Hi all,
I am a new to this site and Italy. I am from Sydney, Australia, and moved to Milan at the start of October 2010 (well it's actually a town around 20km out of Milan). I moved because my girlfriend is Italian and as you all know Italians are very close to their families so I had to come to Italy, not that I'm complaining 
.
Anyway, I wanted any advice on how an Australian (that doesn't speak Italian yet) would get work or where to look. I had a good job back in Australia and can survive without work for at least a year but I am already worried as I am not a "professional" so to speak and have been doing administration and book keeping, mostly my own businesses. I have heard of people getting great jobs easily in Milan without knowing Italian but they have all been IT professionals. I have a British passport so am legally able to work in Europe.
One last question was regarding the Italian driving license, aparently Italy will not convert the Australian driving license to an Italian and you have to sit the entire test again like you are back in high school I also was told that they will not assist people that don't speak the language anymore. Has anyone done the driving tests here, is it anything to worry about? I have an international driving license but have also heard it isn't valid if your are residing in Italy (I have also been told I am not officially residing in Italy until I get a job so I don't know where I'm residing to tell you the truth .
Ok, enough of my ranting and molte grazie to anyone that can give any advice.
buongiorno
Jobs and car license??
Hi rainman8!
Welcome on Expat-blog! I hope other members will be able to advice you.
I wish you good luck.
Christine
hi rainman!
whefre is you town?
i am not really sure but i was thinking, as you hold a british passport and australia and the uk are member of the Commonwealth it might be that tehre are special agreements between australia nd uk. so maybe u can convert ur driving license into a british one and aftr u get the british just into the italian ?
might be a trick, maybe call the british consulate and ask if it is possib le to conevrt an australian drivilng licnense into a british one.
do you have any academic background?
maybe you can teach english in the meanwhile...
to reside in italy u have to register at the comune, i suggest you to do that. unless you are still in italy as a tourist.
Thanks Marco,
I thought of getting a British drivers license and then converting to an Italian but you have to be a resident in the UK. I don't know if there are any loopholes I could use.
I have an Advanced Diploma in computer programming, but that was 10 years ago and I only worked in the field for around 5 months then went back to book keeping. I might start up a business down the track, it's very difficult when you don't speak the language so have to make that a priority.
Think I have to get a job first and then go to the commune to register as a resident? Not sure, I am just going by what my girlfriend told me as I got her to check this out before I came.
Anyway, probably talk again. Thanks again and buongiorno!!
If you can test for your drivers license before January you will be able to do it in English but after the 1st of January the test will only be offered in Italian. The written (actually computer) test is tricky and requires studying. Also you will have to drive again and be tested on that. From what I've been told you can take the test 3 times after you pay (the driving is one test and the written is one test so basically you will be able to redo one if you fail without having to pay all over again). I know when I took mine I had to have my passport, residency permit (permesso di sigorno) and my Italian ID card (Carta d'Identita) before they would give me my drivers license. Good luck
Hi there,
My name is Cathy and I moved to Milan in July with my family from Australia.
Freaking out about the license, aparently you have one year to sit for your exam. I thought that you could have assistance because of the language (i do not speak aa word of Italian), so now I am in panic mode...
Regarding residence, extremely long process, we had help from my husbands company, started 4 months ago and still going. Keep eye on internet for jobs, find english magazines such as "Easy Milano", you can advertise yourself for work, there are also jobs posted here for english mother tongue?
Good luck
Regards
Cathy
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