- Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189) is the main points-based PR pathway — requires 65+ points from skills, age, English, and experience; no employer or state sponsor required
- Sydney and Melbourne are expensive — Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide offer significantly better value with strong economies
- Medicare provides universal public healthcare to all permanent residents — free GP visits and subsidised prescriptions via PBS
- Tax File Number (TFN) is the essential Australian identifier — apply online upon arrival; required for employment, banking, and tax
Australia offers one of the world's most consistently high quality-of-life packages — outdoor lifestyle, excellent public services, a stable and transparent democracy, world-class universities, and a multicultural society that has genuinely integrated successive immigration waves. Sydney is one of the world's most beautiful cities; Melbourne rivals any global city for food, art, and liveability; Brisbane has become a rapidly modernising Pacific capital; Perth is the most physically isolated major city in the world but offers remarkable lifestyle at lower cost. Australia's points-based immigration system is one of the world's most merit-transparent — and the country actively recruits skilled workers to address significant labour shortages across trades, healthcare, tech, and engineering.
Cost of Living
Australia is expensive by global standards. Sydney: 1BR apartment in inner suburbs (Surry Hills, Newtown, Glebe): AUD 2,400–3,500/month (€1,450–€2,115). Melbourne: 1BR in Fitzroy, Collingwood, St Kilda: AUD 2,000–3,000/month (€1,210–€1,815). Brisbane: AUD 1,800–2,500/month. Perth: AUD 1,800–2,600/month. Adelaide: AUD 1,400–2,000/month. Total monthly costs for a single professional in Sydney: AUD 5,000–7,500 (€3,025–€4,535). Salaries are correspondingly high: median Australian full-time salary AUD 90,000+/year.
Housing
Australia's rental market — particularly Sydney and Melbourne — is extremely tight. Platforms: Domain.com.au and Realestate.com.au are the main search sites. Apply to rentals via each agency's online portal. Competition is intense in Sydney — inspections have dozens of applicants; submitting a strong application (complete, references ready, personal statement) is essential. Most landlords require: 100 points of ID, pay slips or employment confirmation, rental references, and sometimes a brief personal statement. Bond (deposit) is typically 4 weeks rent.
Visa & Entry
Australia's main skilled immigration pathways: Skilled Independent Visa (subclass 189) — points-based PR visa requiring 65+ points (age, education, English, experience); no employer or state sponsorship needed; must nominate an occupation on the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL); typically requires a skills assessment from the relevant body. Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) — employer-sponsored direct PR. Temporary Skill Shortage Visa (subclass 482) — temporary 2–4 year work visa sponsored by employer. State and Territory Nominated visas (subclass 190, 491) — state sponsorship adds 5–10 points to your total. Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417/462) — for those aged 18–35 from eligible countries to work and travel for up to 3 years.
Expat Life
Australia has a large, very well-integrated expat community — approximately 30% of Australia's population was born overseas. British, Indian, Chinese, South African, New Zealand, and Filipino communities are particularly large. Sydney's Bondi and Newtown, Melbourne's Fitzroy and St Kilda, and Brisbane's inner suburbs are popular with international arrivals. Internations chapters in all major cities are active. Australian outdoor culture — beaches, hiking, cricket, AFL — provides excellent social integration opportunities.
Australia suits skilled professionals in healthcare (significant shortage), engineering, tech, and trades who want a clear, points-based path to permanent residency; families prioritising outdoor lifestyle, excellent public education, and universal healthcare; expats who want English-speaking, Commonwealth-law, multicultural society; and Working Holiday makers who want to combine extended travel and work.
Australia's cost of living — particularly Sydney and Melbourne housing — has risen dramatically since 2021. The skills assessment process adds significant lead time to immigration planning — start early. Wildlife (spiders, snakes, jellyfish) in Australia deserves respect; standard precautions significantly reduce risk. Australia's distance from Europe and Asia is real — long-haul flights are a regular reality for those with family elsewhere.
Practical Tips
- Apply for your Tax File Number (TFN) at ato.gov.au immediately upon arrival — it's required for employment, banking, and to avoid withholding tax at the highest rate (47%). Processing is 1–4 weeks; you can start work without it but must provide it to your employer as soon as received.
- Medicare enrollment: apply at a Medicare Service Centre (Service Australia) with your permanent resident visa, passport, and proof of address. Medicare provides free GP visits (bulk-billing doctors charge nothing out-of-pocket), subsidised specialist care, and free public hospital care. The Medicare Levy (2% of taxable income) is automatically collected in your tax return.
- Open an Australian bank account: Commonwealth Bank (CommBank), ANZ, Westpac, and NAB are the Big Four — all have newcomer account programs. CommBank and ANZ have the easiest online onboarding. Bring TFN, passport, and proof of address. BPAY is Australia's standard bill payment system — your bank account needs to be active for this.
- Skills assessment: for most Skilled Migration visas, you need an assessment from the Australian body for your occupation (e.g., ACS for IT, Engineers Australia, VETASSESS). Ensure you initiate the skills assessment 3–6 months before applying for your visa — it can take weeks to months. Check the ANZSCO occupation code for your role carefully.
- Private health insurance: while Medicare is excellent, Australian public hospitals can have long waitlists for elective procedures. Private health insurance (Bupa, Medibank, HCF) avoids the Medicare Levy Surcharge (an additional 1–1.5% tax for those over the income threshold without private hospital cover), provides private room hospital access, and covers dental and optical. Monthly premiums: AUD 100–200/month for a single person.
- Superannuation: all Australian employers must contribute 11% of your salary to a super fund (retirement savings). Open a super account with a competitive fund (Australian Super, Hostplus) immediately — if you don't nominate a fund, your employer will assign one. When leaving Australia permanently, temporary residents can claim their accumulated super as a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP).
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the points test for Skilled Migration work?
The SkillSelect points test awards points for: age (maximum 30 for 25–32 years); English (maximum 20 for superior); overseas skilled work experience (maximum 15); Australian work experience (maximum 20); qualifications (maximum 20); Australian study (5); specialist education (5); credentialled community language (5); partner skills (10); state/territory nomination (5–15); and recognised business innovation. Minimum 65 points required to create an Expression of Interest; invitations typically require significantly higher scores (470+ for 189 currently very competitive).
Is Sydney or Melbourne better for expats?
Sydney for iconic lifestyle — Harbour, beaches, outdoor culture, higher salaries in finance — but Australia's most expensive city. Melbourne for culture — consistently voted world's most liveable city, food scene rivals any global city, arts and music, slightly lower cost, and strong tech and creative sectors. Brisbane for the best cost-to-lifestyle ratio — rapidly growing economy (Olympics 2032), warm climate, and dramatically cheaper than Sydney or Melbourne. Perth for mining, resources, isolation premium — high salaries in resources sector, stunning coastal and outback access.
What is the Working Holiday Visa?
Australia's Working Holiday Visa (subclass 417 for British/Irish/European/most nationals; subclass 462 for Americans and others) allows people aged 18–35 to live and work in Australia for 1 year, extendable to 3 years if regional work (agriculture, regional hospitality) is completed. It's one of the world's most accessible work-and-travel visas. Apply online before turning 31 (417) or 31 (462). Many Working Holiday makers convert to skilled visas after building Australian work experience.
How much money do I need to live in Sydney?
A comfortable single-person budget in Sydney (inner suburbs, private 1BR apartment, dining out regularly): AUD 5,000–7,000/month (€3,025–€4,235). Key costs: rent AUD 2,400–3,500/month; groceries AUD 400–600/month; transport AUD 150–200/month (Opal card); dining out AUD 600–1,200/month. Sydney salaries in tech, finance, and healthcare are correspondingly high — median graduate salary in tech: AUD 80,000–100,000/year gross.
Official Resources
Updated 2026-04-12