Moving to Australia: Dealing with Visas, Money, and Work

Australia has a romantic appeal to a lot of international travelers. The land down under is modern and highly developed, offering high culture and rich living in the cities. It also offers endless opportunities for adventure and exploration along Australia’s coastline and interior. But moving to Australia for an extended period of time can bring logistical and legal difficulties.

The first hurdle is acquiring the appropriate visa. While Australia has a reputation for being exclusive in its immigration policy, getting a Working Holiday or Work and Holiday visa is not too difficult (as long as you don’t get the names of these two separate programs confused—you can get one or the other depending on your country of origin). These offer people between 18 and 31 up to a year in the country, working for a maximum of six months for each employer and studying for a maximum of four months. Applications can be filled out online and cost $365. That may sound like a lot, but a dollar a day keeps the immigration officials away.

The Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship, which offers these visas, can also provide advice on finding employment, navigating the legality of different options, and understanding your rights as an employee. Many visitors to Australia find work in the hospitality industry, as teachers, nannies, and au pairs, or in agriculture. Job placement services are available (for a fee), or the usual advice for finding jobs through advertisements and personal contacts apply. Pay is generally good (though not always enough to make up for the high cost of living in most Australian cities), and you can either set up a bank account once you arrive or

On the subject of money, you may find it easy to set up a local account, or perhaps to transfer money abroad with an international or offshore account. This depends on your income, country of origin, what currency (or currencies) you want to be saving in, and other factor. With any international work, it can often be easier and more profitable to set up an offshore account. These generally allow you to have different currencies stored in different accounts in order to avoid exchange rate fluctuations that can seriously dampen your income, provide 24/7 online and phone support, and offer competitive interest rates. Banks such as LloydsTSB International can make a big difference if you want to maximize the profit that you end up taking home after living in Australia for a time.

If you plan to move to Australia permanently, you face significantly more hurdles. Obtaining citizenship is a lengthy process, requiring first securing a visa that permits you to stay in the country indefinitely (a feat in itself). You must reside in the country for four years without leaving the country for more than a year in that period, and not for three months in the last year. Alternatively, meet an attractive Australian and marry them—your path to citizenship will be made much easier.

Whatever you decide, you’ll find that living in Australia provides you with a great lifestyle. Once your visa and job are sorted out, you can enjoy the conveniences of a modern lifestyle, good pay, and the adventure of settling in a brand new country.