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Moving to Australia

Relocating to the Land Down Under

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Are you moving to Australia and need more information on how to make this dream into a reality? This page discusses how to get work and visas in Australia, what the culture is like and everything else that you need to know before immigrating to Australia. If you would like to find out how much your move to Australia may cost, take a look at our international moving costs page.

Top Movers to Australia

Are you searching for movers to Australia? You’re in the right place. Take a look at the 3 best international removal companies from South Africa to Australia:

1. Advance Worldwide Removals

2. South African Relocations

3. Execu-Move

Not sure which mover suits you best? Compare quotes with up to 5 professional moving companies for free. Just click below!

Are You Planning a Move to Australia?
Request up to five free moving quotes to do so!

Work and Visas in Australia

One of the first things that you need to organise before you book you flights is to organise you visas and knowing how to find work. This section will explain how you can do this. If you need more help on selecting an international moving company, take a look at our top 10 international movers list.

Moving to Australia

Visas in Australia

You will need to already have a visa already before moving to Australia. Here are the most common visas that expats apply for to become a permanent resident in Australia:

  • Family-Stream Permanent Visa
  • Work-Stream Permanent Visa
  • Business/Investor-stream Permanent Visa

For permanent work visas in Australia, you may only be eligible if you have an Australian employer who sponsors you or you have skills that Australia values.

Visas vary in processing times, so we advise you to get your visa application underway as soon as possible. If you need to find out more about work visas in Australia, then the Australian Home Affairs website has a full list of the potential visas that may fit you.

Are You Planning a Move to Australia?
Request up to five free moving quotes to do so!

Working in Australia

It is becoming more and more popular for expats to move to Australia for work. If you’re one of those people, then you’ll have to make sure you have:

  • An Australian Tax File Number
  • Australian bank account
  • Work Visa

You can only apply for a TFN once you are living in Australia and you have a visa. Once you have all these things in place, then you can begin to work in Australia!

Finding work in Australia is relatively easy; the sectors with the most sought after workers include healthcare, engineering, accounting and IT professionals. If you’d like to find work before moving to Australia, then these websites would be a good place to start:

Culture in Australia

If you need more of an idea what it is like living in Australia, then read on to find out about healthcare, living costs and more.

Living Costs in Australia

It’s important to be prepared for what you can expect the living costs to be like before moving to Australia. You will have to be prepared that moving to Australia will mean your living costs will be substantially higher, especially if you’re planning on moving to big cities like Sydney and Melbourne. To give you an idea, visit numbeo, where you can choose your city and compare it to any other city in the world.

Moving to Australia, Sydney

Housing in Australia

When it comes to housing in Australia, there are several ways how you can find your dream home. Whether you’re looking for an apartment, a house or a ranch in the outback, we recommend finding somewhere to rent before you move. This way, once you are there, you can get to know the area and get a better idea as to what you want.

To find out more, read this article to find out more on the Australian property market.

Healthcare in Australia

After immigrating to Australia, you will be happy to find that healthcare in Australia will offer you a wide range of services. The Medicare scheme provides free care in public hospitals and to subsidised medicines. Medicare costs vary dependant on the level of your income. Every resident in Australia has access to medicare, as an expat you must sign up within 7-10 days of your arrival if wanting to take advantage of their health care. You will then receive a Medicare card within 3 weeks.

Most residents also have private health insurance, which covers dentists, physiotherapy and optical care. The biggest health insurance companies are:

  • Hospital Contribution Fund (HCF)
  • Medibank Private
  • Medical Benefit Funds (MBF)
  • National Mutual Health Insurance

Moving to Australia Checklist

This section covers all the things that you will need to take into consideration before moving to Australia.

Moving costs to Australia

Size of Household Time to Move Cost of Move
1 bed flat 6-10 weeks 35,000R-59,500R
2 bed house 4-7 weeks 47,100R-78,700R
3 bed house 4-7 weeks 83,900R-138,000R

Above you can see the moving costs from Cape Town to Sydney via sea. There are many factors that influence the price of moving. For more information, read our container shipping prices page.

The best way you can find out how much your move will cost is to request quotes. Fill out our quick and easy form to receive up to five no obligation removal quotes!

Transporting pets to Australia

You can import you cat or dog to Australia, but you will need to apply for an import permit and satisfy certain requirements before transporting your pet. The animal should have a passport that includes the following information:

  • Vaccinations: If your pet needs to be vaccinated again, this must be done at least three weeks before entering Australia.
  • Data about the health of the animal.
  • Information on legalisation, so that the pet can be transported outside the EU.

Transporting vehicles to Australia

If you want to transport your car to Australia, you can only do this when it is in your possession for at least a year. Also, you will need an import permit to be allowed entry. If you’re moving to Australia and can’t bear to leave your car behind, we recommend that it is done by a moving company as they will have experience and knowledge on the specific requirements.

What Next?

Now you are better prepared for moving to Australia, what now? If you found this page useful, then these other articles below may be of interest to you.