Moving to Australia from New Zealand?
Get all information you need to make a successful and stress-free move across the ditch.
There are a number of exclusions to government help that you should be aware of when moving to Australia on an SCV (special category visa).
As a New Zealander, you have a unique opportunity if you’re considering moving to Australia. Australia and New Zealand have a Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement that allows their citizens to visit, study, live and work in either NZ or Australia for as long or little as they want. However, there are exclusions as below.
Read my Australia Visa post for more information on SCVs, entitlements, waiting periods for government support and more.
The below posts might interest you:
If you’ve read the above content and the answer to your question isn’t there, please write a comment below and I’ll research the answer for you. Please note, if the answer to your question is in the content above, I will not reply. Sorry, I just get too many questions these days and I can’t keep up.
If you need advice on moving to Australia from New Zealand, I’ve created a helpful little questionnaire to point you in the right direction. It takes less than 30 seconds, so give it a go!
Hi… I’m JJ Smith.
I’m the creator and editor of Moving to Australia and have been for 15 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 15 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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Katherine
June 2, 2023 at 1:24 amHi! Thank you for your useful tips and advise!
I have a doubt on my part. I live in Singapore and have practised nursing for 10years. Have a successful application and registration of NZ APC nursing license which i managed to obtain 3 days ago. I am in the midst of exploring TTMR in AHPRA to convert license to Australia license. Any advise if i can do that without working in NZ as soon as I have obtained their license?
Would be really helpful if you could clear this doubt. However, no worries if there isn’t. I can still move to NZ for the time being and figure it out again. Thank you for taking the time to attend to each comments posted (:
JJ Smith
June 19, 2023 at 2:09 pmHi Katherine,
I’m sorry but I don’t know anything about nursing licenses. However, I do know that nurses are highly sort after in Australia!
There are a lot of companies that are willing to assist you with your placement and move to Australia: https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=nursing+jobs+in+australia.
I recommend you contact a company that has placements in the city you want to move to and ask them the same question. Make sure you research the company and read some independent reviews.
Hope the above helps you find an answer.
Michael Donaldson
May 8, 2023 at 4:04 pmHi there, my wife and I are UK and NZ citizens, both born in the UK and living in New Zealand for the past 15 years. We intend to move to Perth to be near our daughter once our house in NZ has been sold. We would move over to Perth to stay with our daughter over the next few months to give us time to sort out house purchase etc. We are both on the UK pension and would intend to stay on it.
I have been checking stamp duty requirements re house purchase (cash in our case) and am not sure whether we would have to pay stamp duty and/or the extra foreign buyers charge and also whether we would be regarded as first time buyers (we are in Australia anyway). Can you help?
Regards,
Michael
JJ Smith
May 11, 2023 at 10:12 amHi Michael,
Thank you for your comment.
Unfortunately, I am not a financial adviser and cannot give you complete certainty on what your rights are.
As NZ citizens you are eligible for the FHOG and stamp duty waiver if it is your first property in Australia and you intend to move into it.
You will not have to pay the foreign buyers’ charge if you are already in Australia when signing the sale and purchase, as you would have an SCV.
Here is all the information I know about Buying a house in Australia as an NZ citizen: https://www.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/buying-a-house-in-australia/.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Nick
February 14, 2023 at 5:56 pmHi JJ
I am NZ pensioner deciding to join my daughter living in Melbourne. Would you be able to know if I do not qualify for Australian pension due to assets testing, will Work and Income remit portable pension?
Thanks and regards, Nick
JJ Smith
February 20, 2023 at 10:35 amHi Nick,
Thanks for your comment.
Here is my post on the Australian Age Pension: https://www.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/australian-age-pension/.
My post includes information on asset testing, NZ pension in Australia and how to apply.
As it sounds like you are single, the low limit (homeowners) for asset testing is $270,500 and $487,000 is the high limit (non-homeowners).
Your pension is reduced by 75 cents per fortnight for every whole amount of $250 worth of assets above the limit. The pension continues to reduce at the rate of 75 cents for every $250 worth of assets over the limit until the value of your assets reaches or exceeds the assets cut-off limits.
Here is a link to an Australia Age Pension calculator. You can input your assets and it will tell you how much pension you will receive a week: https://www.superguide.com.au/in-retirement/age-pension-calculator.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Neil Flynn
September 11, 2022 at 4:09 pmI’m an NZ citizen looking to move to Australia in the coming months. Just to seek advice what I need to do and how to go about it. I understand the SCV requirement, but don’t know what I need to do to get rolling. I will be looking to try and obtain residency, and (where possible in the future) Australian citizenship, but that is far away from the start. Residency would do. If anyone can point me to the correct place, I’ll be extremely grateful. Just to fully understand the requirements before I start on anything. Thanks, Neil.
JJ Smith
September 12, 2022 at 9:33 amHi Neil,
Thanks for your comment.
As an NZ citizen, you do not need to apply for a visa before moving to Australia, if you are of good character then you be automatically granted an SCV on processing through border control: https://www.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/australian-visa/.
You can read how to become an Australian PR then Australian Citizen here: https://www.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/australian-pr-and-australia-citizen/.
Or here is the Australian Government website’s post on the pathway to permanent residence and citizenship for New Zealand citizens: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering-and-leaving-australia/new-zealand-citizens/pathway-to-permanent-resident-and-citizenship.
Generally speaking, you need to have been living in Australia for about 5 years before you can apply to become an Australia PR.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Sandra maclaren
June 9, 2022 at 12:34 pmCan an elderly parent aged 88 move to Aus to live with family on the SCV visa ? The parent has sufficient funds to live independently, and will live with family. Are there any age or health requirements?
JJ Smith
June 13, 2022 at 1:04 pmHi Sandra,
Thank you for your comment.
There are no age requirements to get an SCV as an NZ citizen.
You need to have a valid NZ passport. Not be a behaviour concern non-citizen (imprisoned for periods that total at least one year). Not be a health concern non-citizen (have tuberculosis). Not have a ‘no further stay’ visa condition (you can’t apply for this visa if you currently hold a visa that has a ‘no further stay’ condition).
Have a read of my Can a NZ citizen get an Australian benefit or pension? post, as it includes a Age Pension calculator, so you can check if they would be able to get any Australia pension: https://www.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/can-a-nz-citizen-get-an-australian-benefit-or-pension/.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your parents move.
Sheldon
May 23, 2022 at 1:05 pmHi I have moved from NZ to Sydney in 2018 with my Wife and child. We have been here now for 4 years. we as NZ citizen, are we eligible for PR or Australian Citizenship when we complete 5 years in Australia. We have both been working here full time. Appreciate if you are able to provide us some insight if NZ citizens have a pathway to PR or Australia Citizenship
JJ Smith
June 13, 2022 at 3:26 pmHi Sheldon,
Thank you for your comment. Sorry for the large delay in replying.
There is no direct pathway for NZ citizens on an SCV to become an Australia PR and then citizen.
Have a read of my Become an Australian Permanent Resident then Australia Citizen post and let me know if you have any further questions: https://www.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/become-an-australian-permanent-resident-and-australia-citizen/.
Thanks
Alison Phillips
August 2, 2021 at 6:59 amHi
Firstly, What a great, informative site! Thank you :).
My husband and I (both in our 50’s) are Uk citizens with permanent residency in NZ.
We have two children living in Australia (Brisbane and Melbourne) One is now an Australian Citizen.
Is there any way for us to move to Australia? We have moved our pensions over to here and would purchase a property (without needing a mortgage) and would have savings to cover anything else so would not be reliant on any sort of benefit. We would both also continue to work if possible. (IT and Teacher). Since Covid, we have found it very difficult being apart from the children, and just wondered if there was a way for us to join them in Australia.
JJ Smith
August 9, 2021 at 1:31 amHi Alison,
Thank you for your comment.
Because you are both NZ permanent residents not NZ citizens you will need to apply for visa to move to Australia or get NZ citizenship.
I cannot advise which option is better for you. I recommend you contact IMMagine, who are licensed advisers living in New Zealand or Australia: http://www.immigration.co.nz/.
They offer a free preliminary evaluation to establish which Visa category may suit you and whether it’s worth your while ordering a comprehensive full assessment or you can continue the process yourself: http://www.immigration.co.nz/assessments/free-evaluation/.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Anthony
March 3, 2021 at 8:10 pmI am looking into moving to Australia from NZ but will retain rental properties in NZ.
Am I correct in assuming that because I would be a temporary resident of Australia under the SCV that I do no need to include the rental income in my Australian tax return?
If I then, in the future, became an Australian permanent resident the situation would then change with the properties being subject to CGT in Australia?
Any comment would be gratefully received.
JJ Smith
March 24, 2021 at 10:57 pmHi Anthony,
Thank you for your comment and sorry for the delay in replying.
Yes from what I know, temporary residents are generally exempt from tax on their overseas income. Contrast this with permanent residents or Australian citizens. As long as they remain residents for tax purposes they have to pay tax on any source of income, foreign or domestic.
Whereas a temporary resident living and working in Australia generally will only need to pay tax on Australian income, and employment income overseas. Any bank interest, share dividends, rent from property and capital gains are usually disregarded (that is, tax free).
The above is from this post: https://www.beyondaccountancy.com.au/something-every-kiwi-in-australia-needs-to-know/.
It’s really going to depend on your accountant.
Please note, I am not an accountant or tax agent, so can only relay what info I’ve managed to find online.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Mel
February 9, 2021 at 6:15 pmHi JJ
Please can you advise if NZ citizens moving to the Lucky Country are entitled to domestic fees for tech and uni study? I couldn’t find any confirmation on the TAFE website about this and wondered if we would be charged as international students instead. Appreciate your help with this matter, cheers 🙂
JJ Smith
February 11, 2021 at 11:00 pmHi Mel,
Thanks for your comment.
Yes New Zealanders get charged the same as other Australians.
However, most New Zealand citizens will not be eligible for any kind of student loan to pay university fees, or be eligible for a student allowance to pay for living costs. You will need to get Australian citizenship to get a student loan.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Jenny Pieper
March 12, 2020 at 3:57 amHi
My partner was in Australia prior to 26 Feb 2001. He and his then partner moved here. They got pregnant with their first child but due to having no family here for support they went back to NZ for their first son to be born. They brought their son back to Australia when he was 6 weeks old. They had 5 other boys all born here in Australia.
The eldest one moved back to NZ when he was 13.5 years old to live with his grandparents. My partner has lived in Oz on and off since 1995. He has been working in this country for 20 years.
He moved here with me since September 2017 although had to make lots of trips back home to sort out his boys who were all back there then.
My question is as this boy entered Australia on 13/3/1995 and did not leave until 28/7/2008 he should have a Protected SCV shouldn’t he? Even though he was a child, he should have the same rights to the PSCV as his parents had.
We have just applied for Citizenship by conferral (the other 5 boys have their Australian citizenship as we only had to provide evidence.) He received a reply that he has been declined. Reason given was the general residency requirement Section 22 where he was not in Australia for 4 years prior to application.
IF he is a protected SCV does he still have to be here for 4 years prior to application?
I am not sure how I find out if he is a protected SCV holder or not as he was a child?
Any help you can give me would be very much appreciated. Also my partner has not been here for 4 years prior to applying – it is only 2.5 years but we want to get his application in before they change the rules again.
Its quite scary….
many thanks
Kind regards
Jenny
JJ Smith
March 15, 2020 at 11:47 pmHi Jenny,
Thanks for your commend.
However, unfortunately I cannot help at all.
You are going to have to contact an immigration specialist on the Australian Government website, Migration Agents Registration Authority (https://www.mara.gov.au/).
Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.
Mark ryding
December 2, 2019 at 9:33 amHi JJ
We are 2 UK citizens who are permanent residence visa holders living in NZ, we have been living here for 7 years. My question is, is it better to get NZ citizenship then move to AUS or can we move over as NZ permanent residents. We have no children and in our 50’s
Many thanks
M and M
JJ Smith
December 2, 2019 at 10:12 pmHi Mark,
Thanks for your email.
You are better off getting NZ citizenship and then moving over, as NZ permanent residents don’t get granted the SCV, so you would need to sort out another visa if you moved to Australia.
This is why NZ is considered the back door to Australia.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Veronica
October 23, 2019 at 11:42 pmHi,
Me and husband just arrived back in NZ from visiting family and friends in Sunshine coast, we are thinking of relocating I have two children one aged 1 year and the other is 8 years old.
What type of support would we get for them regarding school or child care I hear childcare can be expensive also what about doctors and hospital what does it cost for them?
What is the family payment you are entitled to and how long do you have to live in Australia before you are entitled to payment?
I currently receive working for families and accommodation supplement form WINZ as well as day care subsidy.
We are both self employed and own our own fitness gym however not sure what we will do for work yet.
Appreciate any advice you have speaking to a few people they kept repeating lack of jobs available.
Thanks
Veronica
JJ Smith
October 23, 2019 at 11:45 pmHi Veronica,
Thank you for your comment.
New Zealanders in Australia on a non-protected Special Category Visas (CSV) are entitled to family payments, including Family Tax Benefit, Newborn Upfront Payment and Newborn Supplement, Childcare Benefit and Parental Leave Pay, and medical care under Medicare. But are excluded from Newstart Allowance (unemployment) benefits, Parenting Payments and Youth Allowance.
Here are the links to the above Australian Government Schemes that you would be interested in:
– Family Tax Benefit – https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/family-tax-benefit
– Childcare Benefit – https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/child-care-subsidy
– Medicare – https://www.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/medicare-australia/
New Zealanders are valued in Australia and therefor I recommend you have a search on Seek and see what jobs you and your husband would find suitable: https://www.seek.com.au/. Great place to start!
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Eileen Holliday
July 8, 2019 at 8:20 amHi
We have recently moved to Australia from NZ.
I’m getting confused with all the information and wondered if you could perhaps explain to me in plain English what the requirements are as two NZ Citizens wanting to become Australian Residents and being eligible of benefits of being an Australian Resident/Citizen.
Thanks – Eileen
JJ Smith
July 23, 2019 at 10:56 pmHi Eileen,
Thank you for your comment.
It isn’t easy getting your head around New Zealanders becoming Australian Residents, as it is a very unique situation.
Have you read this post: https://www.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/become-an-australian-permanent-resident-and-australia-citizen/. It covers the different Visa options available to New Zealanders.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Sarah
June 12, 2019 at 12:01 amHi, I don’t know if you can help. I can’t seem to get hold of Centrelink, and you seem like a fountain of knowledge 🙂
We are newly migrated Kiwis to AUS and the after school care place we use seems to think we would be eligible for childcare subsidy. But when I look through the Centrelink website I find this:
“Non-protected SCV holder
If you are a New Zealand citizen who arrived in Australia after 26 February 2001, you’re generally a non-protected SCV holder. This means you are not an Australian resident for social security purposes.” And this means we are not eligible for child care subsidy.
Is this how you understand it too?
Thank you!!!
JJ Smith
June 25, 2019 at 12:14 amHi Sarah,
Thank you for your comment. Sorry for the delay in replying.
Good news for you is from my research you are definitely eligible for the Australia childcare benefit on a non-protected Special Category Visa. Call CenterLink on 136 150 and they will be able to help.
Follow this link to find out more about the Australian Child Care Subsidy: https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/child-care-subsidy.
Hope the above helps.