Thanks for the reply. Just need to plan for the worst and pray for the best.   

By the way, how much buffer funds should we bring across to Australia? If we are assuming a period of 1 year without work? Please give a ballpark figure for
- rental,
- utilities (electricity and gas),
- internet and living expenses like groceries,
- insurance (medical + life),
- etc (anything else that is not mentioned on the list),
for living in Melbourne / or its surrounding suburbs.

Thanks for your help.

Hi tatagal,
Can i re-confirm with you? Insurance (medical) is just $100 per year? Or is it supposed to be per month?
By the way, mobile line + internet of $600 per year is really cheap if compared to Malaysia.

I understand this is a ball park figure for reference only.

Anyway, thanks for your input.

Hi Tatagal,

I just regress through this thread and noted that you are an accountant. Just asking, how are things on the ground for accounting? The competition for accounting is tough, no doubt...anything else to add?

Thanks for your input.

I do heard they'll fail you if you're taking onshore. I don't know wat's the reason (pretending don;t wanna know)
I'm quite skeptic on Tony Abbot to take challenge against Kevin Rudd now. At 1st i tot he gonna have big chance to kick ass against Julia. But now seems the table is turn around now.
I do hope Kevin Rudd would make way more diplomat relation with China in terms of investment and would increase the job opportunities there.

Perth is the same. People still spend 1 hour on public transport to get to work in downtown. But the good thing is you can leave on time!
In KL, i've being really tired on this. Work like a cow pay in peanuts....damn!

Just attach whatever been asked(ACS,employment reference letter,CV)

Normally you have to wait until CO ask you to do medical examination because it could take up to many years to get CO assigned to your application
Thanks. Me and my colleague getting about same pay received $6.5k back this year. The only difference is I don't have to pay medicare levy

Hi,

I wish to seek some advice. I am interested to migrate to Australia but not sure where to start and what to do. I wish to work there too.

I am in my early 40's and has more than 15 years of working experience in the accounting line here in Malaysia. I recently sat for my final paper in ACCA and now waiting for the results. I am unemployed at the moment.

I have a brother who is a PR in Australia and recently found a job as a manager after looking for a job after 3 months. He is in his 30's.

Since he believes that it will be difficult for me to get a job in Australia because i am old, i am unable to seek any advice from him.

Any advise, any one?

To give you a better perspective I'll break it into a few parts.
1 Affordability of education - Affordability of education should not be a problem if you are a any where near decent in Malaysia. I know people who are factory supervisors who managed to send both kids to UK for engineering degrees. Plus there are lots of scholarship around and affordable private universities.

2. Quality of education - Generally australian uni do provide a slight advantage in terms of quality. I say slight advantage becuase 80-90% of the time it really depends on the students initiative to study themselves. For example, you can spend all the money in the world to enroll your child into Harvard but if he/she is not interested/not make an effort to learn by themselves, it is of no use. Conversely even if you send a very motivated person to the lousy local unis, he or she will still excel, becuase he/she took the initiative to study on thier own.

3. University degrees are only important to get that first job. That's about it. Like for me, nobody bothers to look at my uni degree once I have >5 years of experience. And just for additional info, characteristics that gets you a job includes your ability to present yourself/talk well, your enthusiam for the job and relevant experience (if you have them). NOT becuase you have a degree from so and so uni.

4. I personally don't like the Australian attitude in life. They tend to take things easy. While 1st generation will not suffer such pitfalls (as we make great sacrifice to get into Australia), the same cannot be said if your child goes though life in Australia. I've seen them. Asian kids who behave and act like Australians. Laid back, couldn't be bothered. And people who say they will teach their children to be hardworking, etc are all just talk. Why? Coz of environment, peers etc. Nobody wants to work hard if they can take the easy way out.

5. Talk about freshies, if they can secure a job within a year, they should stay. - Not everyone can secure a job and not everyone can hang around for 1 year doing nothing,.

Firstly you're assuming that those fresh grads will get the same amount every year. That is clearly not the case. That is also why people job hop. For a better pay. But that is a discussion for another day.

Secondly, how are you better off working as a cashier with a 2-3k salary every month in aus?

Well robert my friend, if a couple is working as driver nor cashier, they still manage to buy a bungalow house here. Life may be hard, but that's life. It's the matter of choice. They still manage sending kids to school, uni and still some social welfare, why not?
Property market in Oz is very much rely on supply and demand. Currently it's gonna come down any moment. Yeap, it's a sub-standard job all right, but still can manage to get world class uni and most parents won't starve till death.
I suggest that freshies when they finish their uni here, try their very best to apply a job locally. Give themselves a year and see the outcome. At least they're trying their very best. If not, come back to malaysia and work.
Not all Ozzie is really that lazy bum. Some who really manage well financially is going through pretty well. Some are really bad-ass.
Cashier do have high pay. It's AUD20/hr. Check it out in IGA/Woolies/Coles

My advise to freshies, a year to look on ur job profession while working casual. If not, get ur arse back home.
If u manage to get PR, come to job market asap. Since they don't recognise malaysia working experience then better come early. Come later also same case.

Hi guys, finally got job confirmed. Thank God it's on! Start work next monday. Got it less than 3 weeks. Pay is better than i expected.
Thank you guys who really give the courage and support. I owe u guys.
For people who is still applying a job, don't give up. Discipline urself like applying at least 5-10 jobs per day and call them after sending.
You're not far away

You're exactly rite. I just did some research that 100k is more likely the threshold to purchase. However, i had to sell off my property backhome to accumulate around AUD80K as downpayment. Means that i might loan for 300K.
However, did checked thru the Keystart info. Seems attractive enough but somehow seems something not very fair in terms either. Can enlighten me on that?

Low deposit premium is wat so called MRTA in Malaysia. Yeap, it's a waste of money to buy that but it's compulsory. If based on 80k hope won't waste money on that coz every penny counts!

I saw a property which located at Ellenbrook, north perth at AUD350k. AUD370 for stamp duty and etc. (Actually no stamp duty below 500k)

Can u enlighten me on what are the normal fees required to maintain a house like council fees or utilities (average) coz i need to make sure these expenses won't pull me down to miserable life here

Hi guys,

I am wondering whether how is the Oil and Gas industry in Australia? Is it good? Are there vast vacancies for drilling or completions?