Australia in General

General

Australia is the largest island and the smallest continent in the world. It lies between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean. It is about 11,000 kilometres southwest of North America and 3,200 kilometres southeast of mainland Asia.

The population of Australia is almost nineteen million. More than four-fifths of the people live in cities and towns that are generally in coastal areas near the mouth of a river and as close as possible to a good ocean harbour. The main cities are Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart and Canberra and are all State Capital cities. Most Australians enjoy an excellent standard of living, good educational opportunities and a relaxed lifestyle made possible by the outstanding natural and economic features of the country.

Australia boasts a fantastic temperate climate. It is a land of bright sunshine, surf beaches, tropical rivers, rainforests, mountain ranges, red deserts and rich green coastal plains.

The flora and fauna are interesting and unique, with kangaroos, koalas and wombats included in the array of wildlife.

Education

Australia is the preferred choice for international students from many countries and is the third-largest English-speaking study destination. Australia offers international students some 25,000 courses delivered by more than 1,100 universities, training colleges and schools. International students are attracted by the high standard of Australia’s education and training, its national qualifications framework, welcoming environment and diverse society.

National legislation exists to maintain high standards for those in Australia on student visas. The suite of laws requires registration of each and every course and institution open to international students on student visas. International students can also apply for permission to work part-time during their stay in Australia.

The Study in Australia website provides comprehensive information on options open to students, as well as a search facility covering all the courses and institutions available to international students seeking a student visa for Australian study. The website is available in numerous languages and a database lists scholarships by field and level of study.

Health

Australian people enjoy a high level of good health. The nation has quality housing, water and sanitation, and an adequate supply of food and medicines. Health care in Australia follows western traditions with technical and scientific skills used to prevent, examine and treat ill health. People coming to Australia have heath checks before entering the country as another way to keep it as a healthy nation.

Transport

Australia is a vast nation with many of its cities and towns separated by large distance. Even within cities and towns, there is a need for transport to get from place to place. Public transport is transport that someone else owns and you pay to use it for a set journey. Many forms of public transport exist. They are easy to find, to access and at a good price. Private transport is transport that you own and use as you wish.

Recreation

Australia is a country of wide-open spaces with a good climate that makes outdoor pastimes easy to enjoy. Sport and outdoor recreation are a way of life to share with family and friends; a way of life that is a healthy balance between work and play. We live in a country of cities with theatres, museums, sports fields and galleries; where people can meet to enjoy sports events and artistic shows. Its a land of people who have come from other countries and brought their music, dance, art and other fun parts of their culture with them.

The recreation and cultural pastimes on offer are many, diverse and are too many to list here.

Work

Everyone in Australia has the right to share in and enjoy the Australian lifestyle. This includes the right to work and earn wealth. That wealth helps you to enjoy the pleasure of a free and equal society. We all expect each other to contribute to and share in Australia's wealth. The government taxes the income that you earn to provide for the common good of all Australians.

The government sets laws on wages and work conditions. The laws ensure a fair and just work life. The laws are about the types of legal agreements that define the work relationship between employers and employees. They vary between collective bargaining of unions to individual common law contracts. The agreements determine the amount paid to an employee, the hours worked and conditions such as safety, leave, allowances, training, anti discrimination and more. Australia has a long tradition of strong support for work laws. This makes the work place fair, safe and productive so that both employers and employees earn rewards for their effort.

If you do not already have a source of income or a job available, and provided your visa allows it, you will need to look for work. Approval to migrate does not guarantee a job.