Expat Fast Facts: Living in Australia

Published on Tuesday, October 21st, 2008
Living Abroad » Living in Australia

Summary: A quick overview of Australia for would-be expatriates thinking about living down under who need fast facts and background information

House prices are falling, inflation is rising, unemployment will increase and the state of the British economy is ugly. We all know this – and we all know that the situation is unlikely to improve any time soon…which is probably why those of us who can, are actively thinking that the time is right to plan a relocation abroad.

It’s almost as if the current dire state of play in the UK is the push that many would-be expats needed to make the jump into the unknown and turn their dreams of a new life abroad into a reality. So if you too are now more deliberately seeking information about relocating, this guide to emigrating to Australia should be of assistance.

We know that the early stages of any relocation involve information seeking and hoarding, which is why we’re providing you with an expat fast facts guide to living in Australia. You can use the information to decide whether the country is indeed one you would like to explore further and somewhere you may one day like to call home.

General Information

Australia is vast – living in the UK we have no real concept of just how big Australia is, but when you consider that most of the UK would squeeze into the single state of Victoria alone, this should give you some idea.
The nation is sometimes described as either the biggest island in the world or the smallest continent! It covers a landmass of over eight million square kilometres.
The capital city is not Sydney as many people assume, it is actually Canberra.
The vast majority of Australians live on or close to the coast, and the population is about 20 million.
The main language spoken and used everyday is English.
For us Brits the good news is that Australians drive on the left and driving standards are quite high.
The voltage for electrical appliances is the same as in the UK so you can take your electrical items with you and use them, but you will need a plug adaptor.
Getting around the Australian cities and across Australia as a whole is easy and affordable as there are good local and national transport links.
Health & Education

Standards of healthcare and education are very high in Australia, so this is something that you don’t have to worry about. You’ll need to find out about your eligibility for Medicare which is the Australian equivalent of our NHS. If you’re going to be working ‘down under’ and paying taxes then you will be entitled to free treatment, but if you’re taking early retirement or travelling in Australia you may not be eligible and will need medical insurance. It’s worth noting that the availability of treatment on Medicare is not as broad and diverse as we’re used to under the NHS, so you may still have to pay for some private care.

As for education, standards are first world and children are eligible for free education between the ages of 5 and at least 15.

Climate & Lifestyle

It’s a well-accepted fact that the climate in Australia is far better than the climate in the UK, but because Australia is such a vast landmass, there are variations on the climate theme across the country. For example, in the North there’s a tropical climate, and the further south you go the more temperate it becomes. Adelaide is a very popular expatriate haunt because it has one of the best climates in the whole country, it’s mild all year round. The likes of Sydney and Melbourne both have distinctive seasons, and then if you move north from Cairns you’ll either have a hot and wet season or a hot and dry season depending on the time of year! Because the climate does differ so much, you will really need to look carefully at where in Australia you want to live.

Legalities

The levels of crime in Australia depend on where you’re living, generally it’s a lower crime nation than the UK, but if you end up in the wrong area you may disagree with this statement.
Australian police officers are armed and there is seemingly far less tolerance of even minor crime compared to the attitude the police have in the UK.
The legal drinking age is 18, just like in the UK, but drink drive limits are lower than in Britain and if caught above the limit, penalties will be imposed.

Jobs and Employment

Just like in New Zealand, there is a skills shortage in some industries in Australia. This means that the nation is actively seeking well skilled immigrants and if you have the qualifications and experience the nation needs and you’re of good character for example, the chances are high and strong that you will be able to emigrate to live in Australia. You can check out the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website for full information about getting into Australia on a skilled migrant visa.

Expat Specific Facts

Because of its very nature, Australia is very welcoming of expatriates from any nation! And what’s more, Australia has long been popular with British expats and is perhaps becoming more so now that so many more of us are growing increasingly disillusioned with the UK and are able to easily access information about emigration.

Because English is the first language this makes integration that much easier, and what’s more, you’ll find so many British and Irish who have recently moved down under that you’ll quickly make friends. And finally, the very good news is that you can take pets to Australia, though they do have to face a month’s quarantine!

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