What inspired you to make the move from the UK to Australia?
After a year travelling Australia, I knew I wanted to move here on a permanent basis. For me, Australia offers a fantastic opportunity both for work and lifestyle. The veterinary industry in Australia is booming and you can match that with an active and balanced lifestyle. Of course, the weather helps but its more than that, I have found Australia to be a very welcoming country with amazing landscapes, culture and climate to offer a first class lifestyle.
What more could you want!
What would you say are the pros and cons of moving across the ocean?
There is always the classic, family, and friends’ argument. Of course, you miss your friends and family, it’s inevitable. I always say if I could move them out too then there would literally be no negatives. But you are only 24 hours away! Plus, it gives them a great holiday location to come and visit.
Thankfully, due to general cost of living and salaries in Australia, this doesn’t feel as much of a pinch as you may have first expected. Especially given a lot of the visas require a minimum salary level above “the average” in OZ.
How do you spend your free time away from the office?
Personally, I do love a good winery, bar/restaurant with the view of Sydney Harbour. The walks; Bondi to Coogee and the beaches; Milk Beach are all absolutely beautiful. You can enjoy a whole day there and not worry about paying for it either.
The National Park and Blue Mountains are also perfect for those looking for a little more adventure. But for me, a day spent by the beach followed by a couple of beers and a sensational seafood platter cannot be beaten!
Did you find it a struggle to find housing?
When I set off, all I had was one suitcase which in itself is really refreshing and an added element of excitement. There are hundreds of Expat Facebook groups and sites offering both house shares and rental properties, so there are always plenty of options. It does sometimes take some organising and chasing up at times, but I have always found the process to be very straight forward. If you’re beginning your journey as a solo traveller, I’d recommend jumping on the “hostel life” bandwagon, you’ll quickly find people in very similar situations and can build from there.
What was the documentation process like?
Admittedly, Visas can be a minefield. But, with the right people helping it can be a seamless process. Initially, my first visa was a Working Holiday Visa, these are pretty simple to do yourself online via the Australian Government website. If I remember correctly, I was able to have mine approved in less than 72 hours.
However, for Sponsorship Visas, I’d recommend getting yourself a good visa lawyer who can help with making this process as simple as possible. (GVC offer assistance with this, so should you need any help, please do not hesitate to contact us.) It took about 6 weeks for my sponsorship visa to be approved, but this can vary a lot depending on a variety of factors.
Money, money, money!
I was pleasantly surprised at how seamless this process was, it’s just like setting up your own bank account in the UK – some of the most popular branches include Commonwealth Bank, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited and National Australia Bank.
One thing that you should be aware of is your Superannuation which is basically the Australian pension scheme. When offers are received from potential employers, you’ll see two options; $XXX + Super or in some cases, $XXX inclusive of Super. The difference is a big one, so pay attention! Super is (a minimum of) 10.5% of your basic salary, so make sure you’re comfortable with your base salary before Super. If you wish to work out your take home pay, I’d recommend this calculator.
Moving to Australia was quite possibly the best decision I’ve ever made, so if you’re looking for a reason to book your flights, then you’ve found it. There are currently a variety of roles open within the veterinary profession in Australia, so get in contact with us today to begin your journey.
Written by Jack Shuttleworth
