Master social worker - employer and sponsor and OTHER

Hi carolmfc,

Welcome to Expat.com

I suggest you to have a look to the Living in Australia guide, i think that it will bring some answers to your questions.

Thank you,

Priscilla
Expat.com team

carolmfc

To be blunt you will be extremely lucky to find work in your chosen profession here in Australia. The sponsorship process is long and expensive for companies to undertake and with high unemployment they prefer to hire locals.

It is not a highly paid profession either.

Sydney is an expensive place to live as is most of Australia.To live near a beach is very expensive. For cost of living www.numbeo.com

If you come over you would have to pay for any education expenses for any children and also medical expenses for all of you.

Check out www.immi.gov.au for visa information etc. 

Sorry to sound negative but this is the reality.

WOW. This was kinda surprised me. Most people I have talked said SW is a job in demand, good pay and there are good opportunities. Sydney ( not as much) but in suburbs too. Where did you get these info from? So education and health are not FREE ( funded by government?). Thanks a lot

carolmfc wrote:

WOW. This was kinda surprised me. Most people I have talked said SW is a job in demand, good pay and there are good opportunities. Sydney ( not as much) but in suburbs too. Where did you get these info from? So education and health are not FREE ( funded by government?). Thanks a lot

in Australia,it's much more expensive than Canada,especially for Sydney
you can find the Cost of Living in Numbeo.
education and health are free for PR or Citizens but only for public education and healthcare and those are far away from what you need in Australia.
there are too many ppl from overseas to have working holidays here.
If you want to have a job here,GOD BLESS YOU!!!

carolmfc

SW jobs are funded by State and Federal governments. With cutbacks in funding over many govt run enterprises( the change of govt after recent elections has not helped ) there is little money left for SW. Some only work part time now.

Have you checked out www.numbeo.com to give you the cost of living here?? IT IS EXPENSIVE.
Taxes are high with Australia being the 6th highest taxed country in the world according to the IMF and World Bank.
I pay up to 42% tax on the upper level of my salary.

The average family of 4 has a hard time getting by on $1000 a week after tax and expenses. They can survive but there is nothing left to save for a rainy day.

If you spend some time to Google for information you will find the facts and figures. I have been based here since 1964 when I came across from NZ. I now live in Laos with my Lao wife and 3 children. but work anywhere around the world.  I have Oz citizenship and passport now.

There has never been any such thing as free education as you have to pay for uniforms, books, school fees etc. If you are coming here from overseas you will have to pay for all the education costs for your children. You will have to take out your own medical insurance cover. Even Oz citizens have to take it out now or pay extra tax for not having it.
I pay an extra $100 per month in tax for not having it.  The best price I can get for medical cover for myself is $210 per month and that is only for hospital with no extras.

Again sorry for the negativity but I would hate you to come over here with high hopes and then find that the reality is quite the opposite.