Migrant to Australia: what to do in the first two weeks?

BY Alok Das

Welcome!

Welcome to Australia.

How are you feeling now?

Homesick? The excitement of being in Australia seems to be fading away? Highly likely. There’s nothing wrong in it. It’s only natural to feel that way.

Anxious? Worried how to start a new life here? Lost? Natural. It happens to all migrants. The good thing is all migrants eventually succeed and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to.

Depressed? No way. There are heaps of things to do to get the ball rolling. You have so many things to complete in the first two weeks that you hardly have any time to afford the luxury of being depressed.

Hey, I’m a migrant too. I have been through all these phases. And that’s why I empathise with you, that’s why I want to share with you what I think will be a few things to plan your new life.

The race begins!

So let’s get ready.

Open a bank account

Can you afford to live without a bank account? You need the safety for the money that you have brought along plus you will need to get paid when you secure a job. Luckily there are many banks to choose from. If in doubt, check with a relative or a friend who already lives here. Australian banks are highly service oriented; they provide a lot of services including personal financial advice during different phases of your life. To start with, you probably would want to have an everyday transactional account with access to ATMs, one interest earning account so you earn some interest on the money you save in the bank. Some banks may encourage you to apply for a credit card as well, but that depends on whether you already have an employment or not. If you have any enquiries about financial products and services, ask the bank employee who serves you. Do not leave all questions for your friends or relatives.

Once you have opened a bank account, make sure you deposit all your money there. It is not a requirement but the bank definitely provides the safety for your money.

For your convenience you may also consider registering for internet banking facilities. If you have never used it before, that’s perfectly ok; just ask your bank to show you. When I opened my first bank account in Australia in 2003 I didn’t know how to do internet banking and the friendly bank employees showed me how to do that. It makes your life so easy and saves you a lot of time as you are empowered to so many things online.

Keep it in mind, throughout your Australian life you can benefit from the services a bank provides, for example, term deposits and other types of investments, personal loans, home loans, retirement planning, different types of insurances. Feel free to ask questions to your bank when you want to check if you are eligible to request a specific product / service.
If you have any concerns about the safety of your savings / banking details ask the bank. They will teach you or advise you what to do. However, some common tips are:

• Keep your financial information in a secure place.
• Do not share your account number, PIN or any other details with anyone.

Get a driver’s license

In Australia there will be countless occasions where they will ask you to show any form of identification (ID) and the most common ID is an Australian driver’s license. Even if you do not know how to drive you can get a learner’s license. If you go to any RTA office they will guide you. Their requirements change from time to time. However, to save time it is better to visit an RTA office with a letter / statement from your bank displaying your address and your passport. If you already know driving then ask the RTA employee serving you as to how you can get a suitable driving license.

Once you have got the driver’s license ensure you carry it with you all the time in a wallet or something similar, and ensure not to lose it.

Consider contents insurance

If you have jewellery and other valuable stuff in your accommodation then you can consider content insurance that may protect you against theft or accidental damage. There are banks and insurance companies that offer content insurance. Ask them for details. However, if you already do not have a job or a guaranteed income, it may put a financial pressure on you, as you will be required to pay the premium. So use your judgement and, if required, consult a reliable friend / relative or a bank / insurance company.

Get a mobile phone

We live in an age where we cannot afford to live without a mobile phone. In your case it is even more important as you will soon start looking for a job, if you already do not have a job. Recruiters always prefer to be able to contact you as easily as possible. Also it is a good practice to have the voice mail service activated so people who call you, especially recruiters, have the option to leave a message for you. If a recruiter has left a message call them back as soon as possible during business hours.

Also in the early days it is probably better to buy a cheap mobile phone that serves your purpose, rather than buying a fancy smart phone. Once you have an employment and continuous income, you will have lots of opportunities to splurge money on fancy stuff.

Update your details with Centrelink and Medicare

Update your address and other required details with Centrelink and Medicare. You may be able to do these at the same office. Check online for the location of your nearest office. Once you receive your Medicare card, always carry it, as you may have to use it during doctor or hospital visits. Do not lose it or do not share the details with any unknown person. However, for billing purposes you have to share the details at the doctor’s or at the hospital when you visit them.

Update your details with the Department of Immigration

Always update your address and contact details with this department. This is vital. When you are due for permanent residency or citizenship, they may want to contact you, or vice versa.

Apply for a Tax File Number (TFN)

If you plan to work in Australia it is mandatory for you to have a TFN. You do not have to physically go to any office to apply for a TFN. You can apply for it online. When you have got it, store it in a secure location as you will need to provide it to:

• your employer
• your bank
• your superannuation fund.

For every financial year you may be required to lodge your tax returns. There are qualified professionals who provide advice on taxation issues.

Losing a TFN can put you at risk. If your TFN is at the hand of a fraudster, they may use it for any type of fraud. The relevant government department that deals with taxation matters is known as the Australian Tax Office (ATO). You can visit their website for details.

Sorting out a residence

The initial days are very hard for most migrants. They usually live with a friend or a relative, or in some paid arrangement in a boarding house, or as a paying guest. Getting a new rental place may be a challenge especially if you are not employed already. If you have to move from one residence to another, make sure you update the following of your new address:

• Banks.
• Telecom service provider.
• Superannuation provider.
• Insurance service provider.
• Various government departments who provide you services. You may be able to do it online through your MyGOV account.
• Your employer.
• Anywhere else you feel relevant.

Enrol into an English course, if needed

There are courses that are run for free by the Australian Government. If you have migrated from a country like the UK, the USA, Canada or New Zealand, you are not likely to face any challenges except that the accent here is different. You may not need it if you are confident that you are competent to communicate in different situations in English. Use your judgement and common sense to decide whether you need to attend a course in English or not. If you feel you want to attend one, check online for the relevant centre closer to you. If you are not a native speaker of English and think your English is not that good, that’s perfectly fine. There’s nothing to be ashamed of this. In my experience Australians are very welcoming; they are used to people migrating from almost all over the world. They rather appreciate that you are trying hard to learn a new language.

Some ways of improving your English or getting familiarity with the Australian accent can be:

• Visit a shopping centre and see if you can start a conversation about a product that you are interested in, or listen to the conversation between other people. Use common sense: do not listen in a way as if you were eavesdropping; do it in a way so others do not feel intimidated or uncomfortable.
• Watch the TV news every evening with your family.
• Try to speak to your family members in English.
• Even if your English is not that good do not feel shy. Still try to communicate. As explained earlier, Australians will never shame you; rather they will encourage and appreciate you.

Get to know the social norms and etiquettes

It is good to know the Australian social norms and etiquettes so you can reduce and manage culture shocks, avoid embarrassments.
It is, however, very difficult to define exactly what come under Australian social norms and etiquettes but I can share what one of my professors told us on the very first day of my life at an Australian university:

• Do not touch anyone. You can draw someone’s attention by saying Excuse me.
• Do not shout at anyone.
• Do not request a service as if you are giving an order. Instead of using Give me that box, use Can you give me that box please?
• Respect diversity. You may be devoutly religious and you may see here people who do not believe in any religion. They will not tell you anything and you should not be lecturing them as well. Respect their choice. Also there are people from different religions here. No religion is superior or inferior to other religions. Respect everyone’s choice.
• Do not make fun of anyone because of their sex, ethnicity, religion, having no religion, sexual preference, disability, marital status. There can be severe legal consequences.
• Zero tolerance on sexual harassments. Don’t commit an act that can be considered as sexual harassment; even passing an unpleasant a comment / lewd joke can be considered as sexual harassment.

In addition I will add a few more points:

• Do not ask people any questions that can be considered too personal or indecent, for example:

o if someone is married.
o how much someone earns.
o why they do not live with their parents.

• Do not be too judgemental about others. You have come to Australia not to change this country but to change yourself.
• Avoid translating jokes from your own language to English. In most cases they may get lost in translation and the aftermath may not facilitate the intention of using the joke.
• Respect women. They are not inferior to men. If you believe otherwise, you are probably mentally sick and need counselling from a qualified counsellor, and / or some education.
• Do not call anyone, especially if they are colleagues or recruiters:

o Before 8.15 am and after 5 pm, and never on a weekend. And,
o If there is any urgency, send them an SMS.

Keep it in mind the above points are general guidelines only, not rules. If you start working very early in the morning or if you work on the weekends, and your boss tells you to call him for providing updates, then you have to call them. Or it may be a relative who is comfortable to receive a call from you any time. As I have iterated a few times: use your judgement and common sense.

Potential cost savings

In the early days it is a very good practice to reduce costs wherever possible. Some potential cost savings may be done through:

• Wherever you go carry food and water. You can carry these in a backpack.
• Avoid bulk buying.
• Avoid impulse buying.
• Avoid buying anything at all unless you need it. If you need furniture to buy, instead of buying expensive new ones, see if there is a garage sale around the corner or if anyone is selling through Gumtree or the likes.
• Many years ago I read it in the personal finance section of a newspaper and have found this habit very helpful: before going out for a big grocery shopping, eat something at home so you can avoid:

o getting hungry at the shopping centre.
o spending money on buying food and / or drinks.

• Track your expenses. Always.

Learn how to use a diary

If you already do not have the habit of using and managing a diary, start doing it. It is not rocket science, it is common sense. Write your tasks on a diary. It is specifically helpful when you talk to a recruiter: record their contact details and preferred call back time on this diary. This will make you look like someone who has professionalism.

Tasks for you right now

You have already noticed that I have used the words, banks, insurance companies, Medicare, Centrelink, RTA, Department of Immigration, MyGov account, ATO but did not provide any contact details. Why? Deliberately.
Chances are high that you are reading this article in the evening or while on the train. Now jump into your first action: find their details by searching in Google. You can also note their contact details on your diary.

Stay motivated

It is very natural that in the early days you may want to see relatives or other people from your own country who have settled here. In many cases it is soothing to see a known face or someone who you can communicate with easily. But exercise caution: sometimes this may have a negative impact on you. Some people may want to transfer their own frustrations to you. From my personal experiences, I have witnessed it on some occasions. My realisation: listen to only the good and positive words they tell you, never bother to be convinced into believing the negative words they tell you; for example, someone may tell you rubbish like it has been the wrong move for you to move to Australia or there are no family values here. Do not buy those pieces of trash. If Australia was such bad why didn’t they go back to their own country?

There are many ways to avoid being carried away by negative thoughts. Just consider how you have come this far in your life through so many challenges. There are literally thousands of people who come here and they all go through struggles. If they can survive here with success, then there is no reason why you cannot.

What is next?

The next step obviously is searching for a job (if you already do not have a job). You may find this article of mine helpful:
A migrant job seeker’s struggle in Australia: how to guide yourself
When you get a job or if you already have got a job you may find this article of mine helpful:
A migrant’s first job in Australia: How to settle down

Best of luck

Be positive. You are an achiever and that’s why you have landed in Australia. Keep it in mind: there have been millions of people like you who have been successful. You will be too. Wish you all the best.