No matter what the news reports about immigration and emigration, everyone has at least once thought of moving to another country for one reason or another. Australia is one of the most favourably talked about countries to people living in the UK.
It’s not really hard to see why. Less rainfall, diverse locations, warm winters with barbeques at Christmas and a very strong economy are but a few of the reasons so many people dream of moving there.
How to move abroad:
In order to actually move to another country, you’ll need a visa. Loosely speaking, a visa is an endorsement on your passport that allows you to enter, leave or stay in a country freely.
They also usually indicate how long you’re allowed to stay in the country. Though categorised under different headings, the most common types seen are tourist, student, work and travel visas.
A tourist visa is naturally self-explanatory. You just need to speak to your travel agent before taking a holiday. They can give you the proper paperwork to actually get one.
Student visas are intended for those studying abroad. In some cases, the education provided by a foreign university may outmatch one provided by any local university. If this is something that sounds familiar to you, enquire about student visas via the government website.
Work visas fall under much more broad categories than others. For example, if you’re a religious minister, you can get a work visa specifically for that, whereas if you’re an investor, you can get an investors visa. The categories cover specific reasons for travel but are usually arranged through the local government of your own employer.
Transferable Skills:
No matter which visa you need, getting one isn’t as difficult as it might seem. Although you will find it easier if you have a transferable skill, like mechanical engineering, you still shouldn’t shy away if moving to Australia is what you really want to do.
Regarding Australia, there are seven different territories that make up the whole country. Each has their own charms and traits that make themselves ideal locations to consider moving to.
Here are some links to give you a better idea of the different territories:
West Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia.
Assuming you get a visa, what then? The details of actually moving to another country are a bit vague.
- First, make a choice of what country, with more than two reasons for going. Emigrating to Australia is popular, but don’t forget there are more than 190 other countries to choose from.
- Second, as discussed determine the right type of visa to get.
- Third, research your job options. It’ll be a lot easier to move into a new job rather than moving, then finding a new job.
- Fourth, get the timing right. When you apply for a visa, it can take anywhere between six and twelve months for it to be processed. Once you have it, you have roughly a year to use it (for whatever purpose is relevant for you). This should give you ample time to follow the next steps.
- Fifth, speak to your family. Family members may be able to take furniture off you that you don’t want to keep or you may consider handing your house (and mortgage) over too. If you have children, it’s well worth involving them in the plan from the first step.
- Sixth, actually apply for the visa. By now, you’ve gotten the basics out of the way but moving to another country without a visa happens to be very illegal. Find a form that’s relevant to you, fill it out and send it off.
- Seventh, find a job. Makes sense that you’ll need income.
- Eighth, plan your budget. Make no mistake, emigrating is an expensive business, to the point where a few thousand pounds won’t be enough to cover it. Pensions, savings, investments and general pocket change can all be exchanged at fair rates if you talk to a specialist about your plans.
- Ninth, arrange what to do with your house. Most of the money necessary to move abroad usually comes from the sale of a house.
- Tenth, consider where to send any of your children to school. Looking at school reports and sending applications ahead of time is well worth doing.
- Eleventh, get an overseas removal specialist. Taking your couch is one thing, taking your pets, if any, is another.
- Twelfth, have somewhere to live when you arrive. Renting or buying a property so you have somewhere to live is of course vital. Each option carries its own advantages and disadvantages.
With this in mind, good luck if you plan to emigrate and congratulations!
