Dorothy

There is no paid maternity leave in Australia.

jad n rich

Just a word of caution to those thinking 4 weeks holiday will be 'standard' in australia.

Something like 40% of the workforce is employed on a casual (on call ) basis, if and when the employer wants you basically. This is professional people too, not just the unskilled. Anyway, you will get a couple of extra dollars a hour in lieu of holiday pay, but as I said work is if and when, no guarantee of anything. No work no pay.

Its one of the unknowns that catches many out when they arrive in aus.

Dorothy

That's true. It is only now, after 3 years that I've got a permanent position which allows me any kind of paid leave. Before then it was contracts which didn't - any leave was unpaid and no guarantee of a job when I got back.

hereandthere

There is no statutory paid maternity leave, but this doesn't mean you won't get it with the company you are with. I know someone working in the public sector whose maternity leave arrangement is six months full time pay or 12 months at half pay, and I think this is pretty good by many standards. I think I'm right on that but I'll check and get back to you.

hereandthere

You got a source for that statistic? I don't know any professionals working under this arrangement but then most people I know are permanent. Australia certainly has its catches like any country but I think in general it is understood that the working environment is much less mercenary than in North America. Some of the posts on the US and Canada forum about treatment at work should be X rated, IMO. Don't forget that in the US even people on permanent contracts are subjected to what you describe - fired at any time, no notice, no leave, etc.

Back on the leave thing, once you have that four weeks you'll find a massive difference because you'll be able to have a couple of week-long holidays in the year and save up a long two week break to take somewhere else - maybe even back to the UK. Many people on the NA threads complain about not having enough time to visit family in the UK. There's a good thread over there right now about visiting Britain and someone made a very good point about British people not appreciating the sacrifice you make when you visit them in the UK and sit in their front rooms for a couple of weeks - because that's your entire annual leave entitlement blown in one go. I guess going in the opposite direction must be quite a liberating experience. Being honest I would find two weeks leave quite difficult to justify because I value my personal time so highly.

alzo

How's the weekend going? Took our standard morning walk down by the lake in pickering...beautiful day....sunny 10 degrees Headed for a Timmy's run and then spend the day doing chores.

The thought that came to mind while taking the walk that I might miss in a quirky kind of way is the fact that we are so used to not believing that while it might look bright and sunny outside it does not mean it's warm outside....

Anyway....Have a Happy Thanksgiving weekend!!! we have a family get-togehter and a turkey to prepare!!

Japonica

Happy Thanksgiving. I went to look for turkey pieces here, thinking I could roast turkey parts or something and nope, just chicken available unless I buy turkey mince and make meatballs. LOL. I do miss the idea of pumpkin pie though so unless I buy some from the specialty importer in Melbourne, then it'll have to be sweet potato pie instead.

You'll have a few reminders of the Canadian way of thinking when you get here...we rented a house on a corner lot and for a split second when we were viewing it, the old "can't rent it, corner lot, too much shovelling" came into our heads.

comet555

Very funny.

Japonica

Yup, you can take the Canucks out of Canada, but can't take Canada out of the Canucks. Same thing with the shoes...I went to someone's house who emigrated here from Toronto about 12 years ago. She laughed when she saw me taking my shoes off at her front door.

comet555

The shoes thing still gets me too. I just can't bring myself to walk through someone's house with shoes on no matter how many times they tell me it's ok.

I don't mind letting people walk through our house though since we don't have any carpet and it's usually somewhat messy anyway with two little kids in the house. Plus, you really don't get the same kind of dirt stuck to the shoes here.

dollys_girl

Hi all,

Just joined as I was sent here from Canuckabroad dot com. The poster Comet555 suggested I find Dorothy and I found you both here.

I currently live in Oakville (Dundas & 8th line) - small world. My husband is moving on business and will arrive in Perth mid - November. Myself and our two boys will arrive in January.

Happy to have found fellow Canadians on line and look forward to learning everything I can from everyone.

Personally, I am looking forward to the new adventure. Our family is all Vancouver born but we have lived in Oakville for the last 5 years. So I can relate to all the comments I have read about differences from the beauty of BC coast as well as Perth being a change from -10 or -20 winters.

Will be following your threads and asking tons of questions as I go along.

Dorothy

Hi, Dolly. My husband is from Oakville and we lived in Lions Bay BC for about 4 years. We're based in Perth now, too. We're going to have to get all us Canadians in Perth together once you get here. There's an American club but I haven't found anything for us.

If there's anything you need just give a shout.

dollys_girl

Dorothy, thanks for the rely.
I actually have found a Canadian Club in Perth http://canadianclubofwa.com/
They seem to have events around Halloween and Canada Day. I haven't been in contact with them yet but was planning on checking them out once I get there.

I went up to Whistler this summer for the first time in 20 years and have pretty much decided that I want to retire to Lions Bay or Furry Creek (golf and skiing). We will have much to talk about.

Japonica

Welcome Dolly...we're in Perth as well, originally from Edmonton. Yeah, we'll all have to get together. Are you going to be living NOR or SOR?

dollys_girl

Got me there. Don't know what NOR or SOR mean yet.

We are going to be looking for rental accomodations in North West Perth. My husband is on a long-term temp visa so we can't buy a house (unless under $300K - or so I've read). Where we end up will depend on which school will accept our kids. We are applying at the Catholic schools and Colleges as we have one going in Year 6 and one in Year 8 next Feb.