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Once you arrive you will need to apply for a national insurance (NI) number, register with a GP, set up a bank account and figure out London’s transportation system. You can work without having a national insurance number but we recommend sorting it out shortly after arriving to ensure you are on the right tax code, you can apply over the phone and it only takes a couple of minutes. The requirements for opening a bank account differ from bank to bank, my best advice is to research those who allow you to open an account with a passport alone.
Searching for a house share in London is easy. There are tons of places available and you could probably arrange as many viewings as you wish. Ideally, you will have somewhere to stay whilst you sort out your long term living arrangements. You don’t want to feel pressured into moving into a house share that is not right for you – We’ve heard our fair share of horror stories! Look for short lets before you arrive and you may be able to find yourself a great room to move straight into for the first month whilst you find your feet.
For employment, I recommend contacting a few recruitment agencies in your field before leaving Australia and organising to meet with them during your first week here – London has an agency for everything and most are very accommodating. If you are not sure what work you would like to do then consider working as a teaching assistant through Teaching Personnel. You don’t work school holidays, only work school hours, get paid more than most bar jobs and no specific qualifications are required. Working as a Teaching Assistant means you will work in a rewarding role that also allows time for travel. While experience in any type of childcare based role is desired, positions are available for all confident, friendly and supportive people.
Once you have your feet firmly on the ground you will want to meet like minded, out-going people who also have the travel bug. Teaching Personnel hold regular night out’s for all our Aussie teachers and support staff. By registering with Teaching Personnel you will have a dedicated recruitment consultant finding you regular work. You will also have access to much sought-after continuous professional development courses to help you succeed in your new role as a teaching assistant.