Moving to Australia from the USA

Australia is points- and sponsorship-driven. There is no passive-income or retirement visa, so settle your route before anything else.

• Pick your route: employer-sponsored (subclass 482), skilled independent (189), or state-nominated (190)

  Must

  482 Skills in Demand needs a sponsoring employer; 189/190 need a positive skills assessment and an invitation via SkillSelect.

• Submit a skills assessment to the assessing authority for your occupation

  Must

  Engineers Australia, ACS (IT), VETASSESS, AHPRA for health workers. Budget 8–16 weeks and A$500–1,200.

• Sit IELTS/PTE even if you're a native speaker

  Must

  Points-tested visas award up to 20 points for 'superior' English — US citizenship alone doesn't earn them.

• Check the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) if you're 18–30

  US citizens are eligible; 12 months of work rights and a common on-ramp to sponsorship.

• Complete the mandatory health exam and AFP/FBI police checks

  Must

  Panel physicians only (BUPA Medical Visa Services in the US). Results feed straight into ImmiAccount.

• Certified copies of degrees and transcripts for the skills assessment

  Must

• FBI Identity History Summary plus police certificates for any country you lived in 12+ months

  Must

  Valid 12 months for visa purposes.

• Detailed employment references on letterhead with dates, hours, and duties

  Must

  Home Affairs rejects vague references — they must map to your nominated ANZSCO occupation.

• Birth and marriage certificates (apostille not usually required, certified copies are)

• Pet import permit from the Department of Agriculture

  Must

  Cats and dogs from the US need a rabies titer 180 days ahead plus 10 days at the Mickleham quarantine facility. Start 7+ months out.

• Open an Australian account before you fly

  CommBank, NAB, and Westpac all allow migrant pre-arrival account opening; you activate with your passport in branch.

• Apply for a Tax File Number (TFN) with the ATO the week you land

  Must

  Without a TFN your employer withholds at 45%.

• Nominate a superannuation fund

  Must

  Employers must pay 12% super on top of salary. AustralianSuper and Hostplus are common low-fee defaults.

• Understand the US–Australia tax treaty and super's US treatment

  The IRS does not clearly recognise super as a pension; many CPAs report it on Forms 3520/8938. Get cross-border advice before your first contribution.

• Keep a US card open for IRS payments and US-only subscriptions

• Book 4–6 weeks of temporary housing before you commit to a suburb

  Sydney and Melbourne suburb choice drives commute times of 20 vs 70 minutes.

• Search realestate.com.au and Domain, and attend inspections in person

  Rentals are let by competitive application after 15-minute Saturday open homes.

• Build a rental application pack: payslips, references, 100 points of ID

  Must

  Agents use 2Apply/Snug; a complete pack is the difference between winning and losing a property.

• Budget 4 weeks bond plus 2 weeks rent upfront

  Bond is lodged with the state authority (RTBA in VIC, NSW Fair Trading in NSW) — never with the agent.

• Expect A$650–950/week for a 2BR in inner Sydney, A$550–750 in Melbourne

• Buy Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC) — Americans get no Medicare reciprocity

  Must

  The US has no Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia. 482 visas legally require OVHC. Bupa and Medibank run A$120–250/mo.

• Enrol in Medicare only once you hold PR or a qualifying visa

  Bring your passport and grant letter to a Services Australia centre.

• Register with a local GP clinic and check whether it bulk-bills

  Non-bulk-billing clinics charge A$90–120 with a partial rebate.

• Ask about the Medicare Levy Surcharge exemption on your US-filed return

  High earners without private hospital cover pay an extra 1–1.5%.

• Carry a doctor's letter for any controlled prescriptions

  Several common US ADHD and pain medications are restricted imports.

• Get an Australian SIM (Telstra for coverage, Optus or Amaysim for price)

• Load an Opal (Sydney), Myki (Melbourne), or Go card (Brisbane)

  Sydney and Brisbane now accept tap-to-pay with a US card.

• Convert your US driver's licence at the state road authority

  Must

  Most states require conversion within 3–6 months of becoming a resident; NSW and VIC recognise US licences without a driving test.

• Create a myGov account and link the ATO, Medicare, and Centrelink

• Enrol children in the local public school by catchment address

  Temporary-visa holders pay international student fees in NSW and VIC — budget A$5,000–6,000/yr per child.

• Register with the US Consulate (STEP)