My family and I migrated from the Philippines to Canberra just last July, 2013.  It was a difficult decision to leave Manila which has been our home since birth but we knew that God has a purpose for our family here.

We’ve visited Canberra twice as tourists in the past and really enjoyed this beautiful city. It has been our city of choice since we expressed our desire to migrate to Australia. We have been blessed to be granted a state sponsorship by the ACT and now that we are here, we are even more fortunate to have settled quite well in such a short time.

We stayed in a small apartment in Forde and within just three weeks, three of our four daughters had the privilege to be employed by three of the most respected businesses in Canberra. My eldest daughter works as a makeup artist for a popular makeup brand. My second daughter is a culinary chef at one of the newest restaurants in the City and my third daughter is a pastry chef at a large grocery chain.

Our youngest daughter is in year eleven and has easily adjusted to the welcoming multicultural communities in the school. She is currently being trained in the multimedia arts and has persistently excelled in her subjects in Gungahlin College.

Just last December, we were blessed with a new home we bought under the land rent scheme which is a privilege enjoyed only by Canberrans. We were able to purchase a hilltop block at Bonner with a magnificent view of a nature reserve and surrounded by open parks, ponds, playgrounds and picnic areas

Canberra is absolutely breathtaking. Every morning our backyard is home to cockatoos, parrots, doves, ducks and other unique variety of birds. We do get some kangaroo visits during the day and foxes and rabbits running around our house at night.  Life here is just like being beautifully one with nature.

My wife is a full time homemaker who enjoys attending to her greenhouse filled with all sorts of herbs, spices, vegetables and other ornamental greens. Her flower garden was absolutely stunning last spring. We also planted apricots, apples, lemons, oranges, limes, cherry and peach trees which we hope will bear fruits in the next few years.

I, on the other hand have registered an ABN and currently running my own freelance interior design business while finishing an online two year diploma course at North Coast TAFE. I have done several projects in Gungahlin, Franklin, Bonner, O’Malley and I’m working on a new and exciting design commission in Kingston.

After just seven months we were given the benefit of settling comfortably in Canberra in our new home. Everyone in the family, except for our youngest, all have their full Australian drivers licenses and are all independently driving to and from work every day.

After travelling to many parts of the world, I can honestly and unequivocally say that there is probably no better place to settle a family than here in Canberra. This is where God brought us and we know that this is where our destiny and future will unfold.

I just want to thank the city of Canberra for opening its doors to migrants like us and giving us the opportunity to live, work and settle in this magnificent city. There is a world of beautiful opportunities in this part of Australia and we just want to let everyone know - we LOVE Canberra!

You were born in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. Tell us about your childhood years.

I had a happy although unconventional childhood. My father managed gold mines and we did a lot of travelling because of Dad’s work. In-between attending regular schools Mum home schooled me and my two brothers, depending on where we were living. I loved moving from place to place and experiencing new things. We were a very close knit family and were lucky enough to spend many holidays travelling all over Australia and overseas too.

Dad then started his own business in Perth and I went to secondary school there before taking up a hairdressing apprenticeship.

How did you come to live in Canberra after growing up on the other side of the country?

It’s a long story! After completing my apprenticeship I spent a few years working in Perth before taking up a job offer on an international cruise ship. I absolutely loved this experience but when my visa expired I needed to return to Australia.

My mum and dad are originally from Cowra in New South Wales and they’d returned to live there where many of our extended family is based too. My plan was to spend some time with family before arranging a new visa and returning to the cruise ship. Well I never did return to that cruise ship. I met Ben, (we’ve just celebrated our ninth anniversary), and I opened my own successful hair salon in Cowra.

We love the casual rural lifestyle. However Ben, a bricklayer, found it difficult to find regular work. Very little development takes place in small country towns. While on holiday in Melbourne Ben was offered a permanent job by a big company, so I sold my salon and we made the move.

I found work and within a few months was running two salons for a national franchise. We’d been in Melbourne for 18 months when I won a competition run by the franchise I worked for. The fabulous prize was ownership of a franchise store in Forster on the mid north coast NSW.

Ben did not enjoy Melbourne and we’d always wanted a sea-change. Forster was an amazing experience and we learned a lot. I was working seven days a week so we hardly saw each other. We had no time to enjoy the seaside, it was really tough going. We decided to sell the salon and moved back to Cowra to reconsider our future.

Ben was offered a job in Canberra and was spending Mondays to Fridays there, coming home on weekends. We hated being apart and after a few months decided to move to Canberra permanently.

Was it an easy decision?

Growing up in WA I hardly knew that Canberra existed but of course I would follow my husband anywhere. I must admit Canberra is not somewhere I thought I would live.

Straightaway my mind was changed.  I loved it, absolutely loved it. It’s like city meets country. It’s got everything you need, the shopping and food and it’s trendy. When friends visit from interstate we love to go out, there are so many cafes, bars, restaurants, clubs and pubs. There’s so much going on I simply can’t do everything I want to do.

I never dreamed it would be like this. When we lived in Melbourne, then Forster, we struggled to make friends but here everyone’s friendly and makes you feel welcome.

There’s hardly any traffic and it’s so peaceful where we live, just 10 minutes from Belconnen Town Centre. We can even hear cows mooing from our backyard!

We love how pet friendly the city is. Minna, a German Shepherd cross bull mastiff, is part of our family and goes everywhere with us.

How easy was it for you to find work?

I found work straightaway at a well reputed salon. Initially I worked just two days a week but this was soon extended to full time work.  I love my job and am steadily building up a clientele - we’ve only been in Canberra seven months.

I’m ambitious and enjoy entering competitions – I have just sent in entries for one where I did complete makeovers on two of my clients. I love creating the whole look, not only the hair but the make-up and styling too.

You’ve been selected to be one of the hairstylists at this year’s Fashfest. Are you excited?

Yes! I was hoping that I would get in, this is such a fun event and an opportunity to be creative. I’ll be doing hair styling on models before and after each look. It’s going to be a busy time backstage and the pressure will be on to get the models ready for show time.

Any comments for other newcomers to Canberra?

I feel so lucky to live in Canberra. If you have a passion then go out and get what you want. You can achieve anything if you really want it.

Tony Nsofor has lived in and travelled to many places around the world, including London, Barcelona, New York, Cape Town, Los Angeles and Dubai. When he decided to emigrate, his top priority was choosing a destination "characterised with an impressive work-life balance.”

You’re originally from Nigeria where you worked as a chemical engineer. After several years furthering your studies and working in the UK, you decided to emigrate. Of all the destinations in the world to consider, what were the reasons you chose Canberra?

There are several reasons why I chose Canberra but the most important is the personal aspiration to progress in a city characterised with an impressive work-life balance. Things are accessible, the city is a beauty being well planned and managed, the weather is awesome, crime rate is low and the prospect of establishing and excelling in a business is high. It’s also a great place to raise a family.

Did you know anyone in Canberra who influenced your decision to move here?

I have two friends, both post-graduate students, who have lived here for 18 months. Before applying for ACT sponsorship I checked out literature and information about other states too. However, learning that Canberra is a planned city got my interest; I appreciate organisation and planning. Other impressive statistics and first-hand information from my friends helped seal my decision to come to Canberra.

Would you describe Canberra as a multicultural and friendly city?

I find Canberrans are friendly, warm and welcoming to visitors and new migrants.

Whereabouts in Canberra do you live?

I live in one of the inner north suburbs. It takes me only 6 minutes to drive to my office or 10-15 minutes when I use the bus. I get to save time commuting compared to other places where I’ve previously lived.

What kinds of activities and entertainment do you enjoy in Canberra?

I must confess I enjoy the outdoors. I love picnics in the parks around the city. It always feels like the first time whenever I revisit the city landmarks. I love Sunday morning breakfast outdoors and soccer games with new friends.

Would you say that Canberra offers new migrants more opportunities than other cities in Australia?

I am not in the right position to compare opportunities in Canberra with other cities in Australia; however, I can proudly say Canberra has availed me so many opportunities. I got a lucrative job within 6 weeks of settling in the city and other good things followed. What more can I ask for?  

Have you explored the region around Canberra?

Unfortunately I haven’t done much exploration of the regions around Canberra because there are lots of places to still see and functions to attend in the city. That being said, I have gone sightseeing at Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve, Allan McGrath Reserve, Mount Majura and Isaacs Ridge Pine Plantation. Exploring regions around Canberra is still definitely in the plan.

Are you planning to one day start a business of your own in Canberra?

If things go according to plan, I intend starting a project management consultancy in the future.

Any other comments for others considering the move?

Canberra affords migrants a high standard of living. The move was worth it!

More than a decade ago Son Ngoc arrived in Canberra from Vietnam on a student visa. He and his family, wife Thao Le and daughter Phuong Mai, recently became permanent residents. Son tells us about his experiences...

How long have you lived in Canberra and where did you move from? Tell us a little about yourself and your family.

I first came to Canberra from Vietnam to study for my Masters degree at the Australian National University (ANU) in 2001. At the time I was worried. I had not previously lived abroad and was not sure how I would cope. Fortunately there was no need for concern. There was a lot of support from lecturers, administrative staff, as well as other students.

I was impressed to find that facilities at ANU are excellent. The large and rich libraries, computer labs, study rooms and student common rooms helped me to concentrate on my studies and I completed my degree with good results.

Many years later when I decided to study my PhD, Canberra was the obvious choice. This time my wife, Thao Le, and my daughter, Phuong Mai, accompanied me. My wife came with limited English ability but it was not difficult for her to find a job in the hospitality and services industry. Her ability to work was a great help, being the main source of income for our family while I was studying.

We have seen that Canberra is the best place in Australia for international students and their dependents to find jobs with good pay. We have experienced a friendly, fair and supportive working environment.

We are now permanent residents and I work as a researcher at the East Asian Bureau of Economic Research, at ANU’s Crawford School.

What do you most like about Canberra?

Canberra is a great place for my family and me. It is a small city in terms of population (380,000 people), but quite large in terms of land area. We love the low population density and the many green open spaces. The city is safe and clean too.

We enjoy visiting the abundance of parks with Glebe Park and Commonwealth Park being two favourites. We also enjoy going out for dinner with friends and watching fireworks in Civic on New Year’s Eve or the annual Skyfire event.

Our traditional Vietnamese food can easily be found at grocery stores or at restaurants. There is a wide variety of food from different cultures and we like to eat out at different places. We also enjoy visiting markets on the weekends where we can buy very fresh produce from local farmers.

Do you miss family and friends back in Vietnam? Have they visited you here in Canberra?

Of course we miss our family in Vietnam. Family and friends visit us and we maintain close ties with our previous home.

Luckily for me my younger brother, Giang Ngoc, followed my footsteps and also spent time studying in Canberra. He, too, has settled permanently in Canberra with his family, so we have some relatives here.

Would you recommend Canberra as a great place to live?

Yes. I feel lucky to have had the chance to study and live in Canberra. Our family has made many friends from studying and working here, and feel part of the community.

Our twelve year old daughter is deeply integrated into school and society and has a good future. She has made many friends at school and thanks to her we have got to meet more local families, and to know about their lifestyles.

Our time in Canberra has been memorable. We have developed deep connections and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.

Almost two years ago Niki and Darren Bruno left the UK with their two young boys, Nathan and Oliver, in search of a better quality of life. We asked them to tell us about their journey.

What motivated you to uproot your lives in London and move to the other side of the world?

Niki: It seemed in England that we were working day, noon and night, spending no time together, with nothing to show for it. We couldn't see a future for ourselves or our children in England and decided to emigrate.

Darren: Migration was something we had looked into for a while. We looked at all sorts of countries but after lots of research we decided that Australia was top of our list as the place to make a fresh start, so we applied to Australia first.

Why did you decide to settle in Canberra rather than somewhere else?

Niki: Quite honestly we would have been happy to live anywhere in Australia as long as it was not in one of the big cities. After the hectic pace and insecure life we had in London we were looking for a more relaxed and safer environment for us and our children, with good opportunities. We also wanted a place where our children would be free to enjoy being children, whereas in London you worry about letting your children outside and they seem to grow up too quickly.

Darren: In the end my occupation as a property manager determined our destination. We discovered that it was on the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government’s Occupation List and this gave us the extra points we needed to apply for a visa. Canberra has turned out to be the ideal place for us. We feel as if we’re living in the country yet we’re able to enjoy the many benefits that come with it being the capital city. We love it here.

What are the things that you most enjoy about Canberra?

Niki: There’s always something on! Canberra is easy to navigate and the place is so family orientated. One of our favourite things is something as simple as having a BBQ in the park with friends and the kids swimming in the pool or river. There’s nothing better.

Darren: Weather in Canberra over summer is nice and hot, but it’s a dry heat so you’re not sticking to everything, so that’s nice. Compared to England it seems that the summers are very long and there are lots of opportunities for outdoor fun. Even in winter the sun shines and we’re told that Canberra has more days of sunshine than the Sunshine Coast! We were surprised though at how cold it gets during the winter nights.

How different is your life now to the one you left behind?

Niki: I would say that our lives are very different in one way but the same in others. We still have to work, send kids to school and do the daily routine of things, but the major difference is that we seem to have more quality family time, do more things together and relax more at weekends. So even thought the daily routine hasn’t changed much our lifestyle has and we are less stressed, more relaxed, go out more and we’re definitely less wet and cold! LOL!

Darren: We sometimes miss family and that can be a little difficult at times. However we’ve always been a strong and independent family unit of our own and now we consider some of our close friends here our family.

How has the move changed your life?

Darren: We feel that we are actually living our lives the way we want and love being here. We’re very conscious that life is precious and should be enjoyed. We believe that moving to Canberra saved Niki’s life. A couple of months after arriving she had a major health issue and underwent an operation to remove a kidney. We cannot say enough good things about Canberra’s wonderful health system.

Niki: My illness was a shock. I was saved by the quick thinking, in depth testing and excellent treatment provided by the health professionals in Canberra. We are grateful to be living in Canberra and appreciate the wonderful quality of life that is possible here. I wish we had moved 15 years ago when I first met Darren. It would have given us a chance to be established before the boys came along.

What are your plans for the future?

Niki: We plan to stay in Canberra and build our business here. In London I worked as a psychologist. Whilst recovering I enrolled at the Australian National University to obtain a graduate certificate and I have now started my own business which is growing nicely. I feel that we have been so blessed by moving to Canberra.

Darren: We are planning to stay in Canberra for the foreseeable future (not sure where we will be when we retire!). We would very much like to build our own place and are very much excited about that prospect, but there is no rush, we are happy as we are.

There’s no doubt about it, Mark Young has itchy feet and an adventurous spirit. Originally from the United Kingdom, Mark first visited Australia at the age of 19 while on a working holiday. After touring Asia he decided to explore ‘the land down under’ and spent several months doing just that. In spite of living and working in nearby Sydney for a few months, Mark did not get round to visiting the nation’s capital.

Skip a whole lot of years to September 2008, and Mark, this time with a wife and three young children in tow, arrived back in Australia. In search of a better quality of life the family had decided to immigrate to Canberra.

“My partner was offered a job,” says Mark, “and we decided to make the move. We lived in Canberra for two years, thoroughly enjoyed the easy lifestyle that the city offers and made some very good friends. Canberra is a family-friendly city with plenty of events and activities which catered for our three children of different ages and interests.”

For no particular reason other than they wanted an adventure and to explore more of Australia, the family decided to move to Perth. “We wanted to experience life in a big city and of course, we wanted to live at the coast,” says Mark. “Sun, sand and surf is the dream destination that most migrants from the UK are after when they relocate to Australia.”

Life takes many twists and turns and in September 2013, after living in Perth for three years, the Young family returned to Canberra. “Perth disappointed us,” Mark says. “If you’re not at the beach, there’s nothing to do. We’d got used to Canberra where there are so many fantastic events and something going on every weekend. After a while the kids dug their heels in and complained when we suggested a trip to the beach.

“Once we decided to leave Perth, Canberra stood out as the very best option for our family. The job opportunities and lifestyle here are second to none.

“We’ve spent some holidays in Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne, and while these are great places to visit we could not see ourselves living there. We’ve not yet been to Brisbane but it does not appeal to us because of the high humidity.”

Mark has just come back from Mulligans Flat, one of the Australian Capital Territory’s many nature parks. Together with a team of 50 others, volunteers and staff from the ACT Government, he helped with a kangaroo count. Spread out and ‘sweeping’ across sections of the nature reserve the team counted 505 kangaroos during the morning. Mark was delighted to spot 12 kangaroos to add to the tally, and also enjoyed watching the many wallabies which bounded away as the ‘sweep’ progressed.

Rachael, Paul and Mickey (10) Hayward arrived in Canberra from the UK a little over three years ago. It’s been an eventful couple of years, with Rachael volunteering at Mickey’s school and also opening her own business. Rachael tells us more here:

Tell us a little about yourself and the reason(s) you and your family immigrated to Australia?

We first came to Canberra in 2004 as Paul was in the British Royal Navy and had a posting to the British High Commission for four years. We fell in love with the city instantly.     

We were lucky enough to travel extensively throughout Australia but of all the places we visited, Canberra was our first choice to migrate to due to the easy living, outdoor lifestyle and community spirit.

So you prefer Canberra to the bigger Australian cities?

We like the fact that although Canberra is the Capital of Australia, it is not too busy like Sydney! We also find Canberra an ideal city for schooling and sport for our youngest son Mickey and it is also ideally located to make travel to other areas (Sydney, Melbourne and the Coast) easy.

Also we love that there are four definite seasons in Canberra. The summer is gorgeous and not humid, autumn sees the trees turn the most beautiful colours and winter is cold but the skies are so blue. Spring comes around very quickly and sees the start of Floriade, an annual festival which celebrates this lovely time of the year.

Tell us about your first impressions and experiences of Canberra.

Our first impression of Canberra was that it was very colourful with all the cockatoos, rosellas and galahs. There was hardly any traffic and everything was so very clean and well maintained. Everyone we saw seemed to have a spring in their step and it was never too much trouble to say G’Day to us. We felt very welcome which was extremely important to us.

Our very first outing in Canberra was the Jazz in the Park at the Botanical Gardens which run through the summer on Sundays. We were amazed that this (and many other family events around Canberra) was free. It really helps bring the community together and there are so many different events that cater for all tastes. Having been to a few now though, our favourite by far is the annual Skyfire firework display which is all set to music and attracts tens of thousands of people each year.

You are very involved in Mickey’s school, and recently volunteered your time to create a beautiful mosaic artwork in the school foyer. Tell us about your motivation to get involved and about the artwork too.

I got involved with volunteering at the school to integrate myself in the local community when we bought our house over here. I firstly helped out in the school canteen to make friends and to learn how the school system worked. I then joined the school Parents and Citizens’ Association and was involved in the school fetes, craft fairs and other fund raising events.

I approached the principal and volunteered to do a mosaic artwork in the school foyer with the children of the school. After 18 months it is now finished. The inspiration for this was the Canberra Centenary. The mosaic includes lots of native wildlife, Telstra Tower, the Museum and Lake Burley Griffin. It was an amazing experience working with the children from designing the mosaic to the completion of it.

I have met some incredible people along the way and it is wonderful to see the school community coming together to create this fantastic artwork.

As someone who loves creative art, what would you say about opportunities to enjoy art in Canberra? How does it compare to where you moved from?

The diversity of the museums and art galleries in Canberra are inspirational and can be equally enjoyed by both young and old. The National Gallery has many different exhibitions.

In Canberra, the opportunities to enjoy art are so much easier than where we lived in the UK, as we would have to travel (for example to London) to see international exhibitions.

You’ve recently started your own business. That’s quite an accomplishment. Tell us about it.

I have been involved with Stained Glass now for approximately 17 years having learnt the trade from doing a four year apprenticeship in the UK.  I also taught adult education courses in several colleges in the UK. My dream has always been to ‘go it alone’ and set up my own business. This was an unreachable goal in the UK, but one we felt I could achieve over here in Canberra. I have now successfully set up ‘Groovy Glass’ and have also branched out to become one of the only suppliers of stained glass materials in Canberra. I also have a stall once a month at the Old Bus Depot Markets in Kingston.

Is all your family passionate about art? What other interests/hobbies do you enjoy?

My family are not particularly passionate about art, although they do support my love for it.  Paul and Mickey would much rather be on a bike ride, playing golf or playing football (soccer!) for Tuggeranong United, where Paul is the coach, than walking around an art gallery.

Moving countries can be challenging – do you have any tips/advice for others considering the move?

It is worth a holiday visit beforehand (as long as possible) to get a feel for the place.

Have a sense of adventure, put yourself out there and meet as many people as you can.  Some you will form great friendships with.

Check out job websites such as SEEK and check prices for houses/rental properties on allhomes.com.au.

Keep an eye out for emigration expos. This was very useful to us prior to getting the ball rolling to migrate. There are numerous stalls where you can find answers to your many questions.

If you arrive in Canberra and your containers are still in transit, the Green Shed on Mugga Lane is a fabulous recycling centre which you can buy cheap second hand goods, from cutlery to furniture to bikes. Well worth checking out!

[Felix] My name is Felix Yap, I am originally from Sydney, where we lived for about 17 years, and we moved down to Canberra about 4 years ago. This is my wife Sylvia, and that is my eldest daughter Cassie, she is 12-years-old, and my youngest daughter Brynie and she is going to be turning 10.

My motivation for moving to Canberra, was basically work. I had trouble finding work in Sydney, working in IT there is too much competition. Thousands of people that I had to compete with, but there seems to be a shortage of IT skills in Canberra.

The biggest difference between working in Canberra compared to Sydney, is that it is so much less hectic.  It is so much closer to where we live and I find the company that I work for extremely family oriented. Like, for instance, our kids go to school about 5 minutes away from where we live, and that is about 15 minutes from where we work. So the company has got no problems at all allowing us to drive back at 3 o’clock, pick them up and bring them back to work. And then when I finish work I drive them back home again. That is something that you really could not do in Sydney.

[Sylvia] If we were staying in Sydney, I probably would not be working, I would probably have to stay at home to pick them up.

[Cassie] On the weekend we like to bike around Lake Burley-Griffin sometimes, go to the park or maybe go to the mall and have lunch or shop around.

[Brightony] On a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 is awesome, I would say Canberra would have to be 9.9.

[Felix] 9.95

[Sylvia] 9.9

[Cassie] 8.9, actually I would say 9.5

[Felix] I said 9.5

[Cassie] No, you said 9.95

[Laughter]

[James] My name is James Hamilton, and I am from Old Castle County Meath in Ireland. Been living in Canberra for the last 15 months, and this is my wife Katherine. Canberra at home was portrayed to be the work capital of Australia, at the time we had not work at home at all, and it seemed like a good idea at the time. Didn’t want to lose our house, so we said, look we’ll give it a go. So I packed up all my belongings, and tied up my business and headed over. Came over and started work, got work and got a sponsorship and it went from there, and its all good ever since. Met some fantastic people along the way, they really, really helped us. And once they know that your Irish and, you know, your out to do a good days work, they love you.  We’re really, really well portrayed here in Australia, you know.

I’m a carpenter by trade, I came over here and got my trade recognised. Carpentry here, in commercial, is something I’ve never done at home before. So at 34 years of age I’m starting to re-skill again, you know, which is very good, it keeps the mind really occupied and really busy.

Canberra for bringing up the family is fantastic; because you’ve got your country feel in the capital of Australia. Schooling here in Canberra is fantastic, for our little one anyway, she loves it. She’s been made settle in really, really good.

[Katherine] There is a lot more choice in the curriculum as well, over here, and you have a playground around every corner as well.

[James] The neighbourhood is very, very good isn't it...

[Katherine] ...its very quiet

[James] Its very quiet, no dramas in it. The neighbours will pop their head across the fence and say hello, and how are you going, and our neighbour actually popped her head across the fence the other day and brought us over for dinner. When we’re telling them at home, you know, we’re going over to the neighbours’ for dinner, just after popping her head over, she said ‘are you going around already for dinner?!’

[Kimani] My name is Kimani and this is my wife Cal, and this is my son Amari. We moved from the UK about 10 months, and we’re now living in Canberra, which is a great place to live.

[Cal] What I love about my work in Canberra is that its what I’m used to doing, it’s what I did in the UK and it’s the same job that I’m doing here, only the best parts of it. Love the people that I work with, great job, great team and love making a difference. One of the challenges ironically is the fact that I was offered three jobs and I had to make a decision which one I to choose.

Out life style has changed dramatically since moving here. We liked to go out and do a lot of family activities when we were in the UK, but we were either stuck because there really wasn’t anything to do or we were stuck because it was raining outside, it was cold and miserable. Whereas, here, there is always something on, somewhere to go, people to meet up with, and the sun is more often than not shining, even in the winter!

The assistance that we’ve received from the ACT Government has been really useful, they helped us early on in the application gaining state sponsorship, and we’re always just an email away in our application and then when we arrived a couple of days later they met us for coffee and cakes, in the local hotel.

[Kimani] Which you thoroughly enjoyed.

Our initial plan was to be here for a specific length of time, but as we live here, the more we live here, the more we want to stay here. Its just growing on us and we just absolutely love it and don’t necessarily want to return to the UK where its damp and cold and horrible.

[Cal] Its only an hour and a half to the coast, its only an hour and a half to the snowy mountains, you’ve got the beautiful lake, cycle paths, all the things that you could ever imagine you want to do here, in Canberra and brilliant opportunities for work and education.

[Kimani] You’ve said it all, haven’t you!

[Paresh] My name is Paresh, we’re here from, we arrived here from the UK three and a half months ago. This is Heema, and my two children Maya and Shrey.

What brought us to Canberra were some of the fantastic opportunities we had on offer here. So when choosing a city, we were thinking about a city that was easy to live in, that was easy to get around and which had good schools, because clearly with the children schoolings really important, and also had the right career opportunities, not only for myself but also Heema, because Heema was beginning to think about going back to work.

The ACT Government came out with me and spent an afternoon with me showing me around Canberra, really giving us a feel for what its like to be living and working in Canberra. Which I think was just so critical in our decision-making.

[Heema] Our first impressions of Canberra, absolutely amazing, we love it, it’s a nice vibrant city, a capital like no other, really. Its got the kind of hustle and bustle of a capital, yet still not too imposing, like some other capitals around the world. It seems like an ideal place to bring up young children.

[Maya] If you’re moving to Canberra or Australia, I think that you should get involved in as many activities as you can, to meet new people and make new friends.

[Shrey] Make sure that you like, take part and give a good first impression so you can get more friends and, try not to be shy and just, like, talk to people.

[Alecia] Hi I am Alecia Doherty and this is my husband Larry. We’ve been living in Canberra for the past two and a half years. Prior to that we were living in Sydney. We’ve been very fortunate to have lived in a lot of different places around the world, and Canberra just keeps pulling us back. It’s got everything you could want.

[Larry] Canberra is an easy place to live, its good people, you know, there is a lot of people from all over the world, lots of different nationalities and it gives you everything that a big city has, like Sydney or Melbourne. But its in a small city, you don’t get all of the downsides of living in a big city.

[Alecia] The work life style in Canberra is great. In my job, I just recently have been working a bit of overtime and so today I took the day off. My experience with picking up work in Canberra, it doesn’t matter what your background is or what your skills are, there are opportunities because of the Arts and you know, if you’re a creative person there is something, restaurants galore, you know, lawyers, politicians. It just really doesn’t matter what your background is, there will be a job for you here in Canberra.

For new people moving to Canberra, I’d recommend just jumping in your car and taking the time to drive around because each suburb is so different, so it really depends on what your particular requirements are. You know, if you are really sporting and want, you know, acres of land to go cycling or, you know, go in the forest, mountain biking, you might want to go to live on the south side. But if you want trendy restaurants, you want to come and live closer into the CBD, or Kingston and Manuka, it just depends on what you’re after, but Canberra will be able to provide it.

[Larry] Don’t show this video to anybody because they will all want to come and live here.

[Alecia] Yes, the best kept secret!

Determined to study at one of the world’s top universities brought Nabid Alam from Bangladesh to study a Master of Business Information Systems at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra.

As an international student, there were a few hurdles for Nabid. The first was to make study in Australia financially possible, which he did by winning an Australian Government Endeavour Award.

In addition, Nabid had to prepare for his International English Language Testing (IELTS) exam and juggle travel and accommodation arrangements, all while he worked in a high pressure graduate role in a Bangladeshi bank.

“This was my first time leaving Bangladesh and it was a very big step – leaving my family and friends. It was a really difficult decision – and a real challenge, but I was up to it,” he says.“I was also a bit scared about the pressure of coming to ANU because I had been working in a bank and out of study for a couple of years. I was about to start a new degree in a top university and wondered how I would fit into the ecosystem.”

Nabid hit the ground running.  He met with each of his lecturers right at the beginning of his study to gain an insight into course objectives and expectations and how best  to manage his study load.

“It’s a really good thing to understand your lecturers’ expectations. They have all been very friendly and always available. Even if your study plan looks difficult and challenging at first, it isn’t actually that difficult to manage – you get into a good routine.”

Nabid will graduate with a Master of Business Information Systems later this year.

While he has enjoyed his experience at ANU, Nabid is looking forward to spending time with his family again. His mother and brother will travel to Canberra to attend the graduation ceremony.

My name is Man Lam Tsang, you can call me Alfred. I am from Hong Kong and I came here four years ago.

There are many things that brought me to Canberra. First of all I would say, the excellent education here and also the people and culture here as well. Speaking of education, I guess the, one of the main reasons would be that there is opportunities for myself to get into ANU, one of the top Universities in the world. And, also the people and culture here, I really enjoy interacting with them and so its perfect. Really good living environment and stuff.

When I decided to study there was a couple of things on my checklist. First of all I would say the education, the reputation of the college and also the facilities supporting the students to learn, and also the environment.

I tell my parents that I am living on campus and made a lot of friends, a lot of events going on and even, like, you know, studying, participating in student societies and also organising a lot of events, for first year students as well. When I told my parents, they found that I have a really fulfilling university life and, which is, they could be a little bit jealous as well because they couldn’t find such a fulfilling life when they did university.

Compared to Sydney and Melbourne, I think Canberra is really special and also it is really suitable for students to study, especially the really good environment. So you wont have too much distraction from, like, entertainment and stuff to interrupt, like, you know, well, sort of like, distract your study. So you can focus more on that. And, also there are heaps of supporting facilities to help students to study, and form their own society as well. So I would say, really good. 

My name is Yanina Ferreyra, I am from Argentina and I’ve been in Canberra for two year and a half.

When I first came to Canberra, my first impression was that is was such a tidy city. It was very beautiful and very clean. Everything was like, kind of very nice, organised. The transport system was very easy, the buses I remember were something very surprising- the time of the buses.

The safety and security in Canberra is amazing. I really like it, I feel very safe. When you hear a sound or something in a dark street, the only thing you can think of is a possum there or a kangaroo. That is the only thing that can scare you here.

Studying in Canberra was very different to my first experience back in Argentina. I found the education here very personalised. I was surprised in the first class when the teachers put their phone numbers on the board, I was like ‘why are you giving us your phone number?’ The teachers said you can contact me, its fine.

My friends back in Argentina sometimes, they can’t believe a lot of things I tell them about Canberra. The nightlife that Canberra has, having nightclubs or places open from Monday to Sunday that is something that doesn’t really happen in South America.

The life-style here, when people start working in the morning, work until the afternoon and then going to live their life, that is something I really like about this city.

I can’t believe I am here. 

My name is Arnaud, and I am from France, Strasbourg and I have now lived in Canberra for almost 3 years. I am studying at the University of Canberra, and I am studying a double Master, a Master of Business Administration/Master of International Business.

The quality of education at the University of Canberra is very, very good and very, very motivating. The fact is, all of the lecturers are here to help you, and they are doing there best when they know that you are an international student. Most of all living on campus is also great because you are living with Australian people or students from other countries, which is very great to discover other cultures and to make new friends from all around the world.

What I love about studying in Canberra, it is actually the environment. Because it is a big city, with great Universities, but it also brings you that lifestyle that you cannot have anywhere else, as it is a city which is quite wild, it is very green, very peaceful and also you can have places to have fun if you want to, you’ve got all that you could look for in a city, in Canberra.

To survive in Canberra as an international student, a few tips would be, don’t be shy. English is quite easy when you practice it, so you do not have to be shy you have to talk with everyone. You will improve your English, which will make you feel better, after getting involved in the city, you will feel more confident. And then it helps to take all the opportunities that are proposed to you, to get parts of programs, of challenges or anything that could bring you some other experience, not only as an international student, but even as a student. 

Falling in love brought Courtney Moore to Canberra for the first time in 2009. The year before she had met Stephen Moore, a Brumbies and Wallaby player, at an after-match function in South Africa, and romance blossomed. Thanks to Skype, texting, emails and many phone calls the long distance relationship flourished, and then Steve invited Courtney to visit Australia. As they say, the rest is history. Now married and proud parents to one year old Theodore, the family love living in the nation’s capital.

“For a girl from subtropical Durban, with the beach and the beautiful Indian Ocean on my doorstep, Canberra is a very different kind of city,” says Courtney. “Steve was born in Saudi Arabia of Irish parents who were working there, and spent a few years living in Ireland before the family immigrated to Queensland when he was five. Steve moved to Canberra in 2009 when he joined the Brumbies.

“We love Canberra and the easy lifestyle that it offers,” says Courtney, “and we’re still discovering new places and things to do. Visually it’s a beautiful city, with the Brindabella Mountains in the distance and the lovely tree-lined streets. It’s also a very active and outdoorsy place. I soon realised that although there is no beach, Canberrans love spending energy outside! Just go down to Lake Burley Griffin to see cyclists, joggers, walkers, mums pushing prams and people walking their dogs, windsurfers, rowers, boot camps and yoga classes on the lawns. There are also many beautiful nature trails to hike, with Mt Ainslie and Red Hill being our favourites.”

Courtney admits that there were times when she was lonely. “When I arrived in Canberra I had no friends or family, except for Steve. His career regularly takes him away from home and initially I did spend quite a bit of time on my own. But I was really struck by how people take you under their wing. Our neighbours have been fantastic to us and we’ve become great friends.

“Soon after settling into our new home in the inner south we decided to get a puppy to keep me company,” says Courtney. “Kaiser is a Weimaraner and is very much part of our family. We love how dog friendly Canberra is. Red Hill Nature Reserve is a short walk away and the Yarralumla Dog Park and Red Hill dog group are great places to take Kaiser for exercise, and to meet other dogs and their owners.

“When I was pregnant with Theo walking Kaiser became difficult and I was overwhelmed by the many kind and genuine people who went out of their way to help me. There is a great sense of community here. Neighbours would call to take Kaiser for walks or to drop off dinners, and they would check in to see if I was okay while Steve was away on a rugby trip.

“Now that we have a baby I’ve realised how family friendly Canberra is. With all my relatives in South Africa and being a first time mum, I relied heavily on the local health care system for pre and post natal information and guidance. There truly is an abundance of resources for parents and babies and nearly all services come at no cost.

“As Theo gets older I’m struggling to get through the bucket list of family things to do in Canberra. Besides the parks and playgrounds, there always seems to be something on at Questacon, the Australian National Botanic Gardens, local libraries, schools and pools, or the National Arboretum (and once again, at minimal or no cost).

“In summer we love going for a swim with our dog at Point Hut Crossing near Tidbinbilla. Another great spot for a picnic and quiet time is the Lanyon Homestead, and the lawns of the Yarralumla Yacht Club are a good place in the evenings for fish and chips. Theo loves to crawl on the grass and the views of the lake are great,” says Courtney. “Of course once the rugby season starts Bruce Stadium is a favourite and supporting the Brumbies is a must.”

Courtney and Steve have visited many of the local wineries and their restaurants. “The wine festivals are a great way to explore the wineries and to sample their fare,” says Courtney. “A favourite stop for Steve is Clonakilla Wineries - the owners boast Irish heritage,” she explains with a smile.

“To make the most of Canberra,” suggests Courtney, “you have to embrace it. When you start doing a bit of research you will find there is something fun and interesting to do almost every day of the week.”

“We’ve had wonderful weekends away at the nearby coast and especially enjoy dog-friendly Culburra,” she says. “Canberra has fantastic markets and there are some trendy shops in Braddon which I love to visit, as well as all the galleries, museums, theatres, exhibitions, concerts, restaurants, cafes and nature trails. You might hear people from other states giving Canberra a hard time, saying there isn’t much to do, but honestly, there is! “

Earlier this year Leeanne Honeyball made an interstate move after her application to participate in the ACT Public Service (ACTPS) Graduate Program was successful. She tells us about settling into the nation’s capital ...

Tell us a little about yourself and your family. How long have you lived in Canberra and where did you move from?

Last year I completed studying a dual degree at the University of Queensland, Brisbane. I had been studying for many years with the intent to move to Canberra and work in the public service. My partner, Ashley and I have nine year old boy/girl twins, Tyler and Lilibeth. We moved to Canberra in January this year and we live in Gungahlin.

You are one of a select few participating in the 2013 ACT Public Service (ACTPS) Graduate Program. Tell us about the program and what motivated you to apply for a position?

When I was in my final study year, I specifically searched to see if the ACT Government had a graduate program. I was pleased to discover that it has. The program appeals to me because I wanted a whole-of-government perspective. The fact that Canberra is a city-state provides a rare public service context to work in, one than I knew would provide special opportunities.

The program goes for 10 months and includes three different work rotations. The first rotation starts in the host Directorate where the Graduate is employed. I was lucky enough to be offered a position in the Education and Training Directorate in the Human Resources Branch.

During the second rotation you get to work in another Directorate for 3 months. I went to the Chief Minister and Treasury Directorate working in Public Sector Management. The third rotation you usually go back to your host directorate but work in a different area.

I am currently at the Education and Training Directorate for the remainder of the program and I am working in the Media and Communications team. The variety of work is a positive feature of the program.

As part of the program, I have also been studying the Graduate Certificate in Public Administration through ANZSOG Institute for Governance at the University of Canberra. The program finishes in December and I will be offered a permanent position at the end.

Taking up the ACTPS Graduate Program offer entailed uprooting your family and moving from Brisbane. How have you and family settled in?

It takes a lot of careful planning to move interstate, especially when you have kids.

It was a big task moving out of our home in Brisbane and finding a new home and new school for my twins in Canberra. Luckily, after careful planning we were settled in before I started the Graduate Program and in time for my kids to be enrolled into their new school.

My children and I enjoy catching the bus together. They get off at the school bus stop ahead of me while I continue on the way to work. They have some good friends at school. As a family we are slowly making friends and have some great neighbours.

Tell us about your first impressions and experiences of Canberra.

There are a lot of open spaces and it feels like there is an interesting mix between urban and rural lifestyles.

People are friendly and supportive, very willing to make friends with newcomers which is great. There are also a variety of Facebook groups where you can find information to help with settling in.

Would you recommend Canberra as a great place to raise a family? What places do you enjoy visiting?

I think Canberra is a great place to raise a family. There are a lot of friendly people here and there are many great online communities available to help connect with new people.

We like going to different places both indoors and outdoors. We enjoy going to farmers’ markets and cafes. We have also been to the Royal Australian Mint, the War Memorial, Parliament House, the Arboretum, Gold Creek Village, Questacon, Yerrabi Pond and Tidbinbilla.

The kids have been lucky enough to go to many other places through school and holiday care. We are still discovering all of the things that Canberra has to offer.

Has Canberra surprised you in any way? What do you most like about the city?

I’m surprised by how easy it is to get around here. I don’t feel like I need my car because I have had positive experiences with the bus networks here.

I like that you can travel all over the Territory and that nothing is really ever that far away.

My name is Brent Juratowitch, I am the General Manager and Vice President of Recruitment Systems. I have been in Canberra since 1987, a period of 25 years.

We employ people from a skilled migration background, because one, we find them highly motivated, two, they have a skill set that we often find difficult to fine here in Canberra, three, we are actually a global company so we export around the world, and four, it makes for fantastic lunches around the lunch table.

When I am talking to prospective skilled migrants coming into Canberra, I say that the life style is ideally suited to somebody in their position.  There is a wide variety of different cuisine available, whether its restaurants or supermarkets. Secondly too there is the option to rent and then ultimately buy housing here in the ACT. A number of our skilled migrants have done that as well. There is also, there is no impediment on religious expression. But equally too if you have young children, its a very, very good place to raise children as you have a really, really good education system. 

I would totally recommend that other employers sponsor skilled migrants into their business. It gives you a breadth and diversity of experience and skills in your business, which then just helps you business to grow and expand, particularly globally.