Hi everyone...my name is sarah an i just booked a one way ticket to sydney....has anyone hav any info??? pleas

Question

im a hairdresser an my boyfriendis a carpenter.i read that the rent is huge in sydney.i dont have d slightest idea about anywhere in oz so any info at all will be much appreciated

Answer 1

do you have a permanent resident visa or a work visa? if your coming from anywhere other than new zealand you wont be granted entry unless your just visiting on a tourist visa on which you can not work

Answer 2

When are you coming. Have a job for boy friend. Maybe find you a job as well. Expense is , Where do you want to set up your camp? The closer the small and more cost, If you are wise in transport you can get cheap and good.

It all depends on lots. More info from you and i can help better.

What do you want?

Answer 3

If you are coming from any other country except NZ, you won't get through Australian Customs if you're travelling into Australia on a one way ticket unless your visas are supported by a company sponsoring both of you since you both are not married.

Answer 4

If you have the required work permits and visas you will be allowed in as immigrants.  If you do not, you will be on the next plane back.  

I suggest you think about somewhere other than Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane.  I hate to say it, but hairdressers are a dime a dozen in these cities.

But smaller towns (which still can be anything from 5000 people on up to 100,000) often have work and rents are lower.    

Housing

Most Australian housing vaguely resembles the California bungalow or the “ranch house”.  There is usually only one floor and no basement.  Typically houses built before about 1970 have 3 bedrooms, one bathroom.  After that many houses were built with an "ensuite" which is a shower booth and water closet attached to the master bedroom with a full bathroom elsewhere.  Kitchens generally are smallish but well appointed.  Most houses do not have pantries or "dens".  Recently though land prices have risen while the cost of building has fallen so newer houses are larger and better appointed.  I have just paid yearly land tax of $758 on an “unimproved land value” of $269,666.  This tax would be the same whether the house was big, small or non-existent.  This tax does not include water supply or sewerage charges.  

Major cites and most medium to small towns have sewer systems and safe water supplies.  Cable TV and mobile (cellular) phones in larger towns.  There are up to 5 free-to air TV networks available, multiple AM and FM radio stations.  The landline phones work.  

As in other countries real estate values vary with locality.  I've seen houses sell here recently for a million but they are at the top end of the local market.  I live 20 minutes walk from a major employment centre and a large shopping mall.  There is an elementary school five minutes walk away (set to close unfortunately) with a convenience store, small children's play area, sports ground, park, restaurant, local general practice medico nearby.  There are Catholic and government high schools within twenty or thirty minutes walk.

A natural gas pipeline and a coaxial cable for phone, I'net and cable TV run past the door.  Power supply is 240V 50Hz and reliable.  It went off the other day as some work was being done - must have been off 8 minutes.  That's the only power cut for months and the previous one lasted about as long.  For more details on Australian power see the following site and follow the link for type “I”, from the “Comment” column.

http://www.kropla.com/electric2.htm

This city's population is about 310,000.  The house is an older one with three bedrooms and one bathroom, separate garage, brick construction, tile roof, central heating on a gas furnace.

There are several real estate dealers (realtors) who operate nearly Australia-wide, look for websites for "The Professionals" and "LJ Hooker" among other reputable companies.  In country towns you can get good houses for around AU$200,000 or less.  It all depends on whether the population is growing and how much work there is.  I've heard of one whole village being sold for a few thousand, which was a local joke here a few months ago.

Work

There is plenty of work in construction and mining.  There are two low-rise buildings going up and another almost completed not far from the shopping mall I just mentioned.  Same thing is going on in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne and even in some of the larger country towns.

Income tax is "high" compared to the USA but lower than in many other countries.  This is levied by the Federal Government.  On a salary of $65,000 you can expect to pay about $17,000 tax.  Another federal tax is the Goods and Services Tax.  This is levied at 10% on all goods except fresh uncooked food.  A third federal tax which many people never have to pay is capital gains tax.  This is levied on investments once disposed of, if the value has risen.  If the investment is held for more than about five years (don’t quote me) then the tax is not payable.

You will not pay any direct taxes to the State governments unless you buy and sell land, apartments or a car.  State governments also tax cars every year with registration fees, these are a few hundred dollars.  I have a V8 coupe and recently paid $740.  This included third party injury insurance.  

Citizenship has required at least 4 years residence though there has been a move recently to tighten things up a bit, maybe put in a minimum competence in English.