the funeral next week.
Luckily for me, both my jobs here have been incredibly cool about the situation. The French cafe and the fancy restaurant both told me not to worry and that my jobs would still exist when I get back. And considering I've worked at each of them for two weeks, I count myself very lucky that they're not just dismissing me straight away.
So the true cost of going home is 35 pounds plus two weeks' wages. But I think it's worth it.
So there's a lesson in being flexible. And with me being a couple of weeks off the halfway mark of my trip, I can't argue with the timeliness.
Britain - I'm coming for you!
Saturday, 19 July 2014
Monday, 14 July 2014
How do you get an RSA certificate for Australia?
The Responsible Serving of Alcohol (RSA) certificate allows you to serve alcohol in licensed establishments in the state that it was issued in. Every Australian state has different RSA requirements, so if you move states you'll need to get a new certificate.
Almost all jobs that involve alcohol require you to have one, so it's worth doing. I just googled for "RSA Melbourne" and chose one of the courses. It cost $39 and lasted four hours. There was a test at the end, with a pass rate of 70%, but no one failed, and they had everyone's certificates printed before the course had even started. It's that kind of course.
Having it definitely came in handy when I was job-hunting. It went straight on my resume and was just another thing I could (truthfully) say yes to in interviews.
Almost all jobs that involve alcohol require you to have one, so it's worth doing. I just googled for "RSA Melbourne" and chose one of the courses. It cost $39 and lasted four hours. There was a test at the end, with a pass rate of 70%, but no one failed, and they had everyone's certificates printed before the course had even started. It's that kind of course.
Having it definitely came in handy when I was job-hunting. It went straight on my resume and was just another thing I could (truthfully) say yes to in interviews.
How do you find work in Australia?
Ahh the big question. Australia - the land of opportunity? Possibly.
Now my story is that I arrived here four weeks ago, and got straight on applying for every position I was qualified for (mainly cafe, customer service and bar work) online, and in person going round shopping centres and high streets throwing my resume at anyone who would take it. I also did a Responsible Serving of Alcohol (RSA) course for $39 because I found that every bar or licensed restaurant was asking for one. It was just a four-hour course with a test at the end. Everyone passed, and they'd printed the certificates for everyone before the course even started. You get the idea.
After two weeks I had my first shift at a French cafe three train stations down the line from my family's house. That was one I'd given my resume into in person, and the manager asked me on the spot to come in a few days later for a trial shift. I'd also had a trial shift at a cafe round the corner from there, but I didn't get that one.
I heard back from several jobs, and had a few interviews in various places, but in total I'd given in over 50 resumes. So by no means do you just walk into the first job you apply for, unless you're really lucky. This is my experience, and may be because I've been looking at places quite far out from the CBD, because it's a long commute from where I'm staying to the city centre, even though it's well connected with public transport. Another limitation is that I can't drive. For an update on my job situation a month down the line, you can read my newer post.
Now to get your foot in the door, I've learnt that telling the whole truth doesn't get you far. Everywhere I went into wanted me to have experience using a coffee machine, so in the end I started saying that I had. So when I was given my trial shift at the French cafe I went straight back to a cafe that I'd given my resume into earlier that day where I'd had a chat with a really nice woman. I explained the situation and she gave me a lesson on the coffee machine, and I went back a couple of days later for more training in return for doing some cleaning and washing up. And it served me in good stead, because I got the job at the French place! And I got very good feedback on my coffee from the customers at the place I did my training, and they said that they would keep me in mind if they needed anyone in the future.
So being cheeky can pay off. And that's something I would never have dreamt of doing a few months ago. I guess I've learnt that you need to be prepared to do what it takes to get where you want to be. Just say yes.
A week after starting at the French cafe I went into a very fancy restaurant towards the CBD and asked if they were looking for staff, and before I knew it I'd done a trial shift that evening and had landed two shifts a week there.
I'm also doing leafleting for an estate agent, at a rate of $100 per 1000 leaflets I deliver to houses. So that's a bit of extra pocket money, and I get to see a lot of suburban Melbourne, which I wouldn't have if I wasn't doing that. And it's exercise too.
Now, with these two part-time jobs plus leafleting, I do have things to fill my week. But I worry about the stability of my income. Especially with the French cafe, as it's cash in hand, $12/hour (which is well below the national minimum wage of $16.87) and I just kind of fell into the job. I'm doing one or two shifts a week there. The restaurant is paying me $16/hour, and are paying me into my bank account, so that will be taxed.
So I do have money coming in, and I suppose it didn't take too long to find jobs, although I did put in a lot of work to find it. I would say that the best way to find work is to hit the streets, give in your resume to absolutely anywhere and everywhere, even if there's no job advertised, and hope you hear back. That's how I got lucky.
I think I found work here more quickly than I would have done back in the UK, but it wasn't as easy as a lot of people made out before I got here. Just be prepared to put your back into it. And if you're staying in a hostel then they can often help you out. I didn't have that luxury, staying with family.
Here are some useful websites you can use to find work. But as I say, going door to door was what did it for me.
http://www.seek.com.au
http://www.gumtree.com.au
http://www.jobs4travellers.com.au
http://www.vipstaff.com.au
http://www.octopus.jobs
And if you're looking for rural work to get your second year working holiday visa, then this looks good:
http://jobsearch.gov.au/harvesttrail/
Good luck!
Now my story is that I arrived here four weeks ago, and got straight on applying for every position I was qualified for (mainly cafe, customer service and bar work) online, and in person going round shopping centres and high streets throwing my resume at anyone who would take it. I also did a Responsible Serving of Alcohol (RSA) course for $39 because I found that every bar or licensed restaurant was asking for one. It was just a four-hour course with a test at the end. Everyone passed, and they'd printed the certificates for everyone before the course even started. You get the idea.
After two weeks I had my first shift at a French cafe three train stations down the line from my family's house. That was one I'd given my resume into in person, and the manager asked me on the spot to come in a few days later for a trial shift. I'd also had a trial shift at a cafe round the corner from there, but I didn't get that one.
I heard back from several jobs, and had a few interviews in various places, but in total I'd given in over 50 resumes. So by no means do you just walk into the first job you apply for, unless you're really lucky. This is my experience, and may be because I've been looking at places quite far out from the CBD, because it's a long commute from where I'm staying to the city centre, even though it's well connected with public transport. Another limitation is that I can't drive. For an update on my job situation a month down the line, you can read my newer post.
Now to get your foot in the door, I've learnt that telling the whole truth doesn't get you far. Everywhere I went into wanted me to have experience using a coffee machine, so in the end I started saying that I had. So when I was given my trial shift at the French cafe I went straight back to a cafe that I'd given my resume into earlier that day where I'd had a chat with a really nice woman. I explained the situation and she gave me a lesson on the coffee machine, and I went back a couple of days later for more training in return for doing some cleaning and washing up. And it served me in good stead, because I got the job at the French place! And I got very good feedback on my coffee from the customers at the place I did my training, and they said that they would keep me in mind if they needed anyone in the future.
So being cheeky can pay off. And that's something I would never have dreamt of doing a few months ago. I guess I've learnt that you need to be prepared to do what it takes to get where you want to be. Just say yes.
A week after starting at the French cafe I went into a very fancy restaurant towards the CBD and asked if they were looking for staff, and before I knew it I'd done a trial shift that evening and had landed two shifts a week there.
I'm also doing leafleting for an estate agent, at a rate of $100 per 1000 leaflets I deliver to houses. So that's a bit of extra pocket money, and I get to see a lot of suburban Melbourne, which I wouldn't have if I wasn't doing that. And it's exercise too.
Now, with these two part-time jobs plus leafleting, I do have things to fill my week. But I worry about the stability of my income. Especially with the French cafe, as it's cash in hand, $12/hour (which is well below the national minimum wage of $16.87) and I just kind of fell into the job. I'm doing one or two shifts a week there. The restaurant is paying me $16/hour, and are paying me into my bank account, so that will be taxed.
So I do have money coming in, and I suppose it didn't take too long to find jobs, although I did put in a lot of work to find it. I would say that the best way to find work is to hit the streets, give in your resume to absolutely anywhere and everywhere, even if there's no job advertised, and hope you hear back. That's how I got lucky.
I think I found work here more quickly than I would have done back in the UK, but it wasn't as easy as a lot of people made out before I got here. Just be prepared to put your back into it. And if you're staying in a hostel then they can often help you out. I didn't have that luxury, staying with family.
Here are some useful websites you can use to find work. But as I say, going door to door was what did it for me.
http://www.seek.com.au
http://www.gumtree.com.au
http://www.jobs4travellers.com.au
http://www.vipstaff.com.au
http://www.octopus.jobs
And if you're looking for rural work to get your second year working holiday visa, then this looks good:
http://jobsearch.gov.au/harvesttrail/
Good luck!
How do you register for Medicare in Australia?
If you're going to be in Australia for an extended period of time, you will need to register for Medicare, otherwise you won't be covered if you have an accident or need to visit a GP or hospital.
Medicare automatically reimburses the majority of your medical costs to your bank account after you've paid it. This means if you need any medical care you only a small percentage of the cost. So it's definitely worth doing, as it's free to register.
You will need an Australian bank account, passport and proof of your visa status when you apply. You can print off the registration form and take it in to any Medicare centre. It only took a few minutes for mine to be processed and then they posted my Medicare card to me within a week.
Medicare automatically reimburses the majority of your medical costs to your bank account after you've paid it. This means if you need any medical care you only a small percentage of the cost. So it's definitely worth doing, as it's free to register.
You will need an Australian bank account, passport and proof of your visa status when you apply. You can print off the registration form and take it in to any Medicare centre. It only took a few minutes for mine to be processed and then they posted my Medicare card to me within a week.
How do you get an Australian tax file number (TFN)?
Thankfully, this is one of the easiest things to sort out once you arrive in Australia.
You'll need a tax file number (TFN) for your job, so you get taxed the right amount, and for your bank account.
If you're on a working holiday visa then you can apply online and it's a very easy process. They then post you your TFN, and say it will take up to two weeks, but mine arrived within a week.
There's also the option to print out the form and hand it in to a local post office, if you can't do it online.
You'll need a tax file number (TFN) for your job, so you get taxed the right amount, and for your bank account.
If you're on a working holiday visa then you can apply online and it's a very easy process. They then post you your TFN, and say it will take up to two weeks, but mine arrived within a week.
There's also the option to print out the form and hand it in to a local post office, if you can't do it online.
How do you get an Australian phone number?
There are several phone companies, but the one that was recommended to me by literally everyone was Telstra. Everyone I met before arriving here recommended Telstra, and recommended against Vodafone.
And it just so happened that my family who live here are all on Telstra too so they just added me to their account and I pay my uncle in cash when the money leaves his account. But obviously not everyone can do this.
When we went into the Telstra store they took some details, and they were going to take a $120 deposit from me because I'd only just arrived and didn't have a job etc. We got around that by adding me to my family's account, but without that to fall back on you may need to pay that deposit. It depends on your personal circumstances though.
They offer a SIM only set-up that works like a contract but without the commitment. I pay $25/month for $200 worth of calls and texts and 200GB of data. And that continues until I cancel it, and there's no fee to cancel the arrangement, because it's not a contract.
You can also go for pay-as-you-go, where you top up your money as and when you need, but my cousin said that her friend found the charges were quite high, especially for data, and she was topping up a lot. I've been without data for over four months, so I was quite keen to get the convenience that offers. And with wandering around for various job interviews in every suburb of the city, I've found it very useful.
If you're planning to be in Australia for a long time then a contract might be worth going for, but for me the monthly plan was a good halfway house.
And it just so happened that my family who live here are all on Telstra too so they just added me to their account and I pay my uncle in cash when the money leaves his account. But obviously not everyone can do this.
When we went into the Telstra store they took some details, and they were going to take a $120 deposit from me because I'd only just arrived and didn't have a job etc. We got around that by adding me to my family's account, but without that to fall back on you may need to pay that deposit. It depends on your personal circumstances though.
They offer a SIM only set-up that works like a contract but without the commitment. I pay $25/month for $200 worth of calls and texts and 200GB of data. And that continues until I cancel it, and there's no fee to cancel the arrangement, because it's not a contract.
You can also go for pay-as-you-go, where you top up your money as and when you need, but my cousin said that her friend found the charges were quite high, especially for data, and she was topping up a lot. I've been without data for over four months, so I was quite keen to get the convenience that offers. And with wandering around for various job interviews in every suburb of the city, I've found it very useful.
If you're planning to be in Australia for a long time then a contract might be worth going for, but for me the monthly plan was a good halfway house.
Saturday, 5 July 2014
How do you set up an Australian bank account?
If you're going to look for work in Australia then you'll need to set up a bank account for your payment. If you're sure the jobs you do will be cash in hand then you won't need one, but otherwise it's a good idea to do it.
I went with Westpac but a lot of travellers I've met have also gone with Commonwealth. I went with Westpac because that's who my family here are with and it was just easier for me to open accounts with them too.
It's just a case of taking your passport and proof of visa to open the account. You may also need your tax file number (TFN), which you apply for online. I didn't have that (and I didn't have an Australian phone number either) but I opened the account and emailed the personal banker once I'd sorted them.
I went for a standard 'Choice' account (a current account, if you're British), a savings account, and a Super Fund account. This is something that was recommended I do by someone with a Finance degree in New Zealand, and when I asked in the bank if I could do it the banker said "Ooh, you've done your research." So I think it's something you should do!
Basically a Super Fund is like a pension fund, that your employer will pay into every month. You can reclaim this money when you leave, minus a proportion of it that is taxed. But it's a good idea to open a Super Fund account because if you have multiple employers during your time in Australia then they'll pay it into a Super Fund account of their choosing and you could end up with several, and then it's easier to lose track of them and ultimately end up losing money.
I went with Westpac but a lot of travellers I've met have also gone with Commonwealth. I went with Westpac because that's who my family here are with and it was just easier for me to open accounts with them too.
It's just a case of taking your passport and proof of visa to open the account. You may also need your tax file number (TFN), which you apply for online. I didn't have that (and I didn't have an Australian phone number either) but I opened the account and emailed the personal banker once I'd sorted them.
I went for a standard 'Choice' account (a current account, if you're British), a savings account, and a Super Fund account. This is something that was recommended I do by someone with a Finance degree in New Zealand, and when I asked in the bank if I could do it the banker said "Ooh, you've done your research." So I think it's something you should do!
Basically a Super Fund is like a pension fund, that your employer will pay into every month. You can reclaim this money when you leave, minus a proportion of it that is taxed. But it's a good idea to open a Super Fund account because if you have multiple employers during your time in Australia then they'll pay it into a Super Fund account of their choosing and you could end up with several, and then it's easier to lose track of them and ultimately end up losing money.
How do you find long-term accommodation in Australia?
Now this is something I don't have first-hand experience of, because luckily for me I have family who live in Melbourne so I'm staying with them for a few months.
But there are lots of hostels in the major cities that offer cheaper rates if you're staying for several weeks or months. So you can have an affordable inner-city location doing it this way. If you're in one place for the full year then it might be worth looking for a shared house, although a working holiday visa only lets you work for one employer for a maximum of six months.
If you do rural work for a second year extension then often accommodation will be included in the deal, but you'll have to see what jobs are available.
But there are lots of hostels in the major cities that offer cheaper rates if you're staying for several weeks or months. So you can have an affordable inner-city location doing it this way. If you're in one place for the full year then it might be worth looking for a shared house, although a working holiday visa only lets you work for one employer for a maximum of six months.
If you do rural work for a second year extension then often accommodation will be included in the deal, but you'll have to see what jobs are available.
How do you get proof of your Australian working holiday visa?
If you need to prove that you have a working holiday visa for Australia to any prospective employers then you will need to print off a document from the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) website. When you arrive in the country the visa is activated automatically. There is no stamp in your passport to prove that you have a visa.
How do you apply for a working holiday visa for Australia?
It all depends on what country you're from as to what arrangements Australia will have for visas. Being British, it was very easy for me to apply online. There's a list of eligible countries on the Australian immigration website. There are some nationalities that can't get a Working Holiday visa, but they can apply for a Work and Holiday visa instead, although only US citizens can apply for this one online.
It was a simple application form for my Working Holiday visa, available on the immigration website, and it took me just over an hour to complete it. Within 24 hours of submitting it I had an email telling me that my application had been approved and my payment had gone through. It cost me AU$420. And that was it! Really easy and painless.
There are certain requirements you need to meet to apply for the visa.
You need to be between 18 and not yet 31 years of age, you need to be outside of Australia at the time of application, and you can't travel with any dependent children.
You can apply any time within the 12 months prior to your arrival in Australia, but you have to enter the country within 12 months of it being granted.
Your visa is automatically activated when you arrive in Australia, so it feels like you haven't done anything, but you can check that the visa is active on the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) website.
And then you've got a year to work and travel around Australia! You can leave and return as many times as you want during that year without applying for a re-entry permit like you need to with some countries. You can only work for one employer for a maximum of six months though, which can be a deal-breaker when job-hunting.
If you want to apply for a second year working holiday visa then you'll need to do 88 days of rural work (it doesn't have to be with the same employer or consecutive days), and be able to prove that you've done it. Lots of people will sign you off for your second year visa even if you haven't done the exact type of work they are looking for. But if you do go for something like this, do be aware that it is illegal, and you need to trust that they will actually sign you off for it at the end of the three months you work for them. Also check that their post code is eligible to be classed as "rural work" as that's another thing that dictates whether or not you're awarded the second year. If you are granted the extra year then you can either stay on and do the year straight away, or leave and come back before you turn 31.
It was a simple application form for my Working Holiday visa, available on the immigration website, and it took me just over an hour to complete it. Within 24 hours of submitting it I had an email telling me that my application had been approved and my payment had gone through. It cost me AU$420. And that was it! Really easy and painless.
There are certain requirements you need to meet to apply for the visa.
You need to be between 18 and not yet 31 years of age, you need to be outside of Australia at the time of application, and you can't travel with any dependent children.
You can apply any time within the 12 months prior to your arrival in Australia, but you have to enter the country within 12 months of it being granted.
Your visa is automatically activated when you arrive in Australia, so it feels like you haven't done anything, but you can check that the visa is active on the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) website.
And then you've got a year to work and travel around Australia! You can leave and return as many times as you want during that year without applying for a re-entry permit like you need to with some countries. You can only work for one employer for a maximum of six months though, which can be a deal-breaker when job-hunting.
If you want to apply for a second year working holiday visa then you'll need to do 88 days of rural work (it doesn't have to be with the same employer or consecutive days), and be able to prove that you've done it. Lots of people will sign you off for your second year visa even if you haven't done the exact type of work they are looking for. But if you do go for something like this, do be aware that it is illegal, and you need to trust that they will actually sign you off for it at the end of the three months you work for them. Also check that their post code is eligible to be classed as "rural work" as that's another thing that dictates whether or not you're awarded the second year. If you are granted the extra year then you can either stay on and do the year straight away, or leave and come back before you turn 31.
Working Holiday in Australia
My travels so far have mainly been on the beaten tourist trail, except for some places in South America. But there are few places left in the world that are fully off those roads often trodden by travellers.
And none more so than here in Australia. So many people, at least British people, stop here halfway round the world with a working holiday visa and earn some money for the rest of their trip. And for a lot of people Australia is the main stop, where they spend most of their year travelling and then they'll just have a couple of other stops, maybe in South East Asia or the US. For me, Australia is a bit of a cash cow. I wasn't even that bothered about including it in this trip. But when I heard how good the wages are here and the apparent ease of finding work I thought it would be a good idea to hop on the wagon.
When I was first planning my trip I had a lot of questions about how to set up a life here in Oz. It was, and still is, the biggest question mark about my trip because the rest of my year all hinges on how much money I make here and how much longer I can afford to be on the road.
I have found casual work in a nearby French cafe, but it's only a couple of days a week cash in hand (so not even minimum wage) and I'm not sure how long it will last. So I'm still looking for something a bit more secure. I found that job within two weeks of arriving, but I have given my resume into over 50 places, and only had a few bites. So I'm not finding it overly easy to stumble into work. But it's still early days yet.
So, I had a lot of questions before I arrived, and when I arrived here, so I thought I'd make a bit of a checklist here on my blog and try to answer them as best I can, according to my experience of sorting everything out.
How do you apply for a working holiday visa for Australia?
How do you get proof of your working holiday visa?
How do you find long-term accommodation?
How do you set up an Australian bank account?
How do you get an Australian phone number?
How do you get an Australian tax file number (TFN)?
How do you register for Medicare?
How do you find work in Australia?
How do you get an RSA certificate?
I'll answer these questions in separate posts, and hopefully it will make it easier for anyone wanting to do the same things I've done.
And none more so than here in Australia. So many people, at least British people, stop here halfway round the world with a working holiday visa and earn some money for the rest of their trip. And for a lot of people Australia is the main stop, where they spend most of their year travelling and then they'll just have a couple of other stops, maybe in South East Asia or the US. For me, Australia is a bit of a cash cow. I wasn't even that bothered about including it in this trip. But when I heard how good the wages are here and the apparent ease of finding work I thought it would be a good idea to hop on the wagon.
When I was first planning my trip I had a lot of questions about how to set up a life here in Oz. It was, and still is, the biggest question mark about my trip because the rest of my year all hinges on how much money I make here and how much longer I can afford to be on the road.
I have found casual work in a nearby French cafe, but it's only a couple of days a week cash in hand (so not even minimum wage) and I'm not sure how long it will last. So I'm still looking for something a bit more secure. I found that job within two weeks of arriving, but I have given my resume into over 50 places, and only had a few bites. So I'm not finding it overly easy to stumble into work. But it's still early days yet.
So, I had a lot of questions before I arrived, and when I arrived here, so I thought I'd make a bit of a checklist here on my blog and try to answer them as best I can, according to my experience of sorting everything out.
How do you apply for a working holiday visa for Australia?
How do you get proof of your working holiday visa?
How do you find long-term accommodation?
How do you set up an Australian bank account?
How do you get an Australian phone number?
How do you get an Australian tax file number (TFN)?
How do you register for Medicare?
How do you find work in Australia?
How do you get an RSA certificate?
I'll answer these questions in separate posts, and hopefully it will make it easier for anyone wanting to do the same things I've done.
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