Moving to Australia – Preparations and Expectations
Moving to Australia can be very stressful as any other move abroad. What to prepare and what to expect after you are granted a visa to live and work permanently in Australia are the two biggest questions you ask yourself. Preparations are essential as well as managing your expectations when you move abroad to eliminate unnecessary stress and anxiety. From my experience, coming from a third world country we tend to have high expectations the moment we arrive in a first world country. Our expectations most of the time do not align with reality, which may discourage us to continue our journey in a foreign land. We can only get an appreciation of the new environment and the foreign culture when we become part of the society and we co-exist.
What to prepare when you move to Australia?
- Familiarise yourself with the job application requirements in Australia to help you prepare the relevant documents for a job application before you leave your country. (e.g. – a recommendation letter from your employer or manager, a professional certification, character references, etc.). It is important to note that these documents are recent before you fly. Most of the jobs in Australia are advertised on seek.com.au.
- Understand the quarantine laws in Australia. Food, animal products, wood, seeds and other plant products that may cause a threat to the environment and the agriculture industry are prohibited. Bringing these type of products will attract fines and serious offence against the Australian quarantine laws. Make sure to declare any prohibited goods you carry with you upon arrival as Australia takes its quarantine laws very seriously. If you are in doubt, declare it so you are safe. The officers usually use dogs to sniff your bags and luggage while you are queuing up at the arrival area. They also inspect your bags and luggage before they allow you to leave the quarantine area.
- Be aware of the COVID-19 quarantine restrictions. COVID restrictions in Australia change with short notice. Every state in Australia has its own quarantine rules and restrictions. Be prepared for unpredictable COVID restriction changes that may put your plan in a pear shape as well as may cost you a fortune with hotel quarantine, food and medical costs. Australian government website and its Australian state and territory websites have notices of COVID restrictions and quarantine laws. Make sure you check out these websites regularly to keep you up to date.
- Plan where to stay. It is an advantage if you have friends and relatives to accommodate you temporarily but if you don’t know of anyone, do your research. Australia’s cost of living is high. House rental and food are expensive. Look for areas where house rental is affordable and close to public transport or close to a school if you have kids. There are property real estate websites you can search on the internet to know the average house rental rates and prices. It is also important you read reviews of potential places where you want to settle in, so you know if it is suitable for you.
- Know the education system and the medical system. Being granted a permanent resident visa, you may be entitled to some of the government benefits after a few weeks of stay.
- Learn how to drive and secure a driver’s licence. You are allowed to drive temporarily with your country’s driver’s licence. It is essential to have a driver’s licence in Australia. Public transport (buses & trains) run at a certain time and places. It is not a 24/7 operation. To get an Australian driver’s licence, you will be required to pass the written test and the actual driving test. The advantage of having a driver’s licence from your country is you don’t need to go through the provisional driving plate that may take 2 years to complete from the time you passed the written and practical driving tests.
- Know Australian language and familiarise their accent. Australians speak english but they are fond of using their slang anywhere and everywhere. Australians love to cut certain words when they talk (e.g. canned for cancelled, exec for executive, ta for thanks, etc.) and they talk fast. This will test your listening abilities and social skills. The best way to learn is to watch Australian movies on Netflix or any movie platform, listen to an Australian Podcast on Spotify or any podcast platform and watch Australian YouTubers. This will help you familiarise yourself with the Australian language and accent.
- Save up money as much as you can. Australia is expensive. Passing your skill assessment and being granted a permanent visa is not a guarantee to secure a job straight away. Be prepared to look for any job for the interim just to help you sustain your everyday cost of living. You will not be discriminated against if you work as a waiter or a cleaner for example. Every job is considered decent unless your job involves illegal transactions.
- Get travel insurance before you fly. It is vital to have travel insurance in case things go wrong.
- Secure all your visa documents and other important papers. Put them in your hand-carry bag so they are readily available when you arrive at your destination. I also suggest you scan your important documents and save them on a thumb drive or your laptop if you have one. It is handy if soft copies are readily available. When applying for a job in Australia, you provide soft copies of your credentials online.
Manage your expectations
I cannot stress enough the importance of doing your research. Knowledge is power.
Moving to Australia or to any foreign country is a huge risk. It can be very challenging especially if you have children alongside you. Starting a new life in a new environment and culture will test your resilience. Expectations, if not met, will cause disappointments and discouragement which may lead to giving up. So, be ready to get out of your comfort zone and be open-minded. Educate yourself of the do’s and the don’t’s. Adapt yourself to the cultural norms. Every culture has its distinctive norms. Things that are acceptable to you might be unacceptable to other cultures.
Preparations are vital. If you are prepared, highly likely you will overcome the challenges you encounter along the way. Preparations will help you acknowledge what you are capable of doing.
Expect that life in Australia is not easy. But one thing for sure, life in Australia will change you. It teaches you to be better.
