International Advice to Travellers

TANVIC recommend the attached group of agencies as being capable of managing your needs while looking for teaching work in Victoria.

TANVIC also notes that there are a number of myths and pieces of misinformation broadcast internationally, about the prospects for teachers arriving in Melbourne and seeking teaching appointments. The following is designed to assist international teachers develop their plans with reliable information.

1. There are no Boards in Victoria, the principal has sole discretion in the selection of staff within his/her school. The principal and the local community run the school via a local School Council. The council is comprised of the principal, elected teachers and parents.
   • This means that all contract appointments in Victorian Government schools, are made at the school level. There are no centralized appointments.
   
   
2. The principal will rarely contract a teacher into their school who he or she has never seen teach. This gives added advantage to those teachers who are working as a supply teacher (Casual Relief Teacher or CRT) in the short term. Your best contract opportunity is to be in Melbourne, working supply and when the opportunity arises, you are on the spot.
   • But remember, contracts for replacement of sickness, retirement, Long Service leave, Maternity Leave etc can be for as short as a month or as long as the remainder of the year.
   • Contracts for longer than 6 months are advertised and go through a process.
   • For shorter, less than 6 month periods, contracts usually go to a teacher known to the principal – a reliever – without official application or even interview. The principal knows the teacher, has seen him/her in the classroom and is happy to appoint for a 3 month contract. It will usually be offered in a quick discussion during a working day; no one else will know the job is available, you just need to be on the spot and fit the principal’s requirement!
   
   
3. Obtaining a 417/462 working/holiday visa is as easy as going onto the web and apply. In most cases you can get your visa within 5 working days. In a lot of cases the turnaround is less than 3 days. The process is a simple online application.
   
   
4. 4. Is a full time contract my best option, when I am travelling on a working holiday for 12 months? You need to decide your own personal preference; if you are coming out to Australia on the 417/462 visa you want to do at least two things;
   • * Work while you are in Australia to supplement your travel; and
   • * Visit as many of the places in Australia as possible, within your budget.
   • * With the 417/462 visa you can do this. You have the opportunity to work as many days as you want and when you want to holiday you can. This opportunity is unique; TANVIC Agencies can give you as much CRT work as you want and at the same time you can also holiday and visit all the places you want to see.
   
   
   
5. The best time to come out to Australia is now! However, there is less supply work available at the start of the school year in January to early March and at the end of the school year in late December. So why not take your holiday in those “best weather Summer’ periods and work in the busy times during our Spring, Autumn & winter.
   
   
6. The Australian school year has four 10 week terms often depending on the date of Easter, with 2 weeks holiday after each of terms 1, 2 and 3, and a further 6 weeks after term 4 through Christmas and January Summer holidays. The school year usually starts the last Monday in January and finishes the last Friday before Christmas.
   • Note, in Australia a 2 week period is always referred to as a “Fortnight”, deriving from fourteen nights. Hence there are 3 fortnight holidays each year.
   • Similarly, you will normally be paid on a “fortnightly” pay cycle.
   
   
7. TANVIC is aware that Overseas International agencies are in the habit of offering inducements to teachers to sign contracts with what appear seemingly advantageous conditions. The offer of free return flights for example will usually only occur if conditions such as a minimum number of days are worked at a reduced salary, thus nullifying the inducement and locking the teacher into a disadvantageous work cycle.
   • No TANVIC Agency offers negative inducements such as these to attract new teachers. All TANVIC agencies work to similar values and ethics.