Are you planning to immigrate to Australia? Make your move as seamless as possible by taking care of the following essential checks
Eligibility
Check if you’re eligible to move to Australia by doing eligibility assessment. This is also one way to identify which visa is relevant for you.
Passport
To apply for a visa, your passport must be valid and updated. Triple check the dates and make sure you have at least 6 months validity when processing your visa application.
Finance
Find out whether you can afford to make the move. There are visa fees to pay, flight tickets to buy, and initial living and housing costs to budget for. Make sure you work out the cost estimates and prepare the funds accordingly.
Destination
Australia is massive. You need to pick a destination beforehand based on the quality of life, cost of living, and available employment. Compare cities and territories to help you pick the most suitable destination that you will eventually call home.
Career Options
Once you’ve decided on a location, explore the job market for insights into available jobs, skills and work experience required, and salaries within that industry or territory. Salary expectations in Australia may be vastly different in your home country. Pay will also vary between companies, positions, and, in some cases, gender. Research to get a general idea of how much you should expect to be paid based on your position.
Employment details
You will need a tax file number before you start working. It’s also wise to get an idea of the current tax rate that will be levied on your income. Depending on the bank you choose you have options to do this before or once you arrive in Australia. Opening a bank account in Oz costs almost nothing once you arrive.
Living Arrangement
Renting is a good place to start for most immigrants. Remember Australia’s major cities can be very expensive so if you’re emigrating to Australia with a family, you’ll need to factor in the advantages of location vs cost and commuting. If you can afford to buy a home before you relocate, consider the cost of ownership, including tax implications and mortgage. Our advice would be to research buying options after you arrive as renting or holidaying in a location short term can be very different to living there permanently.
Immigration Agency
Employing the services of a well-established immigration agent can save you time, money and heartache. Make sure the agency you deal with is registered with MARA (Migration Agents Registration Authority of Australia) who are obliged to operate under the MARA code of conduct.
What to do with your home
With these things out of the way, it is time to decide what you should do with your personal belongings and home contents. You have the option to ship everything you own to Australia if you prefer not to sell or part with them. However, you should consider the cost of shipment against the money you can save from not buying new furnishings upon your arrival. It might be financially logical if you sell your possessions for extra money rather than pay expensive shipment fees. Our advice would be to take research some websites in Australia to see how much you can replace items for. Another tip, search gumtree.com in wealthy areas and look on expat websites. When people relocate overseas, they often sell off belongings at a massive discount to raise funds for shipping and relocation. Ready to make that move? Consult with one of registered immigration agent about your options or take our free visa assessment.
