FAQs — Ioana On The Coast

Frequently Asked Questions

How did you end up in Australia?!

This is by faaar the most frequently asked question I get and it’s a LONG story.

I made a TikTok about it if you want to know the details but basically:

I met an Australian boy in Montreal.
His Canadian visa was expiring and he was moving back to Australia in November.
We hit it off & 7 months later I applied for a Working Holiday Visa and we moved to Melbourne together!
We spent 5 years together, I applied for the Partner Visa, bought a dog, moved across the country, and then eventually broke up in 2021.
I got PR in 2020 and stayed in Australia!

Is it hard to get permanent residency/citizenship in Australia?

This is a hard question to answer ‘cause it’s really different for everyone!

Immigrating to Australia is definitely not an easy feat compared to other countries. For example, I think it’s much easier to get PR in Canada!

It took me 3 years to get Australian PR and in that time I had to apply for countless Bridging Visas to stay in the country & couldn’t visit my family without notifying the Australian government whenever I was leaving.

If you really want to move to Australia and are taking it seriously, I strongly recommend getting an immigration lawyer or agent!

Are you really 42 years old?

Hahahah noooo, but I’m not far off! 😏

What do you do for work?

I have a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Art History from McGill University. My first job out of university was as a technical writer for a software company in Montreal!

Then I moved on to freelancing as a content specialist. AKA I made and managed content (e.g. articles, blog posts, website content, social media, etc.) for clients.

Then I worked in Australian media as an editor and journalist for a well-known Aussie media company!

And now I’m back to freelancing as a content creator/specialist!

Do you have any advice for anyone trying to move to Australia or Canada?

Again, this is a super hard question because everyone’s situation is different, BUT if you really want to move to a different country I strongly suggest you:

Do your research.
Spend some time there before deciding to move permanently! Try a Work/Holiday visa and see how you like it before hopping into a long-term commitment.
Don’t chase someone to another country! Although I don’t regret moving to Australia, I wish I would’ve made the decision on my own terms, and not because I was in a relationship with someone. But again, everyone is different!
GET AN IMMIGRATION LAWYER!

I also wrote this blog post about moving to Australia where I basically reiterate the above, but with more helpful resources!

Your dog is so cute, what breed is he/what’s his name/how old is he/etc. etc.?

Marshall is a 4-year-old DOUBLE DOODLE (he’s a Groodle/Goldendoodle + Labradoodle mix!) lil menace. He was born in Morwell, Victoria. He’s my best pal.