Australia Customs & Immigration

Australia probably has one of the strictest custom & quarantine regulations in the world. Everybody without exception will be checked once they arrived in Australian soil.

I found a “gift” on one of my package I sent from Singapore to Sydney:













First is the travel documents / visa. For some who hold certain countries passport, it could be as easy as apply visa online. For others, well… gonna takes more than just your time and money.
















After the travel documents, comes the quarantine section by AQIS. What you can not take into Australia? AQIS has provided the answer and brochure (PDF) for that.















Filling out “Incoming Passenger Card” can be quite an adventure for those who has no clue what the question is about. So help your self, download the PDF of Passenger Card and ask your friend or family to help you. Asking a stranger may not be a good idea to help you with this task.

And if you think Australian is not serious the immigration, for your convenience sake, they have made this whole customs & Immigration things into a TV series.

Moving out

Recently, my Koala Permanent Residency has been granted! I have been waiting for this news for almost 1 year. So without wasting another day, I throw my resignation letter and kiss goodbye to my old job.
















First problem is done, now comes the second… packing & sending my stuff. Oh how I wish I have Monica from Friends to help me with packing.















I had no idea how much stuff I had accumulated during my 4 years life in Singapore. What I thought would only be less than 100 kg, has swelled to a whooping 250 kg, spread over into 23 boxes!!!
















After asking around for shipping price quotation, I found out that Singapore Post “Speed Surface Service” does actually has the cheapest rate. Unlike cargo, they go by weight like a normal parcel, but still it’s so much cheaper compared to freight forwarders.















Singapore Post website states it would take about 5 – 7 weeks for my stuff to arrive from Singapore to Sydney. Well, in reality, it took over then 8 weeks before it arrived. So you might want to recalculate the timing.

Australian PR Update (May 2010)

Australian Immigration has revised the Skilled Occupation List (“SOL”) on 17 May 2010. Check the immigration website for detailed changes.

The SOL will come to play from 1 July 2010, unless there’s new update from the immigration office. Click here for the updated SOL (PDF)

The changes indeed cloudy & gloomy for those with their occupation no longer in SOL.













As you may notice, the new SOL is shorter compared to the previous one, meaning there are lesser occupation is sought by the Australian Immigration.

If you are wondering why the Australian Government decided to change the SOL, give this PDF a read.

Australian PR

Not like Singapore which is quite easy for foreigners to find works, Australia is totally a different matter. In most job search website, it is always stated that you need to obtain a working permit before you could apply. So for most people, Australian Permanent Residency (PR) is the first step in finding a job or moving to Australia.














Australian PR is based on point testing system and depending on which type of PR you apply, the minimum PR points must be satisfied. Below are some information about Australian PR application, based on my personal experience.

1. Type of PR
2. Points calculation
3. Skill Assessment
4. List of documents
5. Lodging your application
6. After lodgment

1. Type of PR
The easiest way to find your most suitable visa (PR is part of visa), is by using Visa Wizard from Australian Immigration website. After a few questions, the web will come out with which visa is the most suitable for you, complete with links to web page to guide you through the lodgment

2. Point Calculation
If you do the Visa Wizard, in “Visa Basic” tab, there’s a link for you to calculate your mark. Basically, you are going to be tested against these criterias:

• Age
• English language ability
• Nominated skilled occupation
• Skills assessment
• Recent work experience or two (2) year study
• Location
• Health
• Character
• Australian Values Statement
• Specific work experience
• Australian work experience
• Australian qualifications
• Occupation in demand/job offer
• Community Language
• Regional Australia
• Partner skills

Now, don’t cheat your self by giving higher scores when you calculate your points, because in the end the system will determine the correct points.

Each visa category has different minimum pass point. If your points is not enough for the visa you want, but still higher then the pool mark, your application will be saved in “pool” as reserves. Check the pass point here.



















3. Skill Assessment
Probably the most important and the most time consuming to do before you can lodge your application. You need to get your education assessed by the Australian Assessing Authority to determine whether it’s equal with Australian level.

Each skill has different Assessing Authority, for example, Accountant / Auditor will be assessed by CPA Australia or Chartered Accountant Australia. The list of assessment bodies can be found here.



4. List of Documents
All documents must be in English (or accompanied by English translation) and certified true copy by authorized person (lawyer, Embassy, etc).

• Birth certificate
• Copy of passport
• IELTS Report Results
• Evidence of qualifications (degree certificate)
• Evidence of skills assessment Evidence of work experience (Testimonial letter / Work contract)
• Evidence of Designated Language Qualifications (for claiming community language point) Passport photo

5. Lodgment
You can lodge your application online through this link.













6. After lodgment
It’s recommended for you to check your application status frequently, as the immigration will ask you any additional documents or information through this website. To check your application status, you can follow this link.

DO NOT take your health check until you are asked to do so. You must download and complete the health check form from before visiting the appointed doctor/clinic.

Working in Singapore

As one of the economic power house in south East Asia, and with so many MNC setting up their regional office, Singapore attracts so many job seeker (including me). Not to mention the island’s welcoming approach to foreign workers. For those who are thinking to work in Singapore, I hope my personal experience when I moved in to Singapore can be useful.














1. Visa
Most nationalities can stay in Singapore for 30 days without specific visa. For detail list, please check ICA (Immigration and Check point Authority). Hopefully you can find an employer who is willing to deal with your Employment Pass (EP) within that period. Alternatively, you may want to apply for EPEC. Employment Pass Eligibility Certificate allows you to stay in Singapore up to 360 days (if granted). If you still can not get a single job offer within 1 year, I suggest you to pack all your belongings and go back to your home planet.

2. Permanent Residency (PR)
You can apply for PR after you started to work in Singapore for about 6 months.

3. Accommodation
Accommodation / property price is ridiculously high in Singapore, even when you compare it with Tokyo or Sydney's standard. Get ready to pay 50% of your monthly rental fee as an “agent fee” to your property agent when if you are using one. For me, I prefer to find accommodation from some website like Shareaccomodation and make sure you find direct owner or “No agent” sign.

4. Finding jobs
The most effective way is from Saturday’s newspaper, The Strait Times. Alternatively, you may try your luck in jobsdb or jobstreet.

5. Bank Account
Opening Bank Account Without EP or Permanent Resident Visa, you CAN NOT open any bank account. Even EPEC can not be used for this.

6. Living cost
If you are not fussy about oily food, a decent meal ranging from SGD3 up to… well you decide your own the upper limit then. Train (MRT) cost about SGD 3 from one tip of the island to the other end (Yes, Singapore is that short).