Dear Shelley @ Teach Australia

To Whom It May Concern:

            I write this letter with the intended goal of informing future Casual Relief Teachers (CRTs) heading to Australia under the umbrella of Teach Australia. I strongly feel circumstances have changed since the time of my interest in the program and my arrival and first month in Melbourne.

 

When I arrived in Melbourne, I contacted the Australian partners, Staffing Organization Services (SOS). As I had been informed, work would be available as of February 8^th, so I called them immediately. Before I could start, however, I needed to complete some paperwork including the SOS contract and agreement. They emailed the documents and I discovered I needed things like a notarized copy of my passport and two passport-sized photos. Personally, these are things I had back home in Canada. I feel if I had been informed in advance that these documents were necessary, the process would have been much more efficient.

 

Furthermore, in order to work in Australia and receive a tax refund, you need to apply for a Tax File Number. This application can be filled out online (www.ato.gov.au) and takes about 5 minutes. It can take up to one month for your application to be processed. It seems then, if you wish to receive your TFN upon arrival to Melbourne you could apply from Canada before departure. If you do not have an Australian address, complete that section as Poste Restante (general delivery) and pick up your mail at the general post office (corner of Bourke St. and Elizabeth St.).

 

As I discovered also, Immigration Services no longer needs to stamp your visa in your passport. This is a recent change but also saves the hassle. Your electronic copy is sufficient. If you would like your visa stamp for peace of mind, this service is only provided between 9am and 11am, Monday-Friday.

 

For myself, work only became available 2 weeks after my arrival. This proved to be frustrating but also timely, as I was spending the bulk of my time searching for housing. Months prior, I had signed the Assessment form which included all the services Teach Australia agreed to provide. Before I left Canada, I was told I would receive a list of apartments to look at upon arrival. But I did not receive a list of any kind. With limited Internet access at the hostel, I found my way to the Victoria State Library (Swantson St.) where they provide free wi-fi.

 

After I found a place to live, I was ready to work. I asked SOS about the three-day minimum, and they had not heard of it. I was told under no uncertain terms that Canadian teachers were guaranteed three days of pay, if not a minimum of three days of work. This detail was never part of the contract and assessment form, but was promised nonetheless.

 The reality is that Canadian Teachers should plan to average this. Some weeks you may work 1 day, others you may work up to 3 and rarely do you reach 5 days. This is a very important point to note when traveling on a budget. I feel I was misinformed and realize I should have gotten something in writing before my trip.

 

I write this letter in an effort to simplify this process for working travelers under the umbrella of Teach Australia. I strongly feel I was misled as to the reality here. I have learned to ask for a written contract in the future, should I participate in a similar partnership.  I urge all interested teachers to do the same. I hope this information is helpful to those who are thinking about signing with Teach Australia, and those who will be arriving soon. 

Sincerely,

Erin Flaherty, B.Éd.