www.studentsadelaide.org

* Read before you Work!

2007-03-14T23:49:00.000+10:30

I am writing this for Students who is aspiring to study in Australia and also for those who are currently studying here.

****Please do NOT do part time job in places where there is no Workcover insurance is not paid by the employer or if the establishment has not registered with Workcover****

***** Its illegal for a person to run business without Workers Compensation Insurance being paid****

***The seriousness of this ignorance will be well understood only when an injury occurs at workplace where there is no workcover is provided****

***One of my friend who went to help his other friend in Pizza delivery unfortunately cut his right wrist while trying to fix car stereo. He tried to remove a blade from a swipe to cut wires. The blade slipped from his left hand and landed on right wrist causing a deep cut. He was admitted in a hospital nearby and a surgery for nearly 5 hours was performed to repair the damaged tendons and Median nerve cut. He lost sensations in 4 fingers and doctors say that it will take more than 6 months to 1 year for the nerves to grow to get the sensations back(being a right handed person .U can imagine!).

The person, who admitted my friend into the emergency ward, inadvertently told the warden that it occurred in the work place and the hospital recorded it as work accident. After he got discharged from hospital he spoke to the finance department of the hospital and explained to them that this incident is not related to worker’s compensation and they immediately updated the records. The medical bill for $4500(approx) was sent to overseas student health Insurance for claim.

They rejected the claim stating that though the injury did not occur during work, it happened near the workplace, hence the claim should be lodged with Worker's compensation. The pizza shop is not registred and this caused huge mental trauma for my friend in. After a long tussle between the insurance companies the student health insurance has accepted to pay the medical bills with a condition that a claim reject letter from workercover should be produced. Hence a workcover claim has been lodged and he is still wondering howmany complications it will lead to(this being his last semester and he is verge of completing the course).

Hence please friends! make sure that the place you are working is a registered one and the workers are being covered with Workcover insurance. Hope this will be an eyeopener for those who are not aware of Workcover. Ensure well enough before joining in any place of work, whatever may be the nature of the job.

Thanks for the patience! and I hope that everyone consider this as a serious issue.

Have a safe and peaceful study in Australia .. Good luck to you all!

Courtesy: Giridharan, University of South Australia. You may write to him to know more giri_sampath [at] yahoo [dot] com

Finding your First Home

2007-03-11T23:46:00.000+10:30

I think it is safe for students to book the temporary accommodation arranged by the university for the first week or ten initial days.

Then, you can always find a home with the help of real estate agents (free), newspapers or even university notice boards and discussion forums.

You can start your search from these links..

www.realestate.com.au/ - for any type of house hunting throughout Australia
http://www.bcl.com.au/adelaide/realestate/
http://www.truelocal.com.au/ - to find real estate agents
http://www.domain.com.au

Also look for
The Advertiser - Wednesday and Saturday editions

And meet us at
http://groups.google.com/group/adelaidestudents
www.orkut.com search 'students in adelaide'

I reproduce a write-up by one of the current international students who would like to warn incoming students..

"I guess UNISA has Student Living Apartments but
they are terribly expensive therefore I have no idea about cheaper
places since I checked the UNISA website from India and booked in one of
the apartments listed on the Accommodation list. I transferred an
initial sum of 500 Australian Dollars from India. I guess it was not at all a good
thing to do for sure. I guess it is good to advise students to arrive in
Adelaide and then try and find places of accommodation. I guess most
students do that. I was stupid.

And now I have ended up paying 650 dollars a month and an years contract.
That reminds me about the fact that students need to be warned before hand
that they need to be careful when they sign contracts for their houses.
I guess the best way to go about it is to sign for an initial 6 months and then assess the
situation later after 6 months.

Basic Information like Bond Money,Administrative Fee, Rent paid either weekly,
or monthly these are the type of things they need to know. Some houses are
fully furnished, some are partly furnished some are just not furnished. Then what are the
options for people whose houses are not furnished."

How to extend your Student VISA?

2007-03-10T23:45:00.000+10:30

For some unavoidable academic reasons (ok, man, I have failed in 2 subjects and want to extend), if you want to extend your student VISA, floow these steps. These are extracted from the guidelines supplied by DIMIA (Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs), UNSW, Monash and Macquarie universities. May be your Uni website may contain some tips. Contact Campus Central or International Student Centre.

Here is the brief outline of the procedure.

Important Note:

You must lodge your student visa extension application to DIMIA within 28 days of your current visa’s expiry date. Applications lodged after this time may be refused. Sooner the better.

Also, note that DIMIA will not give you an extension on your Student Visa for graduation purposes. If you wish to stay in Australia for a graduation ceremony, you must apply for a Tourist Visa from the DIMIA.

In order to apply for student visa extension, you need:
1) A valid Passport (Check the Expiry Date of your Passport!)

2) A valid Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) (Ask your Co-ordinator)

3) Overseas Student Health Cover (Renew it first to cover the extended study period)

4) Previous Academic Transcript (Request the transcripts till the previous semester)

5) You need to do Medical examination once again for student visa extension and it would cost you AUD $290. One copy of the Medical report will be sent to you and you have to submit it to DIMIA with the receipt of medical and X-ray examinations. (Form 26 and Form 160 can be downloaded from
http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/index.htm)

6) Evidence of you Financial Ability. (Letter from your Bank saying they would cover the fees. Please check this DIMIA’s page to obtain more information on the level of funds you need to meet this requirement.)

7) Three (3) passport-sized photographs not more than 6 months old. One for the application and 2 for medical forms. ** Some cases it is not needed.

8) Download the relevant forms from this page of DIMIA website: They are form 157A, information sheet 1160i and the relevant information booklet & information sheet 1163i for information regarding health checks.

9) Make an appointment with DIMIA by calling 131881 to submit your application or goto DIMIA and ask details at helpdesk. They will guide you to drop the documents in lodgement box.

10) Pay an application fee of $430; by Credit Card, EFTPOS, Bank Cheque, or Money Order. Check the prices at this page

11) Internet Visa lodgement is also available on this page of DIMIA website. Student visa holders already in Australia can e-lodge regardless of their student assessment level, at any time within 6 weeks of their course starting. If you lodge over the internet, you will receive an emailed confirmation of your lodgement, together with a list of documents required by DIMIA. You will also be granted a bridging visa to ensure you remain lawful while waiting for your application to be assessed. After receiving your e-lodgement receipt, you must call within 48 hours on 131 881 and make an appointment to see a DIMIA officer.

You may continue reading more at DIMIA website.

Workers Compensation,Rights and Abuse

2007-03-01T07:16:00.000+10:30

Am I covered by workers compensation in event of injury or illness by my employer?

YES. It is essential that you should work with a valid TFN number (not a cash-in-hand job where an employer can deny you). The immigration website further says, "If an employee is not covered under workers compensation, he or she is covered under common law and if injured, could pursue a civil claim against the employer through the civil persons and courts".

What are work rights and how do I demand them?

Read this official release "Australian Immigration Guide on Work Rights"

http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/compliance/guide-on-work-rights/index.htm

Where do I report any work related (or any) abuses?

From 15 August 2005 employers in South Australia can be fined up to $100,000 for failing to "adequately manage" bullying behaviour.

Read more details about abuse in work place at the SA Govt official website http://www.employeeombudsman.sa.gov.au/info/Info.asp

Also see http://rightsatwork.com.au

Say No to Cash in Hand Jobs

2007-03-01T07:12:00.000+10:30

What is a cash-in-hand job? Can I accept or work in a cash-in-hand job?

A cash-in-hand job is where you agree to your employer that you will get your salary off-the-record without a TFN (illegally). So, you and your employer need not pay the tax money to Government. Should you accept that kind of cash-in-hand jobs? Say a big NO.

Dont fall into this trap. You may seem to get full salary not paying that little tax. But, if DIMIA gets to know you may run the risk of going back to your own country. You wont get any benefits (worse if you get injured at your workplace), your employer may even deny that he doesn't know your existence in Australia. Be very careful.

What are the Parttime Jobs?

2007-03-01T07:00:00.000+10:30

Fast foods and Restaurants: A place where you can get a part time job is Fast foods like McDonalds, KFC, Subway or Hungry Jacks and other restaurants. Either you are asked to work as kitchen in-hand(work load) or at the front (as waiter). You get an hourly pay from $7 to $25, vary between the restaurants. You will get double the salary on weekends. Indian restaurants offer low pay contrary to Australian restaurants. Some students work in Indian restaurants to get an experience and then apply for any Australian restaurants. Main advantage of working in a restaurant is you can get any type of food (to eat!) you want.

Cleaning and Maintanence Industry: You could see 100's of cleaning jobs daily. Many students show interest to work in cleaning industry. Though it is a bit hard job as youthink and not all the work places are hard. This is a kind of flexible job. Students apply for this kind of jobs just to earn some bucks. You get a good pay starting from $10 to $25 and on weekends the salary is doubled.

Supermarkets: Australian is famous for retail business and they recruit people at regular intervals. Woolworths, Coles, BigW (Supermarkets) are some of the supermarkets where you can apply for part time or casual jobs online. Whenever the company needs some employees, they will give you a call for an interview. Students apply online for these supermarkets and continue their previous jobs as one may not say when you are called for an interview. Pay rate starts from $15 to $25.

Pizza Delivery: If you have a car (Help me buying a car - external link) and a valid Indian driving license, this is the perfect job. There are plenty ofpizza shops available all over and getting a job is very simple. Buy a street directory to know the places and in the due course of time you will find everything easy in this job. Pay is $50 to $100 per day, with a pizza.
Owning a car is not a big deal. Second hand cars are available for a low price that starts from $500 .Dont worry mate, it will run !!). You can get good cars between $800 and $1000.

Taxi-driving: You must possess a valid driving license (Indian or International). Then you must obtain a Taxi-Driver license after undergoing a training.It may cost you around Aged Care and Nursing:If you are interested in helping and nursing aged people, then you can undergo a training paying $500 - $600 (I am not sure). You may earn $20 or more.

Factory jobs: For factory jobs that involve driving of fork lifters, you need a valid driving license and you need to complete a fork lifting licensing course which may cost you around $500 - $600. You may earn $16 or more.

Security jobs: You may get a security job if you undergo "Security Training" and "Police Clearance" which may cost you $1200. You may earn $20 and more.Fruit-picking, Pruning (Seasonal):These are seasonal jobs that you can find during Summer or Winter (whenever work is there). It is fun but challenging though. Salry may vary from $10 to $18.

University jobs: You may look out for jobs inside the university as well (Watch out for notice boards) System Administration, Tutoring, Research jobs. Salry may vary from $20 to $60 per hour.

Marketing jobs: You may find door-to-door marketing, tele-marketing jobs with some employers which if you are interested, you can work on your own hours. The salary you can earn depend on your marketing talents. You can more with less time. (No restrictions on how much you can earn).

How do you search Jobs?

2007-03-01T06:56:00.000+10:30

Searching for a part time job is as similar as in India.

Heaps of job opportunities will be advertised in the daily newspaper. Look in thelocal dailies, The Advertiser (Wednesday and Saturday editions) and The Australian (Wednesday, Weekend editions).

Get up early on these days (at least); select the job as per your interest and make a call to the concerned person immediately. The rule of thumb is by morning 9'o clock many jobs will be filled. Early bird gets easy grains.

You can also search in websites too.

1.http://jobsearch.gov.au
2.http://careerone.com.au

Why TFN & ABN Important

2007-03-01T06:20:00.000+10:30

Why do I need a Tax File Number?

Actually working without a TFN [Tax File Number] is illegal and if found by the immigration office the corresponding student would be deported by VISA regulations.

Before working it is essential to have a TFN before starting to work and we as students are not supposed to work more than 20 hrs/week. And 17% of tax will be deducted from each payment. And this 17% tax is for every dollar that is earned above 6000$ in a year.At the end of fiscal year the remaining amount will be refunded.

For example if you earn $10000 in a year there will be no tax for $6000 but for the rest of $4000, 17% of tax will be taken from the salary for every payment. If you need the refund you will have to apply for it through the Taxation Offices website.

The taxation office website is http://www.ato.gov.au So, as recommended by the immigration department (DIMIA) for international students, you should have a valid TFN number and a bank account in an Australian bank through which you get your fortnight pay (salary) (once in two weeks) salary will be deposited.

During the orientation in your respective universities, you will be asked to fill-up a form to apply for a work permit and TFN number.

What is Australian Business Number?

Akin to TFN is an ABN (Australian Business Number) which is meant for any person who is willing to do a business in Australia. You can also apply for an ABN instead of a TFN, but while submitting for your tax returns every year, the procedure may slightly vary.

Though some students have an ABN, it is advisable to head on with TFN. You may even have both (at no cost!).

Parttime Jobs - First to do

2007-03-01T06:15:00.000+10:30

Steps involved in getting Part-time Jobs:-

1. As soon as you land, Get Enrolled in the course.
2. Next, Apply to DIMIA (Immigration) to obtain Work Permit (20 hrs) paying AUD 60.
3. Open a Bank Account in an Australian Bank.
4. Apply for TFN / ABN (which is free).
5. Prepare a resume/ CV of yours.
6. Search jobs in Newspapers, Internet and with your seniors.
7. Land in the job that you like.

Unlike USA, getting a part time job is as easy as riding a bike. The first and foremost thing is to get a work permit (your VISA issued in India will not have work permit!) and a TFN (Tax File Number) - aunique number every working person in Australia should possess.So, as soon as you land here in Australia, go to the University and attend the "Welcome Sessions" that provide vital information and tips on settling here.

Enrol in your course and get some proof from International Office. Open a Bank Account in an Australian Bank (BankSA, Commonwealth or Westpac or ANZ) using that proof. Then, go to the DIMIA (Immigration) Office (or apply via Online) for Part-time Work Permit. But, in any case, you must go to get your passport stamped at DIMIA. As soon as you get your work permit, you need to apply for a Tax File Number (TFN) as your employer will need it to pay your salary.

Students - How to Apply for permission to work quicker and easier in Australia

2007-03-01T05:52:00.000+10:30

Australia is getting more international students every year and it will be in increase. students came here to study are allowed to work 20hrs per week as a part time to cover up their living expenses.

The department of immigration and multicultural enables the students to get permission for work in 5 easy steps. Permission to work can be applied by two ways 1. Online application and 2. Paper application

Online application can take about 3 working days. The paper work application can take about 1-3 weeks.

DIMIA encourages students to apply online for easy access.

The five steps to apply online for permission to work are:

1. Ask your education provider to notify the department electronically to confirm that you have started your course. Once they have notified, allow a few hours for this information to go into the departments system before going proceeding with online application.

2. The Fee to apply for permission to work is AUD $60.

3. Complete online application and follow the prompts to pay for the application.

Note: You must have a credit card or Visa Card to apply online.

4. Your application will be processed and notified to you by mail or email with in a week. You can also check the progress of your application online.

5. Visit your nearest departmental office to have your visa label stamped in your passport.( Remember to bring your passport).

Note: AusAID and Defence (subclass 576) visa applicants must bring a letter from your Australian education provider, to any departmental office, stating that you are started your course before commencing the application.

For Further Informations visit www.immi.gov.au

What I will do with my money?

2007-03-01T05:32:00.000+10:30

Settling into a new university in a new country is a big step that may be expensive. One of the things you will have to consider is the amount of money you will bring with you when you first come to South Australia;

How you will bring that money into the country and what you will do with your money once you have arrived in South Australia. Your first month at university may be your most expensive month because you will need to pay for your textbooks and program equipment (This could cost between $A100 and $A500 depending on your program).

Also if you choose to move into private rental accommodation, you could be asked to pay up to 4 weeks rent in advance plus a bond (which is security against you causing damage to the property). The bond is usually equal to 2 or 4 weeks rent. (The bond is returned to you when you leave the property as long as you have not caused any damage to the property). The following guide may assist you in deciding how much money to bring with you so that you can establish yourself at the University with the least amount of worry:

Cash $A 1000, Travellers cheques and/or International ATM access $A2,500.

n important fact to remember is that a cheque (or banker's draft) may not be the most useful way of bringing money into the country. International cheques (or banker's drafts) can take up to 6 weeks to be cleared by a bank in Australia. This means that you may not be able to use these funds for the first 6 weeks of your stay in South Australia. You will have better access to your money if you can arrange with your bank to bring some funds in Australian dollars or travellers cheques and have other funds available through international automatic teller machine access.

Once you arrive in Australia the next important step is to open a bank account as soon as possible. A bank account makes it easy and safe for you to deposit and withdraw money whenever and wherever you want. The staff of International Student Services can assist you with opening a bank account at the bank of your choice.

I prefer three banks in South Australia which helps lot of international students.

1.Bank SA.

2.Commonwealth Bank.

3.ANZ.

Most of the University students prefer Bank SA, because it gives Visa facility in all the cards. You can use that card as debit card for paying all online transaction and telephonic banking.Commonwealth is one of the biggest bank in Australia and my personal opinion is to start your account in Commonwealth, because more ATM and net bank is really fast comparing to other banks in South Australia.

If you want to sent or receive money from India, ANZ is best way to do that. They charge very less for international transaction comparing to other banks in South Australia.It is very important that you discuss with your parents (or who ever is providing you with financial support) the most reliable way for you to regularly receive funds while you are living in South Australia. Before you leave home it is important that you make sure that the money you receive from home, while you are studying in Australia, is enough to pay for your tuition costs and your living costs.

If you are granted Work Rights after you start studying, it will be possible for you to look for part-time employment. However, there is no guarantee that you will find work as soon as possible you arrived South Australia or, if you do find work, that you will be able to cope with work without your study suffering.

- Contributed by Hari, Former Student, UniSAHari finished his Masters Computer and Information Science (LMCP) from University of South Australa and currently employed with Oasis, Wollongong, NSW.

He is one of those students who ended up getting a job offer even before he finished his degree. He can be reached by hari.jaganathan@gmail.com

Welcome to Students Adelaide

2007-02-23T02:55:00.000+10:30

Meet the International Students studying in Adelaide.

We, the students of Adelaide University, Flinders University and University of South Australia, would like to help new International students who have come so far from mother land.

You can meet us at Google Groups to post a question. Or there is a fun way. Join in Orkut community.

We have a very active community there as well. But you need an Orkut account (invite) for joining or viewing it.

Don't worry. Visit the Contact page and e-mail any one of us. We will provide you an Orkut invite. Create an account with Orkut and login.

Then paste this URL (web link) in the browser http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=12515990 .

You will find Students in Adelaide Orkut communityAnd we have some blogs as well,General tips on finding Accommodation and Jobs @ Student Blog And another one to showcase our Community Photos .

If you need any assistance, feel free to contact any one of us, any time.