As the old saying goes….when life gives you Lemons….move to the land of sun, sea & BBQs that is Australia.
But moving across town can be stressful, moving across the World can be...well...even more stressful (but more exciting). Luckily for you we've already done the move from Europe to Oz so to help out, we've put together a list of what you need to know for your move Down Under.
Visas
Most people tend to come over on the 457 Working Holiday which gives you 2 years for us Europeans (provided you complete your 88 days of farm work) and 3 years for those of you from the UK. The 457 is the easiest visa to get, with most applications accepted and processed within 24 hours. Another perk on the WH visa is you are only taxed at 15% on your first $37k, how good!
One major consideration with the 457 is that if you plan on staying for the full 2 years and you aren't pushed about getting sponsored within your first year, you will have to complete 88 days of farm work in rural Australia. Generally, accountants and consultants have no issues getting sponsored but if you are someone who fancies spending a few months on a farm with no responsibilities other than picking fruit, farm work could be for you! The big question here is when to do it, when you arrive in the country or at another stage during your first year. Personally I think the winter months are the best, its a bit cooler and Australia really comes to life between September and May!
Once in the country on the 457, you can start to look for permanent roles and sponsorship if you fancy staying in Australia for more than 2 years (99% of people will want to stay but don't quote me on that!).
From the 457, you can then move onto the employee sponsored (417 or 482) which gives you 2 - 4 years in the country. It is a bit of a myth that you are stuck with the employer which sponsors you. I went through the process of changing employers; it is seamless and doesn't cost your new employer much to take on your visa.
There are many other visa options out there, some people come straight in on a 417 or 482 sponsored visa, others even straight onto a PR visa. Check out our other blog on visas or get in touch with us to discuss your options.
Living situation
Sydney v Melbourne?...or Brisbane and Perth? Beach side living or city life? Bondi or Manly? These are some of the first questions you'll need to face into when you arrive in Australia.
The first question you should probably ask yourself is if you are someone who wants to live by the beach in a chilled, relaxed environment (Sydney) or you prefer the hustle and bustle of a city like Melbourne. Sydney's got the glitzy beaches and great weather while Melbourne has the better nightlife, great food, restaurants and a city which feels inherently European.
In Sydney, ex-pats like myself tend to live somewhere in the Eastern suburbs (if you're Irish…it's got to be Coogee), closer to the City in somewhere like Surry Hills or in Manly which is in the Northern Beaches. A lot of the time you will choose your suburbs based on where your friends live.
Personally, I did my first year in Darlinghurst and I'm glad I experienced city life….but I love the beach! I love being walking distance from the sea, coastal walks and beach bars such as the Coogee Bay Hotel…. it also helps that most of my friends live out here.
In Melbourne, people tend to move to areas like St. Kilda (especially the Irish), in Fitzroy or Brunswick (great nights out, very artsy) or closer to the action around Chapel Street in the city. Again, your options are endless in Melbourne with most suburbs having great restaurants, bars and amenities to choose from.
My advice would be to decide what kind of lifestyle you want (Beach or City vibes) and then pick the city and suburb that suits you best...
Driving situation
Luckily enough you can easily transfer your UK/Irish licence into an Australian licence. Technically you are suppose to transfer it over within 6 months of entering the county..
BE AWARE when driving that speeding fines in Australia are absolutely out of this world…and there are cameras EVERYWHERE! So unless you want to cop a 600$ fine for speeding….slow down when on the roads
Healthcare (more relevant for those moving from the UK)
One of the requirements of getting a long term visa is that you need health insurance. There are a number of providers here which offer competitive rates…Check out www.comparethemarket.com.au or www.iselect.com.au for options and compare prices for the plan which suits you.
Phone contracts
One of the relatively cheap start up costs in Australia is getting a phone contract. Providers such a Telstra and Optus offer contracts for 40$ or so per month and should cover everything you need. A tip for those of us missing the Premier League back home is that one of the great benefits of picking Optus is that they show every game live (and highlights) on their app Optus Sport - you can easily sync this up to your TV and watch live sport every weekend…
As always, feel free to reach out if you are considering a move to Australia.
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