1) Get all of your paper work in order as soon as you can i.e. visa application forms and the info that goes with it basically once you have confirmation get going on it.
2) Make sure you have sought approval from the school board and a letter of writing gets to them stating your intentions etc.
3) Bring as many resources with you on flash drive, as you never know what will be available when you get there.
4) Save lots of money; everything will run you approximately 25% higher give or take the exchange rate.
5) Save all your receipts you can use them next year to claim travel expenses for the following year. (have heard conflicting information about this – if anyone has experience and details, would love to hear it!)
6) travel light if you can depending on where you are located. We brought way too many clothes, bring your favourites leave the rest at home.
7) I highly recommend breaking up the trip by spending a few days somewhere along the way.
Hi Miles I believe these our my comments: Regarding the receipts for income tax purposes we were in fact able to claim our airfare and some other travel expenses directly related to the journey to and from Australia. We hired an accountant to help us file which I would strongly recommend. I will be speaking about my experiences at this years SAGE Conference under the MMYA group.
Thanks for the clarification, Jeremy! I’m signed up for your SAGE session. Excited to hear more about your experiences.
Yes, some great advice there. I had a terrible time with Revenue Canada because I ticked the wrong box on my return. Make sure you show that you are deemed as resident or your return will end up going to International sector and will incur much delay. Best bet is to consult an accountant who knows what they are doing.