# My 190 PR first-time landing & Quarantine experience



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Friends,

Last week I moved from California to Sydney, on 190 PR and just wanted to share my experience hoping it might help people planning travel soon. I got 190 PR in December 2018 and my original entry date was in Feb 2019 but I never travelled then and it was my first entry ever!

I used to live in Los Angeles, but there were no direct flights from LA to Sydney. The only direct flight from USA to Australia was United Airlines from San Francisco to Sydney. So, I booked that flight for me and my family, and we drove all the way from LA to SFO a night before for this flight. 

Next day in morning, when we went to checkin for the flight, I showed them my grant letter but they said it's not a PR as the word "Permanent Resident" wasn't mentioned on the grant letter. So, I asked them to check on VEVO. However, VEVO website was down for regular maintenance and Airline was not able to verify my PR. So, as a last resort they called Home Affairs, but due to long hold the flight check-in time passed and I was asked to board the next flight which was a day after.

Following day, I went 4 hours ahead of time but this time VEVO was working fine and the whole check-in process took only 30 minutes. In-fact, the airline check-in staff apologized that I got late by one day and waived off almost $800 fee in extra baggage which I was carrying.

After reaching Sydney, the health officials took temperature reading and explained the 14 days Quarantine process. Following that, it was a quick walk to port of entry and a smooth entry. I was expecting a question on why I didn't make it to my initial entry but no questions were asked at all and the whole entry process took less than 5 minutes. My status on VEVO app immediately changed from Offshore to Onshore.

After that we boarded a bus and were taken to a 2-bedroom fully furnished apartment suite in a 5-star hotel in Sydney CBD. 

I am highly impressed and truly appreciate the efforts and the arrangements made by Australian Government for the whole process and taking care of our accommodation, food, essential items for the 14-day Quarantine. 

The harbor view from my hotel window is amazing and really feeling great to be part of such a beautiful country! I was in USA on a H1b visa for almost 10 years but never felt home like here.


----------



## fugitive_4u (Nov 7, 2016)

Welcome and All the Best for your new start.

The Visa confusion was a blessing in disguise. Saved you $800..!


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

fugitive_4u said:


> Welcome and All the Best for your new start.
> 
> The Visa confusion was a blessing in disguise. Saved you $800..!


Thanks a lot!


----------



## Moulard (Feb 3, 2017)

Nice to see the quality of the airline check-in agents hasn't improved much over the past 30 years.

I once nearly missed a flight once out of LAX because I was carrying two US passports.. one expired with a valid PR visa in it, and a second new US passport without a visa. All pages of the old passport cut, except for the one with the valid visa.

It was the way it was done back then. 

They had a hard time comprehending that just because the passport was expired, the visa was not.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Moulard said:


> Nice to see the quality of the airline check-in agents hasn't improved much over the past 30 years.
> 
> I once nearly missed a flight once out of LAX because I was carrying two US passports.. one expired with a valid PR visa in it, and a second new US passport without a visa. All pages of the old passport cut, except for the one with the valid visa.
> 
> ...


Agreed, they need to have a more robust system. United Airlines check-in staff didn't even know that for Australia it's all electronic as they were asking me to produce something called as ImmiCard.


----------



## rhapsody (Mar 7, 2018)

kevin21 said:


> Friends,
> 
> Last week I moved from California to Sydney, on 190 PR and just wanted to share my experience hoping it might help people planning travel soon. I got 190 PR in December 2018 and my original entry date was in Feb 2019 but I never travelled then and it was my first entry ever!
> 
> ...


Thanks a lot for sharing your experience. It helps a lot!


----------



## fugitive_4u (Nov 7, 2016)

In the meantime, can you also update what's your experience with food during quarantine? Are you allowed to order your food? Do you need to pay for it? Are you given any options to choose? etc etc....

Thanks in advance..!


----------



## Mikail_Zubair (Nov 27, 2016)

Did you get the option to choose the hotel?


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

fugitive_4u said:


> In the meantime, can you also update what's your experience with food during quarantine? Are you allowed to order your food? Do you need to pay for it? Are you given any options to choose? etc etc....
> 
> Thanks in advance..!


The food provided my hotel is great and ample quantity. They pick a new cuisine every day and do a good rotation of menu and food items. Yes, we are allowed to order food. We are with 2 small kids, so we do order from outside a lot as well. Uber Eats delivers to the front desk and then front desk delivers it to our suite. We don't need to pay for the food provided by the hotel, but yes when ordering from Coles, Uber Eats, etc. we pay for it. Thanks!


----------



## rhapsody (Mar 7, 2018)

Thanks Kevin

Were you able to get an Australian SIM in the airport or after reaching the hotel ? 


Sent from my GM1901 using Tapatalk


----------



## 13!/-\$|-| (Apr 27, 2020)

kevin21 said:


> Friends,
> 
> Last week I moved from California to Sydney, on 190 PR and just wanted to share my experience hoping it might help people planning travel soon. I got 190 PR in December 2018 and my original entry date was in Feb 2019 but I never travelled then and it was my first entry ever!
> 
> ...


Thank you very much Kevin for the all the details. This helps immensely for planning my move in Sep from US.


----------



## fugitive_4u (Nov 7, 2016)

kevin21 said:


> The food provided my hotel is great and ample quantity. They pick a new cuisine every day and do a good rotation of menu and food items. Yes, we are allowed to order food. We are with 2 small kids, so we do order from outside a lot as well. Uber Eats delivers to the front desk and then front desk delivers it to our suite. We don't need to pay for the food provided by the hotel, but yes when ordering from Coles, Uber Eats, etc. we pay for it. Thanks!


Thanks for that mate, good to know. I guess it depends on where you have been put up, because in one case I've heard not so pleasant experience about food. Residents were served with different sandwiches three times a day and they eventually ended up buying their meals after couple of days.


----------



## 13!/-\$|-| (Apr 27, 2020)

How was the inflight experience on United. Could you share details ? Meal service etc


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

rhapsody said:


> Thanks Kevin
> 
> Were you able to get an Australian SIM in the airport or after reaching the hotel ?
> 
> ...


We didn't see any stores at the airport, my be they are keeping a different pathway for arriving flights during Covid-19. Right now, I am still using my US number and will get OZ sim after moving out of hotel.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

fugitive_4u said:


> Thanks for that mate, good to know. I guess it depends on where you have been put up, because in one case I've heard not so pleasant experience about food. Residents were served with different sandwiches three times a day and they eventually ended up buying their meals after couple of days.


Probably, as it's the hotel staff that goes out and gets food. But ours is a fully furnished kitchen so we ordered some grocery from Coles as well, incase we want something different.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

13!/-\$|-| said:


> How was the inflight experience on United. Could you share details ? Meal service etc


It was great, we were only like 30-35 passengers in total. I heard they said that if this will continue Airlines might not fly anymore as that's a real low number for them to cover their flying expenses.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Mikail_Zubair said:


> Did you get the option to choose the hotel?


No, but they assign it based on the passengers. We are a family of 4, so we got a 2 bedroom fully furnished apartment in a high-rise in CBD.


----------



## Hamadeh (Jul 9, 2018)

Great topic! Thank you so much for sharing your experience.


----------



## herap (Sep 4, 2018)

Hi Kevin, I see you have entered AUS after the Initial Entry Date had lapsed, did you ever request an IED waiver before entering AUS?


----------



## Shazaam07 (Nov 1, 2016)

kevin21 said:


> No, but they assign it based on the passengers. We are a family of 4, so we got a 2 bedroom fully furnished apartment in a high-rise in CBD.


Did you move to Aus on your own or had job offer at hand ? Just wondering how is the job market in Sydney at the moment.


----------



## Aus7 (Jun 13, 2018)

Hi Kevin, Hope you have a pleasant stay at the hotel. Good to know that the hotel has a kitchenette. How is the experience so far? If you arrive at night then does the 14-day quarantine starts from next day and on day 14th you can leave right?


----------



## farhan125 (Jan 15, 2019)

Hi Kevin,

Thanks for sharing your experience it really helps ... You mentioned that you entered AUS after the Initial Entry Date had lapsed, did you ever request an IED waiver or they allowed you even after the IED expiry date. Futhermore, these days ( COVID-19) days if we sent a IED waiver request Immigartion Australia sents us a automated letter which states that even your initial entry date expires you can still enter Australia as long as your visa is valid... Please clarify..


----------



## fugitive_4u (Nov 7, 2016)

farhan125 said:


> Hi Kevin,
> 
> Thanks for sharing your experience it really helps ... You mentioned that you entered AUS after the Initial Entry Date had lapsed, did you ever request an IED waiver or they allowed you even after the IED expiry date. Futhermore, these days ( COVID-19) days if we sent a IED waiver request Immigartion Australia sents us a automated letter which states that even your initial entry date expires you can still enter Australia as long as your visa is valid... Please clarify..


Department themselves have confirmed in many cases in the past that "Breach of IED date cannot be the only ground for cancellation of your visa". This means, if you breach IED due to unforeseen circumstances, your Visa will not be cancelled. 

So to answer your question, you can enter, if you did not satisfy your IED, and have made attempts to get an exemption from DHA.


----------



## ihaleem9 (May 30, 2014)

Kevin, thanks for sharing. I have heard with 190 PR you cannot work in the city. How true is that? Also, did you pay for your 14 day hotel stay or was it taken care by the Aus govt?

Did you land with a job or are gonna hunt?


----------



## jkmaindiratta (Oct 3, 2019)

Hi Kevin. Welcome to Australia. I am likely to get my TR soon. I would like to know how much time I will get to enter Australia after grant of TR. I shall be moving in from India. Any other info on the subject by you will be of immense help. Thanks.


----------



## mingdaofans (Mar 15, 2018)

Thanks very much for sharing the experience.

Did you apply for the IED extension in 2019 since your original first entry date was Feb 2019?




kevin21 said:


> Friends,
> 
> Last week I moved from California to Sydney, on 190 PR and just wanted to share my experience hoping it might help people planning travel soon. I got 190 PR in December 2018 and my original entry date was in Feb 2019 but I never travelled then and it was my first entry ever!
> 
> ...


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Friends, I am sharing here a few things I did during the 14-day hotel quarantine period as it might help the newcomers.

*Finding a rental house:* 
During the 14-day hotel quarantine period, I bought a local number from Skype and used that when requesting video inspection of the houses for rent. We already did some research when we were in USA for the areas we wanted to move in. So, we started filling online inspection forms for houses in these areas. Not all real estate agent agreed for video inspections, but approx. 60% - 70% did agree for video inspection. After we liked a house, we submitted the application for the same price they were asking the rent for and it was approved. We told them we were in hotel quarantine and set the move-in date to the date we were supposed to check-out from the hotel. That way, from the hotel, we moved directly to our house. We were able to rent a 4-bedroom house in a really nice suburb in north-western Sydney.

*Kids School:*
We wanted to send our kids to a private school here. So, during hotel quarantine we called a lot of schools in the areas nearby our house. A couple of schools did video interview with us and our application was accepted in 3-4 schools. We ultimately finalized the best school out of them and did all this when we were in hotel quarantine. 

*House Appliances & Furniture:*
There are a plenty of websites here like AppliancesOnline, Amazon, AMart that you can use to order appliances & furniture online. A day before our check-out date, we ordered mattresses, Fridge, TV, Microwave, Washer/Dryer, Kitchen appliances, etc. etc. from 2-3 different websites and ask them to deliver them within 24 hours. That way after we reached our rental house, straight from hotel, by evening we had all appliances set-up. We just had to go out to nearby grocery store that day to get some grocery and all.

*Driving License, Bank Accounts:*
The day we checked out from the hotel, we went straight to NAB to activate the bank account we had opened online. After that we went to Services NSW office to get our USA driving license converted to NSW one. It was a straight forward process and took less than an hour. 

*Car, Medicare, Centrelink:*
Day 1 after checkout we went to a used car dealer and bought a really nice used car in cash. When we were in hotel quarantine we looked up cars on dealers websites and had already talked to a few of them. Dealer gave us 2 years extended warranty and roadside assistance included in the price. We were able to negotiate a lot as we were paying cash. It just took me a couple of days to get used to driving here as in USA we used to drive on the other side of the road. After getting a car, that same day we went to Medicare office and applied for Medicare and Centrelink. We got the cards in mail in 3-4 days after applying.

Job Search:
I haven't yet started applying for job as first 2 weeks after hotel quarantine we just wanted to explore the area. I will soon start applying for jobs and will update this thread on hot that goes for me. 

When we moved from USA to Australia, we would have rented a hotel for 7-10 days anyways to finish all of the above. So, for us, the 14-day hotel quarantine came as a blessing, and we are really grateful to Australian Government for the same. Thanks!


----------



## Realy85 (Jul 6, 2018)

kevin21 said:


> Friends, I am sharing here a few things I did during the 14-day hotel quarantine period as it might help the newcomers.
> 
> *Finding a rental house:*
> During the 14-day hotel quarantine period, I bought a local number from Skype and used that when requesting video inspection of the houses for rent. We already did some research when we were in USA for the areas we wanted to move in. So, we started filling online inspection forms for houses in these areas. Not all real estate agent agreed for video inspections, but approx. 60% - 70% did agree for video inspection. After we liked a house, we submitted the application for the same price they were asking the rent for and it was approved. We told them we were in hotel quarantine and set the move-in date to the date we were supposed to check-out from the hotel. That way, from the hotel, we moved directly to our house. We were able to rent a 4-bedroom house in a really nice suburb in north-western Sydney.
> ...


A very informative piece of information indeed needed for all I think. Thank you a lot for your valuable time taken to provide insights after this Covid situation. 
If you don't mind, can you give a rough approximate cost that incurred for all these expenses.
Also, how much was for kids school. In private schools what's the cost.

Really appreciate your work.
Cheers


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Realy85 said:


> A very informative piece of information indeed needed for all I think. Thank you a lot for your valuable time taken to provide insights after this Covid situation.
> If you don't mind, can you give a rough approximate cost that incurred for all these expenses.
> Also, how much was for kids school. In private schools what's the cost.
> 
> ...


Sure, when we moved from USA to Sydney, I had transferred approx. $30,000 AUD to my NAB account here. Still have some $10,000 left after finishing all of the above. While everybody's situation is different, that's what it took us for house rent, car, appliances, furniture, etc. 

For private schools, we saw their range anywhere from $6,000/Year to $15,000/Year.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

mingdaofans said:


> Thanks very much for sharing the experience.
> 
> Did you apply for the IED extension in 2019 since your original first entry date was Feb 2019?


Yes, I got the IED waiver/facilitation later somewhere around Jan 2019. I carrie that with me but nobody asked for it.


----------



## Realy85 (Jul 6, 2018)

kevin21 said:


> Realy85 said:
> 
> 
> > A very informative piece of information indeed needed for all I think. Thank you a lot for your valuable time taken to provide insights after this Covid situation.
> ...


Thanks a lot.


----------



## Moulard (Feb 3, 2017)

kevin21 said:


> It just took me a couple of days to get used to driving here as in USA we used to drive on the other side of the road.


As someone who has bounced back and forth between the US and Australia, the first days are easy because you are conscious of it. Similarly most city driving is easy as you simply follow the vehicle in front.

Be mindful of turning onto and off of the road, and on country roads for quite some time.

More than once I have thought to myself under my breath... that guy is on the wrong side of the road... for it to actually be me.

Happens most at night, when tired and when not concentrating. With more and more European cars on the road, my old trick of using the indicator as a mental reminder doesn't work nearly as often.


----------



## ihaleem9 (May 30, 2014)

Do you like the US or Australia? What do you like or hate the most about both these countries? 



Moulard said:


> kevin21 said:
> 
> 
> > It just took me a couple of days to get used to driving here as in USA we used to drive on the other side of the road.
> ...


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Aus7 said:


> Hi Kevin, Hope you have a pleasant stay at the hotel. Good to know that the hotel has a kitchenette. How is the experience so far? If you arrive at night then does the 14-day quarantine starts from next day and on day 14th you can leave right?


Starts from the same day you move in. We checked in around 10PM and that was our first day from 10PM - 11:59PM.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

ihaleem9 said:


> Do you like the US or Australia? What do you like or hate the most about both these countries?


This is what I have observed so far.
USA: Very hard paced, lot of stress.
AUS: Relaxed, government willing to help at every step (Including financially), Love it!!!


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Moulard said:


> As someone who has bounced back and forth between the US and Australia, the first days are easy because you are conscious of it. Similarly most city driving is easy as you simply follow the vehicle in front.
> 
> Be mindful of turning onto and off of the road, and on country roads for quite some time.
> 
> ...


Agreed, and the biggest change for me were the roundabouts as there are no roundabouts in California. That definitely took a bit of time.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

ihaleem9 said:


> Kevin, thanks for sharing. I have heard with 190 PR you cannot work in the city. How true is that? Also, did you pay for your 14 day hotel stay or was it taken care by the Aus govt?
> 
> Did you land with a job or are gonna hunt?


Which city? No recruiter has mentioned any concerns with 190 so far, so I am not about what you're asking.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

farhan125 said:


> Hi Kevin,
> 
> Thanks for sharing your experience it really helps ... You mentioned that you entered AUS after the Initial Entry Date had lapsed, did you ever request an IED waiver or they allowed you even after the IED expiry date. Futhermore, these days ( COVID-19) days if we sent a IED waiver request Immigartion Australia sents us a automated letter which states that even your initial entry date expires you can still enter Australia as long as your visa is valid... Please clarify..


I requested it sometime last year, before the COVID days and did receive a facilitation letter as well. But, nobody asked for it.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

jkmaindiratta said:


> Hi Kevin. Welcome to Australia. I am likely to get my TR soon. I would like to know how much time I will get to enter Australia after grant of TR. I shall be moving in from India. Any other info on the subject by you will be of immense help. Thanks.


Sorry I am not sue what a TR is, hope somebody else reply to your query soon.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

mingdaofans said:


> Thanks very much for sharing the experience.
> 
> Did you apply for the IED extension in 2019 since your original first entry date was Feb 2019?


Yes, but nobody asked for the facilitation letter from me.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Hamadeh said:


> Great topic! Thank you so much for sharing your experience.


You're welcome, glad you liked it.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

herap said:


> Hi Kevin, I see you have entered AUS after the Initial Entry Date had lapsed, did you ever request an IED waiver before entering AUS?


Yes, but nobody asked for that letter from me.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Shazaam07 said:


> Did you move to Aus on your own or had job offer at hand ? Just wondering how is the job market in Sydney at the moment.


I haven't started looking for job yet, will start from Monday. But I see more than enough jobs in my field on seek, rest will update later in this thread on how the job hunt goes.


----------



## Realy85 (Jul 6, 2018)

Kevin
One more query, if you don't mind telling please.
Like as per my request, you gave information regarding fee structure of schools. Thanks for that and just want to know for which grade is the fee structure. Pre-school,early or high.
Sorry to bother you again.
Cheers


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Realy85 said:


> Kevin
> One more query, if you don't mind telling please.
> Like as per my request, you gave information regarding fee structure of schools. Thanks for that and just want to know for which grade is the fee structure. Pre-school,early or high.
> Sorry to bother you again.
> Cheers


No worries, my kids are in elementary school OR Primary school here.


----------



## Architect Joe (Aug 26, 2019)

Hi Kevin,
Thank you very much for your detailed experience. Once we land in Australia what's average expense incurred in first 3 months considering worst case scenario of being jobless. Simply put, how much should be kept as saving in hand for surviving till a job(3 months). Is there security deposit for renting house. Are fully furnished houses available. We are a family of 3 including 3 year old son. Looking for 1BHK or so only at first with minimum requirements in suburbs. Haven't even received invite yet but just asking out of curiosity so that I start saving for the same. Is there some major expense to be incurred which I may be missing?


----------



## Yshaikh (May 27, 2018)

Hi Kevin, I hope you are doing fine. You are truly a gem. I mean, its really awesome to get down to everyone's query and reply specifically.

Can you share your field of work as u mentioned that there are more than enough jobs on seek.au


Actually i have to move to Sydney in coming months but due to job conditions created by COVID, I am confused. 

Please share ur experience for job hunt too .


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Architect Joe said:


> Hi Kevin,
> Thank you very much for your detailed experience. Once we land in Australia what's average expense incurred in first 3 months considering worst case scenario of being jobless. Simply put, how much should be kept as saving in hand for surviving till a job(3 months). Is there security deposit for renting house. Are fully furnished houses available. We are a family of 3 including 3 year old son. Looking for 1BHK or so only at first with minimum requirements in suburbs. Haven't even received invite yet but just asking out of curiosity so that I start saving for the same. Is there some major expense to be incurred which I may be missing?


That's a great question, and there's no right or wrong answer to this. Infant we had this same question before moving. Here's how we prepared for first 3 months:
1. We looked at the rental rates in the suburbs we wanted to live and that should give you an idea for the rent, for example where I live a 3 bed house is around $600/Week. So, for 3 months that's around $7,500 Plus around $2,400 in rent; bond or security deposit. 1BHK might be around $450 - $500 a week. Since we bought a car, we didn't live next to a train station as close to train station are generally costlier than little bit far.

2. A decent used car with less miles and in good drivable condition would come around $11K - $12K. We tried getting a brand new Audi financed but they turned down the application as no employment here yet. So, we bought a used car for cash and got a great deal on it.

3. Yes, there are fully furnished houses as well, but we didn't feel comfortable with somebody's used furniture, so we bought all brand new. Costed us around $5K including mattresses as well. 

4. Other regular expenses and grocery around $300 - $400 a week.

Again everybody's situation is different but that just how much we spent. Hope it helps.


----------



## mingdaofans (Mar 15, 2018)

kevin21 said:


> No worries, my kids are in elementary school OR Primary school here.


May I know which private school you choose for your kids?


----------



## Architect Joe (Aug 26, 2019)

kevin21 said:


> That's a great question, and there's no right or wrong answer to this. Infant we had this same question before moving. Here's how we prepared for first 3 months:
> 1. We looked at the rental rates in the suburbs we wanted to live and that should give you an idea for the rent, for example where I live a 3 bed house is around $600/Week. So, for 3 months that's around $7,500 Plus around $2,400 in rent; bond or security deposit. 1BHK might be around $450 - $500 a week. Since we bought a car, we didn't live next to a train station as close to train station are generally costlier than little bit far.
> 
> 2. A decent used car with less miles and in good drivable condition would come around $11K - $12K. We tried getting a brand new Audi financed but they turned down the application as no employment here yet. So, we bought a used car for cash and got a great deal on it.
> ...


Thank you so much for the detailed response spending so much time and effort. All the very best for your job search as well.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Yshaikh said:


> Hi Kevin, I hope you are doing fine. You are truly a gem. I mean, its really awesome to get down to everyone's query and reply specifically.
> 
> Can you share your field of work as u mentioned that there are more than enough jobs on seek.au
> 
> ...


Why worry so much? There's plenty of opportunities in ICT in general. You just ned a good resume and a plan.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

mingdaofans said:


> May I know which private school you choose for your kids?


There's on private/private-catholic school every 4-5 kilometers here!


----------



## binky_01 (Sep 12, 2019)

Hi thank you very much for your insightful and helpful article. Just a quick question, did you use your Australian bank account in purchasing items online without bank cards. How did you do it?


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

binky_01 said:


> Hi thank you very much for your insightful and helpful article. Just a quick question, did you use your Australian bank account in purchasing items online without bank cards. How did you do it?


For some items, I used my US Bank Cards, and for some I transferred them money using my online NAB Account.


----------



## binky_01 (Sep 12, 2019)

Thank you that's insightful!


----------



## A_Frayed_Knot (Jul 15, 2018)

Thank you for sharing! 

Our plans were to travel from San Francisco to Sydney (like you) in September with a confirmed booking at an AirBnb for 3 months. 
We thought that we would quarantine at the AirBnb for the 14 days. 

From reading your experience it seems that this is a mistake and we should not book the first 14 days at the AirBnb because we would be required to stay at the Australian government chosen hotel? 

Does that sound about correct to you? Thanks.


----------



## NB (Mar 29, 2017)

A_Frayed_Knot said:


> Thank you for sharing!
> 
> Our plans were to travel from San Francisco to Sydney (like you) in September with a confirmed booking at an AirBnb for 3 months.
> We thought that we would quarantine at the AirBnb for the 14 days.
> ...


Rules change by the hour
This is the rule right now that you have to quarantine only at the government list of hotels 

Cheers


----------



## Moulard (Feb 3, 2017)

A_Frayed_Knot said:


> From reading your experience it seems that this is a mistake and we should not book the first 14 days at the AirBnb because we would be required to stay at the Australian government chosen hotel?
> 
> Does that sound about correct to you? Thanks.


Correct

NSW rules under the assumption your Point of Entry is SYD...

https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/what-you-can-and-cant-do-under-rules/quarantine


----------



## pragathes (Apr 22, 2018)

A_Frayed_Knot said:


> Thank you for sharing!
> 
> Our plans were to travel from San Francisco to Sydney (like you) in September with a confirmed booking at an AirBnb for 3 months.
> We thought that we would quarantine at the AirBnb for the 14 days.
> ...


I am also planning on travelling in August from Atlanta. I thought it would be nice to connect with you to discuss on the travel plans as we are travelling at almost the same time. Please let me know if you are ok to connect. If so please do send me a message and we can connect through phone.


----------



## 13!/-\$|-| (Apr 27, 2020)

A_Frayed_Knot said:


> Thank you for sharing!
> 
> Our plans were to travel from San Francisco to Sydney (like you) in September with a confirmed booking at an AirBnb for 3 months.
> We thought that we would quarantine at the AirBnb for the 14 days.
> ...


Yes first 14 days has to be in government arranged quarantine facility.


----------



## Shazaam07 (Nov 1, 2016)

Hi Kevin21 - Just wondering what sort of car you go for ? I also just moved to Aus recently and in a similar situation and looking to buy a car. 
Are you able to share the dealer details ? 



kevin21 said:


> Friends, I am sharing here a few things I did during the 14-day hotel quarantine period as it might help the newcomers.
> 
> *Finding a rental house:*
> During the 14-day hotel quarantine period, I bought a local number from Skype and used that when requesting video inspection of the houses for rent. We already did some research when we were in USA for the areas we wanted to move in. So, we started filling online inspection forms for houses in these areas. Not all real estate agent agreed for video inspections, but approx. 60% - 70% did agree for video inspection. After we liked a house, we submitted the application for the same price they were asking the rent for and it was approved. We told them we were in hotel quarantine and set the move-in date to the date we were supposed to check-out from the hotel. That way, from the hotel, we moved directly to our house. We were able to rent a 4-bedroom house in a really nice suburb in north-western Sydney.
> ...


----------



## yumz683 (Sep 19, 2019)

Hi Kevin,
Thanks alot for sharing your experience. It is immensely valuable information for people like myself who plan to move in next months. I have a question regarding Centrelink. I read on another thread that one needs to register with them after landing. What kind of registration would that be? Also, do you have any insight if Jobseeker or Newstart allowances apply to new arrivals while they are looking for jobs? In the EU, insurances wont apply to new immigrants but social benefits may apply depending on one's residence status. I could not find such information on Centrelink website so would be good to know from you or others in your position. 

All the best for your job search!


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Shazaam07 said:


> Hi Kevin21 - Just wondering what sort of car you go for ? I also just moved to Aus recently and in a similar situation and looking to buy a car.
> Are you able to share the dealer details ?


Toyota, Honda and Mazda have really great used car market here. You can get Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, etc. with 6-7 years old model and less than 60K miles for like 12,000 AUD. Buy it from a good dealer so you can get warranty, roadside etc. I got mine from a Dealer in Blacktown and they gave me 2 years warranty and road side assistance as well. That's all I needed for the first car.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

A_Frayed_Knot said:


> Thank you for sharing!
> 
> Our plans were to travel from San Francisco to Sydney (like you) in September with a confirmed booking at an AirBnb for 3 months.
> We thought that we would quarantine at the AirBnb for the 14 days.
> ...


That is correct, and if you plan it right you can move to your rental house/town home/apartment directly from the quarantine hotel.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

yumz683 said:


> Hi Kevin,
> Thanks alot for sharing your experience. It is immensely valuable information for people like myself who plan to move in next months. I have a question regarding Centrelink. I read on another thread that one needs to register with them after landing. What kind of registration would that be? Also, do you have any insight if Jobseeker or Newstart allowances apply to new arrivals while they are looking for jobs? In the EU, insurances wont apply to new immigrants but social benefits may apply depending on one's residence status. I could not find such information on Centrelink website so would be good to know from you or others in your position.
> 
> All the best for your job search!


That's a great question!
We registered in-person for Medicare. Centrelink we did over the phone and YES we are getting JobSeeker payment as well which will stop soon as I have found a job now. Hope it helps. But I think it's case by case basis so check with Centrelink when you apply after moving here.


----------



## akalankasl (Aug 21, 2019)

kevin21 said:


> That's a great question!
> We registered in-person for Medicare. Centrelink we did over the phone and YES we are getting JobSeeker payment as well which will stop soon as I have found a job now. Hope it helps. But I think it's case by case basis so check with Centrelink when you apply after moving here.


Dear Kevin

Can you please explain on the jobseeker payment you are eligible

I am 190 Visa holder with 2 dependent chidren.Still i could not find information whether i will be eligible for jobseeker payment if i move now?

really appreciate your feedback?As newcomers , will we be able to get job seeker payment?
if so what range?


----------



## Hamadeh (Jul 9, 2018)

Man, we're so greateful to you for being generous and sharing all these information with us. I have a question, is car warranty differ from car insurance?

I am asking as many jop postings requires a fully insured vehicle. So, is it the same or have you got your car insured?


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

akalankasl said:


> Dear Kevin
> 
> Can you please explain on the jobseeker payment you are eligible
> 
> ...


Please call Centrelink as only they can answer that for you, everybody's situation is different when they arrive.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Hamadeh said:


> Man, we're so greateful to you for being generous and sharing all these information with us. I have a question, is car warranty differ from car insurance?
> 
> I am asking as many jop postings requires a fully insured vehicle. So, is it the same or have you got your car insured?


Yes, Car warranty is more like manufacturer warranty which you can get from dealer as long as you get the regular oil changes done from them. My dealer gave me 2 years of extended warranty and road side assistance as long as I get the oil changes done from them.

Also, for car insurance there are a lot of affordable insurance companies like: Budget, Bingle.


----------



## A_Frayed_Knot (Jul 15, 2018)

@kevin21 did you try applying for jobs in Sydney, Australia before you arrived or found it easier to apply and get interviews for jobs once you were in country?


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

A_Frayed_Knot said:


> @kevin21 did you try applying for jobs in Sydney, Australia before you arrived or found it easier to apply and get interviews for jobs once you were in country?


They don't entertain for jobs if you are not in the country. I will update this thread very soon on a few things I did here to get job offer.


----------



## A_Frayed_Knot (Jul 15, 2018)

kevin21 said:


> They don't entertain for jobs if you are not in the country. I will update this thread very soon on a few things I did here to get job offer.


Thanks would be very helpful indeed!


----------



## ihaleem9 (May 30, 2014)

I'd like to give a tip for people moving to Australia. Try joining a company that has their offices in Australia, that way its relatively easy to find a job and then move. I used to work for Amazon US and have taken up a new position in Amazon Australia, they are taking care of all my moving expenses including tickets. I will be on the payroll from the day I land in Australia. I hope it works for others too.


----------



## arvnd (Jul 10, 2020)

Hello All, 

I have a question. I recently moved to Syndey from USA. I went to service NSW to convert US driver licence to Australian DL and the Service NSW team is asking for Request for Confirmation of
Overseas Driver Licence Details. I visited couple of Service NSW and both were asking the same document. I have no idea what that it. Any Help would be greatly be appreciated. 

Thanks
Aravind


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

arvnd said:


> Hello All,
> 
> I have a question. I recently moved to Syndey from USA. I went to service NSW to convert US driver licence to Australian DL and the Service NSW team is asking for Request for Confirmation of
> Overseas Driver Licence Details. I visited couple of Service NSW and both were asking the same document. I have no idea what that it. Any Help would be greatly be appreciated.
> ...


That's the DMV driving record which can be printed from DMV website or requested by mail from them. Feel free to PM me if still have any questions!


----------



## ihaleem9 (May 30, 2014)

They asked me some letter from DMV authenticating the license. Another friend told me that he went to a different service center and had zero issues converting the license. Anyway, I went to a Melbourne service center and they gave me the license immediately without second question. 




arvnd said:


> Hello All,
> 
> I have a question. I recently moved to Syndey from USA. I went to service NSW to convert US driver licence to Australian DL and the Service NSW team is asking for Request for Confirmation of
> Overseas Driver Licence Details. I visited couple of Service NSW and both were asking the same document. I have no idea what that it. Any Help would be greatly be appreciated.
> ...


----------



## arvnd (Jul 10, 2020)

kevin21 said:


> That's the DMV driving record which can be printed from DMV website or requested by mail from them. Feel free to PM me if still have any questions!


Thank you very much


----------



## arvnd (Jul 10, 2020)

ihaleem9 said:


> They asked me some letter from DMV authenticating the license. Another friend told me that he went to a different service center and had zero issues converting the license. Anyway, I went to a Melbourne service center and they gave me the license immediately without second question.


Thank you


----------



## Hamadeh (Jul 9, 2018)

Kevin, just curious on the employment process. Have you struggled with so-called local experience?


----------



## 13!/-\$|-| (Apr 27, 2020)

Dear All,

We moved from United States to Australia today and are now put up at Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney for 14 days. Just wanted to share the experience here for others so that it can help you guys too. 

I and my wife are PR holders visa 190 and this is our first entry into Australia. We flew with United EWR-SFO-SYD. To the airport, we carried the latest copy of the visa details from the vevo system. Since we did not have Aus passport, we couldn’t checkin online. The agent at checkin counter just verified our passport and the vevo copy and did not call anyone to confirm that we are PR holders. So probably having the vevo copy will help if any of you are travelling through the US and are Not citizens. 

Upon landing , from the Sydney airport to our hotel it took us approximately 2 hrs. 😊 The flight was great, empty as expected and we were allowed to sit anywer in the economy area. The health check and customs had a slight wait because another flight that probably arrived before ours. But was smooth. The staff at the airport, the cops and the military were all kind and helpful. They helped us load bags into the bus and also into the hotel and eventually inside the room. I can say 90% of the these were all wearing masks. There were two busses that left airport at the same time. We were on the second one with fellow 8 passengers. All of us got put onto Amora. 😍

We had booked our tickets end of Jun, there was an automatic schedule change on Jul 10 but absolutely no changes after that. United indeed is most reliable in these circumstances and also read good things about Delta. 

We had applied for the quarantine waiver 2 weeks back. I read a few comments on a FB group that a couple of them tried to get a quarantine waiver even before arriving and thought of giving it a try. Since we had booked within the cutoff we were hoping to get a waiver and travel with one less thing to worry. It took the revenue nsw exactly 7 days to reply with the waiver confirmation. We shared our ticket confirmation, passport copies only. I would highly recommend this step for folks travelling especially with United or Delta may be cos of the minimal chances of being bumped. The quarantine waiver confirmation has the flight details , date of arrival and the passenger details and is only valid for that specific itenerary. If you are rescheduled, you may have to send another email to revenue nsw explaining the situation and obtain a fresh waiver. 

I truly hope and pray that all of you wanting to get to Australia, find a way soon. 

Feel free to reach me in case of any questions. Will share the quarantine experience too once we are through with it. 😀

Cheers
Blash


----------



## NB (Mar 29, 2017)

13!/-\$|-| said:


> Dear All,
> 
> We moved from United States to Australia today and are now put up at Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney for 14 days. Just wanted to share the experience here for others so that it can help you guys too.
> 
> ...


You say that you had quarantine waiver, then why are you in quarantine in Amora ?

Cheers


----------



## Hi1207 (Nov 10, 2018)

13!/-\$|-| said:


> Dear All,
> 
> We moved from United States to Australia today and are now put up at Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney for 14 days. Just wanted to share the experience here for others so that it can help you guys too.
> 
> ...


Hello, 
Thanks for your detailed experience. Could you please tell, what is quarantine waiver. Is it the waiver of quarantine hotel charges or something else ?


----------



## Hamadeh (Jul 9, 2018)

@ 13, thank you so much for sharing, and it's good to hear about quarantine waiver. I've researched it and understand it's for those who have strong reasons to that. That's wise of the NSW gov.


----------



## 13!/-\$|-| (Apr 27, 2020)

Apologies for the confusion on my previous post. I meant quarantine fee waiver.


----------



## Hamadeh (Jul 9, 2018)

13!/-\$|-| said:


> Apologies for the confusion on my previous post. I meant quarantine fee waiver.


You must have purchased your plane ticket before the charging announcement, right? Also, have you find the Economy class comfortable apart from setting anywhere as you said?


----------



## 13!/-\$|-| (Apr 27, 2020)

Hamadeh said:


> 13!/-\$|-| said:
> 
> 
> > Apologies for the confusion on my previous post. I meant quarantine fee waiver.
> ...


Yes tickets were purchased prior to the announcement of charges. Economy was very comfortable. Could spread our legs and sleep as flight was literally empty.


----------



## Hi1207 (Nov 10, 2018)

13!/-\$|-| said:


> Apologies for the confusion on my previous post. I meant quarantine fee waiver.


Hi, do they really waive off this amount for first entry residents. If yes, than kindly inform the procedure.
Thanks


----------



## Hamadeh (Jul 9, 2018)

Hi1207 said:


> Hi, do they really waive off this amount for first entry residents. If yes, than kindly inform the procedure.
> Thanks


I can't respond to your PM, dunno why. Anyway, they do only if you had booked your flight before the NSW gov announced they will charge travellers. However, there is a payment plan, you can pay the charging amount on installments up to 18 months. That's for everyone, but you have to provide reasonable reasons that you're going through hardship or can't pay the full amount in one payment.


----------



## 13!/-\$|-| (Apr 27, 2020)

Hi1207 said:


> 13!/-\$|-| said:
> 
> 
> > Apologies for the confusion on my previous post. I meant quarantine fee waiver.
> ...


This was my first entry. So the answer is Yes. Provided your ticket is booked before jul 12th.


----------



## Aus7 (Jun 13, 2018)

*Recent travel to Sydney*

Thanks, Kevin for this thread
Hello All
I have migrated to Sydney from the Netherlands on 21 August along with my family (wife and 5 yr old kid). My IED was 9Oct2020.

We took all precaution like N95/N99 Mask; child N95 mask, 3M Eyewear, Child fisherman hat cap. But Still, while eating food and drinking, you have to take out the Mask, so kindly note its never 100% safe to travel before the vaccine. As there is a limit in passenger per flight, so thought of comparatively safer to travel before a vaccine.

As currently there is a limit in passenger like for SQ288 flying out of Singapore has less than 80 passengers flying out, 30-50 for Sydney and remaining for Brisbane. Hence, chances for confirmation with Economy class was high, and Singapore Airlines announced preference for transit passenger. I have heard in the news that Emirates and Qatar flying out of the Middle east are giving priority to Business class due to a limit in incoming passenger per flight. So guys from India you can book Singapore Airlines SQ288 transit in advance to secure a seat when flight resumes from India, as it flies to Sydney and then to Brisbane with comparative more capacity from Singapore.

At Singapore, All transit passengers were escorted to a dedicated waiting area on A terminal. The connecting flight was also from terminal A for which we were escorted back in a queue. At entry and exit, thermal scanners camera checks passenger from a distance. Carry VEVO printout which states you are a permanent resident.

On arrival in Sydney, we went through health check by answering the question for COVID symptoms; ear temperature was noted and post stamp on arrival card, which we got in the flight, we were directed to immigration. The immigration officer asked only for the passport and arrival card. No Visa or Grant letters were asked. Officer checked something with a senior, and I heard 190 and another officer noded OK. My daughter passport had only three months remaining validity, and that was of not a problem. After baggage collection, we did customs. As I had I tick on grains ( I carried for initial days of rice and lentils preparation for my child) the officer asked to show it and allowed it after a check ( keep it in cabin bag so that you can easily open to save time). At the exit, there were Army personals and officials with few buses parked in a line. On seeing a family with a kid, they directed us to a particular bus. All pieces of Luggage were handled and kept in the bus storage by the Army personals. We waited for 40 min until three more families with kids arrived. We were taken to a Service apartment quarantine arrangements in CBD. One family got off at a time for check-in at reception to maintain social distance. We got a well equipped furnished apartment with a balcony, equipped kitchen and washing machine drier facility.
Three-times meals are provided at the door with a knock. I ordered groceries from Woolworths ( 1 month free delivery on joining above 100 order). You get all the Ind/Pak grocery in Woolworths even a prestige 3 Litre cooker, so it's convenient not to bother any of your friends with a request to visit quarantine arrangement for any specific grocery/utensil delivery. On Day 2 and Day 10 swap samples for COVID test to be taken, daily a nurse calls for a health check. You can pick free Optus sim cards at the airport or the Quarantine facility. Do not put all funds in Bank account as you will not have access until you come out of quarantine facility and visit the branch. Even paying out is not possible, So I have earlier taken Transferwise card in NL, and use that for paying out in AUD and paying out into accounts for next arrangements like the tenancy agreement, bond, Ikea, Woolworths etc.

You can open an AUD account in transferwise for free and transfer fund to an AUD account and order a master card for it for free. To avail, free initial transfer join with <shorturl.at/nqEJ1>

I believe my experience will help you guys planning a move. Ready to answer more question and queries.

Regards


----------



## farhan125 (Jan 15, 2019)

Hi , 

Thanks for sharing your experience but can you advise how can I have a transfer wise card or any credit card from Australia before landing ( because the account wont be enabled unless passport is shown to the bank representative) as before I leave Saudi arabia all my credits cards will be cancelled and I might have to depend on cash

Regards


----------



## Aus7 (Jun 13, 2018)

I am not sure if you can get transferwise card in Saudi. Its a single master card for any of your current account, you can open various currency account with tranferwise and they provide your bank details, obviously you need to do a KYC of your current country. you cannot rely on cash in quarantine and for other arrangements you need to have account or cc. shorturl.at/nqEJ1


----------



## farhan125 (Jan 15, 2019)

Unfortunately there is no transfer wise in Saudiarabia... Is there any other suggestion..


----------



## A_Frayed_Knot (Jul 15, 2018)

Aus7 said:


> I am not sure if you can get transferwise card in Saudi. Its a single master card for any of your current account, you can open various currency account with tranferwise and they provide your bank details, obviously you need to do a KYC of your current country. you cannot rely on cash in quarantine and for other arrangements you need to have account or cc. shorturl.at/nqEJ1


Thanks for the tip about the TransferWise card! I have been using TransferWise for a long time and it's very good for transferring money around the world, however I didn't think of getting the card. 
Thanks for sharing this!


----------



## LordD (Jun 19, 2019)

farhan125 said:


> Unfortunately there is no transfer wise in Saudiarabia... Is there any other suggestion..


A few suggestions:

You can set up a Transferwise Australian account that will provide all the necessary detail for an international transfer into the account just the same as having an Australian bank account. Provide your Australian BSB code and account number to your current bank in SA and ask they make the transfer into your Australian account. 

(edit): As soon as you know your quarantine address contact Transferswise and ask they deliver your debit card to that address. It will take a couple of days to receive, but once you receive the card it will provide you with a means to money before you can get to a bank in Australia.

If your current SA bank account provides a Visa/Mastercard debit card then you should be able to use that, it will just require you keep an account open in SA until you can get yourself squared away in Australia.

There are other international companies that offer accounts such as ING that you may want to look into as well to see if they will service your needs...


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

13!/-\$|-| said:


> Dear All,
> 
> We moved from United States to Australia today and are now put up at Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney for 14 days. Just wanted to share the experience here for others so that it can help you guys too.
> 
> ...


Welcome to Australia, Blash!


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Aus7 said:


> Thanks, Kevin for this thread
> Hello All
> I have migrated to Sydney from the Netherlands on 21 August along with my family (wife and 5 yr old kid). My IED was 9Oct2020.
> 
> ...


Welcome to Australia!


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

farhan125 said:


> Hi ,
> 
> Thanks for sharing your experience but can you advise how can I have a transfer wise card or any credit card from Australia before landing ( because the account wont be enabled unless passport is shown to the bank representative) as before I leave Saudi arabia all my credits cards will be cancelled and I might have to depend on cash
> 
> Regards


For us, before flying out from USA we made sure that we had 3-4 0% foreign transaction fee credit cards. Till date I am using them as it's very convenient and you get same rate as what's on that day. If that's not an option for you, then you can use services like Xoom or TransferWise, etc OR get an International FOREX type card from a bank there. Unfortunately, during quarantine you would need a card if you want to order things. Best of luck!


----------



## livesimple (Jan 14, 2020)

Hello Friends,

I'm planning to move from the US to Australia. I have a couple of questions below. 
1. Can someone share your experience in finding a job there? 
2. How long does it take to find an IT job in Australia for PR holder? 
3. How difficult to get a Job from overseas?
4. I have never been to Australia. I need your valuable suggestion. I will be working in IT field. Is it good to move to Australia from USA ?
Your help in this regard will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!


----------



## ihaleem9 (May 30, 2014)

I just moved to Australia last month from the US. So far I'm loving it. I had the same question as you last year when I got my PR. I made it easy for myself by joining a company in the US that has it's footprint in Australia. My company transferred me here at their cost. And if I want to move back to US, it's not going to be difficult as long as I stay with them. 

<*SNIP*> *See "Inappropriate content", here: https://www.expatforum.com/expats/g...-please-read-before-posting.html#post13155218
*



livesimple said:


> Hello Friends,
> 
> I'm planning to move from the US to Australia. I have a couple of questions below.
> 1. Can someone share your experience in finding a job there?
> ...


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Folks, 

It's been a while I have visited this forum as got busy at job, after moving here. But I just wanted to share my job-finding experience hoping it will help! After moving here I spent 3-4 weeks applying for jobs and got 2 Full-time & 2 Contract Offers!

*Don't listen to people who say only local experience is preferred:*
After we moved here, a lot of people told me that companies prefer local experience and getting first job is difficult. That's not at all the case! Till date, I have spoken to 30+ hiring managers/HR/recruiters and none of them mentioned anything about it. In fact I asked one of them if this is true, and their reply was: You have moved from US and US experience is highly valued! I would assume same is true for other foreign experience as well.

*Get the PR status verification plugin in Seek:*
Seek is a good tool, but the problem is that a LOT of people apply there, and most of the times people applying on Seek are PR holders who are still abroad and trying to get some job before moving here. From my experience, employers here don't entertain if you aren't here. There's a plugin in Seek, where you can enter your details and it will place a check next to your profile and would tell the prospective employer/recruiter that you are onshore and have unrestricted rights to work.

*There's a lot of fish in the sea:*
I feel like in ICT, there are more opportunities here in Sydney than anywhere else. Didn't see so many job openings even in Los Angeles. So, don't worry about not getting reply from some job you applied for, as there are a LOT of opportunities here.

*Overall, the hiring process is a bit slower here:*
When applying for jobs, I experienced delayed feedback and replies. A lot of recruiters told me that "Laid-back" is just the work culture here, so not to worry about it. Coming from California where hiring process moves really fast, this might surprise you, but eventually you will get used to it.

*Good Recruiter == Good Job Offer:*
I applied on Seek for only a week and then stopped applying there after I realized it's a lot of spamming going on there, as a majority of people who apply there are not even in the country. I contacted 2-3 good recruiters and they looked jobs for me. On an average, I was interviewing 2 times a week as I wanted to keep it light because we have been site-seeing here a lot, and within 4-5 weeks I had 2 Full-Time and 2 Contract offers to pick from. 

*It felt great when I answered NO for the question "Do you need any sponsorship?"*
Coming from US, where I was on a work visa (H1b) for many years, it just felt great whenever I told a recruiter/HR that I didn't need any sponsorship. 

*Next step for me now is to buy a home here:*
Feel free to PM me if there's anyway I can help. As a next step and a newly migrant here, currently I am looking for the home buying process. Bank has told me that after 3-4 months of job, I can apply for home loan. So, I will update this thread in the near future on how this process goes.


----------



## binky_01 (Sep 12, 2019)

Thank you, that is very insightful. Glad you are now settled.Tell us more about the Seek plugin. Where exactly can I find it.


----------



## maps_sky (Nov 18, 2019)

Thanks Kevin ! It was really helpful !

Sent from my Redmi Note 8 Pro using Tapatalk


----------



## ihaleem9 (May 30, 2014)

Something I've learnt recently is that credit in Australia works very different from credit in US. In the US, it takes years to build a good credit score and only then you get a decent amount of loan.

However in Oz, a few months paystub is enough. As I moved with a job, all I needed is just one paystub from AU and atleast one year of tenure with my company. I will be submitting my US paystubs as supporting docs. I am easily getting $700K+ AUD as loan just within days of landing here.


----------



## shekhar_babu (Mar 27, 2017)

Thanks Kevin for providing us your experience and giving some idea on market of Aus. All the very best.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

binky_01 said:


> Thank you, that is very insightful. Glad you are now settled.Tell us more about the Seek plugin. Where exactly can I find it.


Sure, it's called "Certsy"


----------



## binky_01 (Sep 12, 2019)

Thanks Kevin, will try it out.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

ihaleem9 said:


> Something I've learnt recently is that credit in Australia works very different from credit in US. In the US, it takes years to build a good credit score and only then you get a decent amount of loan.
> 
> However in Oz, a few months paystub is enough. As I moved with a job, all I needed is just one paystub from AU and atleast one year of tenure with my company. I will be submitting my US paystubs as supporting docs. I am easily getting $700K+ AUD as loan just within days of landing here.


Agreed, no credit is actually a good credit here!!!


----------



## Moulard (Feb 3, 2017)

Australia does in fact have a credit scoring system, and has had one for quite some time. However up until March 2014, credit reporting in Australia only used negative reporting. 

One fallout of poor lending practices by Australian financial institutions that ultimately culminated in the Financial Services Royal Commission was we started accelerating the transition from negative only to comprehensive credit reporting.

Technically, CCR has been in place since March 2014. However, when it was first introduced the scheme was not mandatory and the big banks in particular were extremely sluggish on getting involved with the program and did not share their credit data. In November 2017, mandatory reporting of credit data was introduced, with a gradual rollout through the whole industry starting with the big 4 having to share 50% of their credit data by 1 July 2018 and gradually expanding to pretty much all large authorized deposit taking institutions by June 2021.


----------



## tly80 (Oct 4, 2020)

Hi Everyone,

I am currently in Singapore (been here 10 years, ICT field, hold Singapore PR, married and have a 6 year old son) and have got Australia PR recently. Anyone here moved to OZ from SG - what was your experience? Would you recommend it (or not) based on varied reasons. Appreciate your thoughts on this.

Cheers


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Moulard said:


> Australia does in fact have a credit scoring system, and has had one for quite some time. However up until March 2014, credit reporting in Australia only used negative reporting.
> 
> One fallout of poor lending practices by Australian financial institutions that ultimately culminated in the Financial Services Royal Commission was we started accelerating the transition from negative only to comprehensive credit reporting.
> 
> Technically, CCR has been in place since March 2014. However, when it was first introduced the scheme was not mandatory and the big banks in particular were extremely sluggish on getting involved with the program and did not share their credit data. In November 2017, mandatory reporting of credit data was introduced, with a gradual rollout through the whole industry starting with the big 4 having to share 50% of their credit data by 1 July 2018 and gradually expanding to pretty much all large authorized deposit taking institutions by June 2021.


Thanks of the info!


----------



## Moulard (Feb 3, 2017)

NP.

But you are right, Australian lenders have traditionally had a far more flexible approach to providing credit. For a guaranteed personal loan most banks in Australia won't bat an eyelid so long as you 


are in a permanent role
have a contract that extends at least a year into the future
have a shorter contract, but can show a past pattern of regular employment

In the long run, I suspect the regulatory changes related to responsible lending are going to be more impactful than the credit reporting changes.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Moulard said:


> NP.
> 
> But you are right, Australian lenders have traditionally had a far more flexible approach to providing credit. For a guaranteed personal loan most banks in Australia won't bat an eyelid so long as you
> 
> ...


that's true, thanks again for the info!


----------



## favelle (Feb 12, 2014)

kevin21 said:


> Friends,
> 
> Last week I moved from California to Sydney, on 190 PR and just wanted to share my experience hoping it might help people planning travel soon. I got 190 PR in December 2018 and my original entry date was in Feb 2019 but I never travelled then and it was my first entry ever!
> 
> ...


Hi Kevin, hope you are doing well.
Question for you, how long exactly is the quarantine period? Is it 13 nights or 14 nights? I presume for 14 nights, out on day 15 morning. 
I read some NSW residents are allowed out after 13 nights. But I'll be travelling onwards to Victoria as I'm based in Melbourne. cheers


----------



## Aus7 (Jun 13, 2018)

favelle said:


> Hi Kevin, hope you are doing well.
> 
> Question for you, how long exactly is the quarantine period? Is it 13 nights or 14 nights? I presume for 14 nights, out on day 15 morning.
> 
> I read some NSW residents are allowed out after 13 nights. But I'll be travelling onwards to Victoria as I'm based in Melbourne. cheers


attached









Sent from my vivo 1805 using Tapatalk


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

favelle said:


> Hi Kevin, hope you are doing well.
> Question for you, how long exactly is the quarantine period? Is it 13 nights or 14 nights? I presume for 14 nights, out on day 15 morning.
> I read some NSW residents are allowed out after 13 nights. But I'll be travelling onwards to Victoria as I'm based in Melbourne. cheers


When we moved, it was 13 nights. Not sure how it is now.


----------



## tariqur (Apr 22, 2017)

Thanks to the OP for creating this thread and for everyone who've shared their quarantine experience here! Was very useful to us.

We arrived in Sydney airport last Friday (Oct 16) and were promptly escorted to a bus outside, ready to take us to our allocated hotel. They took us to a 5 star suite in CBD where the staff were super helpful, they took down our details as we waited for our room to be allocated.

Seeing that we had 2 young kids, the hotel "upgraded" us, giving us a fantastic 3 bedroom apartment with an open terrace that had gorgeous views of the Cockle Bay Wharf.

Meals are delivered to our door, three times a day. I found this out when I woke up in the afternoon (lol) and discovered breakfast and lunch in neatly packaged boxes, kept in front of my door. The catering company even respected our preference for Halal food. Outstanding, really.

It's a pretty good experience so far, despite being in quarantine. Plus, the view really helps 

Have also requested the quarantine waiver fee before flying (I'd booked back in early June), haven't heard back yet from NSW Revenue. Seems like there's a large backlog currently.


----------



## ImmiAU (Oct 7, 2020)

kevin21 said:


> Friends,
> 
> Last week I moved from California to Sydney, on 190 PR and just wanted to share my experience hoping it might help people planning travel soon. I got 190 PR in December 2018 and my original entry date was in Feb 2019 but I never travelled then and it was my first entry ever!
> 
> ...


How much cost you for 14 days Quarantine?
Isn’t it US better than AU?


----------



## NB (Mar 29, 2017)

30060204 said:


> How much cost you for 14 days Quarantine?
> Isn’t it US better than AU?


At that time it was free
It’s charged now
The charges are fixed depending on where you touchdown
You don’t get a choice

Cheers


----------



## alamin104 (Dec 15, 2012)

tariqur said:


> Thanks to the OP for creating this thread and for everyone who've shared their quarantine experience here! Was very useful to us.
> 
> We arrived in Sydney airport last Friday (Oct 16) and were promptly escorted to a bus outside, ready to take us to our allocated hotel. They took us to a 5 star suite in CBD where the staff were super helpful, they took down our details as we waited for our room to be allocated.
> 
> ...


You have decided to relocate in bad time, brave decision indeed! It was for initial entry wasn't it? So far I know, IED requirement has been waived these days.


----------



## vp13 (Jun 24, 2020)

kevin21 said:


> Friends, I am sharing here a few things I did during the 14-day hotel quarantine period as it might help the newcomers.
> 
> *Finding a rental house:*
> During the 14-day hotel quarantine period, I bought a local number from Skype and used that when requesting video inspection of the houses for rent. We already did some research when we were in USA for the areas we wanted to move in. So, we started filling online inspection forms for houses in these areas. Not all real estate agent agreed for video inspections, but approx. 60% - 70% did agree for video inspection. After we liked a house, we submitted the application for the same price they were asking the rent for and it was approved. We told them we were in hotel quarantine and set the move-in date to the date we were supposed to check-out from the hotel. That way, from the hotel, we moved directly to our house. We were able to rent a 4-bedroom house in a really nice suburb in north-western Sydney.
> ...


Thank you Kevin. 

This is very informative and elaborate description. You did use the quarantine in a amazing manner.


----------



## tariqur (Apr 22, 2017)

alamin104 said:


> You have decided to relocate in bad time, brave decision indeed! It was for initial entry wasn't it? So far I know, IED requirement has been waived these days.


It's a month long visit for now. I booked the tickets back in June, expecting the situation to improve later on. Thankfully our tickets were never cancelled, so we decided to go ahead with our trip anyways - IED aside, we wanted to see AU for the first time. I'm here for a month now, working remotely the first 2 weeks (to get through the quarantine) and then 2 weeks vacation to explore Sydney.

I've also been fortunate enough to find an employer that liked me enough to extend a good offer. That in itself was a strong incentive for me to make this trip and meet him in person / sign the work contract. Sometimes, blessings can hide within bad times 

Btw I've lived in Dubai all my life and have a pretty great job there - so most people think I'm crazy to quit that and migrate


----------



## Neb Ulozny (Feb 13, 2020)

tariqur said:


> Btw I've lived in Dubai all my life and have a pretty great job there - so most people think I'm crazy to quit that and migrate


I lived there 5 years and have met people who were born in Dubai, lived there for 20-30 years and then being kicked out of the country like they never existed. My barber was a Palestinian guy with a Syrian passport... 30 yrs in Dubai and got kicked out when the whole Syria was started. So he's essentially stateless, what will he do in Syria and can't go to Palestine either, so many strange life stories I've seen there. You are always temporary no matter how many years you spent there and I think that is the main incentive to move to a country like Australia. 

I don't think you're crazy despite probably earning less here and having a life without all the pampering available in Dubai. I especially think UAE is not healthy for kids, they learn to live in this fake world where everything is done for you by someone else and I have some friends who moved back to Europe and their kids had trouble adapting to normal life where nobody takes your shopping bags and you're just same as anyone else despite your skin color or nationality. You would understand what I'm saying.


----------



## tariqur (Apr 22, 2017)

Neb Ulozny said:


> I lived there 5 years and have met people who were born in Dubai, lived there for 20-30 years and then being kicked out of the country like they never existed. My barber was a Palestinian guy with a Syrian passport... 30 yrs in Dubai and got kicked out when the whole Syria was started. So he's essentially stateless, what will he do in Syria and can't go to Palestine either, so many strange life stories I've seen there. You are always temporary no matter how many years you spent there and I think that is the main incentive to move to a country like Australia.
> 
> I don't think you're crazy despite probably earning less here and having a life without all the pampering available in Dubai. I especially think UAE is not healthy for kids, they learn to live in this fake world where everything is done for you by someone else and I have some friends who moved back to Europe and their kids had trouble adapting to normal life where nobody takes your shopping bags and you're just same as anyone else despite your skin color or nationality. You would understand what I'm saying.


Fully agree with everything you've said mate. In fact, that was the driving reason for me to consider a new life in Australia, all the way back in 2016.

It doesn't matter if I spend 50 years in the UAE, I'll always just be an expat on a visa (best case scenario).


----------



## rianess (Apr 5, 2019)

Neb Ulozny said:


> You are always temporary no matter how many years you spent there and I think that is the main incentive to move to a country like Australia.
> 
> I don't think you're crazy despite probably earning less here and having a life without all the pampering available in Dubai. I especially think UAE is not healthy for kids, they learn to live in this fake world where everything is done for you by someone else and I have some friends who moved back to Europe and their kids had trouble adapting to normal life where nobody takes your shopping bags and you're just same as anyone else despite your skin color or nationality. You would understand what I'm saying.


100%


----------



## Sankar (Aug 7, 2012)

kevin21 said:


> Friends,
> 
> Last week I moved from California to Sydney, on 190 PR and just wanted to share my experience hoping it might help people planning travel soon. I got 190 PR in December 2018 and my original entry date was in Feb 2019 but I never travelled then and it was my first entry ever!
> 
> ...


Hi Kevin,

Thanks for the info. Please help me with the below queries, apologies if you have already answered these.

1. During the flight, did they provide any PPE or just a mask which you might have carried with you?
2. How was the internet in the quarantine accommodation?
3. During quarantine, you were constrained to accommodation only? Or any possibility of walk outside?

Planning to move back to Sydney in March 2021.

Cheers...


----------



## tariqur (Apr 22, 2017)

Sankar said:


> Hi Kevin,
> 
> Thanks for the info. Please help me with the below queries, apologies if you have already answered these.
> 
> ...


Hey,

Based on my recent experience (left quarantine today):

1. Depends on Airline I guess. We flew with Emirates, they gave out sanitary "packs" for each passenger, which contained masks, gloves and sanitary wipes.
2. Internet was quite good. We connected 2 laptops, 2 phones, TV and iPad/PS4 to the Wifi and had no issues with usage. Saw Netflix, Amazon prime, did Zoom/Hangout calls, etc.
3. You're not allowed step foot outside at all until it's time to exit the quarantine.


----------



## Sankar (Aug 7, 2012)

tariqur said:


> Hey,
> 
> Based on my recent experience (left quarantine today):
> 
> ...


Thank you, that helps. Cheers...


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Sankar said:


> Hi Kevin,
> 
> Thanks for the info. Please help me with the below queries, apologies if you have already answered these.
> 
> ...


1. We carried our own masks, had them on for first few minutes and then took them off as everybody was sitting at a large distance.

2. Internet was great during quarantine. No issues, but it also depends on the hotel you get. Ours was one of the best hotels in downtown Sydney.

3. Not sure if you are traveling alone or with kids. We traveled with Kids, so they gave us fully furnished 2 bedroom apartment type hotel suite with a nice balcony to get fresh air and walk.

Hope it helps and apologize for replying late.

Best Wishes!


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Moulard said:


> NP.
> 
> But you are right, Australian lenders have traditionally had a far more flexible approach to providing credit. For a guaranteed personal loan most banks in Australia won't bat an eyelid so long as you
> 
> ...


100% agree with this!
I applied for a credit card after getting the first paycheck on a permanent job, and it was approved the same day and that too with a decent credit limit (more than I had in USA).


----------



## Sankar (Aug 7, 2012)

kevin21 said:


> 1. We carried our own masks, had them on for first few minutes and then took them off as everybody was sitting at a large distance.
> 
> 2. Internet was great during quarantine. No issues, but it also depends on the hotel you get. Ours was one of the best hotels in downtown Sydney.
> 
> ...


Thanks Kevin, that helps a lot.
Yes, we are travelling with kid, hoping we get a good hotel/apartment.

Cheers...


----------



## Moulard (Feb 3, 2017)

kevin21 said:


> 100% agree with this!
> I applied for a credit card after getting the first paycheck on a permanent job, and it was approved the same day and that too with a decent credit limit (more than I had in USA).


Yup... Fundamentally, banks here don't have to worry about you having an accident and being bankrupted by medical expenses, or astronomical legal expenses, or at will employment laws which means no one has any job security, or indeed a whole host of other things that have to be factored into lending risk calculations in the US.


----------



## NB (Mar 29, 2017)

Moulard said:


> Yup... Fundamentally, banks here don't have to worry about you having an accident and being bankrupted by medical expenses, or astronomical legal expenses, or at will employment laws which means no one has any job security, or indeed a whole host of other things that have to be factored into lending risk calculations in the US.


Secondly the chances of you disappearing is much lower in Australia as compared to USA
So the chances of recovery through agents are higher
Cheers


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Moulard said:


> Yup... Fundamentally, banks here don't have to worry about you having an accident and being bankrupted by medical expenses, or astronomical legal expenses, or at will employment laws which means no one has any job security, or indeed a whole host of other things that have to be factored into lending risk calculations in the US.


True, and add the folks on visa too who leave when their work visa doesn't renew


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

Sankar said:


> Thanks Kevin, that helps a lot.
> Yes, we are travelling with kid, hoping we get a good hotel/apartment.
> 
> Cheers...


You're welcome and good luck!
Make sure to post your experience as well!


----------



## tariqur (Apr 22, 2017)

kevin21 said:


> 100% agree with this!
> I applied for a credit card after getting the first paycheck on a permanent job, and it was approved the same day and that too with a decent credit limit (more than I had in USA).


I can't thank you enough for the super useful insights you've shared here Kevin - it's proven immensely useful to me.

Did you face any challenges with your rental application, given you are a new immigrant (with presumably no local rental history)?

I'm moving in February 2021 and want to do exactly what you've done (sort out the rental during quarantine), but I'm worried I'll get stuck during the application process. Anything you'd suggest to improve the odds of acceptance? I will include a bank balance statement as well as a recommendation letter from my new employer.

Thanks again!


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

tariqur said:


> I can't thank you enough for the super useful insights you've shared here Kevin - it's proven immensely useful to me.
> 
> Did you face any challenges with your rental application, given you are a new immigrant (with presumably no local rental history)?
> 
> ...


From my experience, if your new employer is here in OZ, then that itself is enough. For folks, who don't have employment here yet, might need to show more bank balance.


----------



## tariqur (Apr 22, 2017)

kevin21 said:


> From my experience, if your new employer is here in OZ, then that itself is enough. For folks, who don't have employment here yet, might need to show more bank balance.


Thank you Kevin, that's very reassuring to hear.


----------



## TRoy27 (Nov 6, 2020)

Aus7 said:


> *Recent travel to Sydney*
> 
> Thanks, Kevin for this thread
> Hello All
> ...


Thanks a lot for sharing your experience. It has been helpful to read these. We are also planning to move from NL to Australia in June 2021 and booked flights with emirates. Can you share which flight option you took in August. Also did you register yourself anywhere or just booked the flights directly and undertook the journey on the date.


----------



## kevin21 (Apr 23, 2018)

TRoy27 said:


> Thanks a lot for sharing your experience. It has been helpful to read these. We are also planning to move from NL to Australia in June 2021 and booked flights with emirates. Can you share which flight option you took in August. Also did you register yourself anywhere or just booked the flights directly and undertook the journey on the date.


Sorry for the late reply, were you able to figure it out, buddy?


----------



## TRoy27 (Nov 6, 2020)

kevin21 said:


> Sorry for the late reply, were you able to figure it out, buddy?


Thanks Kevin. I have not registered with DFAT but have confirmed booking with emirates in June . I also wanted to confirm that if VEVO app is enough to show at the immigration and no stamp of visa would be required for the 190 PR . Please let me know.


----------



## NB (Mar 29, 2017)

TRoy27 said:


> Thanks Kevin. I have not registered with DFAT but have confirmed booking with emirates in June . I also wanted to confirm that if VEVO app is enough to show at the immigration and no stamp of visa would be required for the 190 PR . Please let me know.


There is no PR stamp issued by Australia now adays
It’s only digital
You can keep a printout of your grant to show at ticket counter and immigration, but it will probably not be required
Cheers


----------



## TRoy27 (Nov 6, 2020)

NB said:


> There is no PR stamp issued by Australia now adays
> It’s only digital
> You can keep a printout of your grant to show at ticket counter and immigration, but it will probably not be required
> Cheers


Thanks a lot


----------



## akalankasl (Aug 21, 2019)

my question may be irrelevant to this thread. i want to know if i am the main applicant(PR190) , can my wife and two kids can enter australia and continue as PR holders without me.Because i am planning to join bit later.thank you


----------



## NB (Mar 29, 2017)

akalankasl said:


> my question may be irrelevant to this thread. i want to know if i am the main applicant(PR190) , can my wife and two kids can enter australia and continue as PR holders without me.Because i am planning to join bit later.thank you


Each person has a separate PR
They can enter whenever they want as long as everyone meets the initial entry date if given in the grant
Cheers


----------



## akalankasl (Aug 21, 2019)

NB said:


> Each person has a separate PR
> They can enter whenever they want as long as everyone meets the initial entry date if given in the grant
> Cheers


Thank you


----------



## shellady (Jan 2, 2019)

Thanks Kevin, and those who followed suit as well, for sharing your experiences and patiently answering all the questions. It has been really helpful!

My family and I are moving to (Melbourne) Australia this March. We have a 1 year old kid and I am a bit stressed with planning the 14 days in the hotel with a toddler in tow. For those who traveled with kids, do they most of the time give rooms with washing machine and kitchen?


----------



## Sankar (Aug 7, 2012)

shellady said:


> Thanks Kevin, and those who followed suit as well, for sharing your experiences and patiently answering all the questions. It has been really helpful!
> 
> My family and I are moving to (Melbourne) Australia this March. We have a 1 year old kid and I am a bit stressed with planning the 14 days in the hotel with a toddler in tow. For those who traveled with kids, do they most of the time give rooms with washing machine and kitchen?


I have the same question. Based on the info from this forum, for families, a decent 2 rooms with kitchen, washer and dryer facility is given. 
I heard some other news (not sure how authentic that news is) that only a single room is given, even for a family of 3, without any cooking facilities.
Anyone has any info on this?


----------



## mt3467 (Mar 6, 2019)

Sankar said:


> I have the same question. Based on the info from this forum, for families, a decent 2 rooms with kitchen, washer and dryer facility is given.
> I heard some other news (not sure how authentic that news is) that only a single room is given, even for a family of 3, without any cooking facilities.
> Anyone has any info on this?


It very much depends on the hotel. You might have a kitchenette and washer/dryer, they try to move families to bigger hotels and rooms where possible. 

If not: 

you are usually given a weekly allowance with the laundry service
you can also pay for clothes washing above and beyond the allowance
you are given priority access to Woolworths and other local supermarkets for deliveries

With all hotel quarantine, you are given fresh sheets and towels approximately every 4 days


----------



## shellady (Jan 2, 2019)

mt3467 said:


> It very much depends on the hotel. You might have a kitchenette and washer/dryer, they try to move families to bigger hotels and rooms where possible.
> 
> If not:
> 
> ...


Thanks for this info. Would you know if above applies to Melbourne/Victoria?


----------



## mt3467 (Mar 6, 2019)

shellady said:


> Thanks for this info. Would you know if above applies to Melbourne/Victoria?


Yep. In my situation most families were taken to the other hotel (with balconies and kitchenettes). My partner and I ended up in a tiny 1 bed corner room and the families in our hotel got suites on the higher floors - which I think was fair. They do try to do the best within the bounds of what they’ve got.


----------



## shellady (Jan 2, 2019)

mt3467 said:


> Yep. In my situation most families were taken to the other hotel (with balconies and kitchenettes). My partner and I ended up in a tiny 1 bed corner room and the families in our hotel got suites on the higher floors - which I think was fair. They do try to do the best within the bounds of what they’ve got.


Ah okay, that's good to know. Thank you!


----------



## shellady (Jan 2, 2019)

Sorry, just one more question. I heard Melbourne has the strictest quarantine rules. I saw in their website:









So can we still order groceries? or only from food delivery services - meaning, fast foods and restaurants? Has anyone had personal experience on this? Thank you!


----------



## NB (Mar 29, 2017)

shellady said:


> Sorry, just one more question. I heard Melbourne has the strictest quarantine rules. I saw in their website:
> View attachment 99083
> 
> 
> So can we still order groceries? or only from food delivery services - meaning, fast foods and restaurants? Has anyone had personal experience on this? Thank you!


No matter what be the experience of members previously, in view of the British variant, rules are being changed on daily basis to mitigate the risk of the virus escaping 
You should be prepared to do with minimal outside assistance in worst case scenario 
Cheers


----------

