A guide for moving to Australia. How to find jobs, visas. How much it costs and everything else you need to know!

1. My name’s Adam. I’m an expat from the UK living and working in Australia. A
friend of mine back home asked me how he can follow me in moving here so I
thought why not share it with the world. This blog is intended to So here it is.
If you’re moving to Australia then there’s a few things you’ll need to check off the
checklist before you move here, visit the above link for more detailed information.
If you’re from the UK or USA you might think it’s not that different here right?
After all it is just another first world western society, they have Starbucks and
McDonalds much the same as any American or British city. Though it’s true that
many things are the same or similar, there are some key differences. Here is a
list of things that you should know before you go:
1) In Australia, cars are driven in the left lane and have right sided steering. This
might not seem like such a big deal but it does take some getting used to. It took
me a few weeks to adjust when I moved here. Tragically, every year a small
number of tourists are killed in road accidents because they are checking the
wrong side of the roads as they turn. So be careful.
2) The power standard for Australia is 220V different from the American 120V.
This means your appliances will NOT work here unless you use an adapter for
every appliance. And considering the fact that adapters aren’t exactly cheap, it
would be cheaper and better to sell your toaster there and buy a new one here.
Unless you are from the UK or New Zealand, which has the same power
standard.
3) HECS-HELP loan, which is a government loan that helps students defer their
fee payments till after they start earning, is now only available to Citizens as of
2005. Permanent residents will have to pay the full subsidised (non-discounted)
fees. Fees here can be up to 30000 a year for degrees like medicine and law so
take that into account if you plan to study in Australia.
4) Australia won’t be open forever! This one is important. The huge influx of
immigrants in the past decade has really made immigration more selective.
Competition is going back up and so are prices. A few years ago living costs in
Australia were less than those of the UK, now they are roughly the same. It
wouldn’t be surprising to see the immigration doors close down within the next
few years. So If you’re planning on moving to Australia be aware of the changing
situation here and act fast.

2. Having said all that, Australians still call Australia “the lucky country” and they
have good reason to. Incredible weather that will tempt you to stop what you’re
doing and just enjoy the air. Literally hundreds of white sandy beaches, many of
them still undiscovered by the media’s eye. And to top it off, the friendliest and
most welcoming people I’ve ever met. If you’ve been thinking about moving here
and want more tips, check out the website link in the first paragraph. Wish you
the best on your journey.
http://www.movetoaus.org