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Archive for March, 2010

Australian superannuation

23 Mar

What is superannuation?

Superannuation is an investment designed to provide money for your retirement. Most people start superannuation when they start work because their employer has to pay contributions. You are free to choose to top up the funds out of your own pocket, but it’s not mandatory.

As an employer, they need to at least contribute minumum 9% amount of the earning base for each eligible employee.

As an employee, they need to pass their Tax File Number to the employer for their super fund.
You can apply for Tax File Number online thru ATO (Australian Taxation Office).
URL: http://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/content.asp?doc=/content/38760.htm

 
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Posted in Jobs, Tips & Tricks

 

Salary Survey and Guide in Sydney or Australia

22 Mar

If you want to know the salary survey and guide in Sydney, New South Wales or Australia generally, you can check out these links which came from different sources.

Hays
Hays Recruitment publishes an annual salary survey representing several industries
URL: http://www.hays.com.au/salary/default.aspx

Michael Page International
Michael Page International offers an accurate, up-to-the-minute snapshot of current salary levels.
URL: http://www.michaelpage.com.au/salary-centre.html

Olivier
Olivier Recruitment provides a comprehensive guide to salaries in Financial Services sectors across metropolitan Sydney.
URL: salary_survey_2009_Olivier

Robert Half International
Robert Half International produces an annual International Financial Salary Guide which provides comprehensive data on average salaries for accounting and finance professionals in several countries such as Australia, United States and so on.
URL: Salary_Robert_Half

Hope this information helps!

 
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Posted in Jobs

 

Special Category Visa for New Zealanders

19 Mar

Special Category Visa (SCV) is a type of Australian visa which specifically granted to most New Zealand citizens on arrival in Australia. It was introduced on 1 September 1994 by the Migration Regulations 1994. Prior to 1 September 1994, New Zealanders were generally treated as exempt non citizens in Australia.

SCV is granted upon arrival to Australia. It ceases when the holder departs Australia (for any reason) but a new SCV is granted on return.

For further information, please go to this URL on below.
Link: http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/17nz.htm

Although this SCV is designed to New Zealanders, there are some exceptions applied to:

  • those with significant health problems or criminal records
  • those who hold temporary or permanent Australian visa
  • those who arrive in Australia using another passport (eg dual nationality)
  • those who arrive for specific purposes, such as diplomats and visiting forces

 
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Posted in Immigration

 

Sydney attractions – part 1

18 Mar

Sydney has an almost endless variety of attractions and activities to entertain. You and your family can just spend your night and weekend walking on the beach, enjoy the weather whilst having lunch/dinner with a view of Opera House or Sydney harbour. Even you can come face-to-face with Australia’s diverse wildlife or climb a city icon such as Harbour bridge or Sydney tower.

Things to do in Sydney:

  • Sydney Opera House tour or easy walk – FREE
    URL: http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com
  • Art Gallery of NSW – FREE
    URL: http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au
  • Sydney Wildlife World & Sydney Aquarium (Kids)
    URL: http://sydneywildlifeworld.myfun.com.au
    URL: http://sydneyaquarium.myfun.com.au
  • Sydney Bridge Climb
    URL: http://www.bridgeclimb.com
  • Sydney Olympic Park – FREE
    URL: http://www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au
  • Sydney Taronga Zoo
    URL: http://taronga.org.au
  • Sydney Darling Harbour – FREE
    URL: http://www.darlingharbour.com
  • Powerhouse Museum (Kids)
    URL: http://www.powerhousemuseum.com
  • IMAX (Kids)
    URL: http://www.imax.com.au
  • Sydney Tower
    URL: http://sydneytower.myfun.com.au
  • Sydney Observatory
    URL: http://www.sydneyobservatory.com.au
  • National Maritime Museum – FREE
    URL: http://www.anmm.gov.au
  • Royal Botanic Gardens – FREE
    URL: http://www.rbsyd.nsw.gov.au
  • Customs House – FREE
    URL: http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
  • Beach walk (Manly, Bondi, Balmoral, Dee Why, etc…) – FREE

 
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Posted in Tips & Tricks, What's on Sydney

 

Sydney events

17 Mar

Chinatown Night Market
It’s on every Friday night between 4pm – 11pm

Sydney Festival (http://www.sydneyfestival.com.au)
January

Mardi Gras Sydney (http://www.mardigras.org.au)
February / March

Sydney Tropfest (http://www.tropfest.com.au)
February / March

Royal Easter Show (http://www.eastershow.com.au)
March / April

City to Surf (http://city2surf.sunherald.com.au)
August

Darling Harbour Latin festival
September

Manly Jazz festival (http://www.manly.nsw.gov.au/manlyjazz)
October

Australian International Motor Show
October

Sculpture By The Sea
November

Carols in the Domain
December

Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
December

New Year’s Eve (http://www.newyearseve.com.au)
December

If you want to see a complete list of Sydney event, here is the URL:

http://www.sydneyfestival.org.au/2010/

 
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Posted in Transportation

 

Australian weather

16 Mar

Australia has 4 seasons like other countries in the southern hemisphere. Even though the four ‘official’ calendar seasons have the same names as the northern hemisphere seasons, the weather during these seasons is completely different to them.

Overall, Sydney has quite pleasant weather and Christmas is takes place at the height of summer.  However Australia is generally a very dry place, so summers can get much hotter and there is a lot of bushfire.

Winter weather in Sydney is also not too cold. The temperature range is from 6 – 20 degree Celcius, it can be below 0 Celcius at night but Sydney never had snow. Winter is also the mid-year break for students.
They are:

  • Summer: December – February
  • Autumn: March – May
  • Winter: June – August
  • Spring: September – November

 
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Posted in Departure to Sydney, Tips & Tricks, What's on Sydney

 

Sydney Ethnic Communities areas

15 Mar

Sydney is famous of the multicultural city where all people from different background lives together in harmony. So if you want to know what specific area for Sydney ethnic communities, here is the list:

  • Ashfield (Chinese – Shanghainese)
  • Auburn (Turkish)
  • Bankstown (Vietnamese)
  • Blacktown (Filipino)
  • Bondi (Jewish)
  • Cabramatta (Vietnamese)
  • Chatswood (Hong Kong Chinese)
  • Earlwood / Brighton Le-Sands (Greek)
  • Eastwood (Korean)
  • Fairfield (Various: Assyrian, Yugoslavs, Hispanic)
  • Five Docks (Italian)
  • Homebush (Sri Lanka / South Indian)
  • Hurstville (Chinese)
  • Kingsford / Maroubra (Indonesian)
  • Lakemba (Lebanese)
  • Leichardt (Italian)
  • Liverpool (Serbs)
  • Manly (Danes, Norwegians and Swedes)
  • Mount Kuring-gai (Polish)
  • Northbridge (Japanese)
  • Petersham (Portugese)
  • St Ives (South African / Jewish)
  • Strathfield (Korean)
  • Waverley (Russian)
  • Willoughby (Armenian)

 
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Posted in Accomodation

 

To-do-list before you moving into your new place

13 Mar

Here is the to-do-list you need to settled before moving into your new place. It’s wiseable to do it 1-2 weeks before as sometimes it takes around 1-2 weeks for some providers to do connection.

Here they are:

  • Gas & Electricity
    There are 2 providers of Sydney gas, they are:

    • Energy Australia
      URL: http://www.energyaustralia.com.au
    • AGL
      URL: http://www.agl.com.au
  • Phone
    There are lots of phone providers, the most famous ones are:

    • Telstra
      URL: http://www.telstra.com.au
    • Optus
      URL: http://www.optus.com.au
    • AAPT
      URL: http://www.aapt.com.au
    • Westnet
      URL: http://www.westnet.com.au
    • Dodo
      URL: http://www.dodo.com.au
    • iiNet
      URL: http://www.iinet.com.au
  • Internet
    • TPG
      URL: http://www.tpg.com.au
    • Dodo
      URL: http://www.dodo.com.au
    • Bigpond
      URL: http://www.bigpond.com.au
    • Optus
      URL: http://www.optus.com.au
    • iiNet
      URL: http://www.iinet.com.au

 
2 Comments

Posted in Accomodation, Arrival in Sydney, Tips & Tricks

 

Medicare Information Kit

12 Mar

For those who are looking for Medicare Information Kit, here is the URL.

URL: http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/public/migrants/language/index.jsp

 
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Posted in Tips & Tricks

 

Sydney backpacker accomodation

11 Mar

Most of the backpacker accomodation listed on below located in the heart of Sydney CBD. Although there are lots of backpacker accomodation around Sydney, you might consider to stay around the city as it’s quite convinience for you for temporary accomodation.

Here is the list of Sydney backpacker accomodation:

  • Sydney Central YHA
    Address: 11-23 Rawson Place, Sydney, NSW-2000
    URL: http://www.yha.com.au
  • Westend Backpackers
    Address: 412 Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW-2000
    URL: http://www.westendbackpackers.com
  • Sydney Backpackers
    Address: Victoria House, 7 Wilmot Street, Sydney, NSW-2000
    URL: http://www.sydneybackpackers.com
  • 790 on George Backpackers
    Address: 790 George Street, Sydney, NSW-2000
    URL: http://www.790ongeorge.com.au
  • Blue Parrot Backpackers
    Address: 87 Macleay Street, Potts Point, NSW-2011
    URL: http://www.blueparrot.com.au
  • Y Hotel Hyde Park
    Address: 5-11 Wentworth Avenue, Sydney, NSW-2000
    URL: http://www.yhotel.com.au

 
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Posted in Accomodation

 
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