Tax | Driving |Medical Indemnity|Health Insurance | Living Costs | House | Misc.
1	Initial costs...
	COSTS ON ARRIVAL - first 2 days 1. Medical Registration varies depending upon the State $450 - $650 2. Personal Health Insurance roughly (single) $200, family $400 for 1 month 3. Mobile telephone SIM card, $25 with $25 worth of calls. 4. Meals dinner approx $10 - $30 per person (restaurant). 5. Please refer to you contract for arrival conditions. FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE FIRST 1-> 2 MONTHS We advise Singles to arrive with approximately $5,000 of available funds. Familes should have $10,000 in reserve, preferably with most transferred directly to your Australian bank account prior to arrival, otherwise via traveller's cheque. In a regional area, a car is an essential item and it takes time for salaries to commence.
2	What help will I receive on arrival?
	ARRIVAL You may be met at the airport, depending on when and where you arrive. Accommodation will have been arranged & any connecting flights booked. You will be taken to complete: Personal health insurance, bank account, mobile phone SIM card, orientation. Doctors will also be assisted with: Medical registration. Medical practice insurance ( if required). Arranging provider numbers. Application for a Tax File Number. Completion of clinical privileging forms ( if required).
3	How soon will I start work?
	Once registration is completed, and your employer has completed your on site orientation, you will commence work within 2-10 days of arrival for public hospital appointments, or 10-28 days for private-billing doctors (GPs, specialists). Orientation may continue for 1-2 weeks and supervisor reports will generally be required at 1month, 3 months and yearly thereafter, unless you are a specialist. Online information about Australia's Medicare system and Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme can be found at the below links (allow an hour or two): http://www.medicareaust.com/medicareandyou/ http://www.medicareaust.com/pbsandyou/
4	How soon will I receive the first pay?
	It's important to set up your bank account in the first couple of days to enable payment to be transferred to your account. Most hospitals will make first salary payment after 1 month.
5	Are there any contributions included in the package/salary i.e. professional medical indemnity insurance?
	Hospitals pay medical indemnity insurance (medical defence) for public hospital work, but not for any private prescriptions for your family / friends, action taken against you by the medical board or "good samaritan" acts. You will still need to source medical indemnity insurance for this purpose.
6	Who pays my medical indemnity insurance in private practice?
	If working as a GP or a private specialist then you would be responsible for your own medical indemnity/defence. Charges vary bewteen states and according to procedures.
7	Who will pay for my personal or family health insurance?
	This will be your personal cost which you can pay by: week / month / quarter. Cost depends upon the options you choose. Medibank Private for Working Visa cover information - Medibank Fee Quote You may be partially covered by reciprocal agreements with your home country.
	All overseas doctors must pay for their personal medical insurance and this is a condition of your contract. It will not be paid by the employer. We will provide the forms for Medibank Private health insurance, pre-filled so you just need to add your Australian bank details and sign. But please be aware there is a 2 month waiting period for anything other than accidents! Plus: -6 months waiting period for Optical appliances. -12 months waiting period for Pre-existing Ailments. This includes pregnancies! Please check for more details at the below link, choosing "Overseas Visitors" cover: http://www.medibank.com.au You may wish to start the policy prior to arrival, or obtain cover from off-shore to cover you during the 2 month waiting period. Otherwise enquire with your travel agent for interim cover.
8	Pension/retirement contribution ?
	Paid by the hospital at the standard Government rate of 9% You can generally salary sacrifice up to approximately 30%, which becomes tax free superannuating contribution. It's best to talk to an accountant when you're settled.
9	Social security ?
	There is no direct payment or charge for social security, this is paid for by general taxation.
10	What tax level would one expect at this salary? Visit the Australian TAX OFFICE
	Independent service providers and GST Upon arrival in Australia the large majority of doctors will work on a salary. This gives a guaranteed income so that costs of living can be met. Relatively quickly the doctor finds that it is to their advantage to work for a percentage of turnover rather than a fixed salary. At this point the doctor becomes an Independent Service Provider. There are three significant consequences. More income. (Please note that you will be paying your own tax at a latter date and must save for this.) You become an independent service provider and no longer are an employee. You will need an Australian Business Number (ABN). (This is an easy application process.) You also register for the GST (Goods and Services Tax.) When you "bill" the practice management company for your income you will add 10% GST. You can only do this legally once registered for GST. The GST is then paid to the Australian Government each 3 months as it is a tax that you have collected on their behalf. The GST is income for the Government and not for you. It must be saved and not spent. The large majority of doctors find that working for a percentage as an independent service provider works to their advantage. Non-Residents ( Temporary visa holders) tax rates 2008-09 Taxable income (per year) View figures direct from the Aust Tax Office $0 – $34,000 29c for each $1 $34,001 – $80,000 $9,860 plus 30c for each $1 over $34,000 $80,001 – $180,000 $23,660 plus 40c for each $1 over $80,000 $180,001 and over $63,660 plus 45c for each $1 over $180,000 Temporary visa holders are not required to pay the Medicare levy Salary sacrifice   The policy of compulsory superannation payments was established by the Australian Government as the demography of Australia began to change in the direction of an older population . In the not too distant future a fully Government funded 'old age pension scheme' will not be sustainable. Forced savings during ones most productive years, toped up with employer contributions, is designed to reduce the number of retirees dependant upon social services. There is a wide range of expenses which can be paid via sacrifice i.e. before tax is removed from your salary. What this means effectively is that there are some bills for example: housing loans, car loans, school fees, health insurance etc, which can be salary sacrificed. Generally, up to 30 % of one's income can be allocated to these programs. As taxation at the top rate is almost 50 percent, this means that salary sacrifice occurs using dollars which would otherwise be taxed at the highest rate. This is a very significant advantage of working in the government service in comparison to people who are earning similar amounts and who are not eligible to salary sacrifice. This significantly increases disposable income. Employers are currently compelled by law to contribute 9% to their employees superannuation fund. Income saved in a superannuation scheme becomes available at age 55 to 60 for women and 60 - 65 for men.
11	What is meant By "university appointment possible?"
	A teaching appointment with a university which if successful allows an early application for sponsored permanent residence.
12	What are my prospects? see Career Questions Once you make a commitment to the position and prove yourself to be high-calibre, hard-working and pleasant to work with, you will find that the large majority of Australians will lean over backwards to help you succeed. If you choose to stay on after the term of your current contract and your medicine is good (which we expect it to be.) RAD can assist you in finding a position, but expect that your contract would be extended, if agreeable by both parties. RAD wants to recruit high quality medical professionals who want to contribute to country communities for 5 - 10 years and then consider either staying in the country or following children to big centres of education.
13	What does it cost to live in Australia?
	Currency converter Equivalent living costs Calculate your approximate shopping expenditure with basic foodstuffs
	Your drivers licence in Australia
	Anyone with is allowed to drive for the first 3 months using their International or Home-Country's Drivers License. If your license is in a language other than English, a translation is acceptable. However, it would probably cause less problems if you had the International license. Individual State/Territory rules Residents from some countries can convert their current licenses to the Australian equivalent (car and motorcycle only). Please check your state's website to find that information. We can direct you if you'd like some guidance.
	Buying a house in Australia
	We do not recommend buying a house from overseas, but rather once you have settled and are happy to stay. Permission is required from the Federal Review Board prior to achieving permanent residence. To contact them visit the website: http://www.firb.gov.au/content/how_to_apply/residential_realestate.asp Generally if you're buying a NEW house, there will be no problem on your current visa. However, if you wish to buy a second-hand house then you may have to request "special circumstances" - i.e. that you are intending to stay permanently and will be applying for the permanent residence visa soon.
	Miscellaneous aspects of Australia
	Importing pets? Please review this link: www.daff.gov.au/aqis/cat-dogs Scroll down and enter your country of origin. Culture in Australia: At this stage it's expected that you've made the right decision for yourself and family, but you need to be aware that you're effectively leaving part of your lifestyle behind. If you arrive in Australia prior to the rest of your family, the culture may come as a shock. Please be aware that you may need to cook, clean and cope in solitary conditions; and that in some cases you may have to "hit the ground running." By comparison to your own country, you may find Australians to be a little different to what you expect. For example, Australians are generally very upfront with their approach with others. We effectively have a classless society and it's not uncommon for Australians to see Doctors as equals. Shaking hands is very important. Australians grip with a firm handshake, not overly tight. A limp shake does not instil confidence in the patient. Secondly, eye contact is important, as is speaking slowly and clearly. For further reading, you may find these below sites interesting. They may even help you understand the cultural aspects of Australians. Background to our culture: http://www.convictcreations.com/ Australian "language" phrase dictionary: http://www.dunway.com/html/aussie_slang.html Culture and lifestyle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Australia Dress code: Standards tend to differ significantly between both city and country, GP and Specialist / Hospital Medical Officer. For instance, if you're a regional GP, expect to dress similarly to your patients and the climate. A suit and tie is not necessary or practical, especially in warmer climates. Kate Murphy from the medical journal Australian Doctor has written an interesting article about the subject, please see this link for further reading. Link to prohibited goods: http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=4835 Electrical: In Australia we have a 230-240V electrical system. Please see below for more information. http://kropla.com/electric2.htm On arrival you can buy an adapter for about AUD $10 from most supermarkets. We occasionaly have these available if you'd like one, otherwise we'd recommend that you source one prior to arrival. If you have a laptop or desktop computer, an alternative to these adapters it to simply change the power cable. These are available for about $8 from electronic stores. It may also be worth considering a 4-outlet "power board" from your home country. Importing Vehicles : In our experience, there is so much bureaucracy that it's simply not worth it! However, if you can't bear to part with your car, please contact an official importer. We aren't able to provide that support, so unfortunately you'll need to make your own enquiries.