Living in Australia: The Best Cities to Live and Work in Oz

For those looking to make the move, Down Under has a lot to offer, it is one of the top locations for Britons looking to live overseas and every year around 32,000 people move to Australia from the UK.

 

There are so many excellent reasons to consider relocating to Australia - superb beaches and outdoors culture, good quality housing, great schools and universities and an appetite for qualified, skilled people. For anyone looking to leave the UK, Australia is a choice destination.
 

Studying in Australia has become increasingly popular with students from the UK and with 43 universities to choose from, there’s plenty of options. Six of the world’s top 100 universities are in Australia. Canberra has the Australian National University, in Sydney there are the universities of Sydney and New South Wales, and Melbourne is where you’ll find the University of Melbourne and Monash University. Brisbane’s University of Queensland is in exactly the right place for students who might like the idea of taking the occasional study break at the Gold Coast or along the Great Barrier Reef.
 

 

The academic year begins in February, towards the end of summer, and are usually split into two semesters. Unlike at UK universities, students can mix and match their courses to some extent, and choose to ‘major’ in one study area while completing their degree. Most undergraduate degrees are ordinary bachelor’s degrees – honours degrees require an extra year of study.
 

Course fees can be expensive – some scholarships are available – and international students are often required to sit a language test to prove their English ability. After being accepted onto a course, you need to apply for a student visa with proof of your finances.

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There’s no doubt that moving to Oz is a great lifestyle option for British people, with its oceans, outback and urban culture. But Australia is also a fantastic place to work. Wages are often higher than in other parts of the world and cities like Sydney have been named as among the most affordable in the world.
 

However, for people wanting to work in Australia, there are several hurdles to clear first. Obtaining a visa is not always easy if your job is not one of the eligible skilled occupations. Some people can gain a visa without having a job to do to under a points-based system, but most people will need a firm job offer.
 

 

Australia is divided between the cities, where most jobs are in service industries, and the large countryside where mining and natural resources dominate. Perth is the focus of the sprawling state of Western Australia where mining is a major driver of the local economy. Because fewer Australians want to live in rural areas, it can be easier to find work and meet visa requirements in the outback.

 

For couples, moving to Australia is easier if you both have careers that are sought after. If only one of you falls into this category, then don’t despair – the other may qualify for a dependent work visa. Similar those families thinking of moving to Australia with children can get visas for their children.
 

Schooling in Australia will be familiar to most kids from the UK, except there is more emphasis on sport than in the UK, with some excellent municipal facilities in the larger cities. Adelaide works hard to bring international culture beyond Sydney and Melbourne, and schools are among the top beneficiaries.
 

Finding the right school is never easy though – the most prestigious institutions can be hard to get into. Getting a school place should be a priority for anyone moving there long term.
 

There are lots of great opportunities to be found in Australia and Santa Fe makes relocation easy. For more information on moving to Australia, please get in touch via our contact page.