Immigration Forum / Australia and NZ / March 2007

I'm sorry Mauro I didn't know you were going there on a student visa,
so here goes what you need to know.
A student visa allows you to work 20 hrs/week maximum and you are
subject to pay higher tax, for example my friend who went to study in
Sydney back in 2003, found a casual job and she was earning 16$/hr but
with tax deducted she was actually earning 13$/hour.
Now regarding transport, if you insist on buying a car then do it, I
don't know how much a minimum car costs there but you should
definitely pay for insurance and mechanic. It is really hard to find a
place to park unless if you go for private parking and well if you
sneeze in Australia you pay, so imagine how much a parking rate is!!!
Very expensive, so if you want to buy a car you have to take into
consideration some hidden costs that you are not aware of. Besides
being a student gives you a bonus, because everything you purchase
(transport cards, cinema tickets, books, fast food...) is subject to a
discount if you show your student card.
If you want to purchase a cheap car, go to www.ebay.com.au
And if you want to check transport rates, go to http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/
it shows you rates per day, per week, per season, and per year...rates
varies if you want a card for all transportation facilities (rail,
buses, ferries) or if you want it from station X to station Y also
varies...there's a wide choice and prices. And please consider going for
a driving license, international driving license are acceptable for 3
months only, then you need to go for a test, more information are
available on http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au
As for currencies, exchanging money in Australia is a total rip off,
what you can do is, and if you have your visa, and if you know
approximately when are you going to be in Australia, you can open a
bank account online with any Australian Bank, you need to fill an
online application form with your name, passport number and home
address, they will ask you when you intend to come to Australia, you
don't need to give an exact date, just give an approximately date,
within 2 weeks, you will receive a package from the bank with a
temporary account number under your name, you can transfer money to
this account from your bank in Italy, and once you land in Australia,
you have 6 weeks to make appear in the bank to activate your account,
why 6 weeks? Because within 6 weeks the bank will only need your
passport to activate your account, after 6 weeks of time you need
another ID.
100 USD = approximately 130 AUD
For example if you want to open a bank account with national Australia
bank, go to:
http://www.national.com.au/Personal_Finance/0,,69196,00.html#applyOs

voila,
enjoy these info

Tina

You will not get a registerable car for $500, $2000-3000 minimum
insurance will be closer to $3000 than $300, no insurance history in Oz
the junker you buy will not be fuel efficient,
fuel in Oz is over $1 /litre
so unless you arent going anywhere, $500 is unrealistically optimistic
parking is $10-12  per day
Way more than the $1000 you imagine

You can take a bike with you no charge on public transport trains,
and it is all buses trains trams for 1 ticket price,
month  tickets are cheaper still
http://www.melbtrip.com/fares/metcard.php#periodical
get a bike, ride the train