Thinking of Relocating

[kuma]

Work as a OSP Telecomm. Engineer (35 yrs) for a major phone company in the states. Wondering what

my job prospects would be in Australia in this field. I do not know any of the local companies (phone)

or how the system is setup. The area that I would like to focus on is Queensland. If there are

any members with some info on this subject I'm all ears. Thanks

[Hugomarink]

Move to Australia? Have you seen the size of the spiders they have down there? Not to mention poisonous snakes and a continent surrounded by hungry great white sharks. I don't know how anybody survives down there. :-)

[Duxnutz]

Be warned that the cost of living in Australia is extremely high. Unless you find something with income near double what your earning over there I'd be wary...

Its a beautiful place though, just a ripoff in every aspect of your life.

[kuma]

Well sounds like my kind of country in the sense that I love wildlife and spiders and snakes don't really

put me off. I live in an area that may not have the same amount of diversity in terms of Oz's nature but the

conditions I work in summer 90 - 100 degrees, work in remote areas (hills / valleys) on poles that carry voltage to ground over 240 kv

and can zap you if you are not grounded properly, ticks (lime disease), and soccer moms in SUVs texting while

driving who never seem to see you and almost end up just miss hitting you as you work on the

pole close to the side of the road. So please now give me the bad points about living down under.

What I'm looking for is info on electric companies and phone companies that place poles and cables,

do splicing work and overall general construction work related to Telcomm. or Electric compamies doing Outside Plant work

in the Queensland area. Any mates who live in this area and have some knowledge about who the companies

are would be most helpful.

[Rushman]

Work as a OSP Telecomm. Engineer (35 yrs) for a major phone company in the states. Wondering what

my job prospects would be in Australia in this field. I do not know any of the local companies (phone)

or how the system is setup. The area that I would like to focus on is Queensland. If there are

any members with some info on this subject I'm all ears. Thanks

If you told me this a few months ago coulda hooked you up with a nice osp job for our fiber build in cayman. Not austrailia but......

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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=19.390068,-81.404616

[UpInSmoak]

I'm pretty sure Ken knows of a lovely telecom company in Oz. I'm blanking on the name,but he has discussed his experiences before. I think he has a direct line......with customer service, or lack there of.

[paulF]

Queensland is a great place to live at and same goes I think to any major City in OZ.Cost of living is very high but incomes are pretty decent... not sure what's your job specifics but if you go on to this site,http://mycareer.com.au , you should be able to find listings for your job.

Telstra is our main phone company here so Google them and you will surerky find some good info. Best of luck !

PS: spiders and snakes are overrated, leave them alone and they'll do the same

[polarbear]

The cigar taxes alone would make me think twice about moving here from the US

I hope you don't have a large collection of cigars ypu wish to bring with you

You will have to pay import duty on every cigar you bring into Aus to the tune of $500+ a kg

[Habana Mike]

The cigar taxes alone would make me think twice about moving here from the US

I hope you don't have a large collection of cigars ypu wish to bring with you

You will have to pay import duty on every cigar you bring into Aus to the tune of $500+ a kg

Man, if I ever move down under I'd only bring my light cigars

Regardless of the taxes and vermin, having visited and getting to know some of the locals, it would be one of my top places to consider moving to if/when the US goes into the

[markmurase]

Hi Strider, Queensland is a great place to live. There's also cigar deck in Brisbane that's not bad

One place to look for work is seek.com.au

Best of luck.

[LordAnubis]

If you want to go to Queensland, there is a big mining industry there. Xstrata Copper, Xstrata Coal, Anglo American, BHP, they all have sites and do construction/maintenance work on electrical stuff. Not telecommunications sepcific, but big money in mining. Telecommunications companies here Are Telstra and Optus. THey are basically the only two companies who lay their own infrastucrutre. Australian is currently doing a nationwide internet upgrade balled the National Broadband Network (NBN) laying fibre across the country kind of. It's its own business or something you should be able to find an NBN corporation or something, maybe they advertise jobs or osmething. I wouldnt know though, i don't work in the industry.

[Duxnutz]

Maybe someone here can hook you up with a work visa!

[Fuzz AI]

Telecommunication engineers are listed under the skilled workers visa list. Are you 35 years old, or have you been in the field for 35 years? I ask as the age limit for skilled work visas is 55.

[kuma]

Thanks for the info guys. Sounds like a decent enough place. Every country has it's good and not so good points.

I don't like hearing about the tax on smokes (cigars) sounds down right un-american that would never pass in the states, I think.

[Duxnutz]

Taxes on tobacco is only the beginning my friend:

6 pack of beer ~ $20

Car registration ~$1000

Jeep Grand Cherokee ~ $55000

Average family home ~$1 million +

The middle class (what left of it) over here really have to budget and scrape to get by. There's also a strong under current of anti-Americanism over here that's hard to understand at times. Australia isn't the tropical paradise it's held up to be.

[polarbear]

Taxes on tobacco is only the beginning my friend:

6 pack of beer ~ $20

Car registration ~$1000

Jeep Grand Cherokee ~ $55000

Average family home ~$1 million +

Let also not forget:

Box of Monte 4's - $410

Bottle of Jack Daniels - $50+

Average Smart Phone Plan - $60 a month

Average Weekly Rent on 3 Bedroom Apartment- $500-$750 a week

Cost of Gasoline per Gallon- $538 ($1.42 per litre)

Its a great place to live, but the cost of living here is getting out of hand

[Duxnutz]

Side note: what are you paying for petrol up in Darwin? We're at 1.55 (91) and about 1.77 for 98 here in Syd.

[polarbear]

Side note: what are you paying for petrol up in Darwin? We're at 1.55 (91) and about 1.77 for 98 here in Syd.

1.65 for 91 Unleaded

1.99 for 98 Unleaded

1.73 for Diesel

It doent fluctuate during the week up here like it does down south either

[Fuzz AI]

Geez! 30c mark up for 98? That's a bit much even by Sydney standards!

[Dimmers]

Taxes on tobacco is only the beginning my friend:

6 pack of beer ~ $20

Car registration ~$1000

Jeep Grand Cherokee ~ $55000

Average family home ~$1 million +

The middle class (what left of it) over here really have to budget and scrape to get by. There's also a strong under current of anti-Americanism over here that's hard to understand at times. Australia isn't the tropical paradise it's held up to be.

Strider - note that Dux's figures must be "Sydney-inflated", not representative of Qld and most other parts of Aust by and large. Don't agree with Dux 2nd paragraph either..... at all actually.

[polarbear]

Strider - note that Dux's figures must be "Sydney-inflated", not representative of Qld and most other parts of Aust by and large. Don't agree with Dux 2nd paragraph either..... at all actually.

Those figures arent far off for Darwin either...

As for the "anti-americanism" over here. Dux has first hand experence of it, so I would take him at his word. Also, I know of no other country in the world that would know what a Seppo was if you asked them... just saying

[TiminBC]

Wow a country that maybe as taxed as high as Canada or slightly higher. You have us beat on gas. Last week it even got down to 1.07 / litre but jumped back to 1.27 overnight.

A box of Monte # 4's are $528 for 25.

Housing depends on the city , Victoria where I live is $500,000 and up.

A 3 bedroom rental would be $1000.00 or more a month in most cities easy.

A six pack of beer about $13.00 (in BC)

Jeep Grand Cherokee ~ $65000

Having said that I live in a great country.

[paulF]

Those figures arent far off for Darwin either...

As for the "anti-americanism" over here. Dux has first hand experence of it, so I would take him at his word. Also, I know of no other country in the world that would know what a Seppo was if you asked them... just saying

It's unfair to generalise when it comes to such matters. You will find racist and disrespectful individuals in every country/community and Aussies are no better or worse than any other people on this planet when it comes to such social issues. To hear such words from strangers on the street would be a very rare occurrence if it ever happens.

[Duxnutz]

Just my opinion Paul. I grew up here but some of the crap I've heard at dinner parties, out and about, from my own friends etc directed at my partner you wouldn't believe. I was treated nothing but nicely in the near decade I spent abroad, it'd be nice if it was the same here.