In Australia the government collects taxes from your salary. A portion of these amounts can be refunded at the end of each fiscal year, beginning in July – or after you leave Australia permanently.

The employer in Australia also needs to make a contribution to their retirement fund. In most cases, the amount corresponds to 9% of your earnings and can be withdrawn when the resident or citizen turns 60. In the case of international students, the values are refunded when he leaves Australia permanently.

Telstra is known as the one that offers the best signal, but Vodafone and Optus are the most popular. These 3 companies offer very advantageous prepaid packages, whose values vary from $ 10 to $ 40, depending on your internet usage needs. Local calls and text messaging are generally unlimited. There are also some new and smaller operators, but it is too early to assess the quality of their services.

It is simple to open a bank account in Australia. Be Ozzy is partnered with one of Australia’s largest banks – Commonwealth bank – known to Aussies as Commbank. To find out more, talk to us.

The main means of public transport in Australia are trains and buses. They cover the main points of large cities, are very efficient, punctual and have a high-quality fleet. Depending on the state, students may benefit from discounted tickets. Ferries are a very common form of transportation in coastal cities like Sydney, while in Melbourne the cable cars run nonstop in the centre.

As Australia is a country of continental dimensions, there is also great geographical and climatic diversity. In the North there is a tropical climate with a lot of sun and variable humidity. In the center of the country, the desert climate of the outback results in hot days and cold nights. The further south you go in Australia, the colder it gets – Tasmania is even the closest state to Antarctica.

Of the big Australian cities, Adelaide, in South Australia, is one of the cheapest places to live. Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, also offers a more affordable cost of living for students. Gold Coast, in Queensland, is also an option for those who prefer coastal cities with lower prices than large centres.

In most states in Australia, students can drive with an International Driver’s License or sworn translation of it. Most countries can issu an International Driver’s License, but it must be translated by a sworn translator or official body. In Northern Territory, the International license is only valid for 3 months.

At the end of each tax year (between July 1st and October 31st) if you worked using your Tax File Number, you need to declare your Income Taxes. You can do this yourself or through an Accountant. The Government will reimburse you a portion of the taxes collected. If you are leaving Australia permanently, you can request a refund outside the indicated period.

One of the safest and most popular ways is through companies that specialise in international transfers, such as Transferwise. You can also bring a Travel Money Card, which can be topped up your country’s money and is automatically converted to the currency of the country where you are located.