My name is JM
I chanced upon your blog last week while exploring "Singapore Kongsi (Australia)" and had been glued to it. All things about reality was written with a twist of your own perspectives, quite impressive and funny at times.
I want to start living in Australia and had chosen Perth. Good geographical location, no time difference from Singapore, suburban environment and great weather. ( I have been to Perth thrice.)
I am just an average Singaporean man in early 30s who holds a 8-5 Job as a sales engineer and is looking out for opportunity to get nearer to a Work Life Balance place.
I am prepared to come over to Perth, get a casual job first (probably Night Fillers in Coles or Woolworth). I know I need to rent a place to stay temporary.
Can you advise on whether which VISA to apply and which type of rental plan?
1) Skilled Independent Migrant Visa (Sub Class 175). Did you take the IELTS?
2) Is it better to rent an apartment or flat sharing?
Warmest Regards,
JM
Hi JM,
It is probably better to fish for advice in the Singapore Kongsi (OSU) than this blog, since many heads are better than one. If you enjoy the odd collection of stories about Singaporeans here though, you are welcome.
Perth is bad. It's hot in Summer and you get flies in your meat. Certainly not something you would like as an average Singaporean man. Since I am a mollycoddled average Singaporean man like yourself, I don't. So as a kind countryman I would advice you to stay out.
Melbourne is good. It has been named the world's best city to live for the 5th year running. [link] My word of warning is not to have worldly expectations of Melbourne just because of the titles it won, since you are moving from Singapore, one of the world best cities in her own right, currently the best city to slog. That said, if a flatter work/life balance equation is what you are looking for, Melbourne is a perfect consideration. Not Perth. (Summer, flies and bogan ex-Singaporeans)
1) I did not take IELTS. That's why Aussies here have been giving me funny "How the fuck does this lousy English speaking came into Australia" looks. It's okay. I write and spell better than them. No inferior complex at all. Subclass 175 (FYI) is no longer in continuation. Check out Subclass 189 and see if your nominated occupation is on the Skilled Occupation List (SOL).
2) There are too many factors between renting an apartment (I'm assuming you meant to yourself) vs sharing. You offered too little information about yourself for me to give you the right advice. The direction will vary according to whether you are a rich guy with OCD or an outgoing bachelor who can get along with just about anyone. For a new migrant, I'll encourage flat sharing because the person/people you are sharing the place with may just be the one who can link you to your first job - be it washing cars at a yard or packing fruits at the wholesale centre, since there is a probability the co-tenant may be on a casual job as well.
Just saying, Melbourne has Coles and Woolworths too! Melbourne is good.
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Brisbane isn't too bad. Better weather than Melbourne
ReplyDelete-Is it better to rent an apartment or flat sharing?
ReplyDeleteSeriously WTF is this type of question? Why not ask is it better to wear boxers or brief? Is it better to suck or lick? Is it better to use left hand to wipe/wank or right hand?
SERIOUSLY. Please stay in Singapore for more good years.
Night filler at Coles & Wollies is a no go. They hire youngsters so they can pay them lesser. You probably need another back up plan.
ReplyDeleteWoolworth also known as Safeway in victoria
ReplyDeleteBrisbane rocks. Not too many pesky Sinkies who will compete and compare the school you went, the jobs you held in SG, the house you own or the cars you drive unlike Perth.
ReplyDeleteHeard Singapore is actually a good place to stay. Listening to the election speeches, looks like PAP will do a great job for next 50 years. They promise to be with you, for you, for Singapore. That's sounds awesome!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree there! Makes me regret a little bit that I have left and taken out my CPF.
DeleteHow I miss the government being involved in every part of my life!
CK, u damn funny lah :-D
DeleteHeng ah, somebody thinks I'm funny!
Deletego to border.gov.au to find out more.
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ReplyDeletePart 1
DeleteTo ABS and others
>Are you aware that Australia's economy has been going down for many years (and will continue for another 5 or longer years)? Do you think I am exaggerating? If you think I do, you don't have to believe me anyway. Just believe what are lacking in Australia and see for yourself.
The new economy is now back towards High-value Agriculture (Wheat/milk/Sorghum/Millet/Cattle) and Education, as long as the govt doesnt stuff it up. Manufacturing and Mining is certainly off and tourism is high variable depending on the foreign exchange (which is currently favourable)
>Just to name a few examples, halted fibre broadband projects, reusing abandoned copper wires for broadband; reducing social benefits; manufacturing pulling out; IT industry saturated;
True
>many law and business, even engineering graduates are jobless;
Dunno your definition of "many" but for new law graduates up to 25% unable to find jobs in LEGAL-related work
http://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/news/16023-law-graduate-unemployment-hits-record-high
but ah-then, immigration is looking for skill-set and experience Australia doesnt have anyway, not the one already have.
Most people will recce to make sure the area they work in has openings anyway, I am sure most people are not stupid to just migrate without checking out the market
>If you have went when Kevin Rudd was around, you are probably doing well today.
Well, KRudd was spending the reserves previously generated by 10 years of Howard.... plus in the midst of a mining boom. I will not credit him for the "good years"
>As long as Australia has one or more idiots like Tony Abbott or another John Howard, you wished you were never there.
I agree about Abbot. I disagree about John Howard; although he can be quite racist, his policies for the first 8 years are generally fair and support people who want to help themselves to get independent. If you are a leaner and expect handouts and freebies from the government you will hate Howard.
>Are you prepared to stay jobless for a long period of time and have you planned to bring enough to tide over unemployment and rental for a year or two, alone or with your wife, any kid coming along?
People who stay jobless for long are those who perceive certain jobs as beneath them and believe there is better paying jobs just around the corner which doesnt really exist!
>If you doing down under for a completely new start, follow your heart.
true
>
If you are going to find a similar or better or high-paying job you would expect in Singapore, no comment.
True
>** Many friends down under faced racism. Nix will disagree, but I let you decide.
I have many friends who experience racism sometimes (like 1% out of 100% of the working time), but I have also many friends who never felt that they have racist experience
Part 2
Delete>When you travel to Perth, don't forget, you are a tourist, you spend. When you do a role change, from tourist to their colleagues, this is a different ballgame. You are competing with them for rice bowl.
I agree
>No doubt, some or many Australian are nice, but what if your boss isn't? Are you prepared to suck thumb and swallow that for the rest of your life down under terrorized by a racist boss?
You make use of the job until you find a better offer. That's what is all about (going gets tough, tough get going) People also can get a bad (not necessarily racist) boss in SG.
>Seriously if you think Singapore is tough to work and live in a Home ground that you are all but too familiar, ask yourself seriously if you will do as good or better in a different place we call Away ground.
For some Singaporeans, SG is no longer home ground in terms of job market.... Some people are willing to share with 3 other people in one room, and is happy to ask for lower pay to be more competitive. Can you?
>Think long term. The mortgage is 5% +/- Work out the money you need to own a house, unless you actually do plan to rent for the rest of your life.
When life is better and stable, you buy a property. If life is hard or unstable, you rent.
In SG, your HDB property is really renting a space in the sky (that is the true meaning of 99-year lease) until the govt decide to buy back your piece of sky space at their own price decided by them at a time they want.
If you want to live in big city, prepare to pay a fortune; if you want to live in far far suburb (like Pasir Ris in early 1990s) or a country town you pay much cheaper. That is the facts of life, there is nowhere that this doesnt apply.
>Just my take for your reference. If you are earning more than $6 or 7k/month, I would advise you to stay in Singapore.
It depends: if you have significant costs (like health bills) and very little savings leftover, then the life in SG can be on a knife edged as well. In Australia, healthcare in public hospitals is nothing out of pocket for Australian Residents.
If you are prepared to change your lifestyle, plenty of home cooked food, not buy fancy stuff, then for a small family household (of 1 child) you can survive on a single income...... but then that is why you are here reading Nix's story in the first place!
Now Turnbull is the new PM. It will get more interesting from here on. Labour will have to get rid of Bill Shorten to win...
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ReplyDeleteThat's why Singaporeans should stay in Singapore!!
DeleteI totally agree with you there while I watch my CPF sitting in the bank, wondering what's the point of getting more interest for my CPF if I can't have my life dictated by my government...?
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DeleteI remember the time when Singapore put Vietnamese in detention in early 1980s until they get accepted by countries overseas like US and Aus.
DeleteI am sure this announcement is more of a political than humanitarian motive in addition to a highly selective criteria, must be skilled and possibly Christian, which is quite unlike the general refugee intake where skill is not the essential criteria.
It is also quite likely that the Abbott govt may back track or downplay the scheme within a few months to 12,000 over a few years...
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DeleteMelbourne is crowded.. Go Darwin
ReplyDeleteSecond that
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