List of things to do upon arrival in Australia

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Created on Friday, 16 November 2012 15:13

Written by Editorial staff

If you are preparing to come to Australia to resettle or work, you may have not thought further than obtaining your immigration visa.

However there are a number of things that you need to plan to do upon arrival which are necessary to function as a member of society while living down under.

Should you come to Australia for work, then it is particularly important that you obtain a Tax File Number (TFN) so that you can earn income from your employer. It is also necessary so that you can pay taxes. You can apply for a TFN through the Australian Tax Office.

A scheme known as Medicare provides Australians and eligible residents assistance with the cost of healthcare. The federal government also subsidises medicines under the
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) which can be accessed through an account with Medicare.

The program allows access to free public hospital care and other health programs so it is essential that if you are eligible, you apply for Medicare as soon as possible by visiting a branch or contacting the website.

It's a good idea to open a bank account when you arrive, simply because it provides an easier way to access your money as opposed to managing an overseas account. Label this as a priority, because after six weeks of being here, you will need to provide more forms of identification than just your passport.

Providing your bank with your TFN will also prevent you from incurring higher taxes and less interest on your savings.

If you have children, finding a school is also a priority as it is Australian law that a child has an education up until they are 17 years of age. Australia offers a first world public school system, but there are private facilities available if you wish to pay for them.

It's a good idea to research schools around the area where you will be living before you migrate, so when you arrive you can inspect a few final options.

Centrelink is also important if you are eligible as it provides assistance for a range of circumstances.

You must have a valid driver's license to operate a motor vehicle in Australia but depending on your country of origin, your licence from your home country may be valid for the first three months that you are down under.