It was wonderful meeting you all again last night for our session with Australian immigration expert, Barry (from http://www.immistay.com). I think you’ll agree with me when I say that Barry’s insight was invaluable. For those of you who missed the evening, a copy of our conversation can be found here.
In this post, I want to summarize some of the helpful resources and information Barry shared:
-Barry stated that immigrating to Australia as a student is often easier than as a professional (unless, of course, the professional’s skill is in high demand). For information on changes to the 457 Visa, click here. To help calculate your score in the Skills Migration Points Test, Barry recommends this iPhone app from Acacia Immigration Australia.
-When I asked Barry to share something he felt all Australian immigrant hopefuls should know, he replied that those applying for immigration should remember that day-to-day life in Australia is often much more expensive than most people expect (factoring in bills, transportation fees, meals, etc.). Barry let us know that most newly arrived students end up having to share apartments. He also suggested all students become familiar with the various Visas available to them (information on this is available at http://www.immi.gov.au/).
-Students planning to study in Australia for a period of 2 years will need to provide proof that their financial situation is capable of covering the following:
$2000 x 24 months = $48000 AUD for you course
$1500 x 24 months = $36000 AUD for living expenses
$2000 AUD for the air fare home.
-Having a valid Australian driver’s licence is highly recommended. International driver’s licences are accepted in Australia. For more information on this, click here. If you cannot attain a driver’s licence for whatever reason, consider reading Barry’s article on Australian public transportation by clicking here.
-Often students will find the qualifications they achieved in their home country are not recognized at the same level in Australia. This situation may require them to take additional training to bridge this disparity.
-You can operate a business as a non resident in Australia. Information on how to do this is available here.
The following chart illustrates the results of a British survey taken in 2005. Write a report summarizing the data shown.
The chart illustrates housing preferences among people who lived in the British cities of London, Oxford and Cambridge in the year 2005. It appears partiality towards certain housing types is inverted between larger and smaller English cities.
58% of Londoners list ‘flats’ as their preferred living arrangement, a number much higher than its Oxford and Cambridge counterparts, at 29% and 20% respectively. Fondness of terraced housing is roughly equal between the three cities, all of which show figures within the 16% to 19% range. However, a stark difference is seen among the figures representing people who prefer detached houses, with London clocking in at 9%, Oxford at 25% and Cambridge at 36%. Semi-detached housing also shows a pattern of variation that appears to be sensitive to city size. 17% of people living in London in 2005 preferred this style of housing. Oxford and Cambridge, however, both have figures of 27%.
In an effort to produce more resources for online students, I have started performing recorded interviews with successful IELTS test takers via Skype. These interviews are only about 20 or 30 minutes in length, but I think they will prove to be very helpful study materials for online IELTS students wishing to better their mark on the exam.
Have you successfully achieved an overall band of 7 or higher? Would you like to help other IELTS students around the world by sharing the strategies you followed to prepare for and engage the exam?
If you answered ‘yes‘ to the above two questions, I want to work with you! Don’t be shy! I will send you the interview questions ahead of time to give you a chance to prepare. You may also remain anonymous during the interview if you wish. For more information, please do not hesitate to contact me at ryanthiggins@gmail.com.
So what will you get in return? Well, aside from aiding other test candidates around the world, I would be happy to help you promote an endeavor of your own via the recording. This could be a great way to let everyone know about that amazing new website or online service you’ve just started.
Let’s get started! Please send me an email as soon as you can!
