Things to know when you arrive...
Arriving in a new place is intimidating. Mistakes are common and should be expected. Save yourself some trouble and learn from my mistakes.
Living
Finding a Home
FIND A JOB BEFORE FINDING A PERMANENT PLACE – This is crucial. If you don’t have a job, and sign on to a room or a house, it could mean that you’re an hour commute from where you’re working. This isn’t fun. There are lots of places available throughout Melbourne at a reasonable price. It may seem like a pain living like a drifter until you have a permanent gig, but you’ll be happy you did when you’re not spending 30 minutes on the train or in traffic at the end of a long day. Plus living like a drifter can lead to some great stories.
Hostels are cheap and generally available a week in advance. Don’t wait until the day before to book a bed, as this can lead to a moment of desperation as you realize that you don’t have a bed for the night because you forgot to extend your stay at the hostel and they’ve given your bed away. Of course, sleeping under a bridge is a character building experience, so don't hesitate to knock that off the list.
Check out flatmates.com.au they’ve got pretty good selections.
Eating
Three things you must try:
HSP - Closest thing to poutine in Australia
Chicken Parmas - Closest thing to the nectar of the gods you can try in Australia
Meat Pies - Very popular. Eat it with your hands. Don't ask for a fork. If you do, you'll never hear the end of it.
Settling Down
Knowing where you want to work is important. There are two approaches:
Finding a Home
FIND A JOB BEFORE FINDING A PERMANENT PLACE – This is crucial. If you don’t have a job, and sign on to a room or a house, it could mean that you’re an hour commute from where you’re working. This isn’t fun. There are lots of places available throughout Melbourne at a reasonable price. It may seem like a pain living like a drifter until you have a permanent gig, but you’ll be happy you did when you’re not spending 30 minutes on the train or in traffic at the end of a long day. Plus living like a drifter can lead to some great stories.
Hostels are cheap and generally available a week in advance. Don’t wait until the day before to book a bed, as this can lead to a moment of desperation as you realize that you don’t have a bed for the night because you forgot to extend your stay at the hostel and they’ve given your bed away. Of course, sleeping under a bridge is a character building experience, so don't hesitate to knock that off the list.
Check out flatmates.com.au they’ve got pretty good selections.
Eating
Three things you must try:
HSP - Closest thing to poutine in Australia
Chicken Parmas - Closest thing to the nectar of the gods you can try in Australia
Meat Pies - Very popular. Eat it with your hands. Don't ask for a fork. If you do, you'll never hear the end of it.
Settling Down
Knowing where you want to work is important. There are two approaches:
- Travel around the country working in a variety of locals (not recommended)
- Stay in one place and learn it really well
Abandoned cars are a great for rent-free accommodation.
Working
Finding a job
Don’t BS your skill set. You can’t hide your faults in a job like this. Be honest with your employers and it’ll pay off. If you are a good climber, but don’t know how to prune, say so. If you like biology, and dislike removals, say so. Part of the idea behind travelling for work is to improve your weak points and polish your strengths.
There are a variety of HR companies that connect workers with good employers, they can be helpful when you first arrive, though they always take some money off the top (who doesn't?)
Busy Seasons for Tree Work
The ideal time to look for work in SA, NSW, TAS and VIC are October – December 23rd and Jan 7th – May
After that the winter season comes in from June- September and work gets quiet. If you have a good job, keep it, and if you can’t find work, travel during the winter season.
In the north of Aus – NT, QLD May – October are the ideal times to work and play. Once November Rolls around, the rainy, humid, season of melting faces, man-eating ants and angry crocs rolls around. I’ve heard some horror stories.
Qualifications
Australia has a unique certificate system that is quite different than both the Canadian trades Qualification system and the ISA certification system.
Vacation Days
Knowing the national and state holidays is valuable for two reasons:
If you’re a contractor, you won’t get paid those days
It’s a good excuse to plan a weekend away, especially if you’re a contractor and you’re not getting paid.
There were more than a couple long weekends that I found out about the Thursday before they happened. It’s not easy to plan a long weekend (or book a hostel) when you have 24 hrs notice.
Click the link above for info about holidays in the state of Victoria. It also includes links to other state holiday lists as well. This is important as there are some holidays that are unique to some states, such as AFL Grand Final day in Victoria. They basically give everyone a day off for their version of the Super Bowl. Is this awesome? Yes.
Finding a job
Don’t BS your skill set. You can’t hide your faults in a job like this. Be honest with your employers and it’ll pay off. If you are a good climber, but don’t know how to prune, say so. If you like biology, and dislike removals, say so. Part of the idea behind travelling for work is to improve your weak points and polish your strengths.
There are a variety of HR companies that connect workers with good employers, they can be helpful when you first arrive, though they always take some money off the top (who doesn't?)
Busy Seasons for Tree Work
The ideal time to look for work in SA, NSW, TAS and VIC are October – December 23rd and Jan 7th – May
After that the winter season comes in from June- September and work gets quiet. If you have a good job, keep it, and if you can’t find work, travel during the winter season.
In the north of Aus – NT, QLD May – October are the ideal times to work and play. Once November Rolls around, the rainy, humid, season of melting faces, man-eating ants and angry crocs rolls around. I’ve heard some horror stories.
Qualifications
Australia has a unique certificate system that is quite different than both the Canadian trades Qualification system and the ISA certification system.
- Australia cert 3 or cert 4 means that you've got a certain degree of climbing skill and basic biology skill.
- Australia cert 5 means that you are a qualified consultant and are knowledgeable about trees on development sites, tree risk assessment, etc.
- ISA Certified Arborist, or a provincial Certificate of Qualification = Australian Cert 3/4
- ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification, Municipal Specialist, or ASCA = Australian Cert 5 or above
Vacation Days
Knowing the national and state holidays is valuable for two reasons:
If you’re a contractor, you won’t get paid those days
It’s a good excuse to plan a weekend away, especially if you’re a contractor and you’re not getting paid.
There were more than a couple long weekends that I found out about the Thursday before they happened. It’s not easy to plan a long weekend (or book a hostel) when you have 24 hrs notice.
Click the link above for info about holidays in the state of Victoria. It also includes links to other state holiday lists as well. This is important as there are some holidays that are unique to some states, such as AFL Grand Final day in Victoria. They basically give everyone a day off for their version of the Super Bowl. Is this awesome? Yes.
Legal Stuff
Tax
Plain and simple, tax for foreign workers is 32.5% of everything you earn, regardless of how much you make, up to $80, 000. Anything above $80k is another bracket, but seriously, if you're making that much in your first year in Australia, you must be an arboricultural legend. And you're definitely not travelling a lot.
Immigration Status
I can't talk on immigration because of Australian law. But there are many different types of VISAs available for Arborists because we fall under the skilled worker subset.
Check out: https://www.border.gov.au/
Tax
Plain and simple, tax for foreign workers is 32.5% of everything you earn, regardless of how much you make, up to $80, 000. Anything above $80k is another bracket, but seriously, if you're making that much in your first year in Australia, you must be an arboricultural legend. And you're definitely not travelling a lot.
Immigration Status
I can't talk on immigration because of Australian law. But there are many different types of VISAs available for Arborists because we fall under the skilled worker subset.
Check out: https://www.border.gov.au/
Having Fun
Vacations
Take the time to see other places. It's best to travel for 10 -14 days at a time. I found anything bigger than that, and I had spent way more than I was earning.
The beauty of working with the same couple employers between vacations is that you have a job and a place to return to, and can rely on a regular income to a degree.
Night Life
There is something for everyone. Techno is really big in the travel hubs in Aus at the moment. The outback has mostly country bars, which are pretty fun.
Wild Life
If you're like me, seeing the natural world is more interesting than seeing the inside of nightclubs and pubs (though they have their moments). Australia has a vast amount of ecology to experience.
Vacations
Take the time to see other places. It's best to travel for 10 -14 days at a time. I found anything bigger than that, and I had spent way more than I was earning.
The beauty of working with the same couple employers between vacations is that you have a job and a place to return to, and can rely on a regular income to a degree.
Night Life
There is something for everyone. Techno is really big in the travel hubs in Aus at the moment. The outback has mostly country bars, which are pretty fun.
Wild Life
If you're like me, seeing the natural world is more interesting than seeing the inside of nightclubs and pubs (though they have their moments). Australia has a vast amount of ecology to experience.
