Sunday 21 September 2008

A Guide to the Down Under Expo in Ireland

First held in 2005, the Down Under Expo 2008 is the fourth of its kind. This year, the show will also be incorporating the Working Abroad Expo at its venue: the Industries Hall, RDS, Dublin. The Down Under Expo in Ireland is to take place from the 27th of September from 10.00am to 5.00pm and on the 28th of September from12 Noon to 5.00pm.

A unique event in Ireland, the Down Under Expo has attracted over 20,000 visitors at the combined exhibitions in the last three years and provided assistance to thousands of such visitors interested in emigrating to Australia and New Zealand and starting a new life. This year, the show has also included additional locations like Canada and the Middle East as options for working and living abroad.

Whilst there is free entrance for children below 16 years who are accompanied by adults, other visitors will be required to purchase tickets at €10.00 per person. The show tickets also give guests access to various seminars on travel abroad and also the Adventure Travel and Gap Year Show. Apart from providing relocation services and advice, representatives at the show will also impart financial advice relating to banking, foreign exchange and pension transfers to visitors.

The show will include Recruitment Consultants with job offers from around the world; employers from Australia, New Zealand and other countries will also attend the show along with immigration officers from the New Zealand Government as well as the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenships who will be offering impartial visa advice to interested visitors. The event is to also focus on new features like buying property abroad, studying abroad and international internships. The expo will also include Australian State and Territory Officials discussing visas, jobs, schooling and housing in their respective states and territories.

Held at Ireland's premier venue RDS, the Down Under Expo can be easily accessed by all visitors due to its close proximity to Ireland's capital city. While a local train via Dublin DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transport) which operates from the City Centre to Ballsbridge is a good option, there are a number of bus and taxi services available for those who require alternate means of transport.

Located at a distance of 16 kilometres from the Dublin International Airport, a taxi ride would cost visitors about €30 to €40 while the Aircoach located right outside the airport would cost only €12 return. For those driving down to the venue, RDS offers parking facilities for 2,000 vehicles but recommends that visitors call and check for parking availability prior to arrival. Accommodation near the venue is easy to find as Dublin offers many options in hotels, cosy inns and comfortable bed and breakfasts that will suit the individual requirements of visitors in terms of convenience and cost.

The Down Under Expo is a great opportunity for all those who aspire to work and settle abroad, as it helps visitors to get first hand information from employers and recruiters from abroad. Often, such interactions also translate into a preliminary interview with international recruiters on home ground. Since there is no New Zealand Embassy in Ireland and because Dublin also has no visa office in the Australian Embassy, queries regarding visa applications and immigration to these countries are directly answered by representatives of the Immigration Unit of the Australian High Commission and the Immigration Unit of the New Zealand Government respectively.

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