Working and living in Melbourne - a guide for overseas staff
Welcome to the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and
Melbourne- a Guide for Overseas Staff!
The following information is for future overseas employees,
provided as a useful guide to staff re-locating to Melbourne, for
living and working in a new country - Australia, and within a new
workplace - the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (MCRI) or
Victorian Clinical Genetics Services (the VCGS).
Arriving in a new city can be both daunting and exciting,
especially if you have never been there before. However there are
many things and resources that you can do and access to make your
transition to life in Melbourne smoother.
You'll find there are some things that you can arrange before
arriving in Melbourne. Other things need to wait until you are
here. The following information may assist you in your
transition to Melbourne.
On-line resources for information about living and working in
Australia
If you are from overseas and you are moving to Australia to work
here at the MCRI, there are plenty of online resources to assist
you with your planning.
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Department of Immigration and
Multicultural Affairs
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Current information on migrating to Australia is available from
the Department
of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) web site. As
there are many visa categories, and variations in personal
circumstances, any advice should be sought from DIMA or your
nearest Australian Overseas Embassy (a list of Embassies is also
available from the DIMA website).
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Australian Health
System
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Information on Australia's national public health insurance
system is available from the Medicare website. Private health
insurance is also available from a range of providers. Staff on
temporary visas are not covered by the national public health
insurance scheme andmust take out their own private health
insurance for the duration of their appointment.
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Australian Taxation
Office
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This website provides information about Australia's Taxation
system. If you are working in Australia you must apply for a Tax
File Number. Information on how to apply for a Tax File Number is
available from this website.
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Centrelink
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Centrelink is a national government agency which manages
Australia's social security system. Centrelink manages allowances
such as Family Tax Benefits and Child Care Benefits which you maybe
eligible for, depending on the type of visa category you are
eligible to apply for.
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Vic Roads
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Vic Roads provides information about driving motor vehicles and
obtaining a driving license in Australia.
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RACV
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The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) website provides
some information about buying cars in Australia, road side
assistance in the event of an accident or need for roadside support
and insurance.
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Real Estate
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Information on rental accommodation, or if you wish to purchase
a home, can be obtained from local Real Estate Agents. A couple of
useful websites are: www.realestateview.com.au
and www.domain.com.au.
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Education
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Information regarding education and early childhood development
in Victoria. Useful tools to help locate schools in your local area
for your children/s.
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Banks
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This website offers information on a local bank within the area
that you plan to live in: http://www.truelocal.com.au/search/banks
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Currency
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This website is an online currency converter, to exchange your
currency to Australian Dollars - AUDhttp://www.australiatravelsearch.com.au/ucc/index.html
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Cost of Living in Melbourne
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This website provides a guide to some average
prices of everyday goods in Melbourne, Australia.
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Airports
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Melbourne Airport is served by more than 25 carriers, operating
international flights and a broad array of domestic destinations.
The airport, which is open 24 hours every day, has a number of
facilities, and offers various transportation options, including a
shuttle bus service to the city - Skybus, taxi hire and car
rentals.
Avalon Airport is another airport that is only for domestic
travels.
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Weather
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Temperatures vary widely but most of the State falls within the
warm, temperate belt of the south-east corner of Australia,
characterised by warm and dry summers and cool to mild, wet,
winters.
If you are about to head out in Melbourne and want to know if it's
going to rain, hail or shine, than here is your answer! For an
up-to-date view of Melbourne's weather forecast: http://www.weatherzone.com.au/vic/melbourne/melbourne
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