Australia is one of the most popular expat destinations. Many students, professionals and retirees come to Australia each year, and many of them decide to stay here. Australia is a beautiful country. High quality of life, thousands of beaches, great climate and friendly people make this country a great place to live. If you are thinking about moving to Australia, there are several important things to consider.
The Most Popular Cities for Expats
Most expats come to live in big cities. This actually makes sense. Big cities can offer you more job opportunities. Perth is one of the most popular cities for expatriates. The metropolitan area of Perth is isolated, but this city is still very attractive. Great climate and well-developed mining industry keep attracting foreign workers. There are also many job opportunities for teachers and doctors.
Learn more about the cost of living in Perth.
Working in Australia
Workplaces in Australia are considered less formalized than in most other countries. Individual performance and initiative are encouraged in business.
Taxes and Benefits
Before you even get a job, you need to apply for a TFN (tax file number). You can do this online, through the website of the ATO (Australian Taxation Office). Every person (temporary visitors, permanent migrants, and foreign students) need to have this number.
If you are a temporary resident, you won’t be eligible for benefits. Even if you have a permanent visa, you won’t get any benefits in the beginning. You will have to live in Australia for at least two years to get benefits. If you are a permanent migrant, this waiting-period won’t affect your entitlement to Medicare support.
If you are a foreign employee and have a temporary work visa, you can get LAFHA – “Living away from home allowance”.
Visa Requirements
There are several visa types. The requirements for each of those vary, but there are some basic requirements every applicant should meet.
• You should be under 45.
• If English is not your native language, you will need to have OET or IELTS score, or you can apply for English classes (in Australia) before your arrival.
• Your qualifications should match the Australian Skilled Occupation List.
• You will need to have a medical certificate. Before you come to Australia, you must visit the Australian embassy in your home country and get a list of government-approved medical professionals.
• You will also have to submit a penal clearance certificate.
• You will need to sign the Australian Values Statement.
• People who have job offers in this country will apply for an ESM visa (Employer Sponsored Migration visa.) These visas include both permanent and temporary visas.
• If you don’t have a job offer in this country, you will need to prove that your skills are needed in Australia.
For more information, visit Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
To find out more about expat life in Australia, you can visit:
Australian Diaspora
More than 1,000,000 Australian citizens live outside the country. Most of these people left Australia to find employment in some other country. Nearly two thirds of Australian expats are managers, professionals or administrative workers. One third of Australian expats live in the UK. The United States and New Zealand are other popular destinations for Australian expatriates.
In some countries, like Egypt, Costa Rica, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, there are retirement colonies of Australian expats.
Australian Expats in the U.S.
Many Australian scientists and experts find great job opportunities overseas. Ten years ago, there were more than 100,000 Australian expats residing in the U.S. Most of them were in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Washington DC.