Looking to move to Australia

[schumy]

Well i'm about to finish university in December, and i was thinking it would be an awsome idea to have a change of scenery and move away to a different place, in a different country, on a different continent, in the other hemisphere .

I'm 22 and will be getting my bachelors in computer engineering. I've been wanting to move to Australia for a long time now, and since this is a big turning point in my life, I believe it's a good time to do it.

The most important factors will be cost of living and finding a job relatively easily. Preferably i will already have a job when I make the big move, but if that doesn't work out as i plan i would like to have the option to change workplace without necessarily moving again to another city.

I would like to live somewhere close or in the city and that will not cost me a fortune. I'm currently unaware of the housing market in Australia and how it fares compared to North America. I will probably live in an apartment for the first few months, maybe a year or two.

So... a few questions for you Aussies.

What cities/regions in Australia have the highest standard of living (infrastructure, health care facilities, large job market) ?

Which of these cities are cheapest to live in (no rundown apartments please :P)

How easy is it to get an automobile / bike license?
How much does car/bike insurance cost?

What is a good salary to lead a comfortable life? (by this i mean being able to buy a new or used car, a motorcycle (this btw is a necessity ) , buying whatever kind of food i want and not having to eat rice and potatoes every day, being able to go out with friends and not be cheap doing it)

Anything else you guys might have to add please do, i'm sure i forgot A LOT of things that i should be asking. But i haven't thought this out thoroughly, i'm still in that "i want to do it" phase.

The more you guys chip in with info, the better my decision will be

[FZ6inNH]

I can't help any but wanted to say "I'm jealous! I'm green with envy!"

This is awesome! Good luck you lucky bahstid!

[stumbles06]

Wow, now that's what I call a "change of lifestyle".
I can only state that I have only ever lived in South Australia (Adelaide), great place. A bit quieter than the other states, not as well-populated, but all very friendly people. Remember though, it is the dryest state in the dryest country in the world.

The eastern states are generally a bit more expensive, but still lovely places to live - so I've heard. Renting is expensive everywhere these days... if you can even find a place, I would suggest looking into a place before leaving the States. I would say Adelaide is one of the cheaper states though, unless you want to head north to Darwin... very hot generally with instant showers thrown in at random.

Work is abundant everywhere, and you should have no trouble with a bachelor in computer engineering.

As for the bike licence, you need to do some hours of courses (not sure how much... I got my licence 20 years ago).

That's all I can think of right now, and I have a small job waiting for me... finishing the install of my Leo Vince pipes to the Fazer.

Cheers, and yell out if/when you do move to the "great land down-under".

[Nelly]

I would love to go to, one word of warning " Immigration".

Australia have it very well sorted when it comes to protecting their boarders and jobs.

Nelly

[BranNwebster]

I know New Zealand is in need of skilled labour. You can go to their website and calculate your immigration points. I would love to live in NZ. Heck I would love to live in any country for a change of scenery.

Immigration New Zealand

When I was a teen I lived in London for 2 years, and I was in Germany for 3 years when I was in the army.

I also travel a lot when I was a kid, it would be nice to give my kids the same opportunity.

[schumy]

thanks stumbles06 i'll look into Adelaide for a possible moving oportunity. I'm looking for a busy city, someplace where i'll have the oportunity to go out and meet new people. Because I will basically start over fresh.

I'm from Montreal, Canada, one of the busiest cities in North America. There are people doing stuff at every hour of the day, or night, so there's no shortage of things to do. I would like a place that's as active, not like Montreal, but not a city with a 10PM curfew

New Zealand would be another option, one that i thought about but haven't really explored seriously.

thanks for the comments and please keep em coming.


EDIT: speaking of weather... How is the weather in all the different corners of the country? (in detail )

[Ozfazer6]

I have been to Montreal mate,does that place ever stop !
Would have enjoyed it more if I spoke a little french ,lol
Been to NZ as well,found it a little expensive , but a beautiful place.
Would have enjoyed it more if I spoke kiwi
As far as weather goes,South Australia is still in the grip of a drought,water is a little scarse at the moment,we only had a third of our rainfall for June and summers can be very hot !
All in all the life style here is pretty good, I came here for a holiday in 1989 from Tasmania.......another great place ,but not much work,.......and I,m still here,lol

[stumbles06]

Originally Posted by schumy

EDIT: speaking of weather... How is the weather in all the different corners of the country? (in detail )

We get all sorts here.
A snapshot of the next 3 days around Oz...
Interstate Cities Forecast

Just remember.. It is the middle of winter here.
But basically..
Tasmania = Wet and cold
Victoria and NSW = wet and miserable
Queensland = Beautiful one day, perfect the next (or so the adverts tell us)
Northern Territory = Warm to hot with sudden showers
Western Aus = a bit of everything, but it's a damn big state.
South Aus = Cool in winter, hot in summer (paradise if you ask me...lol).

[stevesnj]

I was gonna move to Germany but have to be proficient in the language or you will not be granted citizenship!!!...I wish they would do that in the US for my landscaper and pizza guy.

[schumy]

Originally Posted by stumbles06

We get all sorts here.
A snapshot of the next 3 days around Oz...
Interstate Cities Forecast

Just remember.. It is the middle of winter here.
But basically..
Tasmania = Wet and cold
Victoria and NSW = wet and miserable
Queensland = Beautiful one day, perfect the next (or so the adverts tell us)
Northern Territory = Warm to hot with sudden showers
Western Aus = a bit of everything, but it's a damn big state.
South Aus = Cool in winter, hot in summer (paradise if you ask me...lol).

Hey stumbles, i really appreciate your continued input.

Since you're from south Aus. tell me, how cold do the coldest days get? And is that a constant temperature, or just a few freak days during the winter? Also, during summer, does it get unbearably hot, as in 35+ degrees on a daily basis for 3-4 months?


EDIT: the descriptions you gave me... were they an all year round approximation or just for the winter months ?