A Guide for Credit Cards in Australia for International Students

You have just arrived in Australia and started university doing a part-time job. And, worried about how to cover the quick expenses. Well, that’s when a credit card comes in handy. You can cover the costs for rent, bus fare, books, etc through your credit cards.

Using a credit card means taking a loan from a bank, so the bank will only hand out the cards to low risky candidates. And, as an international student, you will be considered a high-risk candidate because you will not be staying permanently and your current job will probably be the temporary one. So, it will be difficult to track you down.

But obviously, it’s not impossible to get a card for international students if you have a good profile and follow the basic rules. You will be given a credit card if your profile earns their trust. When you use your credit card responsibly and pay it back on time, your credit limit will grow over time.

We are here to help you so that you can get your credit card.

How to be eligible for a credit card?

  1. You must hold a valid visa which has its validity of 9 months to 12 months from the date of application.
  2. The minimum earning is expected to be $15,000. However, for the basic card evidence of pay-slips and student allowance is required.
  3. A good credit history showing the payment of bills, gas, taxes is expected. (Only those which are after the arrival in Australia)
  4. Must be of 18 years or older.  If you are younger than 18 years, then you can get a supplementary card from your guardian.

The benefits of a card differ from one another. Some give discounts on grocery, some for travelers or some provides cashback. So choose the cards wisely based on your comfort.

Here are the most popular credit card banks for students in Australia.

  • ANZ Credit Card
  • The Qantas American Express Discovery Card
  • Coles Student Credit Card
  • Commbank Low Fee Credit Card
  • Bankwest Breeze No Annual Fee card
  • Westpac Student Credit Card
  • ING Orange One Credit Card
  • NAB Student Credit Cards
  • Citi clear card
  • Latitude 28° Global platinum card

A credit card comes up with its disadvantages. You have to be aware of the consequences of a credit card before applying for it. A few of the disadvantages are:

High-interest rates

Low credit limits

High fees

If you got a credit card and are using it for the first time, always remember to pay the full balance every month to avoid any kind of bank trouble. Only use the credit card on necessary items, try to save money and use it in other emergencies.

If you need help any further information, you can contact us on +61 2 8056 7110 or email us at info@yespeople.com.au

Cyber Security Courses in Australia

The whole world depends heavily on data where no one can afford hacking or attack. Cyber Security protects all these data and defends computer operating systems from cybercrime/threat.

Cyber Security is a chunk of processes, technologies that are implemented to protect the manipulation or destruction of data. The demand for cybersecurity professionals is high in many organisations, business and government.

Why Choose Australia To Study Cyber Security?

Australia is famous for its teaching techniques worldwide. They teach their students using the latest technology, facilities also giving them opportunities for the internship.

The courses are flexible and aim to create cybersecurity professionals with long- term skills and knowledge.

Visa Criteria

A valid passport

Offer letter from enrolled university or institution

Proof showing enough financial funds

Evidence of Overseas Student Health Cover

Bachelors in Cyber Security

At this level, you will get to know about the foundation of the particular field and eventually explore the complex areas. The subject fields like computer crime, digital forensics will be covered. Bachelor degree will be of 120 credits meaning 8 to 9 semesters.

Course Duration– 3 years (Full or Part-time)

Eligibility-

  1. Has to complete year 12 or equivalent.
  2. IELTS (academic) score of 6.0 with no individual band lower than 6.0

                                                  OR

 TOEFL Score of 60 – 78

Masters in Cyber Security

The course can only be taken by those who have completed an undergraduate or bachelors course. At this level, you will learn to detect, analyze and tackle challenges of cybersecurity. The students are also taught how the mechanisms and controls are implemented.

Course Duration-  2 Years (Full or Part-time)

Eligibility-

  1. Has to complete an Australian Bachelors degree or equivalent in computing/IT/cybersecurity.
  2. IELTS (academic) score of 6.5 with no individual band lower than 6.0

                                                            OR

 TOEFL score of 79 – 93

Where To Study?

Here’s is a list of the top 5 universities where you can pursue your studies for cybersecurity courses:

  1. The University of Southern Queensland (USQ)
  2. Macquarie University
  3. Monash University
  4. Charles Darwin University (CDU)
  5. Griffith University

Job Opportunities and Career Outcomes

After the completion of a Bachelors and Masters degree, there are tons of job opportunities. It is expected to increase from 36,500 to 41,000 by 2022.

Careers like Cyber Security Analyst, Cyber Security Technical Officer, Cyber Security Engineer, Junior Cyber Security Consultant can be pursued after the completion of your studies.

Migration Aspect

You can apply for a Temporary Graduate Visa after you have graduated. These visa holders can study, work and stay in Australia temporarily based on the qualification for 16 months to 2 years.

Also, there is a chance to apply for PR as an ICT security as the Medium and Long Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) or in some cases 457 visa is relevant.

Feel free to contact us to get a complete guide for your career choices.

Call us at: +61 2 8056 7110

Email us at info@yespeople.com.au

Education and Living Expenses in Australia for International Students

Before applying to Australia for your further studies you need to get a full idea of the average cost of education and living expenses. Australia provides the best education system and is one of the popular destinations for studies. Over 650,000 international students in 2020 have enrolled themselves on universities of Australia.

Average Living Expenses

The living costs are higher than in other countries. According to the Australian Government, the minimum living cost for 12 months period is AU$20,290. This includes accommodation, food, bus/train fare and excludes tuition fees or cost of travel.

You need to note that proof of evidence showing financial resources should be submitted in your applications. Refer to the official website to check step by step Student Visa Subclass 500 application for this.

The ‘Cost of Living Calculator’ might be helpful to estimate the cost of your stay in Australia.

Accommodations

Rental Property: A$100-A$500 per week.

Home Stay: A$110-$350 per week.

Residential College: A$200-A$750 per week and depending on the universities.

Hostel and Guest House: A$80-A$150 per week

Find more on Accommodation for International Students in Australia

Other Weekly Costs

Groceries and eating out-  $80 to $280

Internet- $20 to $50

Gas, electricity- $10 to $35

Entertainment- $80 to $150

In another streamline way, this averages out to about AU$311 per week.

Education

The expenses for education varies from your level of study, location, and institution. However, we have provided the approximate pricing for the expenses of different types of qualification.

School- 7,800 to 30,00 AUD/year

Bachelor’s Degree- 20,000 to 45,000 AUD/year

Master’s Degree- 22,00 to 50,000 AUD/year

Doctoral Degree- 18,000 to 42,000 AUD/year

The above list does not include delivery courses of high costing like veterinary and medical, you will have to check the education provider’s website for more information.

If you need help with any kind of queries regarding studying in Australia or choosing a course, we are here to help. Please visit our Yes People website or you can also contact us on +61 2 8056 7110 or email us at info@yespeople.com.au.

Things to Know About Tax Return for International Students in Australia

If you are an international student studying in Australia for more than 6 months then you may be considered as an Australian resident for tax purposes. This means you will be paying your tax the same as other residents from your earnings.  

Should you lodge a tax return?

If you’ve earned more than $18,200 you will have to lodge a tax return. Studying for 6 months or more will automatically make you an Australian resident so you have to disclose your income on a tax return.

And if your earning is less than this amount and no tax was withheld in the last years financial year. Nonetheless, you earned underneath this limit and still paid the tax you should hold up a return as it is likely you will be qualified for a refund of the tax paid.

When do you have to lodge a tax return?

The period for lodging yourself is from July 1 to October 31.

How to lodge a tax return?

You can lodge a tax return through these ways:

  1. Lodge online yourself or
  2. Lodge with a registered tax agent or
  3. Lodge a paper tax return

What do I need to lodge it?

  1. Tax file number
  2. Passport size photo
  3. PAYG Payment Summaries

How much does time the processing take?

If the processing is online the period for your refund will only take about 2 weeks. Likewise, from the mail, it will take 6 weeks.

If the course you are enrolled in lasts less than 6 months then you will be regarded as a non-resident of Australia however, you will have to lodge the tax return disclosing the income. This won’t make the income-tax-free threshold resulting in you will have to pay a higher rate of tax compared to other residents.

Also, you are in Australia but working and earning from overseas you don’t need to declare your income on the tax return.

For more information, Please visit our Yes People website or you can also contact us on +61 2 8056 7110 or email us at info@yespeople.com.au.

Student Visa to Permanent Residency

Most of the international students wish to permanently live and work in Australia. You can have multiple career opportunities here where securing your future will not be difficult.

You can apply for permanent residency in Australia through the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme, SkillSelect migration program, Skilled Independent Visa or the Employer Nomination Scheme. You need to meet the requirements of SkillSelect or pass the points test to be eligible to apply for Australian Permanent Residency.

Numerous pathways are available to consider for permanent residency. Factors like qualifications, English language proficiency, job experience and many more will help you decide to choose the correct pathway.

Here are the most common pathways leading to permanent residency:

Post Study Work Visa

Right after you complete the study, you might not be eligible to apply for permanent residency. The reason behind this would be not having enough points for skilled migration or you don’t have someone to sponsor. So, in this case, applying for a Post Study Work Visa (subclass 485) will be a suitable decision.

During the time of your Post Study Work Visa, you can work without any restrictions for two years. The candidates who have completed two years of full-time study in Australia are only accessible for this visa.

After the completion of this visa, the requirements point for permanent residency is fulfilled.

Skilled Migration

In this program, you will not require a sponsor, simply the work experience will be enough. Your skill-set on your job is calculated. English language proficiency is the basic requirements for this visa.

Points are based on factors like education, English language proficiency, job experience and many more.

Employer-Sponsored Visa

When a candidate can’t meet the criteria for skilled migration, the most ideal alternative is employer sponsorship. It has different requirements than skilled migration which is often simpler to meet.

At first, you have to apply for a temporary visa (subclass 482) followed by working for at least 3 years for the sponsoring employer. Or, you can apply for permanent residency (186 visa) directly, however, TSS 482 visa is preferred by employers.

Choosing the best pathway only depends on your situation and qualification. These pathways come with the positive and negative effects.

Entitlements of having a Permanent Residency

Complete further studies

Eligible for Social Security (only after two years of having PR)

Can apply for government jobs

Work in New Zealand

So, if you are a student whose education is about to be completed and thinking of staying in Australia the above-mentioned things are to be considered. To be more secure about the visa options you should contact a trusted registered Migration Agent.

If you need any help for Australia, you can contact us on our website.

Call us on +61 2 8056 7110.

Email us at info@yespeople.com.au

Social Work And Community Services in Australia

If you are passionate about being on the frontline to tackle the various issues surrounding our communities, then studying a social work and community service course will take you there. These courses teach you to help individuals, families, association, and neighborhoods to strengthen their well- being and prosperity.

Why Choose Australia To Study Social Work and Community Services?

Australia has world-class universities that provide the best quality of education. The courses run by Australian universities are recognized globally. The country has a record of promoting social justice and human right and has numerous job opportunities for many individuals. Also, here the courses are regularly updated so that you will study the materials through up to date methods.

Minimum Requirements For International Students

Each university has its eligibility criteria so you may have to look that for yourself. But the general minimum requirements would be:

  1. You must complete year 12 or equivalent.
  2. Provide your English test results: [IELTS test results of overall 5.5 (academic)] Or equivalent.

Time Duration for Different Study levels of Social Work and Community Services

This is only the estimated time duration but you have to consult your university to know more about the program.

Study LevelsTime Duration
Bachelor’s of Social Work3-year program
Master’s of Social Work2-year program
Diploma of Community Services1-year program
Bachelor’s of Community Services3-year program
Master’s of Community Services2-year program

Career Outcomes

The fields you will be able to work as a social worker are:

Child protection

Addictions

Disability Services

Income Support

Justice

Psychiatric and General Mental Health Care

Medical and Health Care

This is the list of file you will be working on as a Community Server:

Drug and Alcohol Counsellors

Community Development Workers

Disability Services Offers

Residential Care Officers

Probation Officers

Earnings and Jobs

Australia’s Social Work and Community Service programs are of top quality, and widely known throughout the world. In the past 5 years, people working as a social worker has increased in a strong amount.  The job growth for a social worker has incremented by 22.5% and for community server, it has increased by 22.1%. It is estimated to be openings for 23,000 jobs for over 5 years meaning 4,600 a year. Full-time workers earn around $1,829 per week.

Pathway to Australian Permanent Residency

After graduation with a Diploma and Bachelor in Community Services, you can apply for a Temporary Graduate visa according to your qualifications. Since November 2018, Social Workers has been listed for PR:

  • Medium to Long-Term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL)
  • RSMS Occupation List (RSML)

A positive skills assessment from the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) is required for a Bachelor or Master of Social work graduate to apply for permanent residency.

Feel Free to contact us to get an entire guide for your career choices.

Call us at: +61 2 8056 7110

Email us at info@yespeople.com.au

Accounting and Finance in Australia

In numerous companies, accounting and finance is a fundamental matter so being the most popular choice for international students is no surprise. Accounting and finance give you skills and knowledge to apply in most industries.

A qualification in the Accounting, Finance sector offers prospective career paths across a variety of fields. As the market of the business is growing day by day, workers in accounting and finance will always be prioritized.

Why choose Australia to study Accounting and Finance?

Australia is one of the most popular countries for international students to study. It offers high-quality and experimental education for all levels. More than 35,000 international students chose Australia for the course accounting and finance as Australia provides strong research and practical skills set.

Six of the Australia universities were listed in the Top 50 band in the 2019 QS World University Rankings: Accounting and Finance. Likewise, seventeen Australian universities were listed in the top 200.

Minimum requirements for International Students

The general eligibility criteria for international students are listed below:

  • A valid passport
  • Offer letter from the chosen university
  • Provide your English test results: [IELTS test results of overall 6.5 (academic) with no individual band lower than 6.0.]    

                                                  OR

[PTE Academic test results of overall 58 score with no individual score lower than 50]

  • Evidence of sufficient fund.

 

Time Duration and Estimated Fees for different study levels of Accounting and Finance

This is only the estimated time duration and fees but you have to consult your university to know more about the program.

Study LevelsTime DurationEstimated Fees
Foundation1 yearRM 74,892 – RM 104,500
Diploma6 months – 1 yearRM 15,042 – RM 87,558
Bachelor’s Degree3 yearsRM 114,950 – RM 294,500
Master’s Degree1 – 2 yearsRM 91,073 – RM 195,700
PHD3 – 4 yearsRM 85,309 – RM 191,824

Career Outcomes

  1. Chartered certified accountant
  2. Actuary
  3. Auditor
  4. Commercial banker
  5. Bookkeeper
  6. Financial consultant
  7. Financial manager
  8. Credit controller
  9. Investment banker

Where to study?

We have listed down a few institutions where you can pursue your further studies:

University of Melbourne

University of New South Wales

University of Sydney

Monash University

Australian National University

Earnings and Jobs

The average salary for Accounting and Finance can be up to 93,500 AUD per year. The salary ranges from 37,800 AUD being the lowest to 188,00 AUD being the highest.

Migration Aspect

Few of the jobs that are in high demand are listed in the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) and the Consolidated Sponsored Occupations List (CSOL). If you work as an Accountant, Management Accountant, External Auditor, Taxation Accountant, then based on your qualifications and visa application you can apply for permanent residency.

Feel Free to contact us to get a complete guide for your career choices.

Call us at: +61 2 8056 7110

Email us at info@yespeople.com.au

Things you need to know about Australian Life

Australia, a country in Oceania, has one of the highest living standards worldwide. The people, culture, traditions differ from country to country. And if you are new to Australia as an international student, to travel, do business or live then you might as well know the information about Australian Life. You will certainly not be disappointed until you adjust to your new life and understand the whole idea.

Culture

The local culture of Australia is a Western culture influenced by Britain and also diversified by more than 270 ancestries. Australia also can be called a multicultural country. More than 25% of the Australian’s population were born overseas and 46% have at least overseas-born parent. The country consists of so many different cultures since seven million people migrated in the late 18th century.

Language

English is the official country’s language in Australia and spoken by a majority of people. While more than 300 languages are also spoken that includes Mandarin, Italian, Arabic, Greek and many more. The vocabulary, accent, spelling and pronunciation are slightly different in Australia as they have their slang and phrases.

Climate

Most of the year temperate weather is experienced all over the world. Australian’s northern states are usually warm all the time while the weather in southern states is of cool winters. You also can experience four seasons per day in some cities in Australia, so you always have to be ready for the weather change.

Sports

People in Australia take sports too seriously. Australia has a long tradition of staging world championships and big international sporting events. The local games like AFL and the NRL to international events like the Australia Open tennis and the Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne, everything is a huge part for Australians.

Religion

Australia being a secular country has religious freedom and diversity. Christianity is the most dominant devoted belief in Australia. The Roman Catholic Church is the largest non-government service that provided health, education, welfare in Australia.

Legal System

The government and law structure follow the Westminster system acquired from the British who initially colonized the land. Every state and territory has its government.

If you need help with any kind of queries we are here to help.

Please visit our Yes People website or you can also contact us on +61 2 8056 7110 or email us at info@yespeople.com.au.

Extend a student visa in Australia

In the recent visa update, there is not possible automatic process for visa extension in Australia. Even though if your current visa is going to expire and cannot return to your home country for some reasons you will have to apply for a new one. Thus, you will follow the whole student visa process once more.

To be on the safe side, you should start renewing the visa at least 3 months before your current visa expires.

These are the basic reasons where you might have to apply for an extension of a student visa:

Your current visa expired before you complete the course, or

Submitted postgraduate research thesis, or

Commenced a new course of study, or

Graduate research candidature has been extended.

How to apply for a new student visa?

To apply for a new student visa do not wait for your current visa to expire. The entire process of student visa will take place for extending the visa, so start the processing 3 months before the current visa expires.

You will usually be issued a Bridging Visa A (BVA) if you are applying within Australia. A BVA permits you to legitimately remain in Australia when awaiting your visa and will take effect once your present student visa expires. We have come up with the step by step guide to help you in applying for a new student visa:

Step 1-  Enroll in a course

Firstly, you will have to enroll on a new course and get your Confirmation of Enrolment(CoE) from your chosen university. If you can’t extend your studies, you can’t extend your student visa.

Step 2- Health Examinations and Extend Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

Please note that extending your CoE does not automatically extend the Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). Like your current student visa,  you will need new health insurance. For this, you have to contact your current OSHC provider. Up to the expiry date of your new student visa, extend your OSHC scheme.

Also, you will have to take part in a new set of Health Examinations for the new student visa application if the last time you examined was over 12 months ago.

Step 3- Collect Required Documents

Till this step, you will have the important documents (CoE and secured OSHC), so now all you have to do is collect your paperwork for your applications. For this, the most reliable way is the Department of Home Affairs Document Checklist Tool. It will assist you in sorting out which documents you need to apply for your application.

Student visa documents will include:

Personal Documents

Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)

OSHC

Financial capability evidence

Evidence to satisfy the Genuine Temporary Entrant requirement

Step 4-  Submit Application

Attach all the required documents in your ImmiAccount and apply for the visa. This process will cost you AUD 620. You can apply online with the Department of Home Affairs. You can send the application on your own or use a registered migration agent.

Check your email periodically for correspondence from the Department of Home Affairs concerning your application status after you apply.

Step 5-  Outcome of application

Be sure to check your visa status with the university once your student visa is granted.

Even your visa gets rejected do not worry. Often more data is required by a case officer. They will contact you with an IMMI S56 Request for more information. If the visa gets simply refused you still can appeal the decision using immigration experts.

Hope this blog helped you with your confusion about renewing the student visa.

So, if you need any help for Australia, you can contact us on our website.

Call us on +61 2 8056 7110.

Email us at info@yespeople.com.au

Things to do after your Graduation in Australia

Now that you have completed your graduation in Australia as an international student, it is time to think of what is best for your career. There is a range of options to do after your studies come to an end. So, we are here to guide you with the most important steps to follow.

Complete your further studies

International students can complete further studies to gain a higher and advanced qualification. You can choose any other institution or continue studying at your current institution for further studies. But first, you will have to consider the following:

  • Apply for a new Student visa from the Department of Immigration.
  • Provide evidence of sufficient funds to cover the fees.
  • Extend your OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover).

Extend your visa

You can also extend your visa in Australia after your graduation to work or travel.  During your extended visa, you can enhance your skills, gain professional work experience, attend your graduation ceremony or travel in Australia. There are a lot of temporary visa options available where you can apply as a Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485). If you want to work and stay on holiday for a year, applying for a Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417) will be best. For more on extending your visa visit the official page of the Department of Home Affairs.

Apply for Permanent Residency

Most of the international students wish to permanently live and work in Australia. You can have multiple career opportunities here where securing your future will not be difficult. So deciding to stay permanently might be the best option for most international students. 

You can apply for permanent residency in Australia through the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme, SkillSelect migration program, Skilled Independent Visa or the Employer Nomination Scheme. You need to meet the requirements of SkillSelect or pass the points test to be eligible to apply for Australian Permanent Residency.

These are the important points to be reviewed after completing your studies in Australia. Choosing to stay in Australia might also be difficult for a few students. There can be major difficulties in paying the fees or rent or adjusting in the new country.

So, going back to your home country shall be a bad idea for those students. After your graduation, you will get to know the teaching techniques, research skills from your universities which can be very helpful in your home country.

If you wish to return to your home country there are also a few things to keep in mind like pay all your bills, cancel all your services from your mobile accounts, electricity or bank accounts, end your contract if you have leased a place.

If you need help any further information, you can contact us on +61 2 8056 7110 or email us at info@yespeople.com.au

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