My name is Shalini Nair and I am a dynamic professional with nearly 12.5 years of experience across various industry domains with a focus on structural engineering and design (assessed as Engineering Technologist). I have an expertise in structural analysis and detailed design of elements in residential,commercial,bridges,retail, ports and harbours and waste water treatment works. I am married to Vishal Nair. He is 36 years of age, an engineering graduate with a Post graduate Diploma in Financial Management from Welingkars Institute of Management.Vishal is currently working as a Software QA Engineer with J.P.Morgan Chase, Mumbai, India.We have a daughter, Shloka Nair, who is 6 years old. Both my husband and I are well-educated and career-oriented. We bear a cosmopolitan outlook towards life and are well-travelled and well-informed of different cultures across the globe. We have friends in various countries, including Australia — in Sydney and Canberra.
We are well read and have deep respect for Australian values and commit to abide by the Australian way of life. We are inclined towards raising our child in the Australian society which exemplifies freedom and dignity of the individual, equal opportunity for all and offers a shared cultural identity. The equal opportunity and merit-based structure of Australian society where all systems and processes are in place to provide residents a dignified and comfortable life based on their earning potential, appeals most to us. Although we have done exceptionally well in our careers and have established ourselves well financially and socially, we aspire to work in an international set-up, and most importantly, provide our daughter with the opportunity to learn and grow in a multi-cultural environment offering the best of early childhood care and education.
After much research and discussions with friends in Australia, we aspire to live in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), specifically the capital city of Canberra, the seat of Australian polity. The single-most important driving factor behind our decision is that Canberra offers the opportunities and lifestyle of a big city in picturesque, green environs — something I have always craved for. It offers a multitude of employment opportunities relevant to both me and my husband and, at the same time, seems to offer a work-life balance that will allow us to invest in parenting, follow our individual interests as well as socialize and participate in the plethora of socio-cultural activities and events the state is known for (source: http://www.canberrayourfuture.com.au).
The ACT’s unemployment rate is reportedly one of the lowest in the country and the average income is much higher than the national average, which gives me confidence that we will be able to secure jobs in our respective fields of work commensurate with our experience and skills. The state offers lucrative job opportunities in both the public and private sectors. We have been tracking Australian job portals like http://www.seek.com.au/, http://www.mycareer.com.au/, http://www.jobsearch.gov.au/ and http://www.careerone.com.au/ and http://au.neuvoo.com/, I have found that there is a demand for both structural engineers/engineering technologists as well as software professionals in the ACT.
I have over 6 years of experience in designing structures based in Eastern Africa, Scotland, Manchester, Singapore and Australia as well. I have a keen understanding of Euro codes and its national annexures. I specialize in providing optimum solutions to green field and brown field projects in water treatment works and waste water treatment works. I have excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a flair for public speaking. I am also an active member of Toastmasters club professionally. As a result of achieving a client satisfaction index of nearly 100%, I have been able to acquire many projects for the organization that I currently work for. I am confident that my professional experience in India and the soft skills that I have developed over the years will stand me in good stead while finding a job in Australia. I do realize that I will have to update my knowledge base and skills to equip myself for jobs as a Structural Engineer/Engineering Technologist in Australia. I intend to enroll myself for relevant certifications like Chartered membership at IEA(Institution of Engineers Australia).
The education rate is high in ACT, and with two universities — Australian National University and University of Canberra — at hand, we will have the option of enrolling in courses to further our education or update our skills to match the requirements of the Australian job market. My husband Vishal is especially keen on pursuing a Masters degree in Finance or other related fields.
I have done in-depth research and had discussions with Indian friends living in the ACT on the lifestyle and cost of living for a couple with a single child and also found websites like http://www.canberrayourfuture.com.au/, http://www.visitcanberra.com.au/ and http://www.numbeo.com/, https://www.moneysmart.gov.au/ to be great sources of relevant information on Canberra, which is where we want to settle down.
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From what I have garnered, we would be a perfect fit in the demographic profile of Canberra, which has a largely young, well-educated and cosmopolitan population. We are both in our thirties and very sociable. We love interacting with people from different ethnicities and nationalities as we feel it is culturally and personally enriching. So, the idea of settling down in a place that is home to people from across the world as well as the rich indigenous communities, appeals highly to us. I am looking forward to interacting and mingling with ACT’s friendly residents and participating in community activities in the neighbourhood we choose to settle in — I am looking at Griffith, Kingston, Manuka, Fyshwick – the most central locations to settle in or the other suburbs like Tuggeranong or Gungahlin where the rent would be affordable and which have a large number of young people (Source: http://www.realestate.com.au).
I have arrived at a realistic estimate of the cost of living for a one child couple in Canberra. I envisage our monthly expenses to be something to the tune of AUD 5000 approximately. per month inclusive of daycare. This includes a rent of AUD 1600 (for a one BHK in an area like Tuggeranong or Gungahlin); groceries AUD 500; utilities (electricity, gas and water) AUD 200; phone and internet AUD 150; travel by public transport AUD 200; entertainment AUD 200; healthcare and insurance for AUD 200 and miscellaneous cost of AUD 100. In addition to these, I have conducted research into the cost of childcare and options available. I understand that Canberra offers a range of childcare services to provide a caring and stimulating environment for children of parents who intend to pursue work or study. On an average, I may have to incur a cost of AUD 1750 per month or slightly more for child care. I have visited the following websites to arrive at this estimate: http://ifp.mychild.gov.au/ChildCareService/Provider.aspx/11167/Central-Canberra-Family-Day-Care; http://www.careforkids.com.au; http://guardiancanberra.com.au/?gclid=CJzehvb-m8cCFYIljgodnSQApQ; https://secure.centrelink.gov.au.
I have liquid savings to the tune of almost AUD 105,800 which would be more than sufficient to cover the one-way airfare for two people and a child to Canberra (AUD 2000 approx.) and our living expenses for up to six months or more.
I am also smitten by the natural beauty of ACT and the lush greenery of the bush capital of Canberra as both me and my husband love the outdoors and would like to raise our daughter in such healthy environs. My husband and I have our own individual sports pursuits. My husband likes swimming and is committed to working out at the gym thrice a week. I like to stay in shape by doing Yoga and going for an occasional run. My husband is quite excited to read that Canberra has many swimming pools given that it is an inline city with hardly any beaches. I would also like to take my family for a regular swim. My husband is very fond of nature walks and biking. ACT’s varied landscape will give us the opportunity to combine our love for nature with our sporting side and we are keen on exploring the picturesque walking paths and mountain biking trails. We plan to explore Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, Namadgi National Park and the Australian National Botanic Gardens. I am also keen on going on hikes to Black Mountain and Mt Ainslie. I am very fond of cars and I am looking forward to buying a car once I can afford it and driving around the city to get familiar. Having grown up and lived all my life in a city where traffic is always congested and driving is an ordeal, it’s joy to my ears that the traffic flow in Canberra is smooth and one can drive across the city end to end in just 45 minutes, which means, wherever we live, if we work in Civic, the central business district, it should be a 20-minute drive to and from work. Besides, I would love to witness the Rally of Canberra and go on long drives to nearby Sydney or Melbourne and take weekend family retreats to the Snowy Mountains, Wollongong, the Southern Highlands and the like.
The climate of the state also appeals to us. We prefer dry summers, while we love chilly winters. From what we’ve figured, Canberra actually witnesses all four seasons and we can’t wait to experience real winters where the mercury drops to negative sometimes.
I hereby request you to accept our application for the ACT state sponsored visa (Subclass 190). I am willing to commit to working and living for two years in the ACT under the state sponsored Permanent Residence Visa and will abide by all rules and regulations of the state and the country. I am confident that my husband and I will be able to find employment that is commensurate with our capabilities in the ACT and will be able to blend seamlessly into the rich socio-cultural fabric of the state.
Thanking you,
Shalini Nair
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India