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Have you got the Australian M factor?

The M factor Australia

By Mandy Harris, Corporate Migration Manager, Working In

So, you’ve given it some thought, had a chat with your nearest and dearest and watched enough episodes of Neighbours and Home & Away to have developed the required nasal twang to make you fit right into your new dream life in Australia.

Then you made the fatal error of starting the real research and, before you knew it, you were curled up in the fetal position in the front room, singing Swing Low Sweet Chariot and promising yourself you’d never stray again.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. The process of migrating is huge, not just from a legislative point of view, but also logistics, costs, and perhaps most importantly, the emotional strain that it induces. There are few things in life more unsettling than living with one foot in two continents – unable to move forward in your old life and unable to put roots down in your new destination. We call this the M factor – migration ready, move ready and mightily motivated. Yes, it’s tongue-in-cheek, sure, but stay with me – there are definitely parallels to the TV show with a similar name.

Firstly, the world is full of people who think they have the M factor. For example, there are those who go at it like the proverbial bull in a china shop and then pull up at the last minute. This is after investing a significant amount of money and realising that they actually don’t have that last piece of drive to leave behind all that is familiar and comfortable in return for an uncertain future in a foreign land full of strangers. They’re like the folk who get to the auditions, all bluster and confidence, and then freeze in the wings while waiting for their turn.

Then there are those who are pushed into it by others – their partners, friends or family, who tell them repeatedly that it’s the right thing to do. But deep inside, they know that they really don’t want it and end up miserable, trapped in living out someone else’s dream.

But then there are those who are so right, and so ready, and don’t even know it. Or maybe they do know it, but just don’t know what to do with it.

That’s where working with an expert comes in. Definitely less judgmental than those on that TV show, a Registered Migration Agent will offer you sound, honest feedback on what your options are and advice on the process. The good ones will make sure that they spend time with you, understanding what you hope to achieve, what your goals are, and what your timeline expectations are, and then will put a plan in place to help you achieve those.

In some cases, you may get answers that you don’t want – but those answers might stop you making an expensive and humbling mistake. In other cases, you may get information that you hadn’t considered that put a new spin on the direction you thought you wanted to take. But in all cases, you’ll come away from the experience wiser and more knowledgeable.

Don’t take a chance on missing out on a life that you’ve always dreamed of by trying to undertake something as legally complex and emotionally challenging as an international relocation on your own.

Mandy Harris is a Registered Migration Agent (MARN 0958730) and migrant twice over, who thinks that she might also be able to sing a little while juggling! You can contact Mandy if you’d like assistance with your Australian immigration journey via email: visateam@workingin.com 

Category:

Australia, Immigration

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“I’m skilled and want to move country – what next?”

Plane flying over green grass against a blue backgroundHere, Caren, one of Working In’s migration consultants, recounts a real-life story as experienced by a colleague in the office as they planned their journey from the UK to New Zealand. See if you can use any of their helpful hints in planning your own move:

“We knew we wanted to move from the UK, but where to was the big question! So we decided to buy a round-the-world ticket and took ourselves off to Australia and New Zealand on a six-week ‘look-see’ holiday. This ticket allowed us to fly to several cities in both countries. We very quickly came to decide on New Zealand as we loved both the lifestyle it could offer us and the culture of the people. In fact, it felt very similar to what we were used to.

The first sign that we were really serious about this was when I walked into WH Smith and bought a book on New Zealand. After reading it cover to cover, we targeted a few areas that looked interesting.

Having done extensive homework prior to getting on the plane, we knew exactly what we wanted to see and check out for ourselves. We had shortlisted a few cities in New Zealand, and even done our homework with regards to the best schools and suburbs in those cities. This allowed us to drive past these schools and drive around these suburbs during our fleeting visit. We picked up as many real estate magazines as we could and soon the Property Press became the most read magazine in our house! We even went through a few open homes to get an understanding of what we could and couldn’t afford. When we visited a town/city on our shortlist, we made sure that we stayed for a few days, interacted with the locals and spent many hours picnicking at the local parks and beaches. This gave us a small taste of the culture and types of people in the town.

We were lucky enough to have friends in New Zealand who were able to give us their feelings and experiences about life in New Zealand. They also gave us an up to date household budget so that we could effectively compare it to how we lived at home. This gave us a good indication that our quality of life would significantly improve in New Zealand, as we would be in a position to afford a bigger home, live near good schools and have the means to enjoy life.

When we got back home, we had a renewed desire and determination to get our relocation underway. We put our house on the market, told our friends and family and started our immigration application process. We were lucky enough to have an occupation on the Long Term Skills Shortage List and could apply for residence without a job offer. Many friends thought that moving to a strange country on the other side of the world without a job offer was completely mad! But we never waivered from our plans and pushed on regardless.

We also spent a day in London at an expo called Opportunities New Zealand [what our early Opportunities Overseas Expos were called]. We were surprised by how many other people (like us) were on the same mission! This was an amazing experience as we managed to find a lot of information all under one roof.

I bought a book called ‘Where to Live in Auckland’ at the expo, which turned out to be one of the best buys regarding New Zealand. It became like my ‘New Zealand bible’ as it describes everything there is to know about each suburb, including who lives there, what schools are in the suburb, what the median price is for houses, what streets you want to avoid, etc. – invaluable if you are thinking of living in Auckland! If anything, the most we got out of our trip to London was that we were not alone on this quest to find a better life.”

Category:

Emigration, Immigration, New Zealand

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Canada prepares to open its doors again

Brown moose against forest background

Could you meet the moose in Canada?

Earlier this year, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) announced a temporary pause to its Federal Skilled Worker program while they reviewed the selection criteria to ensure a faster, more efficient immigration system.

Since then, they’ve been busy running consultations with the public, businesses and local stakeholders to get their input into proposed changes.
Finally, on 17 August, Citizenship and Immigration Canada unveiled their proposed changes, designed to allow Canada to better select workers who can “hit the ground running” upon arrival.

So what’s changed?*

Applicants under the Federal Skilled Worker Program are assessed against a points grid which awards a maximum of 100 points. The pass mark is 67 points. The following changes to the points grid are proposed:

Language

Language is now the most important factor on the grid – the weight of the first official language would be significantly increased from 16 to 24 points while the weight of the second official language would be reduced from eight to four points.

Age

The proposal will favour younger applicants by awarding a maximum of 12 points (currently the maximum is 10 points) for applicants aged 18 to 35, but reducing one point for every year after 35.

Work experience

The total number of points for work experience will decrease from 21 to 15, yet to achieve full points for work experience, they’ve increased the years of experience required. Previously it was four years, it will now be six years.

Education

Education points will be awarded based on an assessment of foreign education credentials and what the Canadian equivalent would be. CIC will not accept credentials that don’t exist in Canada or ones that aren’t comparable to a completed Canadian credential. The maximum points available will remain at 25.

Adaptability

The proposal will change the adaptability criteria to emphasise factors that are shown to have positive impacts on an immigrant’s economic and social integration. This includes points being awarded for spousal language ability and previous Canadian work experience.

Next steps

Final publication of the new (and hopefully improved) Federal Skilled Worker Program is scheduled for late 2012 while the new FSWP points grid is due to take effect in January 2013. Applications are expected to be accepted again in early 2013. You can read the whole text of the proposed changes at the Canada Gazette.

*Bear in mind that this is just a proposal and may be still subject to change.

Category:

Canada, Immigration, migrating, skilled migrant

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Top five tips to tailor your CV for Australia

Close up of a fountain pen nib against a white backgroundAs with any job search anywhere in the world, the vital thing is to write your CV in the style and format of the market you are applying to – not the market you’ve come from. Here are five things you need to watch out for:

1. Don’t forget your contact details

Name, phone number, postal and email address. You would be amazed how often these details are overlooked.

2. Keep it concise and to the point

Ask yourself – what do I do for a living? If you’re an engineer, for example, that should be the first thing on your CV. Aussies are a straightforward bunch and they like to know what you do and if you will be a good fit for the job they are advertising. A great way to construct your CV is to look at the advertisement and address some of its requirements up front. If they are looking for someone with a qualification and 5+ years experience, make sure your length of experience and qualification are on the first page of your CV and not buried further on.

3. Watch the length – about four pages is the norm

The broadly accepted UK standard is two pages, no more, while a typical South African CV can be anything up to 30 pages long and include a wealth of detailed information. The general rule down under is somewhere in between. Generally, we would not expect to see more than four pages, but as long as you are including concise and relevant information, it does not matter how long it is (within reason).

4. Keep it simple

Try and remember that while a flashing yellow border might be right up your alley, it may not be the personal preference of those reading your CV. Steer clear of fancy fonts and pictures (unless it is relevant to your application – all you aspiring models out there!).

5. Check the spelling and have a friend proofread it

Check, double check and then get someone else to check your spelling, punctuation and grammar. It can be very off-putting to read a CV with easily fixable spelling mistakes. Microsoft Word automatically picks up on spelling errors, which stand out like a beacon. Keeping your CV objective and relevant can be quite tricky. If you have someone able to give you honest, constructive feedback, use them. It is better to hear from a friend that something is not relevant or does not make sense than from a potential hiring manager.

Happy writing!

Category:

Australia, Emigration, Employment, Immigration, migrating

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Work in New Zealand: five tips for successful job hunting

Hanna, our Visa Delivery Manager, relocated to New Zealand in 2008 and has had the privilege of working with numerous migrants who have made the journey down under – she loves making a positive difference to their experience. Here she shares her top tips for successful job hunting in New Zealand:

Pen on a help wanted ad in a newspaper

When sitting across the other side of the world with the ideology that you would like to work in New Zealand, how hard is it to get someone to take you seriously? How do you get yourself in front of the decision makers and how do you get over the initial issues of “no job, no visa, but no visa, no job”?

The New Zealand immigration process is such that many people require that elusive offer of skilled employment in order to make their dreams of relocating a reality. You’ve heard the success stories from others who have managed it all seemingly without stress or issue. You also have the skills and know that you would be an asset to a New Zealand employer. You’re able to jump on a plane and hit the ground running – so how do you get over the initial barriers?

1. Have a good CV.

A 12-page CV is daunting to anyone managing a recruitment process. Keep it to two pages and focus on your transferable skills, relevant qualifications and experience. Tailor your CV to the role you are applying for and be as specific as possible. Sell yourself.

2. Target your applications.

New Zealand is a small country with a natural propensity to rely on personal recommendations and word of mouth to get what you want. To fire your CV to all and sundry in the hope of getting someone, anyone, to respond favourably will not assist your chances of finding suitable work. It is likely to go to the same people more than once and this undermines how serious you are about your job search. Provide a covering letter which goes with your tailored CV, addressed to the person you know is managing the process. Be personally professional and stand out from the crowd.

3. Follow up.

You are on the other side of the world and in the same boat as many other hopeful migrants. When you fire off that CV and letter, keep track of the company, the contact name and the role you are applying for. Leave it a few days or until the closing date for applications has passed and then follow up with a phone call. Have they got your CV and covering letter? Do they have any questions you may be able to address? What is your availability for interview?

4. Be patient.

New Zealand is a laid back country and things tend to move at a slower pace than you may expect. But that’s why you want to live here, right? You may not get an immediate response to your enquiry, timeframes may be extended more than once and your messages may not be returned. Don’t make a pest of yourself but proactively stay on top of things and try to be patient.

5. Be prepared.

You may not get a lot of notice for an interview. Do your research into the role and the company, know what you are talking about geographically and give yourself the best chance of success. An interview is likely to be by phone or Skype and the timing may not be very appropriate, given the time difference. Be prepared to make allowances and understand if you aren’t being treated with special dispensation due to your location. If you want this to work then you have to be able to be flexible. Remind yourself of why you want to relocate and what New Zealand has on offer. What’s an 11pm phone call on a Sunday night, if it results in your ticket to a new life?

Remember, it’s never easy to find a new job in your home country so looking off-shore adds distance and a different culture to the challenges. Give yourself the best possible chance of being acknowledged. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and perseverance and a little smart thinking could be the winning approach.

Category:

Employment, Immigration, New Zealand

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In the news: Australia, New Zealand and Canada

Letters of the alphabet cut out and pinned to a notice boardHave a look at how Australia, New Zealand and Canada have been making the news this week:

Why highly educated immigrant parents choose Canada

For anyone thinking about a move overseas, you might consider the work opportunities or the lifestyle the country offers – this article from the Globe and Mail shows how some parents make the move based on the educational chances offered to their children. Not surprisingly, as this article explains:

“Immigrant students in this country [Canada] outperform their native-born peers.

They post stronger scores on standardized math and science tests and are more likely to go on to postsecondary education. The same does not hold true for immigrants to other countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom.”

Rebuilding Christchurch

More than a year on from the Christchurch earthquake, in which around 60% of the historic city centre was damaged, Christchurch is still working hard to rebuild – even as it’s been rocked by more than 11,200 aftershocks since the very first earthquake struck in September 2010. Watch Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee talk about the challenges of rebuilding Christchurch in the wake of criticism about the slow pace of recovery. See how Christchurch looked in February 2012 with this BBC News article.

Demand for skilled workers grows in Australia

The Clarius Skills Index, released on 3 September, shows that the demand for skilled workers has risen to its highest level in 12 months, with a shortage of 2,300 skilled positions. Additionally, “the index, based on 20 occupations representing 2.6 million skilled Australian workers, found nine occupations were in shortage – an increase from two in the previous quarter”. The most in demand workers were engineers. Read the full article on The Australian.

Flight attendants confess

Anyone considering the long flight across the world to Canada, New Zealand or Australia may be interested to hear flight attendants’ top tips to stop passengers annoying them.

Category:

Australia, Canada, Emigration, Immigration, New Zealand

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In the news: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, migration & industry

Letters of the alphabet cut out and pinned to a notice boardHere’s what’s hit the news about Australia, New Zealand and Canada this week – including industry and migration updates.

Oil industry pay still rising worldwide

Data released by oilcareers.com and reported by Reuters show that “oil workers are enjoying strong growth in pay thanks in particular to a shortage of the most experienced engineers, a trend that shows no sign of easing.”

Headline stats include:

Average salaries by sector and region in oil and gas (in pounds sterling)

  • Australia 186,914
  • Canada 157,049
  • United States 125,722
  • Norway 103,665
  • Middle East 88,723
  • United Kingdom 78,288

Good times for all in boomtown Perth?

According to the BBC News, “Perth is Australia’s fastest-growing major city, in the state with the lowest unemployment. Average household income has risen 35% in five years.” But “though Perth is growing and getting richer, not everyone is earning a resources sector salary”. Read more about the two sides of the Perth story using the link above.

Canada celebrates its Come to Canada Wizard

Citizenship and Immigration Canada are celebrating – “One year after Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) launched the Come to Canada Wizard, the popularity of the Web tool continues to rise and is reaching new heights with over 1.6 million visits.” The website tool helps people determine if they’re eligible to live, work or study in Canada – find out more about it on CIC’s website.

Christchurch rebuild picks up pace

The latest data released by Statistics New Zealand shows that “building consents approved in Canterbury in the first half of 2012 valued almost the same as all consents issued last year”, highlighting how non-residential building activity is starting to grow in Christchurch. The New Zealand Herald has the full story.

Category:

Australia, Canada, Christchurch, Emigration, Immigration, New Zealand

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Dads down under & other differences between the UK, NZ, Oz & Canada

This weekend, dads around New Zealand and Australia are preparing to be spoilt – Kiwis and Aussies celebrate Father’s Day on the first Sunday in September (might be a bit of a problem if your UK-based dad is used to getting Father’s Day love on the third Sunday in June).

So, what other things might you have to get used to if you swap a home in the UK for life in New Zealand, Australia and Canada?

Public holidays

You can wave goodbye to your UK spring and summer bank holidays – but move to New Zealand and you gain Waitangi Day, Anzac Day and Labour Day while certain areas of Australia enjoy Labour Day and Melbourne Cup Day too. Not forgetting that New Zealand and Australia are patriotic too – they even get Queen’s Birthday as a public holiday. Canada doesn’t do badly either with Canada Day, Labour Day and Thanksgiving Day.

‘isms’

By that we mean the little dialect differences between the countries. In the UK and Canada, every summer you drag out your flip-flops. In Australia, it’s your thongs (conjuring up all kinds of potentially embarrassing situations) and in NZ it’s your jandals. Should someone compliment you on your pants in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, they haven’t suddenly developed x-ray vision and you haven’t had an acute attack of forgetfulness – that’s their equivalent of trousers. While we’re on it, pack your gum boots for life down under (Wellington boots) and your runners for Canada (trainers). A pair of orange flip flops stuck into a beach

The seasons

Luckily, Canada’s in the northern hemisphere too so it’s easy to adjust to summer in June-August and winter in November-February. However, head down under and prepare to get Christmas on the beach and when you’d traditionally be enjoying some summer sunshine in the UK, to be embracing winter sports in Australia and New Zealand instead.

Time difference – or how not to annoy your mum

Judging by the phone in your pocket, bag or lovingly placed on the table in-front of you, you like to be connected. But catching your first midday wave in Oz or trying your first eggs bene brekkie in NZ is not the time to call your nearest and dearest back in the UK – unless you fancy rousing them from their slumber that is. However, if you come across your first moose in Canada you don’t have to wait too long to let your mum know - it’s only a four or five hour time difference.

Over to you

If you moved overseas, what do you reckon you’d miss most about home?

Category:

Australia, Canada, Emigration, Immigration, migrating, New Zealand

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Five reasons why New Zealand is better than Australia

Newspapers in the southern hemisphere have recently been dominated by stories of Kiwis packing up and heading over the ditch to Australia in record numbers. For the Australian news media (gleefully referring to these Kiwis as ‘refugees’), this is yet another example of the eternal battle – how much better Australia is than New Zealand. Which got us thinking…

So here’s our top five completely-unofficial-and-gathered-from-extensive-office-research* reasons why New Zealand is better than Australia:

1. Rugby – might have been founded by an English school boy picking up a ball and legging it down the pitch, but New Zealand is the undisputed home of rugby. Heck, it’s practically a religion. And do you need reminding it’s also the home of the reigning world champions of rugby, the mighty All Blacks? Thought not. Take that Oz.

2. Animals – Australia has plenty of animals that seem to be designed with the express purpose of being terrifyingly deadly. Crocodiles, Great White sharks, Box jellyfish, snakes, spiders and scorpions all like to call Australia home. In comparison, New Zealand has the Kiwi bird. The flightless, fluffy, nocturnal bird beloved by all for its plucky nature.A Kiwi bird

3. Pavlova – the creamy, crunchy, fruit-laden pav is the national dessert of New Zealand and Australia claiming it as its own doesn’t change that.

4. Ingenuity – fancy rolling around in a giant inflatable hamster ball? Come and try Zorbing in New Zealand then. Got a hankering to throw yourself off a staggeringly high structure with a glorified elastic band around your ankles? Try the home of bungee jumping (that’ll be New Zealand). Kiwis are an ingenious bunch and if there’s some potential for pant-wettingly exciting adventure, they’ll find it.

5. Lord of the Rings – enough said.

*Based on the opinions of roughly four people sat around me.

Over to you

What do you reckon? Which is better – Australia or New Zealand – and why?

Category:

Australia, Immigration, migrating, New Zealand

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Canadian cities in world domination

Girl jumping with the Canadian flag against backdrop of blue skyNot only does it have Mounties, maple syrup and free-roaming bears, Canada’s now got another reason to be smug – three of its cities make up the world’s top five most liveable cities.

Dominating the top of The Economist magazine’s 2012 list were Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary. The survey ranks 140 cities based on a number of important factors, like health care, stability, culture and environment, education and infrastructure. The maximum score a city could receive was 100.

So how did Canada fare?

Well, Vancouver was the highest-ranked Canadian city, taking the third spot with a score of 97.3. Close on its heels was Toronto in fourth with a score of 97.2, followed up by Calgary in fifth place (tied with Adelaide in Australia) with 96.6.

With its reputation for an outdoorsy lifestyle, welcoming and friendly people and jaw-dropping natural landscape, it’s not really surprising Canada can compete on a global scale.

The full list

According to The Economist, the top 10 most liveable cities 2012 are:
1. Melbourne, Australia
2. Vienna, Austria
3. Vancouver
4. Toronto
5. (tie) Calgary and Adelaide, Australia
7. Sydney, Australia
8. Helsinki, Finland
9. Perth, Australia
10. Auckland, New Zealand

Over to you

What do you think – do you agree with this list? Are there cities you think should be in the top 10?

Category:

Canada, Emigration, Immigration

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