Your guide to migrating to Queensland: private and public transport

5 April 2018

By Official BSMQ

You have just arrived in one of our international airports and are ready to find your way to where you will be staying in Queensland. So what is the best option for you? You may still need to organise another mode of transport to get to your final destination, especially for those on regional visas or looking to settle in regional Queensland.

While Queensland does have access to airplanes, ferries, trams, taxis, buses, coaches, car rentals and trains – not every mode of transport is available in regional towns. You need to be aware of what transport options you have to get to your final destination, along with your transport options within your settlement location.

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Air

Queensland has six international airports – more than any other state and territory in Australia. They are located in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Cairns, Townsville, Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba.  There are also many regional airports, such as ones located in Rockhampton, Mackay, Bundaberg, Whitsundays, Gladstone and much more. Find out about the different regional airports on the Queensland tourism website.

Trains

Queensland Rail has a Citytrain network which covers south-east Queensland (Brisbane, Gold Coast, Ipswich and Sunshine Coast). This train network is managed by Translink which has a journey planner and timetables available on their website.

Queensland also has long distance passenger trains which will take you to other regional towns along the Eastern Coast and inland but they do not operate within towns. For example, there are train services from Brisbane to Cairns/ Rockhampton/ Longreach. There is a journey information planner and network map where you can check train availability and costs.

Trams

The Gold Coast is the only location that has trams running from Helensvale to Broadbeach South. You are able to connect to the Airport/Gold Coast train line at Helensvale, which can take you directly to the Brisbane Airport. Find more information about the stations and prices on the G:link website.

Buses

There are many bus services available throughout Queensland. Most bus services in south-east Queensland are managed by TransLink. However there are also non-Translink bus services available, and you can search these using qconnect journey planner. Urban bus services are also available in the larger regional towns, such as Airlie Beach and Proserpine, Bundaberg, Cairns, Gladstone, Mackay, Innisfail, Toowoomba and Rockhampton. You can find links to timetables and networks maps on the Queensland Government website.

Long-distance coaches

There are government subsided long distance coach services operating throughout regional Queensland. The routes are listed on the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) website and you will have to contact the operator regarding timetables or to make a booking. Main operators include Bus Queensland and Greyhound Australia.

There may also be other coach service providers available for your journey. For example, Murrays Coaches, tour operators and private bus charter companies.

Ferries and barges

There are ferry services operating along the Brisbane River, including CityCat, the cross-river CityFerryand free CityHopper services. Further information about these and other ferry services and timetables can be found on the Translink website.

Ferry and barge services may also be available to the islands off the Queensland coast. For some examples, see the list of ferry companies who have a contract with the Queensland Government.

Taxis 

Taxis and Uber operate throughout Queensland, mostly in the larger towns and cities. You should research the distances and fares to make sure they are the best option to get to your final destination, as it may become very expensive where you have to travel a long distance.

More information about taxis are available on the Queensland Department of TMR website. You can also find taxi fares, service areas and maps.

Uber currently covers selected cities in Queensland, including Brisbane, Gold Coast, Cairns, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba and Townsville.

Buy or rent a car 

Although most of the larger towns will have access to public transport or private car transport, in some circumstances it may be easier and quicker to drive yourself around. However in order to drive a car, you must hold a valid driving licence recognised by Queensland. For more information about licensing, including getting a licence or driving on your overseas or interstate licence, please see the Department of TMR website.

In the short-term, you may wish to rent a car and many car rental companies operate from the main airports. You can compare prices on CarRental website or simply search online for available car rental companies in the area. The Queensland Government website also has useful tips to remember when renting a car.

Many people have their own car in Queensland. Make sure that when purchasing a vehicle that you research and inspect the vehicle you plan to purchase and know your consumer rights.  For more information about buying used and new cars, see the rules for buying or selling a vehicle on the Queensland Government website and the Queensland Law Handbook. You can also read the Queensland Department of TMR information on buying your first car.

25 Reasons Why Australia is so Popular

Australia was built on migrants.  The first migrants to set foot ashore in Australia were British and today it is home to 2.2 million migrants from almost every conceivable corner of the world!

It’s no coincidence that Australia wins the popularity contest year after year – it’s a really good place to live, work and raise a family.  The trusted travel and entertainment magazine, Time Out, agrees – pointing out that 2 Aussie cities, Melbourne and Sydney, ranked in the top 25 of their City Life Index.  The results are based on the responses of 15,000 city-dwellers about the places they live.  The survey included questions about food, drink, culture, friendliness, affordability, happiness and livability.

So here they are; the 25 reasons people say they love life Down Under!

• Most of Australia’s cities do exceptionally well in world rankings when it comes to most livable cities but Melbourne, Sydney, and Victoria are almost always voted among the top 50.
• There’s enough space!  In fact, Australia is home to a cattle ranch larger than the whole of Belgium – with lots of space to spare.  Australia is the sixth largest country in the world.
• If you visited a new Australian beach every day it would take 27 years to see them all!  That’s nearly 11 000 beaches!  Hyam’s Beach in NSW has the world’s whitest sand. Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsunday Islands is continuously voted as the most beautiful beach on the planet.
• Aussies like a good party as much as anyone. The average Aussie drinks 96 liters of beer each year.  Even their statesmen love a good throw down.   Australia’s former Prime Minister Bob Hawke set a world record for sculling 2.5 pints of beer in 11 seconds!
• If it isn’t enough that Tasmania is super pretty  - it also has the world’s cleanest air!
• You’ll have access to First World entertainment standards.  Sydney’s IMAX theater is the largest cinema screen in the world.  Melbourne’s Attica is the 20^th best restaurant in the world.
• Nature lovers have access to more than 500 national parks, 19 UNESCO World Heritage sites, and 8,222 islands.
• If you are into wine you should move to Australia straight away.  There you can visit 60 Wine regions – some of the best in the world.
• If you are an adrenaline junky Australia is the place to be thrilled! You can swim with Great White Sharks in Port Lincoln or if that’s not thrilling enough you can splash with the Crocodiles at Crocosaurus Cove in Darwin.
• Most Australians are the most laid back and friendliest people in the world (head beyond the cities and you will know what we are talking about)!
• Australia is an extremely multicultural country and is home to the largest Greek population outside of Greece.  It is believed that nearly 200,000 live in Australia permanently.
• It is home to the world’s longest fence and largest rock. Mt Augustus in Western Australia – yes Uluru is the second largest monolith in the world.  The Aussies erected a Dingo fence in south-east Australia which is 5,614 km long. That, my friends, is a fence from Nairobi to Cape Town!
• You heard the Outback is hot and you are more of a winter person – that’s okay!  The Australian Alps receive more annual snowfall than Switzerland.

• Australia is the only country in the world without an active volcano (but it does have a lot of animals that can kill you including the world’s deadliest animal the Box Jellyfish).  Luckily their medical guys are top notch (and free) and although there a number of deadly spiders in Australia – there has not been a death from a spider bite since 1979.
• Australians tend to be quite attractive – mostly thanks to the Hemsworth brothers.  The 'Fourth Annual Sexiest Nationality List', released by MissTravel.com, showed that more than 49,000 women rated Aussie men as third sexiest in the world and the men rated Aussie girls 8^th best looking in the world.
• Aussies love sport (perhaps) more than we do.  Melbourne is the sporting capital of the world with more top-level sporting events than anywhere else in the world.
• The Aussie answer to Marmite and Weetabix is acceptable
• The Aussie sense of humor is like nowhere else on the planet. Did you know that an Australian man once tried to sell New Zealand on eBay?
• It is the only country where the citizens often and happily eat their national animals (kangaroo and emu) which also appears on the country’s crest.
• The Whale migration along Australia’s East Coast is absolutely amazing!
• It’s a pretty safe country.  The 2018 World Peace Index rated Australia is the 13^th most peaceful country in the world!
• According to the Legatum Institute, a London-based research institute released its 10th annual global Prosperity Index in November 2018.  Aussies have the 8^th best medical care in the world. 
• With great weather and low pollution, it is not surprising that Australia is ranked as the healthiest nation in the southern hemisphere. Its average life expectancy is 82.8, the 4th highest in the world.
• According to the World, Bank Australia has the 14^th strongest economy in the world.  That means that the country has very little debt and a low unemployment rate. 
• Australia has an impressive number of study options for international students with more than 1,200 institutions and 22,000 courses to choose from. Australia has the third highest number of international students in the world behind the UK and the US even though we have a much smaller population than those countries.

A guide to moving to Australia with family

You’re making the big move to Australia! Everyone’s excited and looking forward to it.

Not so fast though. You’d want to read our guide to moving to Australia with family before doing anything else.

Why? Because moving abroad with your family can be the best of times, but also the most testing of times.

Let’s explain how you can keep fights and frayed nerves to a minimum:

• Before you move; and
• Once you’ve arrived.

You’re moving!

It’s the day you’ve been waiting for – your visas have arrived. Suddenly it’s all too real and your mind starts racing. Instead of trying to do a million things at once, start here:

Share the news

Announce the news during a family meeting instead of telling the family in a throwaway manner or telling everyone individually.

A formal meeting will give everyone, especially the children, a chance to ask questions. It will also give you the opportunity to paint the move as a massive adventure so that everyone are on the same page and excited about the road ahead.

Involve the children

The quickest way to get children on board, is to make them part of the process. It will make your children feel like they have a say in what’s happening to them.

You can:

• Ask for their input and give regular updates on developments.
• Let them make decisions, such as which toys to take.
• Assign age-appropriate tasks.
• Let them help you pack.

Get to know your future home together as a family

Australia will be your family’s new home, so introduce all the family members to the country as well as the city and neighbourhood you’ll be staying in.

Use the internet, country and city guides, maps, videos – whatever is going to make this a fun and interesting experience for your family.

Create a checklist

Moving abroad with your family is no easy feat! The only way to keep track of everything is to create a checklist.

A checklist does so much more than just spell out what should be done though. It also brings a sense of security and structure to a manic time in your lives. Plus, with everyone knowing their responsibilities, arguments are kept to a minimum.

Take care of the basics

You’ll need to find a house or apartment, choose a school for your children and, depending on your visa, decide on a medical insurer. Do all of that now!

It might be too early to enroll your children in school, and you probably won’t be able to take up medical insurance just yet, but knowing your options is a good thing.

You won’t believe how stressful finding a home, school or medical insurance can be when left to the last minute.

Say goodbye

No-one likes goodbyes but in this case there’s no avoiding them.

Start preparing your children well in advance! Get them to say their goodbyes to teachers, friends and family, but not all in one go. When goodbyes happen over time, your children will get used to saying goodbye and it softens the blow a little bit.

You should do the same, but without overwhelming yourself. Your schedule is going to be jam-packed, so squeezing in too much will only stress you out.

You’ve arrived!

The move went well and now you’re ready to tackle the new adventure as a family.

Make the new house feel like home

You should unpack boxes with key items first and decorate with family favourites straight away. Think family photos, treasured stuffed toys, preferred bedding sets and that lived-in living room couch. Seeing the familiar will make everyone feel more comfortable, and at home, in a flash.

Explore the neighbourhood

You’ve already done the research – now go out and explore! It’s a great way to make everyone feel at home.

If your children is still a bit sad about leaving home, make their points of interest the focus of your exploring. Go see what the local play parks look like, drive by their school and go to the beach, if that’s an option.

Stay in touch with family and friends back home

In the age of Skype, it couldn’t be easier to stay connect with loved ones back home. Set up Skype chats as a family and as individuals, so that the whole family gets to speak to everyone they’re missing. Seeing familiar faces and catching up are great comforts.

In summary…

Involving everyone in the process is the best thing you can do when moving to Australia with family. Apart from that, make an effort to work as a team, to get everyone excited and to make your new place feel like home as quickly as you can once you’ve arrived.

Canadian Language Requirements

Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB)

	IELTS General Training Score
Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB)	Listening	Reading	Writing	Speaking
CLB1	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0
CLB2	2.0	1.5	2.0	2.0
CLB3	3.5	2.5	3.0	3.0
CLB4	4.5	3.5	4.0	4.0
CLB5	5.0	4.0	5.0	5.0
CLB6	5.5	5.0	5.5	5.5
CLB7	6.0	6.0	6.0	6.0
CLB8	7.5	6.5	6.5	6.5
CLB9	8.0	7.0	7.0	7.0
CLB10	8.5	8.0	7.5	7.5
CLB11	9.0	8.5	8.0	8.0
CLB12	9.0	9.0	9.0	9.0

        

Design and innovation are at the heart of engineering at Deakin.

Engineeering courses from Deakin University go beyond theory, state-of-the-art facilities and practical programs to help students create innovative engineering solutions to real-world problems.

The Engineering courses at Deakin University are Project-Oriented Design Based Learning (PODBL), which is a fundamental key feature of engineering degrees. From the very first class, and throughout the degree, students will actively develop ideas and design products through Deakin’s experiential learning platform.

Deakin University has long-standing partnership with Engineers Australia, ensuring that their courses are relevant and that students develop the skills that employers want. Through the engineering degree’s and professional accreditation, graduates are able to practice as professional engineers locally and around the world. Not only that, employers seek out Deakin graduates for their forward-thinking, innovative and entrepreneurial qualities.

We are experts in International Education.

CANADA PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS PROGRAM TO REOPEN IN LATE JANUARY

The Government of Canada has announced that the Canada Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship Program, also known as the PGP, will reopen in late January 2019. Canada Parents and Grandparents Program allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents or grandparents for permanent residence in Canada. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has also informed in a Tweet that the details of the next opening of PGP will be released in the coming weeks.

In 2018, the Canada Parents and Grandparents Program was reopened to accept Expressions of Interest on January 2. This year, IRCC is planning to process up to 20,000 applications through PGP. Invitations to Apply will be issued to 20000 eligible sponsors on a first-come, first served basis.

Canada Parents and Grandparents Program: Replacing the lottery system

IRCC has replaced the much controversial lottery system for Canada Parents and Grandparents Program with the first-come, first-served approach for accepting applications. The lottery system was withdrawn after it attracted large-scale criticism for being unfair towards those who have been waiting for years to sponsor their parents and grandparents. According to IRCC, the first-come, first-served system has made the application process more flexible.

In order to be eligible to sponsor your parents or grandparents, you must be:

• At least 18 years old
• A Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• Able to meet minimum income requirements

When your parents or grandparents come to Canada under your sponsorship, you will have to support them financially and make sure that they are not compelled to depend on social assistance from the government.

Those interested in sponsoring their parents or grandparents must first submit an Interest to Sponsor form with the IRCC. When the program opens, the authorities will invite the eligible persons who first submitted their Interest to Sponsor form to apply for the sponsorship.

Do you want to sponsor your parents or grandparents for Canada PR? Contact us for any assistance or guidance.