Your move to a better life in a new country could start at a job expo.

Getting a job offer is usually the easiest route to a new life in a new country. Job expos let you get the answers to your questions about immigration, and meet face-to-face with prospective employers, without having to travel halfway around the world.

Job expos are the ideal place to meet top employers and recruitment consultants who want to recruit skilled people. Going to a job expo also gives you the opportunity to speak to a range of companies who can help you make your move a stress-free one.

Tips for finding a job at an expo

• Improve your chances of getting the job you want – go to an expo that focuses on a specific country
• Do some research before you go on where you’d like to live in your new country – it will make your expo experience more worthwhile.
• Start the visa application process – work out which visa you’re eligible for and get the ball rolling.
• Maximise your time at the expo – some times of the day (and days of the week) are quieter than others – ideal if you want to avoid the queues.
• Get your paperwork sorted – have hard copies of your CV on hand to pass out to prospective employers (and make sure your CV is well written and well presented), and consider attaching a photo of yourself to jog their memories later on.
• Brush up your interview skills. Some employers interview at the expos so make sure your first impression is a good one by dressing appropriately – and remember that a smile and a firm handshake go a long way.

So what are you waiting for? If you’re ready for a change of lifestyle, then going to a job expo could be your chance to make your dream of moving countries a reality. Visit www.australia.com now for more information on upcoming Opportunities Australia Expos.

The Australian government hopes to avoid a recession in spite of a worsening global economy. The International Business Times reports the Australian government plans to increase spending on infrastructure and, in the process, create 32,000 new jobs.

The injection of 4.7 billion Australian dollars is expected to boost Australia’s economic growth, and will be spent on a mixture of road and rail projects as well as school expansions.

If you’ve got skills that are in demand in Australia you may find that immigrating downunder is easier than you think. Take a look at what sorts of job opportunities are available right now.

Another reason why Australia’s such a great destination for skilled migrants: according to a recent survey it’s amongst the top three expat-friendly countries behind Canada and Germany.

The HSBC Bank International’s Expat Explorer Survey interviewed 2,155 expats in 48 countries. The survey considered four main categories: how easy it was to meet and befriend locals, the number that joined a community group, the percentage who bought property, and the number that learned the local language.

Australia scores well as an expat destination: ninety-one percent of the expats in Australia surveyed said that they’d struck up friendships with locals, compared to ninety-two percent in Germany and ninety-five percent in Canada. Read more here.

It’s no surprise that Australia rates so highly as an expat destination: a move to Australia is a fabulous lifestyle choice. Skilled migrants living in Australia enjoy space, a high standard of living, temperate weather and world-class education and health systems.

It’s also great to hear that most people who move to Australia are very happy with their decision. According to The Changing Settlement Experience of New Migrants Report 95% of skilled migrants have employment within 18 months of their move to Australia and 94% are ‘very satisfied’ with their new life in Australia.

If you’re a skilled professional thinking of making Australia your new home then check out Working In Australia for information on how to make your dream a reality. We’ve got all the information you need.

According to predictions released at the end of last year by the Australia Bureau of Meteorology the coming summer months are looking HOT!

The chances that the temperatures will be above average between December and February are high for the southeast and far north regions.

It looks like this summer could be the perfect time to make the move to Australia, especially for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere who might be starting to feel the chill creeping in.

If spending your summer enjoying the beach sounds appealing, then Australia´s the place to be with more beaches than any other country in the world. Read more about Australia’s beach lifestyle.

If you like the thought of living in Australia, where approximately 70% of the population lives within 50kms of the coast then visit www.workingin-australia.com for more information and advice on how to make your dream a reality.

The most commonly applied for and granted visa program for skilled workers to obtain sponsorship and employment in Australia, the 457 visa program lets successul applicants work in Australia for up to four years.

With a 457 visa you can bring any eligible family members with you to Australia (including same-sex partners) who have unrestricted work and study rights in Australia. Plus you can enter and exit Australia without restriction.

Find out more about the 457 visa, and whether you’re eligible.

www.workinginaustralia.com has all the details on how to get a visa, where to live and real life stories of people just like you who have successfully made the move. Take a look!

South Australia’s Adelaide is one rocking town! This weekend see the start of the Annual International Guitar Festival (runs til December 7th) with a free concert in Elder Park where the organisers are inviting everyone to bring a guitar to attempt a Guinness Record for the largest guitar band. The festival covers all guitar genres and promises to offer something for every taste.

The Lights of Lobethal festival, held in early December, offers the largest community Christmas light display in the Southern Hemisphere. Thousands of visitors head to the Adelaide Hills town of Lobethal to enjoy the spectacular light displays and soak up the Christmas spirit. It’s a valued local tradition that has continued for more than 60 years. You can see hundreds of homes and businesses lit up to spread Christmas joy, and also wander through friendly twilight markets.

For anyone with a Celtic background, or anyone interested in this fascinating culture, the Celtica festival is being held on the first weekend of December. A celebration of the rich Celtic cultures of Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Isle of Man, Spain and France through music, dance, song, art, food and language located at the historic Port Adelaide waterfront and heritage precinct.

Early January sees the annual German Shutzenfest, complete with beer, lots and lots of beer, Oompah bands and Bavarian Slap Dancing! 20,000 people attend every year!

And here are some interesting facts about South Australia…

• South Australia covers a total area of 984,377 square kilometres; however, approximately one-third of this area has no significant economic use and more than one-half is devoted to extensive pastoral pursuits.
• The South Australian capital, Adelaide, is the driest Australian capital city.
• The estimated population at June 2007 was 1,584,513.
• The Gross State Product of South Australia was $69,540m in 2006–07
• South Australia’s major industries: government, manufacturing, ore refining, electronic component production
• Electricity: 240 volts, 50Hz, angled two or three-pronged plugs
• Time Zone: GMT/UTC +10
• Adelaide is located on the eastern shore of Gulf St Vincent in South Australia. Adelaide is west of Sydney by 1412 km, northwest of Melbourne 731 km, and east of Perth 2781 km.

Have you an interest in migrating to Australia? Wondering where you’d like to live? Take a look at www.workingin-australia.com for masses of articles about different locations and real life stories from people, just like you, who’ve made the move!

In April of this year, Senator Chris Evans, Australia’s Immigration Minister, commissioned a board to review the Australian Citizenship Test which was being criticised for resembling a pub quiz. Finally the Australian Citizenship Test Review Committee has revealed its findings and has decided that the test needs an overhaul.

Instead of including questions regarding Australian culture the new test will be focussed on the Pledge of Commitment that new Australians make on becoming a citizen.

“The pledge is about our democratic beliefs, our laws and the rights, responsibilities and privileges of Australian citizenship,” Evans said.

“It is crucial that prospective citizens understand these concepts so the questions on the new test will focus on the commitments to the pledge rather than being a general knowledge quiz about Australia.”

So you can put down your Australian Trivial Pursuit cards! You will no longer be asked which Australian sports person lit the Olympic cauldron at the Sydney 2000 Olympic games! Instead you will be asked to commit to this incredible country as a good citizen…

First steps first though. Are you interested in emigrating to Australia? Take a look at www.workingin-australia.com for all sorts of information on how to make that happen.

In an interview with film director, Baz Luhrman, Oprah Winfrey has gushed about the upcoming release of his latest offering, Australia, starring Nicole Kidman.

“Australia’s going to make you want to jump on a plane and go Down Under,” enthused Winfrey.

The film is expected to do for Australia what The Lord of the Rings trilogy has done for New Zealand, in terms of exposure and tourism. And with Oprah’s endorsement broadcast to an estimated 49 million viewers in the US and to a further 141 countries, it certainly looks as though that exposure is already in motion.

Tourism Australia couldn’t be happier… “This is hugely powerful exposure and a great example of how the movie publicity generates publicity for the country itself,” said managing director Geoff Buckley.

If you have transferable skills and want more than just a holiday in Australia after watching the movie, it may be possible for you to emigrate to this incredible country. Take a look at www.workingin-australia.com for information on visas, jobs and the wonderful Ozzie lifestyle that is waiting for you Down Under!

Imagine a lifestyle that enables you to spend your leisure time diving in some of the most spectacular dive spots in the world. Imagine living in Australia, where approximately 70% of the population lives within 50kms of the coast… and what a coast!

The Great Barrier Reef, off Australia’s east coast, is one of the best maintained and preserved of the world’s fast declining colonies of coral reef. It is home to some of the most beautiful underwater sights, teeming with reef-life, and is understandably one of the most popular dive locations in the world. Port Douglas, Airlie Beach, the Whitsundays, Brisbane or Cairns in North Queensland all offer great starting points for diving experiences on the Great Barrier Reef.

Further south, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide offer still more incredible diving, particularly on wreck sites, thanks to the large number of sunken WWII ships. And Kangaroo Island defies belief with the array of fish that parade past.

Round to Western Australia, where Perth is just beginning to prove its worth on the diving front, boasting massive marine parks offering great rewards to adventurous divers. And up to Broome, a diving paradise, offering totally unspoilt, uncrowded dive sites including Rowley Shoals, a protected location that is famed for its pristine coral gardens.

Imagine having all of that in your back garden! Thinking about immigrating? Visit www.workingin-australia.com for heaps of information on how to make that happen.

It must feel as though the UK is emptying out, as record numbers of people apply to the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship for Working Holiday Visas.

21% more applications (July – September) for Working Holiday Visas have landed on Immigration’s desks than at the same time last year. The visa, which allows people aged between 18 and 30 the opportunity to live and work in Australia for a year, with a chance of extending it once that year is up.

Rodney Harrex, General Manager for Tourism Australia in the UK and Europe, explains: “With the current economic situation in the UK, many young school leavers and graduates may be struggling to find work and are looking for other opportunities. Australia has a lot to offer young British travellers who are looking to live the Aussie lifestyle and gain valuable work experience overseas.”

For information on all the visas which could allow you to live and work in Australia, visit www.workingin-australia.com. If you have skills which are in demand in Australia you may find that emigrating there is easier than you expect. Take a look, what have you got to lose?