First day in Australia... what to do?

Hi,

For those coming to Australia for initial entry purposes then I guess it would be a vacation/holiday mode until such time you've decided when to make the BIG MOVE.

What to do?
- buy a sim card you will need your passport and visa
- for a little over 100 dollars you could rent a limousine travelling 20kms from airport to your
destination
- for roughly 15 dollars or up each person commute using train and buses from airport to
your destination
- settle in your accommodation and begin your day right tom


For those who are doing the BIG MOVE

What to do?
- buy a sim card you will need your passport and visa
- start familiarising yourself with the train line, you'll see that in a board near the ticketing
officer
- settle in your accommodation
- next day, walk around the area where you will live temporarily, get to know where the bus
stop and counter check that using maps.google.com.au, where you will do your day to day
groceries and pharmacy
- familiarise yourself in using either google maps or 131500.info to know how to commute
from your accommodation to your destination and vice-versa
- visit MEDICARE office and enrol to get a medicare card, bring your family with you,
passport, visa and immi letter
- open a bank account, you may use the address of your tempo accommodation then change
it later
- visit Centrelink as to what they could offer, that includes finding work or potential trainings
- visit your local community college to know if they are offering any free trainings or
workshops for new migrants
- visit RTA to check requirements to get either a driver's license or a ID card
- if you have a current condition or if you have kids, visit a GP near your area
- if your tempo accommodation is for few weeks then you need to start viewing properties or
inspect them for long term rental
- check what facilities or amenities your local council provides let say swimming pool,
basketball court, tennis court, etc.
- visit your council for any job ads they usually post in their bulletin, grab whatever
immediate tempo work they require as you need to build referees and local experience,
better to earn something than wait for an opportunity you feel right for you
- spend your first two weeks visiting nearby places which won't cost you much aside from fare
- like in Sydney, if you will come as a family make use of the Family Pass every Sunday and
ride the ferry from one place to another
- do some volunteering instead of doing nothing www.volunteering.com.au You might be
surprised with the type of work they require and the opportunity waiting for the right person
- research about Skillmax
- research about Skilled Migrant Mentoring Program
- if still no work then try those newspaper or magazine delivery or even register in tempting
agencies for date entry job

Take into consideration:

1. There are heaps of free trainings and workshops meant for skilled migrants.
2. There are groups who will help you understand how to adapt and engage yourself.
3. There are not for profit organisations who offer nearly the same opportunities with private sector.
4. There are heaps of job openings in universities and councils.
5. If you don't have private health insurance make sure that you already register yourself or family in Medicare.
6. 000 is the emergency number here in Australia but be wary on what you will report. Make sure that you can easily say what kind of help is needed.
7. Don't be scared to call for an ambulance if you feel bad and you need to be hospitalised. Although, some state covers one free ambulatory assistance per year but if you have private health insurance it will be unlimited.
8. Make full use of your private health insurance. Enjoy remedial message, dental check-up, eye check-up even physio annually. These services are called extras so make use of them, these are being renewed annually.
9. You can ask Coles, Woolworths even Aldi and some other shops if they have openings if you are looking for tempo jobs. Again, better to have something than waiting for nothing.