1. Living and working abroad
Australia

2. Medacs Healthcare
Living and working abroad
Australia
Medacs Healthcare Group is the leading provider of healthcare
recruitment services throughout the public and private sectors, with
more than 20 years’ experience and a reputation for quality of service
and integrity that is second to none.
Operating in the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the
Middle East, Medacs Healthcare Group provides career solutions
for high-calibre professionals throughout the globe.
We recognise that we can deliver effective solutions for our
candidates only if we build strong relationships and deliver
world-class service. We provide a range of permanent, temporary
and interim roles for healthcare professionals both nationally and
internationally.
Confidence in our ability to provide a complete service stems from
our team of experienced consultants who are both qualified health
and recruitment professionals. Having worked in Australia and
overseas, they have the specialist knowledge to help develop your
career and your lifestyle.
Working in Australia can be exciting, challenging and a wonderful
opportunity to combine lifestyle with career choice. We provide
international candidates with every possible support at each
step of the way.
Brochure contents
03 An Introduction to Medacs Healthcare
04 The country in brief
06 Health and living
07 Finance and banking
10 Relaxing
12 Culture and lifestyle
14 Communication

3. 04 – 05 Medacs Healthcare The country in brief
The country in brief
Australia is a vast country with lifestyle Source location:
Australia
choices to suit all tastes. A diverse, modern,
and most importantly, an affordable country.
Darwin
Most of the population choose to live along
the extensive coastlines – and with Australia
boasting over 7,000 beaches you can see why. Cairns
It’s the sixth largest country in the world and
it is made up of six states: Queensland, Brisbane
New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia
and Tasmania and two territories; Australian
Capital Territory and Northern Territory. Perth
Sydney
Adelaide
Canberra
Melbourne
From the prehistoric gorges Australia is an independent For nature lovers, Australia
of Kakadu National Park, to Western democracy with a offers vast areas of national
the white sails of the Sydney population of more than 20 parks, filled with uniquely
Opera House, Australia million. It is one of the world’s Australian native plants and
is a country as big your most urbanised countries, fauna. And, with a population
imagination. Kick back on with about 70 per cent of the density a fraction of the UK,
a beach in Western Australia; population living in the 10 it’s very easy to find a quiet
lose yourself in the largest cities. Most of the spot when you want to
labyrinthine laneways of population is concentrated escape the city life.
culture-rich Melbourne or along the eastern seaboard
be humbled by red desert and the south-eastern corner
sunsets over Uluru. Or take of the continent.
on Sydney, a heady mix of
Australia’s lifestyle reflects
surf and sun and you’ll soon
its mainly Western origins,
realise Australia is a place
but Australia is also a
to be discovered.
multicultural society which
has been enriched by over six
million settlers from almost
200 nations. Four out of ten
Australians are migrants or
the first-generation children
of migrants, half of them
from non-English speaking
backgrounds.

4. 06 – 07 Medacs Healthcare
Health and living Finance and banking
The Australian population has a fantastic
overall health record, with life expectancy
at birth set at over 81 years of age, the 11th
highest in the world. There’s a wealth of
information on the internet to help smooth
the way.
Health Care Registering with GP Education Finding accommodation Money Cost of living Applying for Bank Account Tax
Health care in Australia is Register for a Medicare card Education in Australia is The main websites Australia uses a dollars and Manufactured goods tend to To apply for a bank account To calculate the tax you will
provided by both private and first and with this number and primarily the responsibility recommended for finding cents system of decimal be expensive in Australia, you simply need your pay please visit the following
government institutions. In your home address you can of states and territories. homes are Gumtree Australia, currency with 100 cents in a particularly imported goods passport, visa and your home website: http://www.ato.gov.
Australia, the current system register with a local GP. Each state or territory Domain.com.au, realestate. dollar. The bank notes in use (automobiles, clothes etc) address. au/businesses/content.
known as Medicare, was There are two types of government provides the com.au and property.com.au. are $5, $10, $20, $50 and which are higher cost than in asp?doc=/content/33277.htm
Banking services
introduced in Australia in practice – ‘bulk billing’ or funding and regulates the $100. Coins used are the silver Europe or North America.
When using a cash machine in National Insurance Numbers
1984. Citizens of the ‘Medical’ Practices. Bulk public and private schools coloured 5 cent, 10 cent, 20
The price of food is similar to Australia it is free to use your The equivalent of the
Commonwealth are able to billing practices are with its governing area. The cent and 50 cent and the gold
the US and around 25 per own bank ATM, however you National Insurance Number
access the Medicare system subsidised by Medicare federal government funds the coloured $1 and $2 coins.
cent less than most European are charged for using another in Australia is a Tax File
due to a reciprocal agreement therefore the cost to you is universities, but these set
countries. Approximately bank cash machine. Opening Number. You must apply for
between the countries. greatly reduced. their own curriculum.
$400 should be sufficient to hours are generally 9.00am this in advance of being able
Medicare is subsidized,
Education in Australia follows feed two adults for a month – 4.00pm Monday to Friday. to begin work in Australia.
however you’ll be asked to
the three-tier model which in most areas (excluding To apply for a TFN you will
pay for treatment then make
includes primary education alcohol, caviar and fillet need to visit your local
a claim for a portion of the
(primary schools), followed steak). Australian Taxation Office.
charge. You might want to
by secondary education
consider a Private Healthcare
(secondary schools/high
Scheme. For more information:
schools) and tertiary
www.medicareaustralia.gov.
education (universities and/
au/public/migrants/visitors/
or TAFE Colleges).
uk.jsp

6. 10 – 11 Medacs Healthcare Relaxing
Relaxing
Australia is the country of contrasts...
Relaxing under a palm tree on a tropical
island resort, discovering the heart of the
Australian outback on a camel trek or an
indulgent shopping trip to Melbourne –
this is just a taste of what Australia has on
offer.
Dining, tipping and service The multicultural population Southern Europe has Australian wild foods such as Entertainment A country of cities with Every day you can find the At the same time our
Australia is one of the most has provided a huge choice of combined with Asia and the bunya nuts and Kakadu plums With lively music scenes, theatres, museums, sports right climate conditions that northern states have balmy
exciting destinations for affordable restaurants Pacific for new flavours and with specialty meats such as pubs, hotels, movie and arts fields and galleries; where will make your Australian 24 degrees Celsius
‘foodies’ in the world because specialising in a variety of tastes. Italian, Chinese, crocodile and Northern industries, there is a range of people can meet to enjoy experience unique and temperatures. The Australian
of its culinary innovation and international cuisines. And, as Japanese, Greek, Thai, Malay, Territory buffalo. entertainment for all tastes. sports events and artistic memorable. The Australian sun can be quite strong, so it’s
novel, healthy and fresh eating out in Australia is only French and Vietnamese Being a nation of sports shows. A land of people who summer from Dec-Feb is best to wear a shirt and put
approach to food preparation. The Australian wine sector is fanatics, there is a plentiful
about half the price of UK restaurants are common, have come from other warm and sunny and you can on a hat while enjoying the
Australian cuisine owes its recognised internationally as supply of quality sporting
restaurants, you can afford to particularly in the country’s countries and brought their enjoy lazy days on the beach great outdoors. Sunscreen
reputation to its fresh and producing a full range of wine venues.
treat your taste buds capital cities. Middle Eastern music, dance, art and other and typical Aussie meals containing SPF30+ coverage
high-quality produce; styles and varieties to match
regularly! flavours are emerging in fun parts of their culture with cooked on the barbecue. is recommended.
rigorous training and pride in any dish, from full-bodied Sports and Culture
greater abundance, with A country of wide-open them. The recreation and Summer is the rainy season in
the service and hospitality reds and deep fruity whites,
Moroccan and Lebanese spaces with a good climate cultural pastimes on offer to our tropical regions in the
industry; the influence of to sparkling, dessert and
flavours being used with local that makes outdoor pastimes us are many, diverse and are north that brings our lush
Asia’s diverse cuisines; and fortified wines. Australian
ingredients in mainstream easy to enjoy. Sport and too many to list here. rainforests to life. Spring and
the multitude of ethnic wines are sold in more than
cooking with notable success. outdoor recreation are a way autumn are mild and are the
groups represented in 100 countries and found in Climate
of life to share with family best seasons for bush walks
Australia. Traditional Australian ‘bush the finest restaurants the With climates ranging from
and friends; a way of life that and discovering nature. The
tucker’ is also being used to world over. tropical to temperate, there is
is a healthy balance between Australian winter Jun-Aug is
great effect in the cities’ best sure to be an ideal location
work and play. generally mild, but offers
restaurants—chili kangaroo for you, whether that involves
snow on the snow fields in the
tail, sweet yam gnocchi and surfing at one of Australia’s
southern mountain regions.
lemon myrtle linguine are many beautiful beaches or
just a few examples. Menus snowboarding down a ski
also incorporate Indigenous slope!

7. 12 – 13 Medacs Healthcare Culture and lifestyle
Culture and lifestyle
In Australia, over 200 different languages
and dialects are spoken, including 45
indigenous languages. The most commonly
spoken languages (other than English) are
Italian, Greek, Cantonese, Arabic, Vietnamese
and Mandarin.
Time Zones Australian Central Standard Daylight Saving Time Where Daylight Saving Time Travel Driving in Australia
With a land mass close to 7.7 Time (ACST) The practice of advancing is observed: You can’t fly directly to Due to the size of the country,
million square kilometres, Covers the state of South clocks one hour during the Australia from the UK, it’s most convenient to have
Australia is the world’s sixth Australia, the town of Broken warmer months of the year. AEST becomes Australian however the stopovers can be an internal flight. There are
largest country and is divided Hill in western New South In Australia, Daylight Saving Eastern Daylight Time as short as an hour for Domestic flights throughout
into three separate time Wales and the Northern Time is observed in New (AEDT), and clocks are refuelling or you can opt to Australia and they are very
zones. Territory. South Wales, Victoria, South advanced to UTC +11. have a longer stay to visit the reasonable when booked
ACST is equal to Coordinated Australia, Tasmania, and the ACST becomes Australian stop-over country. Airlines early. The airlines with the
Australian Eastern Standard
Universal Time plus 9 ½ Australian Capital Territory. Central Daylight Time flying to Australia are: best fares are Qantas, Virgin
Time (AEST)
hours (UTC +9 ½). (ACDT), and clocks are Blue and Jet Star.
Covers the eastern states of Daylight Saving Time begins Qantas
Queensland, New South at 2am (AEST) on the first advanced to UTC +10 ½. Australians drive on the left
Australian Western Standard Emirates
Wales (with the exception of Time (AWST) Sunday in October and ends Daylight Saving Time is not hand side of the road.
the town of Broken Hill), Covers Western Australia. at 2am (AEST) (which is 3am observed in Queensland, the British Airways The speed and distance is
Victoria, Tasmania and the AWST is equal to Coordinated Australian Eastern Daylight Northern Territory or Western Virgin measured in kilometers.
Australian Capital Territory. Universal Time plus 8 hours Time) on the first Sunday Australia. Driving Licence
(UTC +8). in April. Singapore Airlines
AEST is equal to Coordinated Public Holidays You can use a British driving
Universal Time plus 10 hours Australia has between 10 and Malaysian Airlines license; however you’ll have
(UTC +10). 12 public holidays per year, to apply for an international
depending on the state you licence if you intend to stay
live in, as public holidays for a long period of time. This
differ state to state. can be arranged with the RTA
(Road Traffic Authority).

8. 14 Medacs Healthcare
Communication
Mobile phones A great source of information
Mobile providers include, is the ‘Beginning a Life in
Vodaphone, Virgin, Telstra andAustralia’ booklets which
3 in Australia. Its worthwhilewelcome newly-arrived
checking their coverage to be travellers to Australia.
sure it suits your lifestyle and
Information is provided on
travel. the types of settlement
Emergency numbers services available and
The national telephone number advice on where to go to for
for all emergency services in assistance. This information
is available in English and is
Australia including
translated into 24 community
AMBULANCE, FIRE, and
languages for each state and
POLICE is “000”.
territory.
For more information on
Go to:
Australia please see the
www.immi.gov.au/living-in-
following websites:
australia/settle-in-australia/
New South Wales beginning-life/index.htm
www.visitnsw.com.au or
www.sydney.com.au
Victoria
www.visitvictoria.com.au or
www.melbourne.vic.gov.au
Queensland
www.qttc.com.au or
www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
Western Australia
www.westernaustralia.net
Southern Australia
www.southaustralia.com
Northern Territory
www.northernterritory.com
Tasmania
www.discovertasmania.com.au