Countdown to Australia – Your To-Do List by JJ Smith 13 May 2026 written by JJ Smith Moving to Australia is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. There are so many things to organise, and it’s hard to know: what to do when to do it and what actually matters right now So I created Countdown to Australia — a step-by-step email series that breaks your move into simple, actionable tasks delivered at the right time based on your move date. Each email focuses on one task at a time, with exactly what you need to complete it quickly and with confidence. Whether it’s: organising your TFN setting up a bank account applying for Medicare understanding your visa rights or organising your move itself This system guides you through every stage of your move — before you leave New Zealand and once you’re living in Australia. No guessing. No missed steps. Just clear, practical guidance to help make your move easier, more organised, and far less stressful. Join Countdown to Australia Now To make this as helpful as possible, your tasks are timed based on how far away your move is. Simply enter your email and select your timeframe – you’ll be automatically placed into the right sequence. From Research to Real Life in Australia The Countdown to Australia system is designed to guide you through every stage of your move — from the early research phase right through to living in Australia. At the beginning, the emails focus on helping you understand the big-picture topics that influence your move: jobs healthcare schools and childcare pensions visas property and what life in Australia is actually like Then, as your move gets closer, the focus shifts from research to action. You’ll begin working through the practical tasks that need to happen before you leave New Zealand: booking flights organising accommodation moving your belongings pet transport banking money transfers airport transport and more Finally, once you arrive in Australia, the series guides you through setting up your new life: TFN Medicare phone + SIM utilities superannuation driver’s licence and settling into your new community Everything is delivered step-by-step, at the right time based on your move date, so you always know what to do next. Choose Your Countdown The Countdown is broken down into easy-to-follow steps, but what really makes this system work is the timing. To make this as helpful as possible, your tasks are scheduled based on how far away your move is. Why You’ll Enter Your Move Date Later The first stages of Countdown to Australia focus on helping you research, understand, and prepare for your move. As your move gets closer, the tasks become much more time-sensitive and action-based. That’s why, once you reach the final month before your move, you’ll be asked to enter your exact move date so the remaining tasks can be timed properly around your departure and arrival in Australia. Things like: bank accounts money transfers TFN and Medicare They are most useful when completed at the right time. This system is designed to make sure you receive the right information exactly when you need it most! Simply enter your email and select how far away your move is — you’ll automatically be placed into the correct sequence. Your Countdown Journey 6–3 Months Before You Move 🗓 Research and planning Understand the big-picture topics that influence your move, including: Documents You’ll Need Searching for a Job School & Childcare Research Australia Health Care System Understand Australia Age Pension Book Your Flights Buying Property in Australia Know Your Visa Rights 3–1 Months Before You Move 📦 Booking and organising Start taking action by: Book Temporary Accommodation Dealing With Your Possessions Organise Pet Transport and preparing for the final countdown Final Month Countdown ✈️ Essential pre-departure tasks Lock in the important practical things before you leave: Book a Job-Required Course Compare Money Transfer Options Open an Australian Bank Account Get to Know Local Public Transport Plan Airport Transfers Goodbye, New Zealand… Living in Australia 🇦🇺 Setting up your new life Once you arrive, I’ll guide you through: Apply for Your TFN Activate Your OZ Bank Account Your Phone Plan + SIM Register for myGov Apply for Medicare Connect Your Utilities Australian Drivers Licence Apply for the Australian Age Pension Set Up Your Superannuation Settle Into Life in Australia Mortgages & Buying Property and finally, Australian Citizenship One Task at a Time To make these tasks as easy as possible to complete, each email includes: Task description Who needs to complete the task Documents required Links to complete the task Helpful tips and recommendations Related content on my website Referral partner information (if applicable) What’s coming up next The goal is simple: reduce overwhelm save you time help you feel organised and confident about your move Editors note: I haven’t scheduled any tasks on “move day” because I know from personal experience that you’ll already have more than enough going on! Having made the move from New Zealand to Australia myself, I understand just how busy, emotional, and exhausting those final travel days can be, so the goal of this system is to make everything before and after your move feel as organised and stress-free as possible. The First Email The first email helps you organise all the important documents you’ll need throughout your move. This includes both digital and physical documents, so you’re ready to complete tasks quickly as they come up. Believe it or not, one of the most stressful parts of moving to Australia is all the forms, applications, and identity requirements involved in setting up your new life. Because you’re new to Australia, you won’t yet have things locals use every day for identification: Medicare card Australian driver’s licence utility bill with your name on it Australian ID history Getting organised early makes everything much easier later on and helps you complete tasks quickly as they come through. Why I Created This If you don’t know me, I’m JJ Smith, and I LOVE researching. I like knowing I’m getting the best service at the best possible price, and I’ve spent years helping other New Zealanders do the same when moving to Australia. Everything in this system has been researched (and re-researched), and along the way I’ve also improved the content across almost every post on this website. So even if you don’t go through the full Countdown system, you can feel confident the information across this website is current, practical, and genuinely helpful. Helping New Zealanders move to Australia is my job — and honestly, I love it. Future Upgrades Further down the track, I’d love to create customised countdowns for different situations: families retirees trades solo movers and more For now, I’ve included a “Who needs to complete this task” section in each email so the system still works well for different people and situations. I’d Love Your Feedback This is a huge project, and while I’ve done my absolute best to think of everything, I’m sure there’ll still be things I can improve. So if you spot: an error a broken link a missing task or a service I should include Please let me know. The feedback from other Kiwis has always helped make this website better, and I genuinely appreciate every message. Ready to Get Started? Join Countdown to Australia today and start working through your move one step at a time. No guesswork No overwhelm Just practical help when you need it most Choose your timeline below and get started now…
Moving to Australia but Keeping Your NZ Property? Here’s What Kiwis Need to Know by JJ Smith 19 May 2026 written by JJ Smith A lot of New Zealanders moving to Australia are not ready to sell their NZ home — and honestly, that makes sense. Some people want to keep it as a rental. Others plan to move back one day. And with the NZ property market being what it is, many Kiwis simply can’t sell without taking a major loss. For many people right now, keeping their property is not necessarily a strategic investment decision. It is simply because selling is not realistic in the current market. Some homeowners are finding: properties are sitting on the market for months buyers are scarce offers are well below expectations or selling would mean taking a significant financial hit So instead, they are: holding onto the property longer-term renting it out while living in Australia or waiting to see what happens with the NZ market over the next few years And honestly? This is becoming incredibly common among Kiwis moving over. But once you move to Australia, your NZ property can create tax implications that many people do not see coming. This is especially important if: you plan to rent the property out you later sell while living in Australia you become a non-resident for tax purposes or you eventually buy property in Australia too And one of the biggest mistakes people make? Waiting until years later to get advice. What this post covers: First Things First: Get a Property Valuation Before You Leave NZ Australia Taxes Worldwide Income The Big One: Capital Gains Tax (CGT) Your Tax Residency Status Matters More Than Most People Think The Main Residence Exemption Is Where Things Get Really Tricky The Australian “6-Year Rule” Explained Planning to Buy Property in Australia Too? Moving Money Between NZ and Australia? Your Bank Could Be Costing You Thousands Renting Out Your NZ Home? Here Are a Few Other Things to Think About Where to Get Proper Advice Important Disclaimer Final Thoughts. First Things First: Get a Property Valuation Before You Leave NZ If you take only one thing away from this article, make it this. Before moving to Australia, get a professional market valuation done on your NZ property. Why? Because once you become an Australian tax resident, Australia may start taxing future gains on your NZ property — even though the property is located in New Zealand. That valuation can later help establish: your market value when you became an Australian tax resident your cost base for future capital gains tax (CGT) calculations evidence for the ATO if the property is sold later Without it, people often end up trying to prove historical values years down the track. And trust me — that becomes painful fast. Also keep records of: purchase documents legal fees renovations and improvements rental income and expenses rates and insurance loan documents Good record-keeping can potentially save you thousands later. Australia Taxes Worldwide Income One thing many Kiwis do not realise is that Australia generally taxes residents on their worldwide income. That can include: NZ rental income overseas investments foreign bank interest and potentially capital gains on overseas assets So if you keep your NZ property and rent it out after moving, you will usually still need to: file NZ tax returns AND report the income in Australia as well The Australia–NZ tax agreement helps prevent double taxation, but you still need to declare it properly. The Big One: Capital Gains Tax (CGT) New Zealanders are often caught off guard by this because NZ does not have a broad capital gains tax system like Australia does. Australia absolutely does. And once you become an Australian tax resident, your NZ property can become relevant for Australian CGT purposes. This means if you later sell your NZ property while living in Australia, there could potentially be Australian tax payable on the gain. The amount depends on things like: when you bought the property when you became an Australian tax resident whether the property was your home or a rental how long you owned it after moving and your residency status at the time of sale This is exactly why getting a valuation before leaving NZ matters so much. Your Tax Residency Status Matters More Than Most People Think This is where things get confusing for many Kiwis. Your immigration status and your tax residency status are not the same thing. You can: live in Australia hold an Australian visa even become a permanent resident …while your tax situation works completely differently. Some New Zealanders living in Australia may qualify as temporary residents for Australian tax purposes, which can significantly change how overseas assets and income are treated. Others may become full Australian tax residents and lose access to certain exemptions. This is an area that catches people out constantly. If you own property in NZ (or plan to), I highly recommend reading this article from Beyond Accountancy: Something Every Kiwi in Australia Needs to Know It explains why your tax residency status matters so much — especially for Kiwis who still own assets back home. The Main Residence Exemption Is Where Things Get Really Tricky A lot of people assume: “It was my family home, so there won’t be tax.” Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Australia has something called the Main Residence Exemption, which can sometimes reduce or eliminate CGT on a property you lived in. But the rules around foreign residents changed significantly in recent years. In many situations, if you are considered a foreign resident for Australian tax purposes when you sell, you may lose access to the exemption entirely. Even worse: the exemption is often “all or nothing” previous years living in the home may not help and renting the property out can complicate things further This is one of the biggest tax traps affecting expats and cross-border property owners. The Australian “6-Year Rule” Explained If you start researching CGT, you will probably come across something called the 6-year rule. This rule can potentially allow a property that was originally your main residence to continue being treated as your main home for Australian CGT purposes for up to six years after you move out while it is being rented out. Sounds great, right? Well… unfortunately, it is not always straightforward for Kiwis with NZ property. The rules become much more complicated when: the property is outside Australia you become a foreign resident for Australian tax purposes you buy another main residence or your residency status changes over time Some people assume they are protected by the 6-year rule, only to later discover they no longer qualify for the Main Residence Exemption at all. This is one of the reasons getting proper advice early is so important. Because while the 6-year rule can be incredibly valuable, whether it applies depends on: your Australian tax residency status whether the property genuinely qualified as your main residence how long it was rented and whether you own another property being treated as your main home Definitely not something you want to rely on random Facebook comments for. Planning to Buy Property in Australia Too? A lot of Kiwis moving over eventually buy a home in Australia as well. And if that is your plan, it is important to understand how owning property in both countries can affect: your main residence status future CGT calculations tax residency considerations and financing If you are at the stage of looking at buying in Australia, you may also find this guide helpful: Buying a House in Australia as a New Zealander. Moving Money Between NZ and Australia? Your Bank Could Be Costing You Thousands Another thing many Kiwis do not realise until after they move is how expensive it can be transferring money between New Zealand and Australia through traditional banks. And when you are dealing with: house deposits property sale proceeds mortgage payments savings or regular transfers between accounts …those fees and exchange rate markups can add up fast. A lot of banks advertise “low transfer fees”, but the real cost is often hidden in the exchange rate they give you. Even a small difference in the exchange rate can mean: hundreds of dollars lost on smaller transfers or literally thousands lost on large amounts That is why many Kiwis moving to Australia use foreign exchange companies instead of their bank. One of the most commonly used options is: XE Money Transfers Companies like XE can often provide: better exchange rates than traditional banks lower fees faster transfers and the ability to lock in rates in some situations This can make a huge difference if you are transferring large amounts of money for: buying property selling your NZ home moving savings or covering ongoing mortgage repayments between countries A lot of people only discover this after already losing money through poor bank exchange rates. Read this post where a $19,000 exchange fee shocks NZ family. Sad but true, and now you know. If you want to learn more about how foreign exchange companies work (and why so many Kiwis use them when moving to Australia), you can also read my post: Foreign Exchange & Money Transfers for Kiwis Moving to Australia Before transferring large amounts internationally, it is definitely worth comparing: your bank’s exchange rate the total amount you will actually receive and what a foreign exchange provider can offer instead Because the savings can genuinely be significant. Renting Out Your NZ Home? Here Are a Few Other Things to Think About Once your NZ property becomes a rental, there can also be: landlord insurance considerations property management costs NZ Healthy Homes requirements mortgage changes with your bank and currency fluctuations affecting repayments Some NZ banks also reassess lending once you move overseas, so if you are thinking about refinancing or restructuring your mortgage, it can be worth sorting that before you leave New Zealand. Where to Get Proper Advice Cross-border tax and property situations can become complicated very quickly — especially once you are dealing with: Australian tax residency NZ rental income capital gains tax (CGT) temporary resident rules or owning property in both countries And unfortunately, there is a lot of conflicting information online. If you are unsure how the rules apply to your situation, it is worth speaking with: a cross-border accountant familiar with both NZ and Australian tax systems a tax adviser experienced with expat or Kiwi clients or a financial adviser if you are making larger long-term investment decisions Ideally, do this before: moving to Australia turning your NZ home into a rental buying property in Australia or selling your NZ property Getting advice early can potentially save you a significant amount of money and stress later on. Important Disclaimer Just a quick reminder — I am not an accountant, tax adviser, or financial adviser. Everything shared on Moving to Australia is based on personal experience, research, publicly available information, and what I learn from speaking with professionals and other Kiwis going through the process. Tax rules and residency situations can vary hugely depending on your personal circumstances, and rules can also change over time. Please do not rely on anything in this article as financial or tax advice. Always speak with a qualified professional about your own situation before making decisions involving property, tax, investments, or residency. Final Thoughts Keeping your NZ property while moving to Australia is incredibly common for Kiwis — and for many people, it ends up being a great long-term decision. But cross-border property ownership can become complicated surprisingly quickly. And even if your original plan was simply: “We’ll keep it for a year or two until the market improves…” …life often changes. Suddenly: several years have passed the property has become an investment tax residency rules have changed and you are dealing with CGT issues you never expected The biggest takeaway? Before you leave NZ: get a proper valuation organise your records understand your tax residency position learn how CGT could apply later and get advice early if needed Because once years pass, the paperwork disappears, rules change, and options become a lot more limited. You might be interested in… The below posts might also be of interest to you: Buying a house in Australia (additional info to above) Find a House to Buy or Rent in Australia Transfer money from New Zealand to Australia Still, got unanswered questions? 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. Is there something else you want to know about? 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!
