Moving to Australia can be an amazing experience. Although it is the sixth largest country in the world at over 3 million square miles, it is only home to 21 million people, which ensures that natural beauty dominates over suburban landscapes (especially out of the main cities). The country boasts a diverse range of wildlife and nature and there are many species of animals and plants indigenous only to Australia. The pristine beauty of the country's wilderness coupled with the abundance of wildlife is part of the country's attraction for potential expats.
Moving to Australia provides the expat population with a very good quality of life. Life expectancy is high and stress is relatively low when compared with other countries in the world.
USTRALIAN VISA REQUIREMENTS & HOW TO APPLY
Before you come to Australia it's important you have the right visa. The right visa for you will depend on a number of factors such as the reason you're moving to Australia (eg is it to study or to work), what your nationality is and how long you intend to stay in Australia.
Where can I get advice and help about visas in Australia and work permits?
A good place to start is to check out the Australian Department of Immigration website.This can help guide you through the different types of visas available as well as explaining eligibility and requirements. You can visit their website atwww.immi.gov.au/immigration .
Some of the requirements you will need to fulfil include:
Evidence of available funds
Skills and qualification assessments
Health insurance
Police checks
English language testing
Some visas require you to have an Australian bank account already opened. See Opening a Bank Account in Australia.
Where to start?
Trying to figure out which visa is right for you before travelling to Australia can be confusing. A good place to start is with the Visa Wizard available on the Department of Immigration website. It will ask you to enter information about your circumstances and situation, and provide advice on the correct visa based on the information you have entered. More passport and visa informationn.
The most common migration categories to live in Australia are skilled migration, family migration and study migration.
What rights will my Visa give me in Australia?
The rights and conditions of each visa category will vary, so it's important to find out what you're entitled to while in Australia, and equally importantly to find out what restrictions there will be. For example, a number of visas won't allow you to work and many have restrictions on healthcare.
It might be worthwhile getting the help of a migration agent or lawyer to help navigate your way through the system.
Becoming an Australian Citizen
Some visas are a pathway to becoming eligible for Australian citizenship. You can find out more about what citizenship requires and what it offers at http://www.citizenship.gov.au/
