Multiple New Zealanders who have moved to Australia have advised me that there is a backlog of pension applications. If you pass the income and asset tests, it’s important to apply as soon as you arrive. You can lodge an Age Pension application up to 13 weeks before you reach eligibility age (between 66.5 and 67).
A claim for the age pension is meant to have a “timeliness standard” of 49 days, but in December last year, the average processing time was 91 days, up from 61 in August and 35 days in the 2021-22 financial year.
Your application will be backdated to the date of your application. However, the NZ pension is way more generous and has not been income- and asset-tested. Therefore if you are not eligible for the full Australian Age Pension, you are best to wait until you have received your NZ pension for 26 weeks and then apply for the Australian Age Pension.
In Australia, a lot of home purchases use a buyer agent (also known as a buyer’s advocate) to help them through the purchasing process. If you are planning on purchasing from New Zealand, you will probably need one.
Whether you’re a time-poor buyer or unfamiliar with the local market, a professional buyer’s agent will help make your property journey smooth and stress-free.
Answering visitor’s questions, updating the content, adding more content and constantly improving.
Moving to Australia has grown organically over the years, and I honestly love my job.
By nature, I love to get the best deal available for any product or service. I always research any product or company thoroughly and evaluate all my options. So trust me, I’ve done the research for you.
Generally, New Zealanders on an SCV are not able to get an Australia student loan, known as a HELP loan, unless they have been living in Australia for 10 years. Read more below.
Regarding your NZ student loan, if you’re going overseas for 6 months or more, it won’t be interest-free. Below is all the information you need, including repayment amounts and a student loan repayment calculator.
Below is our Moving to Australia Checklist (Pre Move Planner). Let us help you organize and plan your move. You can download a printable version here, ready for you to print and put on your fridge – MTA-MovePlannerChecklist.pdf.
New Zealand citizens with a valid New Zealand passport are able to move to Australia from New Zealand without having to apply for a visa. We apply and get granted a Special Category Visa 444 (SCV) simply by processing through border control. You must meet the character requirements, see below.
After you have been living in Australia for four years, you can apply to become an Australian citizen. We no longer need to apply for an Australian permanent visa (permanent resident) first.
If you are making plans to move to Australia, applying for health insurance is an important part of the process. Aside from that, it’s always a good idea to prepare for the unexpected.
In Australia, the public health system Medicare covers most Australian residents’ healthcare needs. However, Medicare does not cover everything, and you can choose to take out private health insurance to get a wider range of healthcare options and more comprehensive coverage.
The First Home Owners Grant (FHOG) in Australia is designed to encourage and assist home ownership across the country, and for eligible borrowers, it’s a great start to life as a property owner.
The grant differs in each state and territory; in most places, it applies to new homes only.
The Australian government’s First Home Owners Grant (FHOG) and other benefits are available to permanent residents as if they were citizens. Because NZ citizens are considered to be permanent residents of Australia, they are eligible for the grant.
FHOG does not consider NZ property for eligibility; it considers only property you’ve owned in Australia.
New Zealand citizens are treated as residents for tax purposes once they complete a stay of six consecutive months (183 days) in Australia. Like in New Zealand with the IRD, you need to complete and file a tax return in Australia with the Australian Tax Office (ATO).
Income tax is applied to an individual’s taxable income and is paid on all forms of income. This includes wages from your job, profits from business and returns from investments (including rental properties in NZ). Income tax can also apply to assets, such as when a house or shares are sold in Australia or New Zealand.
The Australian tax year runs from 1 July to 30 June. When you lodge a tax return, you include how much money you’ve earned (income) and any expenses you can claim as a deduction.
New Zealanders have been moving to Australia forever, but the exodus has been considerably higher since mid-2022 and into early 2023. With the New Zealand housing market being the slowest it’s been in 40 years, New Zealanders aren’t waiting to sell their homes before they make the move.
With higher wages, lower rents, and only four years until Australian citizenship, Australia’s grass is definitely looking greener!
The new direct pathway to Australian citizenship has been motivation for a lot of these Kiwis moving to OZ. You can read more about the new direct pathway to Australian citizenship in my post.
Everyone needs to go through the process of creating a resume, keeping it up to date and tweaking it for different jobs.
Here are the common errors many candidates make when creating their CVs.
Our online currency converters are a quick and easy way to see live market exchange rates. Keep more of your hard earned cash by researching the market rates and planning your exchange when you will get the most return.
Check our currency converter now or view our live rate chart to see what the AUD’s been doing.
Indeed, there is no dearth of people who actually came to Tasmania for a holiday but were charmed by its beauty to such an extent that they decided to move permanently to Australia! If you are one of those who are enamoured by Tasmania’s beauty and are contemplating moving to Australia, then you will find the information on this page very helpful. Read on…
It has a dynamic economy and attracts a large number of migrants. With its friendly locals and laidback lifestyle, it’s no surprise this city is fast becoming Australia’s top spot to live (watch out, Melbourne).
It’s full of sunshine, beaches, city, culture, theme parks. Find out if this city suits your lifestyle…
From the sparkling harbour and WWII history to the city’s Asian-influenced food and tropical outdoor lifestyle, Darwin is an outdoor adventures’ paradise.
If yes, then you must consider moving to Northern Territory! Read on to get an insight into the basics of living in Northern Territory…
If the beauty and life of Australia appeals to you, then you must consider visiting or moving to South Australia, which is stunning, relaxed and warm.
If you are moving to Western Australia from overseas or from within the continent, you must know the following facts about this incredible state, especially as this information will make your move and visit easier and hassle-free. Read on…
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Hi… I’m JJ Smith.
I’m the creator and editor of Moving to Australia and have been for 17+ years! I know everything there is to know about New Zealanders moving their families and life to Australia. Either from first hand experiences and research or through the questions from visitors to this website… and I’m here to help!
I love helping people via Moving to Australia.
Providing the answers to questions we all ask when deciding whether to make the move from New Zealand to Australia. Even giving individual specific advice where needed.
I have learned a lot over the last 17+ years from personal experience and through interacting with visitors. This is my job, making sure the information here is comprehensive and up to date.
If you would like to help me, you can use one of my referral partners.
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