BIG MOVE 2022

alfa · August 2022

Hello po. Mga magkano po maximum na pwde dalin na cash to Australia? Hindi na pala pwde mg open ng Bank account while offshore.

era222 · August 2022

@Joninho said:
Good evening.
This is it. My Big Move 2022.
TSS 482 Medium Stream
Will be flying to Melbourne tomorrow, then on Thursday will travel to my new city.
Will stay in the loop here, paying it forward na maka tulong sa ibang nagbabalak magpa Australia.
See you all soon!

I will post details of my journey once maka settle na. Dali-daliang pag alis to, kaya may nerbyos pa. Once ma kalma2x na, kwento ko sa inyo.

Until then!

Wishing you the best of luck!!!!

athelene · August 2022

@EricTC said:
Thank you for sharing this reality, kasi di ko to naisip ngayon. Akala ko I can already find/secure a place to stay while I am still here in the PH. Just to have an idea, mga magkano po ang rent sa hostel/airbnb?

It is definitely better to inspect the place in person, because photos and video inspections don't tell the whole story (like kung may maingay na neighbors, proximity to public transpo, etc.). Malalaman mo lang yung pag pumunta ka talaga sa property. Rent/accommodation costs highly depends on which city you're going; for hostel/airbnb ones, that's also affected by season and school breaks (many Aussie families travel to other cities pag vacation ng mga school kids so there may be low hostel/airbnb vacancies pag school holidays).

@EricTC said:
Also, may restrictions/add'l checking ba with laptops / mobile phones sa Aus airport? Is it ok to bring my own laptop or should I buy there? Thank you!

Nope, they don't check. You can bring your current laptop, just remember to bring an adaptor for your charger (to convert from Type A plug to Type I). Three-pin (upside down V na may flat blade for grounding) ang saksakan nila dito. Pwede ka bumili ng travel adaptor set (yung several pieces in a box, not just the big single piece) para yung Type I adaptor lang gagamitin mo. Mahal ang laptop dito, usually wala pang freebies (free bag, or RAM upgrade).

If there's one advice that newcomers should remember, it's that you stop converting from AUD to PHP. Once you land here, you will feel everything is expensive in terms of PH currency (which may hamper your enjoyment of things kasi kinocompare mo yung Australian cost of living with PH), but remember that you will also be earning in AUD. The first costs of relocation and settling in will be expensive, but once you get a feel of what is expensive for a meal (AUD 15-20 is cheap, AUD 25-40 is mid-range to expensive for me), rent, bills/utilities, etc., you can slowly adjust your budget over the following months.

Josef · August 2022

@alfa said:
Hello po. Mga magkano po maximum na pwde dalin na cash to Australia? Hindi na pala pwde mg open ng Bank account while offshore.

You have to declare anything more than $10,000 if I’m not mistaken. To avoid the hassle at Customs, just bring enough cash for like a month’s worth of expenses, like $3,000 perhaps then just withdraw from the ATM. Not having a lot of cash on hand would be safer and stops you from splurging haha (true for me)! ATM withdrawals n ANZ machines just cost $2/transaction or about P79.00. I usually limit my withdrawals to once a week unless absolutely necessary.

EricTC · August 2022

@Josef said:

@alfa said:
Hello po. Mga magkano po maximum na pwde dalin na cash to Australia? Hindi na pala pwde mg open ng Bank account while offshore.

You have to declare anything more than $10,000 if I’m not mistaken. To avoid the hassle at Customs, just bring enough cash for like a month’s worth of expenses, like $3,000 perhaps then just withdraw from the ATM. Not having a lot of cash on hand would be safer and stops you from splurging haha (true for me)! ATM withdrawals n ANZ machines just cost $2/transaction or about P79.00. I usually limit my withdrawals to once a week unless absolutely necessary.

Just to verify, yung $2 transaction fee applies if we are withdrawing using our Philippine bank debit card?

athelene · August 2022

@alfa said:
Hello po. Mga magkano po maximum na pwde dalin na cash to Australia? Hindi na pala pwde mg open ng Bank account while offshore.

No limit on how much you can bring. As @Josef said, anything more than $10,000 (total value, no matter what currency), you have to declare it. Wala naman silang gagawin sa pera mo kung more than $10k ang dala mo (I believe the purpose of them asking is to prevent money laundering). Kung big move ka na talaga, I doubt it's a problem to move a big amount of money kasi migrant ka. Pero kung hindi ka magdeclare at nag-inspect sila at nakita nilang more than $10k ang dala mo, baka iconfiscate yung pera mo, so better declare talaga to be safe.

If you don't have a job lined up when you move, bring at least 3 month's worth of living expenses on, since you wouldn't know how long it'll take to find a full time job. If you're migrating by yourself, AUD 1500-2000 per month for living expenses is feasible (especially kung matipid ka), so AUD 4500-6000 should be ok. If you're bringing a partner and children, you will need a higher amount.

I recommend a higher amount kasi Australia has this concept of rental bond/deposit when you start renting, which is usually 2-4 weeks' worth of rent. I.e. if your weekly rent is AUD 250 and the bond is 4 weeks, you need to pay AUD 250 x 4 = AUD 1000 for the rental bond, plus yung actual rent that you have to pay (usually paid fortnightly, but depending on your arrangement with landlord, it could be weekly or monthly).

athelene · August 2022

@EricTC said:
Just to verify, yung $2 transaction fee applies if we are withdrawing using our Philippine bank debit card?

You'll have to check with your PH card issuer. Kasi the ATM in Australia may charge your card to use their service/machine, and then the PH bank could also charge you also for using your card overseas.

EricTC · August 2022

Thank you. May I also ask, based on your own observation, anong months po ang mas ok to look for a job and also accommodation? Currently I am indecisive if I should fly to Aus before or after the Christmas period. Does companies still active in filling up vacant positions even during mid-November up to the Christmas holidays?

badblockz · August 2022

@EricTC said:
Thank you. May I also ask, based on your own observation, anong months po ang mas ok to look for a job and also accommodation? Currently I am indecisive if I should fly to Aus before or after the Christmas period. Does companies still active in filling up vacant positions even during mid-November up to the Christmas holidays?

IMO, I would say get onshore as soon as you are able to do so. The sooner you can get started job hunting locally, the better. If you are moving solo, look for rooms in a shared housing first. In Pinoy AU fb groups, there are Pinoys offering their extra rooms, so you may get your luck in there. That could get you started having a local address for your resume/job search.

athelene · August 2022

@EricTC said:
Thank you. May I also ask, based on your own observation, anong months po ang mas ok to look for a job and also accommodation? Currently I am indecisive if I should fly to Aus before or after the Christmas period. Does companies still active in filling up vacant positions even during mid-November up to the Christmas holidays?

I would imagine anytime except the holiday period, but I guess this depends on the company and the kind of work. Companies hire at different times of the year, depending on business needs (like if someone leaves the company or they need more people to work on a specific project). But arround November to early December, most companies are getting busy to finish up work before the Christmas break, and then they'll wind down and prep for the shutdown (which is usually 2 weeks, till early January).

For accommodation, I'd say avoid the holiday period as well, because landlords would probably be on vacation around that time din so they wouldn't really hold inspections (well, everyone are on vacation). My friend who had to move around Christmas last year had a hard time finding a place because there weren't a lot of listings available and house inspections happening.

If you're not prepared to move here in the next 1-2 months (like if you still have work to finish and have to pack up all your belongings), maybe travel around January to February? If may budget ka naman to travel this year, you can still come before the holidays, but just have a good vacation before looking for work next year. You can explore and get to know the city, get used to the climate (it's starting to warm up because we're headed into summer). Open a bank account, get your TFN (kailangan mo to when applying for a job, and it can take a while to get), get mobile number, etc. Some people find work first then find a place near work, while others find accommodations first then find work. In my opinion, the former works better in low-population areas, while the latter works better for high-population areas (big cities).

For now, you can start browsing LinkedIn, Seek, or Indeed for jobs, just to see what kind of jobs are out there and ano yung mga skills na kailangan nila. Start reading up on how to write an Australian resume (no info that can be grounds for discrimination--no photo, age, birthday, gender, religion, marital status, etc).

kentjoseph · August 2022

Hi guys, I just received my 491 grant yesterday and preparing for the big move 2 months from now. Question, meron po bang required na document or orientation sa POEA kahit na skilled migrant or I can go there casually since considered resident na ako?

Also, I'm planning to have a short visit dun next month, magdala lang ng first batch of baggage, wala naman po special requirement for first entry?

Thank you!

Hunter_08 · August 2022

@jsp said:

@nashmacoy101 said:

@jsp said:
Hello, sana po may maka pansin and makapag reply po sakin...
Since na-grant na ung Visa, nag resign na ko sa company ko dito sa Pinas.
Pero nagbabasa basa ako, may Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) yata na need pag exit ng Pinas.
Omg, binook na rin kami ng flight ng employer though mga last week pa ng July ung flight date kasi I have to observe pa the 30-day notice period ng resignation ko plus inallow ako ng additional days to make asikaso... pero nappraning ako sa OEC, apparently, andami dami din niyang steps. Can someone please enlighten me po... may nakakauha na po ba rito ng OEC, and gano katagal sya ma-grant. My goodness, para rin pala syang Visa eh...

as far as I know, OEC is applicable lang po kapag returning OFW sa place of employment. nung nagbakasyon kami dito sa pinas from Qatar (5 years ago), mabilis lang naman makakuha ng OEC oras lang naman makakuha depende sa haba ng pila.

@nashmacoy101, ganon po ba... direct hire po kasi ako and hindi dumaan sa POEA, kaya baka hindi ko alam ung OEC... kasi pag dumaan sa agency, ung agent ung nag aasikaso ng OEC... dito sa link na to sir, sinasabi need ng mga requirements from AU na employer na isubmit sa PH Embassy and ung endorsement na manggagaling sa kanila need ko naman isubmit sa POEA for processing... https://www.philembassy.org.au/latest/polo/polo-advisory-03-series-of-2020

I think need mo pumunta sa OWWA pa> @kentjoseph said:

Hi guys, I just received my 491 grant yesterday and preparing for the big move 2 months from now. Question, meron po bang required na document or orientation sa POEA kahit na skilled migrant or I can go there casually since considered resident na ako?

Also, I'm planning to have a short visit dun next month, magdala lang ng first batch of baggage, wala naman po special requirement for first entry?

Thank you!

no need to do PDOS dahil 491 naman visa mo. just bring your passport at grant visa.

kentjoseph · August 2022

Thank you @Hunter_08 !

steven · August 2022

Thank you so much @Josef , @athelene , @tigerlance, @badblockz , @Hunter_08 at sa lahat for sharing your experiences and kind advice dito po sa BIG MOVE forum. It came just when we needed it most!

It is the wonderful help of others that keeps us going most days.

God bless you all.

steven · August 2022

Matanong ko rin po sana, may mga instances po ba sa Au na hinihingi or kakailanganin yung PRC License card? My PRC license will expire soon, at medyo magastos din kasi ang requirements for renewal.

Hunter_08 · August 2022

@steven said:
Matanong ko rin po sana, may mga instances po ba sa Au na hinihingi or kakailanganin yung PRC License card? My PRC license will expire soon, at medyo magastos din kasi ang requirements for renewal.

I don't think hinihingi ng immigration yan PRC license card.

athelene · August 2022

@steven said:
Matanong ko rin po sana, may mga instances po ba sa Au na hinihingi or kakailanganin yung PRC License card? My PRC license will expire soon, at medyo magastos din kasi ang requirements for renewal.

Never had any use for my PRC card here, as it is not recognized (for work or identification). For identification purposes, passport and probably foreign driver's license lang ang nirerecognize nila.

In my opinion, kung gusto mo talaga magrenew and you're unlikely to return to PH for the next year or so, magrenew ka na sa pinas. Hassle din yung makisuyo sa family/friends sa pinas, tapos ipapa-DHL mo dito. Same goes with NBI and driver's license renewal. Kung PR ka na, you can still use your PH driver's license here, tapos after 3 months ata required ka na magconvert to AU driving license.

tigerlance · August 2022

@EricTC said:
Hi. For solo big movers out there, may queries lang po ako:

Ilang months po kayo nagprepare?

May checklist kayo ng lahat ng dinala nyo sa Aus?

Paano kayo nakahanap ng accommodation & job?

For single person, mga magkano ang pocket money ang dapat kong dalhin?

Do I need to resign from my current work right away & start preparing for my big move or it can be done simultaneously? Ano po ginawa nyo?

Thank you!

@steven said:
Matanong ko rin po sana, may mga instances po ba sa Au na hinihingi or kakailanganin yung PRC License card? My PRC license will expire soon, at medyo magastos din kasi ang requirements for renewal.

Pero kung gusto mo magrenew agad agad pero mahirap makakuha ng appointment, ang ginawa ko sumulat ako sa head ng prc sa area na yun. Then inattach ko yung visa, prc id card, passport. Hindi na kukunin yung training kasi papirmahin ka ng waiver. Iattach mo rin yung appointment mo sa prc online website na yung latest appointment mo, hindi ka makakuha, dahil you will travel na.

Ang catch sa prc licence, if citizen ka na sa other country except Philippines, di ka na pwede magrerenew. So pagisipan mo kung magincur ka nalang ng penalty in the future kung babalik ka pa sa pilipinas dahil pinili mong magdual citizen or hindi na. Kasi sa form tinatanong yun kung ano citizen mo. Kaya doon malalaman kung au citizen ka na.

Passport ang una mong id dito. Then apply ka na ng proof of identity and etc.

Joninho · August 2022

@era222 said:

Wishing you the best of luck!!!!

Thank you! Now in Shepparton, Vic. Just settled in new place. Buti tinulungan ako ng sister ko. It would have been a different experience kung wala siya.

steven · August 2022

@tigerlance said:

@EricTC said:
Hi. For solo big movers out there, may queries lang po ako:

Ilang months po kayo nagprepare?

May checklist kayo ng lahat ng dinala nyo sa Aus?

Paano kayo nakahanap ng accommodation & job?

For single person, mga magkano ang pocket money ang dapat kong dalhin?

Do I need to resign from my current work right away & start preparing for my big move or it can be done simultaneously? Ano po ginawa nyo?

Thank you!

@steven said:
Matanong ko rin po sana, may mga instances po ba sa Au na hinihingi or kakailanganin yung PRC License card? My PRC license will expire soon, at medyo magastos din kasi ang requirements for renewal.

Pero kung gusto mo magrenew agad agad pero mahirap makakuha ng appointment, ang ginawa ko sumulat ako sa head ng prc sa area na yun. Then inattach ko yung visa, prc id card, passport. Hindi na kukunin yung training kasi papirmahin ka ng waiver. Iattach mo rin yung appointment mo sa prc online website na yung latest appointment mo, hindi ka makakuha, dahil you will travel na.

Ang catch sa prc licence, if citizen ka na sa other country except Philippines, di ka na pwede magrerenew. So pagisipan mo kung magincur ka nalang ng penalty in the future kung babalik ka pa sa pilipinas dahil pinili mong magdual citizen or hindi na. Kasi sa form tinatanong yun kung ano citizen mo. Kaya doon malalaman kung au citizen ka na.

Passport ang una mong id dito. Then apply ka na ng proof of identity and etc.

Thanks a lot @tigerlance @Hunter_08 for your ideas and suggestions 😊 I'll then try to consider the renewal of license as soon as possible.

steven · August 2022

@athelene Thank you for the advice 😊

As a 491 Provisional visa holder, pwede ko rin po bang gamitin sa Au ang PH driver's license? or PR visa holder lang ang pwede makagamit?

Thank you 🙂

Hunter_08 · August 2022

@steven said:
@athelene Thank you for the advice 😊

As a 491 Provisional visa holder, pwede ko rin po bang gamitin sa Au ang PH driver's license? or PR visa holder lang ang pwede makagamit?

Thank you 🙂

yes pwede mo gamitin yung PH license mo dito as long sa valid pa.

Jacraye · August 2022

@steven said:
@athelene Thank you for the advice 😊

As a 491 Provisional visa holder, pwede ko rin po bang gamitin sa Au ang PH driver's license? or PR visa holder lang ang pwede makagamit?

Thank you 🙂

Pwede. With 491 you can be able to use your Ph license longer if I'm not mistaken. Kapag PR visa you are only allowed 3-6mos (depende sa state) to use your Ph license from the day you got your PR.

steven · August 2022

@Jacraye said:

@steven said:
@athelene Thank you for the advice 😊

As a 491 Provisional visa holder, pwede ko rin po bang gamitin sa Au ang PH driver's license? or PR visa holder lang ang pwede makagamit?

Thank you 🙂

Pwede. With 491 you can be able to use your Ph license longer if I'm not mistaken. Kapag PR visa you are only allowed 3-6mos (depende sa state) to use your Ph license from the day you got your PR.

Thank you very much @Jacraye & @Hunter_08 ... glad to know na pwede ko pala gamitin ang PH Driver's License ko for a considerable period of time

tigerlance · August 2022

@Jacraye said:

@steven said:
@athelene Thank you for the advice 😊

As a 491 Provisional visa holder, pwede ko rin po bang gamitin sa Au ang PH driver's license? or PR visa holder lang ang pwede makagamit?

Thank you 🙂

Pwede. With 491 you can be able to use your Ph license longer if I'm not mistaken. Kapag PR visa you are only allowed 3-6mos (depende sa state) to use your Ph license from the day you got your PR.

Visiting drivers are not required to obtain an ACT driver licence provided your overseas licence remains current and your tourist or visitor status remains unchanged.

A visiting driver is a person who arrives in the ACT with no intention of becoming a resident. This includes:

Tourists;
business people;
people visiting friends or relatives;
visitors on working holiday visas; and,
people studying or working temporarily in the ACT who intend to return to their home state or country when they finish their study or employment.

Naka indicate yung No Intention of Becoming a Resident
*491 is a Provisional Visa with an intention to become a resident
https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/s/article/act-driver-licence-information-tab-visiting-or-moving-to-the-act

Approved countries and jurisdictions for mutual recognition of overseas driver licence
A national agreement for driver licence purposes separates overseas licence holders into three categories. Those from approved countries and jurisdictions, those from experienced driver recognised countries and jurisdictions and those from non-approved countries and jurisdictions.

Applicants from the following approved countries and jurisdictions who hold a full driver licence are exempt from the knowledge test and the practical driving assessment when applying for a full licence in the ACT.

Austria
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Canada
Croatia
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Italy
Ireland
Japan
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Portugal
Singapore
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States of America
Applicants from the following experienced driver recognised countries and jurisdictions who hold a full driver licence and are 25 years of age or older are exempt from the knowledge test and the practical driving assessment when applying for a full licence in the ACT.

Bulgaria
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Estonia
Hong Kong*
Hungary
Latvia
Lithuania
Poland
Republic of Korea
Romania
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
Taiwan
*Hong Kong licences must be held for at least 12 months to qualify for mutual recognition.

steven · August 2022

@tigerlance said:

@Jacraye said:

@steven said:
@athelene Thank you for the advice 😊

As a 491 Provisional visa holder, pwede ko rin po bang gamitin sa Au ang PH driver's license? or PR visa holder lang ang pwede makagamit?

Thank you 🙂

Pwede. With 491 you can be able to use your Ph license longer if I'm not mistaken. Kapag PR visa you are only allowed 3-6mos (depende sa state) to use your Ph license from the day you got your PR.

Visiting drivers are not required to obtain an ACT driver licence provided your overseas licence remains current and your tourist or visitor status remains unchanged.

A visiting driver is a person who arrives in the ACT with no intention of becoming a resident. This includes:

Tourists;
business people;
people visiting friends or relatives;
visitors on working holiday visas; and,
people studying or working temporarily in the ACT who intend to return to their home state or country when they finish their study or employment.

Naka indicate yung No Intention of Becoming a Resident
*491 is a Provisional Visa with an intention to become a resident
https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/s/article/act-driver-licence-information-tab-visiting-or-moving-to-the-act

Approved countries and jurisdictions for mutual recognition of overseas driver licence
A national agreement for driver licence purposes separates overseas licence holders into three categories. Those from approved countries and jurisdictions, those from experienced driver recognised countries and jurisdictions and those from non-approved countries and jurisdictions.

Applicants from the following approved countries and jurisdictions who hold a full driver licence are exempt from the knowledge test and the practical driving assessment when applying for a full licence in the ACT.

Austria
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Canada
Croatia
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Italy
Ireland
Japan
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Portugal
Singapore
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States of America
Applicants from the following experienced driver recognised countries and jurisdictions who hold a full driver licence and are 25 years of age or older are exempt from the knowledge test and the practical driving assessment when applying for a full licence in the ACT.

Bulgaria
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Estonia
Hong Kong*
Hungary
Latvia
Lithuania
Poland
Republic of Korea
Romania
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
Taiwan
*Hong Kong licences must be held for at least 12 months to qualify for mutual recognition.

Maraming salamat @tigerlance for sharing the detailed information. 😊👍

rjankhristiaan · August 2022

Hi guys, my wife and I are arriving in Sydney on 26th September, baka may masuggest po kayong place for us to rent on a short term basis. We have yet to find a job and gusto sana namin humanap ng mas permanent na place kapag nagkawork na.

EricTC · September 2022

Hi again guys. I'm in a bit confusing situation right now. So as I mentioned before, I already hold a visa 491 (NSW regional). Last week, I already told my current employer, w/c is an Australian company based in Sydney, about my planned resignation. Pero gusto nila iextend yung employment ko with them since meron silang office in a regional area but outside of my nominating region. Yung office nila isa nasa regional area rin ng NSW, actually katabi lang ng nominating region ko.

Question: For a visa 491 holder like me, would you recommend to accept their offer and move to a different region or should I stay and find work within my nominating region?

If I move, would it affect my future application for visa 191?

Hoping to hear from you guys or from someone who already moved from one regional area to another.

Hunter_08 · September 2022

@EricTC said:
Hi again guys. I'm in a bit confusing situation right now. So as I mentioned before, I already hold a visa 491 (NSW regional). Last week, I already told my current employer, w/c is an Australian company based in Sydney, about my planned resignation. Pero gusto nila iextend yung employment ko with them since meron silang office in a regional area but outside of my nominating region. Yung office nila isa nasa regional area rin ng NSW, actually katabi lang ng nominating region ko.

Question: For a visa 491 holder like me, would you recommend to accept their offer and move to a different region or should I stay and find work within my nominating region?

If I move, would it affect my future application for visa 191?

Hoping to hear from you guys or from someone who already moved from one regional area to another.

not recommended but pwede kasi kapag binasa mo yung 491 visa nakalagay dun na you could stay and work to any regional area so technically pwede since yung office ng current company mo is in regional at hindi ka pa mahihirapan maghanap ng work. wala naman magiging problema sa PR application mo since nasa titira at mag work ka naman sa regional area.

EricTC · September 2022

@Hunter_08 said:

@EricTC said:
Hi again guys. I'm in a bit confusing situation right now. So as I mentioned before, I already hold a visa 491 (NSW regional). Last week, I already told my current employer, w/c is an Australian company based in Sydney, about my planned resignation. Pero gusto nila iextend yung employment ko with them since meron silang office in a regional area but outside of my nominating region. Yung office nila isa nasa regional area rin ng NSW, actually katabi lang ng nominating region ko.

Question: For a visa 491 holder like me, would you recommend to accept their offer and move to a different region or should I stay and find work within my nominating region?

If I move, would it affect my future application for visa 191?

Hoping to hear from you guys or from someone who already moved from one regional area to another.

not recommended but pwede kasi kapag binasa mo yung 491 visa nakalagay dun na you could stay and work to any regional area so technically pwede since yung office ng current company mo is in regional at hindi ka pa mahihirapan maghanap ng work. wala naman magiging problema sa PR application mo since nasa titira at mag work ka naman sa regional area.

Thank you for the response. Last weekend, I have directly asked an RDA officer from my nominating region and they have responded that they allow such move. However, gusto rin nila makahanap ako sa lugar nila ng work.

BTW, I saw your signature, is visa 887 only applies for visa 489 holders or any other skilled regional visa holders like 491?