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Step 6 - Arrival and reception


Step 6 - Arrival and reception

Be sure to make the necessary pre-departure arrangements before you arrive in Australia.

Arriving in Australia

Welcome to Australia!
At some stage during your flight to Australia you will be handed an Incoming Passenger Card to fill in. Answer the questions accurately and truthfully, especially those about the items in your luggage that you may have to declare to Customs officials.
If you’re unsure of where to go or what to do when you disembark from your flight in Australia, ask an official for help. They will guide you.

Clearing Immigration and Customs checkpoints

Once you land, you will follow the signs to an Immigration check-point. Here, you will need to show your passport, visa and Incoming Passenger Card. You may also have to show your Confirmation of Enrolment. Once you have cleared this checkpoint you will enter the baggage hall where you can claim your luggage and proceed to Customs and baggage examination.

Green (nothing to declare) and Red (something to declare) channel

If you follow the red channel, your luggage, including your hand luggage, will be x-rayed. A Customs official will ask you to open your luggage so that they can inspect these items. If the Customs official decides that an item is not quarantined, you will be allowed to keep the item and move through the Customs checkpoint. If the item is quarantined, the item will either be confiscated and destroyed, or held for decontamination and returned to you at a later date.
Declare or beware! This is the message that greets all passengers arriving in Australia on international flights. It means that you should declare all items listed below. If you fail to declare or dispose of any quarantine items, or make false declarations you will be caught. You could be fined A$220 on-the-spot; or you could be prosecuted and fined more than A$60,000 and risk 10 years in jail. You will not be penalised if goods are declared.

Detector Dogs

You may see a Quarantine Detector Dog at the baggage carousel or while waiting in line to pass through immigration, screening luggage for food, plant material or animal products. If you see a detector dog working close to you, please place your bags on the floor for inspection.  These dogs are not dangerous to humans and are trained to detect odours.  Sometimes a dog will sit next to your bag if it sniffs a target odour. Sometimes dogs will detect odours left from food you have had in the bag previously.  A quarantine officer may ask about the contents of your bag and check you are not carrying items that present a quarantine risk to Australia.

On-arrival reception

If you have made prior arrangements, the institution in which you have enrolled will send someone to meet you at the airport and take you to your accommodation. It is wise to make this arrangement with your institution as you may be unfamiliar with transport and Australian money when you first arrive. You will be told how to get to the institution on the day of your orientation.

Orientation

You will receive orientation at your institution by the international officer. They will introduce you to the institution's rules and regulations and help you decide on your timetable.

Assistance with accommodation

If you haven't arranged your accommodation before you depart, the institution may be able to help you to find suitable rental accommodation or a Homestay family. You could also check campus noticeboards for other students looking for people to share units or houses. Local newspapers run ads for accommodation vacant, particularly in Saturday and mid-week editions. All students under 18 years of age must have their accommodation approved by their institution.
It is an Australian Government requirement that students notify their education institution of their address in Australia within seven days of arrival, and notify their education institution of any change of address within seven days.

When you arrive

Welcome to Australia! Your studies will be challenging and rewarding. And there is plenty to do in your spare time to get to know Australia and Australians!

Can I change my course or institution?

You must complete 6 months of your principal course before you can transfer without restriction to another provider. If you want to transfer before completing 6 months of your principal course, you need to ask your education provider for a letter of release. For further information please see:

Friendly reminder

It is important to comply with Australian student visa conditions for the duration of your stay. Under Government legislation students who break their visa conditions will face mandatory visa cancellation.
During your studies, you can leave Australia and re-enter if you hold a valid visa. Otherwise you will need to reapply, pay the charge and meet the current visa requirements.
Your student visa is not valid for permanent residence in Australia or for residence after you have completed your studies. You are obliged to leave Australia at the end of your studies. If you wish to enrol in a new course you need to apply for a new student visa before your current visa expires. If your current student visa has a 'no further stay' condition you may not be granted a new student visa while you are in Australia.
The Australian Government skilled migration program targets young people who have skills, an education and outstanding abilities that will contribute to the Australian economy. Changes were made to the skilled migration program in July 2003. For information on these changes check the DIAC website. Eligible students can apply onshore for certain permanent and temporary visas. If you wish to migrate to Australia you should contact DIAC to find out the migration requirements.

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