Moving to Australia – Tips & Relocation Guide for Expats

Stunning landscapes, vibrant cities, dynamic regional centers, and a high-quality professional culture allow you to enjoy Australia fully.

Australian cities consistently rank in the top 10 most livable cities. As one of the world’s happiest nations, Australia has one of the most well-known and envied lifestyles regarding carefree living.

If you desire to be part of this highly sophisticated environment and significantly improve your lifestyle by moving to Australia, then IMovingTo will make sure to take care of your international moving process.

Social Life, Culture & Climate in Australia

Australia is a multicultural nation rooted in liberal democratic traditions that uphold informality and equality as fundamental societal principles. Although it’s a highly diversified country, the familiar spirit and attitude of the Australian way of life are genuinely distinctive and unite everyone.

Australians dearly respect friendship and are usually open in their greetings. That’s why most newcomers immediately integrate and build friendships after moving here.

Along with the pleasant social attitudes of Australians, the climatic conditions of this country are also impressive. In particular, the Southern Coast of Australia is characterized by the most pleasant weather.  Between December and February, temperatures usually range from the mid to high twenties (70° to 80°F).

Tropical weather prevails in the North and Northwest, with rarely occurring summer monsoons and considerable amounts of rainfall. Australia enjoys moderate, occasionally rainy winters from June to August, with temperatures rarely dropping below 10°C (50°F). 

Cost of Living in Australia

Even though the high quality of life makes Australia very livable, this standard of living comes with a cost. The cost of living in Australia is usually higher than in the home country for expats relocating from Europe.

In addition to having high living expenses, foreigners in Australian cities also discover that their income is lower than their tax obligations. Outside of Sydney and Melbourne, life can be relatively reasonable. However, a good starting point for a modest lifestyle for an individual is to spend $600 per week.

In Australia, each family spends about $2,200 per week. The average weekly cost of food and dining out is $400, followed by home loans or rent at $600, and insurance and other financial services at $200.

Prices may vary depending on the location you choose to relocate to, but using these numerical identifiers will help you understand the integral costs of living.

• General bills (electricity, Water, Heating, Cooling, Garbage) for a small apartment: 207.45 AUD     
• Monthly transport pass: 152.09 AUD
• Three-course meal for 2 individuals in a mid-range restaurant: 100 AUD
• Cinema ticket: 20 AUD

Types of Visas to Move to Australia

Depending on your circumstances, you may apply for various Australian visa types. The most common way to obtain a residence permit (provisional or permanent) in Australia is to be a working expert. Knowledgeable entrepreneurs and investors who satisfy the requirements could obtain Australia’s self-employment permit, known as the Business Talent visa.

Australia offers a variety of Visa options for different types of professionals. Some of these visas could potentially result in temporary or permanent citizenship.

• Employer Nomination Scheme visas (ENS) – enable qualified employees chosen by their employers to reside and work permanently in Australia.
• The Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa (RSMS) – enables skilled professionals designated by their employer to live and work permanently in Australia.
• Skilled self-governing visas – are available to New Zealand residents and requested workers with the qualifications necessary to live and work in Australia permanently.
• Nominated accomplished workers may remain and work in Australia as long-term residents with a skilled specified visa.
• When an Australian resident is unavailable, a corporation may assist an appropriate expert worker with a provisional skill scarcity visa.
• There is a skilled local visa for accomplished employees who want to stay and work in provincial Australia.
• A temporary visa – allows you to work in the country in a specialist capacity for a limited period.
• Temporary work visa for international relations – a provisional permit to work under structured approaches that assess Australia’s international relations.
• A permanent visa – is for people with an internationally recognized history of great achievement in their work, the arts, sports, or academia.

How to Find Accommodation In Australia?

Australia is an expensive location to live in, yet there are housing options for every price range. A greater value can be found in remote locations or the suburbs distant from the city centers than in waterfront districts of large cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth.

The best places to start your property search are on the Internet or at real estate agencies. The 2 most popular rental property websites are Domain and Real Estate, which offer listings for all major Australian cities and let you refine your search by price.

You will need to spend from AUD 250 to AUD 500 per week if you want to rent an apartment on your own. If you’re willing to share a home, the cost may be between AUD 100 and AUD 250 weekly. Flatmates and Flatmate Finder are two of the most widely used online house matching services.

Healthcare & Insurance in Australia

One of the most comprehensive healthcare systems in the world is provided by Australia. The country has a universal public and private healthcare system with various private options. The citizens here have free or affordable access to the public health system.

Due to the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia makes Medicare accessible to expats from 11 other countries.

Expats who comply with the requirements can register with the public system no later than 1 week after arriving in Australia. You can register for Medicare online or in person at a Medicare office, and the procedure can take up to a month.

They will need to meet the following requirements in order to register and provide their Medicare card:

• A passport
• Travel documents
• Permanent visa

It should be emphasized that private health insurance enables people to access services that Medicare does not cover and lets people avoid long wait periods for non-urgent procedures. As a result, half of Australia’s population also has additional private insurance.

Manage Banking, Taxes & Finances

The expats who aim to open a bank account in Australia should consider all their options as interest rates differ among banks. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia, ANZ Bank, Westpac, and National Australia Bank are the country’s 4 major banks. Opening a bank account in Australia is a simple procedure.

Expats who move to Australia will eventually deal with the Australian Tax Office. After spending 183 days in Australia during a tax year, expats are eligible to be taxed as residents.

The country has a progressive tax system, indicating that the amount of tax a person pays is based on personal income. Expats may also be required to pay the Medicine Levy in addition to income tax.

Career Opportunities for Expats in Australia

Here is a list of the top 5 industries in Australia where career opportunities are quite excellent if you are looking for employment.

• Healthcare and Social Assistance
• Healthcare and Social Assistance
• Expert, technical, and scientific services
• Food and Housing Services

Out of all promoted positions across Australia, sales, actuarial, and technical IT positions are the most difficult to fill. Therefore, it’s recommended to consult with a career adviser if you are searching for work.

You can visit the following sites to receive complete information on this matter:

• Career Development Association of Australia
• Career Advice Australia
• My Future
• Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
• Relationships Australia
• Lifeline

How to Relocate Your Household Goods & Pets?

Australia’s remote location tends to make shipping both by air and water expensive. Other alternatives include international mail and post. The country’s ports are effective and well-managed, and shipping goods is usually hassle-free due to the location of many of its significant cities along the coast.

If you’ve owned your household things for at least 1 year and your personal belongings don’t cost more than 900 AUD, you can import them duty-free. It is advisable to keep receipts and insurance documentation with you in case you need to confirm the time frame and possession.

Australia has very strict import restrictions in order to protect its biodiversity. Prohibited or restricted goods include cigarettes, pesticides, narcotics, firearms, and endangered plant and animal species.

Pet imports are subject to severe guidelines since all cats and dogs should be microchipped, vaccinated, and placed in quarantine for at least 10 days upon arrival.

Things You Should Know Before Moving to Australia

Australia is an amiable and welcoming country, and international expats may be found in all the major cities. The country’s outdoor culture encourages people to attend athletic events, barbecues, or social gatherings with others who have similar interests.

Australia has a land area of almost 3 million square miles. In terms of size, it is even comparable to Europe, as a map of Australia would almost cover the whole surface of a map of Europe. To see the entire country, you probably need considerable time and energy.

Even though English is Australia’s official language, you really have to start over because of the prevalence of slang.

Some parts of Australia have scorching summer temperatures reaching well over 40°C. Above Australia, the ozone layer is thin, and as a result, the Australian sun is incredibly strong.

You may be required to retake your driving test in Australia before you are allowed to drive there, depending on where you got your original driving license.

Pros & Cons of Moving to Australia

Pros

High standard of living

Australia frequently appears on rankings of the world’s best places to live.

This is caused by various elements, such as the state’s outstanding healthcare and educational institutions, high average incomes, and low crime rate.

Wonderful work-life balance

Australia is a preferred destination if you search for a country with an outstanding work-life balance.

 

Australians have the world’s shortest workweeks and longest vacation days, as in Australia, a full-time employee usually works 38 hours a week. That is far less than the 40-hour global average. Moreover, Australians are eligible to take, on average 20 days off from work each year.

Excellent health care

Australia’s residents have access to high-quality, reasonably priced healthcare thanks to the country’s public healthcare system. 

 

The system is supported by taxes and offers a variety of benefits, such as hospitalization, doctor visits, and prescription medication.

 

Moving to Australia doesn’t require expats to give up their health. In fact, having the choice between public and private insurance may result in higher-quality healthcare.

Cons

Inconvenient traveling

Australia is a beautiful place to live. However, it’s not ideal if you want to travel abroad as the country is pretty isolated, and getting there and back can be very expensive.

 

For instance, a flight across the country from Sydney to Perth can cost more than $1000.

 

You should anticipate paying significantly more if you plan to travel outside of Australia. Therefore, Australia might not be the greatest country for you if traveling is a part of your lifestyle.

Complicated process of obtaining a visa

You should pass a variety of character and medical examinations before being granted a visa to Australia.

While the purpose of the character test is to determine whether you have acceptable ethics and are unlikely to commit a crime, the objective of the medical examination is to check out any illnesses or disorders that might endanger the health of Australian citizens.