Moving to Australia – Book Review

by Jordan Lewis (Author)
Format: Kindle Edition

 

Australia is one of the most popular destinations for people who want to improve their lifestyle. The country is perfect in every way possible except for a few geographical constraints. But apart from those, living in Australia is a dream come true for so many people.

One of the many ways to start a new life or give your existing life a complete makeover is to shift to a new place. People prefer traveling to developed countries where work opportunities are in abundance. Australia is one such country. Fair enough, it is also a country that has strict immigration laws. Regardless of this fact, millions apply for The Land Down Under every year, and thousands make their move successfully.

Moving to Australia is a complete guide for everyone who wishes to settle in Australia. It includes basic and complex details about the whole procedure as well as the new life that is to come for the expats. The author has researched well about the informatics and statistics regarding Australia, so the readers won’t have to do much after finishing this book.

Starting from a brief history of Australia and the decades of colonization it witnessed, the author moves on with a step-by-step guide towards the main goal – preparing for the big move. Using facts and figures, every major aspect of the process has been addressed efficiently till the very end.

Chapter 1 – Reasons to Move to Australia

This could have been the longest chapter of the book if the author had decided to enlist every reason. As mentioned earlier, Australia has a complete package for everyone. The welcoming policies, world-class education system, job opportunities, and comfortable living costs tell a lot about Australia.

You can imagine the hospitality of Australians that they even have a Welcoming Australia program, organized by the locals and migrants. This program aims to get connected with the people who are new to the country and help them out however possible. The group is ever-growing with people of every color, religion, and ethnicity

(Book excerpt)

The author has specifically mentioned the jolly accent of Australians, which depicts their friendly nature. Australians, in general, are active people. They love sports and would grab anyone willing to join them. Plus, their love for BBQ is unmatched. Sure, the heat can be killing most months of the year, but Australians won’t miss a chance of having a BBQ in their backyard.

The never-ending reasons for moving to Australia cannot be completed without mentioning the education system and abundant job opportunities. While these topics are discussed in great detail later, the author has mentioned them here to weigh the reasons. And there is no doubt; people move to Australia particularly for these two reasons.

Chapter 2 – Everything You Need to Know Before Taking Off

Undoubtedly, this is the most important chapter of the entire eBook. It includes the essential information that a person must know once they have decided to move to Australia. Australia is strict when it comes to laws. That applies to immigration laws as well. That is why it takes time to get the procedure done.

Since Australia is an English-speaking country, it is obvious that you should know English too. This may sound like an obvious fact, but many skillful people are rejected every year because they could not pass the necessary English proficiency tests. One important thing about Australia is that they value people who can contribute to their country’s economy. That is why young people get the most points when it comes to age. This also means that older people who are not able to work anymore get the least score and hence, fewer chances of settling in Australia.

Speaking of points, several aspects of an individual are given points that add up to the visa process. A higher sum of points means higher chances of getting their visa approved. Some examples of points, as mentioned in the eBook, are:

Age Points
18-24 25
25-32 30

 

Qualification Points
Doctorate 20
Bachelor’s or Master’s 15

 

IELTS Score Points
Superior (Score of 8.0 or more) 20
Proficient (Score of 7.0 or more) 10

The chapter progresses by enlisting the types of visas and the difference between them. This topic is particularly important so that people can know that they can sponsor their relatives to Australia if they wish. The author ends the chapter with a brief introduction of Australia’s major cities and the perks they offer.

Chapter 3 – Being a Student in Australia

It is no surprise that thousands of foreign students apply for Australian universities every year.

In 2018 alone, 876,399 enrolments were produced by 693,750 international students, which was a 10.1% increase compared to the stats in 2017.

This chapter deals with the life of a student who wishes to continue their academic journey in Australia.

The chapter starts with introducing the basic requirements that would be needed to enroll in a university. Of course, these requirements are apart from the visa procedure. Tests like GTE and other mandatory criteria is mentioned in detail.

After enlisting some of the top universities, the chapter proceeds with a comprehensive list of scholarships that are offered for international students. This section is important for students who are brilliant in their studies but can’t pay hefty fees every semester. The scholarships are meant to provide help for deserving yet talented individuals so they can rise to the top. Some of the mentioned scholarship programs are:

  1. Australia Awards
  2. Destination Australia
  3. Scholarships and Financial Aid for US Students

The last section of this chapter consists of a detailed account of the teaching methodology that is adopted in Australia, the grading system, and internship programs that the students can avail. This chapter is effective for students from anywhere in the world as it covers almost every aspect of student life as a foreigner. The author has continued with some more points in the later chapters.

Chapter 4 – Settling In

Halfway through the eBook and we are finally down to the point of settling in. The focus of this chapter is to guide people through the complexities of life in Australia. Whether it is the tax system or finding accommodation and a job, this chapter covers it all.

As an outsider, it is crucial to know about the tax system that works around Australia. Not only is it the first thing to file after landing, but it also affects a person’s overall stay in Australia. For example, a financial year in Australia starts from 1st July of the current year and ends on 30th June of the next year. Therefore, all the income that is made in Australian territory holds an amount of tax on it that the filer must pay.

(Book excerpt)

The chapter goes on to elaborate in great detail on the property system in Australia. Whether an individual should buy a property or rent it out, and what is the criteria for choosing the right accommodation, the author has mentioned even the tiniest point.

Chapter 5 – Law and Order

Every country has its own rules and regulations that a foreigner might not know. Keeping this fact in mind, the author has tried to emphasize on Australian authorities strict action towards crimes. Some “minor” crimes may not be dealt with proper procedure in a person’s homeland, but in Australia, not even hooning goes without notice.

That being said, laws are not for criminals only; some aspects like marriage, child maintenance, divorce, adoption, and other similar affairs are unique to every country. A foreigner may want to marry an Australian but do they know that they require three certificates to officiate their marriage? This chapter is filled with such facts along with hyperlinks to authentic sites.

On the day of your wedding, you must get three marriage certificates signed by you and your spouse, your marriage celebrant, and two witnesses who must be over 18 years old. Once you have submitted these certificates, you are officially married.

(Book excerpt)

The second half of this chapter is interesting. It explains a few crimes and their penalties that might not be taken seriously. For example, you could be someone who loves to drive their cars without a silencer and play loud music in residential areas. This and other vehicle-related crimes are called hooning, and the penalties could be anything from a fine to imprisonment.

For less serious activities such as loud music or smoke coming out of the vehicle while driving, the penalty could be a fine of 20 penalty units which is equal to $2,757. For more serious activities that put others’ lives in danger, like careless driving and speeding, the penalty can be 40 units ($5,514) or six months in jail.

(Book excerpt)

Chapter 6 & 7 – Everyday Life and What to Expect in Australia

The earlier chapters of the eBook dealt with technical and important information. Most of that could be absolutely new to the readers. From chapter 6, however, the tone changes to a more informal and casual one. This is because the focus shifts from technical to an everyday routine while living in Australia.

Chapter 6 discusses the general features of a regular day in Australia. It talks about basic utilities like the internet, mobile networks, transport, and a general idea of the shopping trends that are being followed in Australia.

If you travel to Australia, you will find large stores at almost every corner, providing a massive choice. However, some people may have complaints with the stores based on their service, operational hours, or any other factor.

(Book excerpt)

It also mentions some of the most visited places in Australia. The list could be pages long as Australia has some of the most beautiful sites on Earth, but here, the author has enlisted only a few.

Chapter 7, on the other hand, is about the differences in culture, languages, and other features of life. It addresses Australian English and how it is different from American or British English. Similarly, this chapter includes the indigenous people and their traditions that can still be seen in Australia.

American English Australian English
Parking lot Car Park
Letter Opener Paper Knife

Revival programs have been initiated in Australia, which target ethnic pride and the learning of indigenous languages. Aboriginal people have also started to call themselves “Koori” or “Koorie,” which means “person” instead of the imposed label of “aboriginal.”

Chapter 8 – Is it Dangerous to Live in Australia

The eBook concludes with the shortest but important chapter. This chapter is all about the myths regarding Australia and how many of them are true. Thanks to mainstream media, all of us have seen those memes about deadly spiders and horrifying creatures, presumably in Australia.

The purpose of including this chapter has been a wise decision by the author. It tells that a country’s geographical location, flora, and fauna do not define it. And it certainly does not make it a dangerous country to live in.

Australian cities have been ranked as the world’s most livable cities. The government and local management systems are playing their role to ensure the safety of its citizens. As opposed to the viral videos, there is little to be afraid of while living in Australia. 

By the end of this chapter, you will know the truth behind the most common rumors associated with Australia and the things you should actually be careful about. Some of the actually dangerous things in Australia are:

  1. Bush fires
  2. Crocodiles
  3. Storms

Australia is an excellent destination for anyone wishing to improve their lifestyle. It is packed with opportunities for studies and work. However, leaving your homeland and moving to a foreign country is not an easy task. It requires thorough planning and enough knowledge of the country you’re moving to.

This book serves its purpose as the ultimate guide for Australia. The readers can surely gain a lot about Australia after finishing it up.  Australia is definitely an up and coming destination for people to move – check out this chart from IlluminatingFacts.com on the rapid growth of Australia’s population: