There is a lot to know about how to migrate to Australia, and we are here to help you with the move.

After you make the decision that you want to migrate to Australia and decide what city you will go to, you must consider a lot more.

Starting with the visa application, obtaining health insurance and packing your bags to finding a job and accommodation.

It might not be as easy as it seems to migrate to Australia, but we are here to help you with this guide.

Before we go ahead with the steps, make sure to join our Moving To Australia Facebook group where you can get advice from expats alike.

How to migrate to Australia – Your step by step guide:

Step 1 to migrate to Australia – Decide what visa you are going to apply for:

It is crucial that you will find out what visa you need first. The right visa will depend on several factors such as the reason for your move, nationality, age and how long you are planning to stay in Australia.

You will most likely be required to provide evidence of:

• funds
• skills and qualifications
• police clearance
• health insurance
• english language test

There are several pathways you can take to obtain an Australian visa. To decide which one will be most suitable for you go to Australian Government site.

Many young travellers obtain Working Holiday Visa and look to extend their stay afterwards.

If you are planning to come to Australia on 417 subclass, make sure to get our ‘Working Holiday Visa Australia Checklist‘.

If you need to do your regional work in Australia read this guide.

Step 2 to migrate to Australia – Get travel insurance and know what healthcare you might need:

Before you move to Australia, you must consider insurance. It is very wise to purchase travel insurance for the duration of your stay.

Many visas require you to have such insurance; therefore, WorldNomads and True Traveller are the best to go with.

Australian healthcare is costly and if you do not have Medicare (Australia’s public healthcare system), you need to be prepared for any emergency.
Australia’s most popular insurance options include Bupa and iSelect.

To get the most suitable insurance cover – go to the Australian Government site.

Step 3 to migrate to Australia – Move your belongings:

Whether you are planning to migrate to Australia for a few months from Ireland, UK, Canada or elsewhere, there are several shipping options available to you.

Send my bag allows you to send smaller items for up to 30kg’s. They have excellent customer service, and we used them ourselves so can highly recommend their service.

You also get 5% discount on shipping with this link. Enjoy!

For larger items, such as your household belongings and more, we recommend Seven Seas Worldwide.

You have the option to ship a container or move a cube. Seven Seas are shipping worldwide and are one of the best on the market.

Step 4 to migrate to Australia – Open a bank account and transfer money the safest and cheapest way:

There are several ways to choose the best bank in Australia after you migrate to Australia, and you can either wait until you arrive or set it up prior.

There is usually no need to open an account in advance but it is entirely your own decision, and some banks won’t let you do so.

With most Australia banks, you can open an account online, over the phone or at the branch.
To open an account, you will be asked to provide personal details such as address, phone number, TFN and sufficient identification.

The most popular banks include Commonwealth, Westpac and NAB. After your bank account is set up, you will be probably looking to transfer money from abroad.

For those type of transactions, we highly recommend CurrencyFair.

We use them for over four years and love their efficiency. They also saved us 100’s of $$$ over the past years on bank fees and exchange rates.

To compare you will typically have to pay 5-6% in fees for bank transfers where with CurrencyFair its less than 0.25%.

You will not only get better exchange rates, lower fees but also first five transfers free by using this link. Sign up now!

We also put together an excellent ‘Money Transfer Guide‘ for your convenience, covering all the major money transfer companies and advising how you can save money.

Step 5 to migrate to Australia – Apply for Tax File Number:

It is straightforward to apply for Tax File Number, and you can do it once you arrive in Australia.

To apply for TFN, you need to have a valid passport, and within 28 days you will be issued with TFN sent to Australian address you have provided on the application.

Apply for TFN online under these conditions:

• You are a foreign passport holder, permanent migrant or temporary visitor.
• You are already in Australia.
• Your visa is one of the following:
  • a permanent migrant visa
  • a visa with work rights
  • an overseas student visa
  • a visa allowing you to stay in Australia indefinitely ( including New Zealanders automatically granted a visa on arrival).

If you meet these criteria, please go to Australian Government ATO site.

To file a tax return we highly recommend taxback.com.

Step 6 to migrate to Australia – Find a job:

Once you have your visa sorted you might be looking for employment before arrival. It is crucial that you have all the resources available to you so you can find your dream job.

The most popular job sites include:

• seek.com.au
• mycareer.com.au
• careerone.com.au

Make sure to join as many Facebook groups for moving to Australia as possible.

Many employers advertise vacancies via social media so make sure to follow them.

If you are an Irish person coming to Australia make sure to check Irisharoundoz.com/jobs site for up to date information.

Step 7 to migrate to Australia – Find suitable accommodation:

Before you migrate to Australia, you must decide what city you will settle in and find a temporary housing there.

When we first arrived in Australia, we booked an apartment with Airbnb for the first few weeks.

If you are new to Airbnb, make sure to use our link to get $54 off your first stay.

There are also other websites where you can find temporary accommodation like Booking.com or Hostelworld.

For a smooth transition, it’s best to book an apartment or a room via Airbnb where you get to know locals who might be very helpful with advice and information they provide.

To rent an apartment, you will generally be asked for previous references, passport details and proof of funds.

Most rentals go quickly, so it is crucial that you are aware of all requirements. Most agents provide open inspections where there is a set time for potential tenants to view the property.

Make sure to get to the place before time as it can get very crowded. If you decide on a home, you will usually be asked for 4-6 weeks rent upfront plus security bond (additional four weeks rent in advance).

Some popular real estate websites include:

• rent.com.au
• domain.com.au
• realestate.com.au

Step 8 to migrate to Australia – Find mobile phone provider:

To pick the best mobile providers, you can check these online comparison sites:

• mobile.com.au
• mobilecentral.com.au
• or google compare mobile options

All major cities have good network coverage. However, we found that mobile coverage in the outback can have little to no coverage.

Make sure to check details with several network providers before deciding to go with any company and their plan.

Telstra has by far the best network coverage in the country. We went with Optus however, as their data plans were excellent at the time.

Make sure to also check Vodafone and Virgin Mobile for the best deals before signing up for anything.

Step 9 to migrate to Australia – Know the driving rules in Australia:

Australian driving licence requirements vary from state to state. In most cases, you are allowed to drive in Australia for up to three months or until your licence is current.

Some states also require you to carry international drivers licence along with your current foreign permit.

Depending on which country you are from and what state you are heading to, different rules may apply.

To get the most accurate information, please visit the Australian Government site here.

If you are looking to purchase a car in Australia, head to carsales.com.au.  This website compares cars and will give you an idea of what’s out there and what price you need to expect to pay for a car.

We highly recommend that you first rent a car and drive around dealerships as they consistently have new and used cars come and go.

If you are on a tight budget, look at dealership websites in the evenings and if you see something, go there as soon as they are open and ask for a test drive.

Also, make sure that you have the cash to be able to pay for the car if you like it.

There is indeed a lot to organise when migrating to Australia, this guide, however, will help you with settling in the land down under.

Make sure to join as many moving to Australia communities to help you with the information you might need.