Immigration to Australia

Traveling information

Since September’22 traveling requirements concerning Covid-19 has changed. Vaccination documents are no longer needed to be produced at the entry or exit destinations in Australia. Masks are also not compulsory on flights. Under the Australia’s vaccination program, every citizen in Australia as well as international travelers can get Covid-19 vaccine free of charge.

Visa is required to enter Australia except Australian Passport holders, who do not need visa to enter Australia. Those who hold New Zealand passport can travel to Australia without visa, however they need to get visa on arrival at the airport. For travelers who are in transit through Australia also require visa. Entry to Australia will be denied if you have a criminal record with any country and also if there is a re-entry ban.

The visitors and travellers from the US, Canada, Hong Kong, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Japan can get online ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) on immi.homeaffairs.gov.au, which will cost approximately US$18.50 (20AUD). Check for eligibility and terms of the visa from the above mentioned website.

By Flights: 

Australia has nearly 13 international airports in Australia. The 5 biggest & busiest in terms of passenger movements are Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide. In all Australia has over 600 airports including international, domestic, military, private etc. Qantas is the flag carrier of Australia and the largest airline in Australia by fleet size. Qantas is nicknamed as the “The Flying Kangaroo” and is in operation since 1920. Qantas flies to & fro to almost every popular destination in the world. To book and check flights schedules from your present destination, log on to the official website www.qantas.com. The cheapest destination to fly to Australia is from New Zealand and it takes approximately 6 hours. 

By Sea: 

There are cruises from New Zealand and Pacific Islands to Melbourne and Sydney in Australia. 

By Train: 

The TransAlpine train services from Australia to New Zealand, which is one of the most iconic train journeys where travellers will enjoy incredible sights of white sand beaches, winding fjords, rainforest, river valleys and beautiful landscapes.

People

Australia is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse nations. It has a population of over 25 million people owing to the large number of immigrants moving to Australia every year. Local Residents are very friendly and welcoming. People here enjoy a balanced lifestyle. Family and party times plays an important part of Australians.

Australians are passionate about sports. The Australian rules football or Aussie rules is a game invented by the Australians. They also enjoy swimming, surfing, sailing, soccer, cricket, tennis, bowling green & rugby.  Australians love Coffee and you will find coffee shops everywhere. This is the best destination for you if you are also a Coffee Lover.

How to immigrate  to Australia

Australia has a non-discriminatory immigration policy and in the past 2 decades between 76,000 to 120,000 immigrants arrived each year in Australia in mainly four categories:  Skilled migrants, Family reunion, Humanitarian migration and Special migration.

Since 1920s Australia is accommodating migrants from all over the world especially couples. The migration agents actively assist people who would like to travel here no matter from which country they are.

Australian offers Partner Visa for partners married to permanent/citizens of Australia. Visa can be procured for people who are in living relationships (de-facto relationship). A person can also get visa if he/she wants to visit Australia to get married to an Australian.

There are different types of visas that you can get in Australian depends upon your use. The list of Visas is: 

• Visitor Visa – There are 6 categories in the Visitor Visa.
• Studying and Training Visa – There are 3 categories in this
• Family and Partner Visa – There are 23 categories in this
• Working and Skilled Visas- There are 24 categories in this
• Refugee and Humanitarian Visa – There are 5 categories in this
• Other Visas- There are 13 categories in this
• Repealed Visa- There are 46 categories in this 

For more information of Getting a Visa for Australia see: immi.homeaffairs.gov.au

Job offers in Australia

Australia offers lots of jobs opportunities to skilled migrates. Skilled foreign workers are needed in many sectors, hence the Australian government has announced the 2022-23 migration program. Under this plan Australia plans to increase its immigration allocation with 195,000 places by increasing the number of visa places under “Visa Categories”. It has been observed that Australia has chronic shortages in some occupations and the government is aware that they need skilled workers for those occupations and therefore they will grant specific visas within a few days. The high-priority jobs include Medical technicians, Scientists & Nurses, School Teachers, Social Workers, Caregivers for aged and disabled, Counsellors and Psychologists, Child care workers. IT remains in-demand and requires skilled workers and is also the higest-paid industry in Australia.

The other industries that are in-demand for skilled workers are Sales & Marketing, Finance & Accounting, Healthcare, HR, Engineering and Hospitality. There are certain eligibility criteria to qualify for an Austrlian work visa.

The main requirements are as below:
• Must be below 45 years of age
• Must meet the minimum point requirement of 65
• Must clear and gain the minimum required points in a language proficiency test
• The occupation that you apply for must be listed in the nominated skilled occupation list (SOL)
• Your work experience certificates and educational documents must be evaluated and you will have to undergo a skill assessment based on your certificates
• You will have to clear the Medical check-up 

For the most in demand jobs in Australia, visit blog.pssremovals.com

Unemployment Rate

The umemployment rate in February 2023 was 3.5% which dropped from January’s 8-month high of 3.7%. This was below the market rate which was estimated to be 3.6% as the number of unemployed decreased by 16,500 to 507,500. The employment rate had dropped to 3.4% in November 2022. The results is due to more and more people looking for part-time jobs rather than full-time jobs. Australia had an average rate of 6.68% since 1978. however it had reached a record-breaking hike of 11.20% in Dec’1992 and a record-breaking low of 3.40% in Oct’2022.

For more information on unemployment rate in Australia, visit tradingeconomics.com

Economy of Australia

Australia has a resilient economy and stands on the 13th position on list of Top 25 richest countries in the world in terms of GDP. However, it is all set to become the world’s 12th largest economy in 2023 according to IMF (International Monetary Fund). According to IMF Australia’s growth rate remained strong in 2022 at 4.2%. It is projected that the nominal GDP will be around US$1.8 trillion (A$2.5 trillion) in 2023 says a benchmark report in austrade.gov.au. The main two factors that foster Australian resilience is the Location and diversity. Australian trade is all focused towards Asian countries who will contribute a major to the global GDP in the coming years.

As of now the situation is stable and the economy is moderating but, if the GDP is on the rise as expected and unemployment low than the economic future for Australia is good or less 2023 may be the year of recession for Australia. A Financial Planner in Australia said, “There are all the indicators of a recession”. However, Australian government is focused on broader issues to avoid pushing Australia’s into a recession. Hope for the best.

For more information on Australia’s economy, please read www.dfat.gov.au

Renting and buying of real estate’s for foreigner

As an expat you can buy a property in Australia. The FHOG (first Home Owner Grant) offered by the Australian Government provides residence to anyone above the age of 18 who holds a permanent residence Visa. The property can be of any type but must not be occupied or sold and is qualified by the FHOG. A grant of $10,000 AD ($7738 USD approx.) is granted by the government to the eligible applicant.

If you are on temporary Visa and is a non-resident, you can buy non-residential property after getting permission from the FIRB (Foreign Investment Review Board). Citizens of New Zealand does not need FIRB’s approval. Applications for housing property to be submitted to ATO (Australian Taxation Office) for approval.

For guide to buying property in Australia visit www.homeloanexperts.com.au

The property is higher in cities and much cheaper in the suburbs. A best way to start looking for a suitable place is browsing all the real estate portals.  The most well-known property websites are:

www.domain.com.au
www.property.com.au
www.realestateview.com.au
hwww.realestate.com.au

Currency and payment transaction

Australian Dollar (AUD) is the national currency of Australia.

The Currency is available in notes in the following denominations  $5, $10, $20 & $100 and coins are available in $1, 2$  and 5,10,20, 50 cents. Currency can be exchanged in International Airports, Hotels, Banks.

Payments can be made by DD/CC in shops, hotels and restaurants can be made by EFTPOS (Electronic payment system), however fees may be charged on withdrawal from international accounts, so kindly check with your Bank before travelling.

All kinds of cards are accepted in Australia with surcharges in some merchandise; however the Travellers Cheques are not widely accepted.  It is advisable to buy travelers cheques in AUD.

Language

The official language of Australia is English. Australians have a unique accent, but they can be understood and communicating with them is quite easy. Australia is home to mixed culture who speak some 226 languages after English. There are many indigenous languages spoken by 12% of the total population of Australian. 

An estimated 300+ languages are spoken in Australia. The most spoken languages apart from English according to the 2016 census are:

• Cantonese
• Arabic
• Mandarin
• vietnamese
• Italian
• Greek
• Filipino/Tagalog
• Hindi
• Punjabi
• Spanish

For more details on the languages spoken in Australia, please visit: worldpopulationreview.com

Climate

Australia is an extremely hot Country. Due to its size, the country enjoys mainly six types of climate which are divided into following zones.

Equatorial
Tropical
Northern Section of Australia (Hot and Humid in Summer/Quite warm and dry in Winter)
Southern Part of Australia (Mild and Cooler Summer/ Sometimes rainy Winters)
Sub-tropical (Coastal Area of Queensland. Lady Elliot Island)
Desert
Grassland
Temperate Zone
Sydney (New South Wales)
Victoria (Great Ocean Road/East Gippsland/Philip Island)
Tasmania (Kangaroo Island, Eyre Peninsula) and most of south Australia
The Temperate Zone has following four seasons:
Spring:  September to November-Average temperature: Min.10o C and Max.20oC)
Summer: December to February – Average temperature: Min.16o C and Max.26oC)
Autumn (Fall): March to May – Average temperature: Min.11o C and Max.20oC)
Winter: June to August – Average temperature: Min.6o C and Max.14oC)

Cost of Living in Australia

Cost of living is high in Australia, especially if you are migrating to study. It depends on your level of education and your education provider. It largely depends on the location as well. Currently Australia stands 16^th highest cost of living in the world, much higher than USA and UK.

Most of the expats choose Sydney and Melbourne to settle. Sydney ranks third in a list of the world’s most livable cities, with its beautiful beaches, excellent weather and outdoor lifestyle.  On the other hand Melbourne is a cosmopolitan city with thriving restaurants and arts scene. Australia’s public transport rail, bus and ferries are reasonably priced, which are covered by swipe-on-swipe-off opal card that can be topped up.

For an approximate guide to your budget planning if you are planning to study in Australia visit : www.studyaustralia.gov.au

Important numbers and addresses 

Triple Zero (000) is Australia’s main emergency number. You can call 000 in case of help from Police, Fire and Ambulance. This number can be called in case you are involved in an accident, seriously ill or even if your life and property is threatened.   You can also download the Emergency app for free on the smartphone, which tracks the exact location in case of emergency situation. It can be downloaded from Google Play or Apple App.

For a detailed guidelines on Australia’s emergency number visit: www.acma.gov.au/emergency-calls

Australian Human Rights Commission
GPO Box 5218
Sydney NSW 2001
Tel: 1300 369 711 (Hours 9:00 am to 5:00 pm AEST)

Australian Public Service Commission – National Office
B Block, Treasury Building,
Parkes Place West, Parkes ACT 2600
Postal Address:
GPO Box 3176, Canberra ACT 2601

Australian Public Service Commission – Sydney Office
Level 22, 580 George Street,
Sydney NSW 2000
Postal Address:
PO Box 20636, World Square Post Office, Sydney NSW 2002

Tourism Australia Head Office
GPO BOX 2721, Sydnay NSW 1006
Ph. + 61 2 9360 1111
Email: ask.us@tourism.australia.com

Summary 

Australia is the 6^th largest country and the smallest of the world’s continents which is surrounded by water. The population of Australia is around 26 million. It’s home to the most unique animal’s life, bird species. Some unique species of Reptiles are found in this beautiful continent. Snakes, Lizards, Turtles and crocodiles to name a few among the 869 reptiles’ species that are found here. There are some 10,685 beaches in this country, with some rated as the world’s most beautiful beaches. Australia invites immigrants from all around the world and is one of the best countries to stay and work.