For many, the decision of moving to Australia with family is the first stage of making a dream come true and embarking on a collective adventure.
A change of scenery and wide open spaces await you, and it will be a unique opportunity for your children to develop their curiosity and experience a new way of life.
But such a remarkable project must be carefully prepared.
The essential formalities of moving to Australia with family
Expat checklist
Preparing how to migrate to Australia with family implies taking certain important steps before departure:
- Obtaining visas (sponsored by an Australian company or PVT for those under 35 years old)
- Apply for or renew the passport of each family member
- Apply for an international driver’s license
- Organize your relocation by contacting international moving companies and/or a storage facility
- Provide an address and accommodation for the first few months of the expatriation
- Make sure the pets that will be traveling with you are properly identified and vaccinated, according to regulations.
You should also remember to notify the administrations and services that you are going to live abroad:
- Social security
- Health insurance
- Tax services
- Employment office
- Banks
- Etc.
Gathering and making copies of important documents is also a must. Think of:
- Identity documents
- Diplomas
- Family record book
- Birth certificates
- Medical history
- Etc.
Finally, you will need to set up mail forwarding and cancel contracts that will no longer be valid after your departure:
- Energy
- Telephone
- Internet
- Insurances
- Etc.
Some good initiatives on how to migrate to Australia with family
In order to move to Australia with your family, you must also take a few precautions to quickly integrate into your new environment.
It is important to learn about the local culture and way of life, as well as your future place of residence:
- City map
- Transportation map
- Leisure activities and possible outings
- Etc.
The Australian healthcare system
When planning to move to Australia with family, it is advisable to choose good international health insurance before leaving, for example by using an online insurance comparator.
In Australia, health care is of excellent quality, but it is very expensive, and you have to wait two years of residency to benefit from local health insurance, which in fact offers little protection.
Therefore, the insurance plan must protect each member of the family while living abroad and during stays in your home country.
Education system : all you need to know before moving to Australia with your family
The differences between your home country and the Australian school system
A crucial element of emigrating to Australia with family is of course the question of education for your children.
There are important differences between the Australian education system versus your country of origin:
- The school year starts around the end of January and ends in mid-December
- Uniforms are required in most schools
- Each Australian state follows its own education guidelines: education is compulsory until age 15 or 17 depending on the state
- School days are shorter (8:30am-3:30pm generally), so there is more time for extracurricular activities
- There is rarely a canteen
- Nursery school lasts 2 years (only the second year is mandatory), primary school 7 years, and high school 5 years.
Where to send your children to school when emigrating to Australia with family?
There are several options to send your children to school while living in Australia with your family:
Australian schools
They generally depend on the place of residence of the family and can be:
- Private or public
- Paid or free
This is a good way to quickly integrate your children into Australian life and the local community.
International schools
They are fee-paying schools that ensure quality education and allow students to study in a more cosmopolitan environment.
In any case, it is important to anticipate this question when you choose to settle in Australia with your family: the waiting lists are sometimes long to access the institution of your choice.
Childcare and schooling: expenses not to be ignored in the budget
Moving to Australia with family has a cost that should not be overlooked. In Australian schools, you may have to pay tuition fees, but also uniforms and materials.
You must bear in mind the cost of childcare for parents who cannot take care of their children outside of school hours or who are too young to attend school.
Fees vary greatly depending on the type of childcare, but should be included in the budget before moving to Australia with family, especially since government aid is subject to conditions.
Frequently asked questions about moving to Australia with family
It is possible to enroll your children in an Australian school or an international one.
For a nanny at home, the average price is between 17 and 25 $AUD per hour (around 11 and 16 €).
