"Melbourne embraces everyone, offering endless opportunities and a wide range of choices."
In 2012, Abdul Rehman Mohammad moved from Pakistan to Melbourne for university. He was attracted to Melbourne's reputation as one of the world's most liveable cities and The University of Melbourne’s teaching quality ranking. After completing a Bachelor of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Abdul Rehman worked in research before deciding to pursue a Master’s in Information Technology. Although the transition to IT was initially challenging, his strong mathematical and analytical skills gained during his undergraduate degree helped him succeed.
After graduating in 2020, Abdul Rehman joined a research group at the University of Melbourne. He helped create software for applied, healthcare and social sciences. In 2022, he started working for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and plays a key role in the development of the ABC Emergency web app. This app provides reliable local emergency information to the public. His team are also involved in the state and federal elections, where they serve accurate data to the website, apps and live feed, all of which are an important source of information during election coverage. He feels proud of the work he is doing because many people rely on it every day, whether it be for the news, weather or emergency updates.
Abdul Rehman learnt about the Skilled Migration Visa Nomination Program through the Live in Melbourne newsletter and submitted his Registration of Interest in August 2022. After applying for the visa in October 2022, he secured permanent residency just two months later. He did not expect the process to be as straightforward as it was and is grateful for the quality of life he has in Melbourne.
The experience of living in Melbourne has been amazing for Abdul Rehman and the city's international and diverse atmosphere helped him to make a smooth transition into the community. Melbourne's many parks and reputation as a safe city makes it easy for him to stay active, and he enjoys running, playing soccer and exploring the outdoors at any time of day. He also discovered a lively sporting culture in Melbourne and attends games at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) for both Australian Rules Football and cricket.
Abdul Rehman believes, “Melbourne embraces everyone, offering endless opportunities and a wide range of choices.” He suggests that newly arrived migrants should “consider engaging in Melbourne's events, as it is a great way to meet people and become a part of the community.” Looking ahead, Abdul Rehman has both professional and personal goals. He aspires to advance his career in the IT industry and dreams of settling down in Melbourne, buying a house and eventually becoming a citizen.
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