Moving to Australia Frequently Asked Questions by JJ Smith June 20, 2024 written by JJ Smith June 20, 2024 340 Below are a list of frequently asked questions we get regularly. If there is something you want to know please use the comment form at the bottom of the page. Can Kiwis live in Australia? YES… Under the SCV (Special Category Visa), New Zealanders are allowed to work and live in Australia permanently. They can live, work, study, purchase property and enjoy beautiful Australia. And with the direct pathway to citizenship, New Zealanders (lovingly known as Kiwis, our national bird) can now apply for Australian citizenship after living in Australia for four years! Read more in my direct pathway to citizenship for New Zealanders in Australia post. Can New Zealand Citizens work in Australia? Yes! New Zealand citizens are allowed to work in Australia without restrictions. When entering Australia, NZ citizens are granted an SCV (Special Category Visa); this allows us to live, work, or study as long as we remain NZ citizens, subject to health or character considerations. As an SCV is not a permanent visa, visa holders do not have the same rights and benefits as Australian citizens or permanent residents, so you should apply for Australian citizenship after living in Australia for four consecutive years. Read more about SCV Visa Exclusions or becoming an Australian citizen. Can New Zealand citizens study in Australia? New Zealand citizens can study in Australia at an Australian tertiary institution and are eligible to pay domestic fees instead of international fees. However, most New Zealand citizens are not eligible for a student loan, known in Australia as a Help loan, to pay university fees or a student allowance for living costs. You will need to get Australian citizenship to get a student loan. For more information, read my student loans post or the section applying to study at Australian universities in my schools in Australia post. Can you move to Australia over 60? The good news is that there is no age limit for New Zealand citizens moving to Australia, even 60+! You can move to Australia at any age as a NZ citizen, which is very fortunate, as the rest of the world is not. If you are not an NZ citizen, you typically need to qualify for a Parent or Partner visa or have at least AUD $5 million to invest in approved investments (excluding real estate). For more detailed information, consult the official Australian immigration resources or seek advice from a migration specialist. Can someone with a New Zealand Permanent Residency work in Australia? Unfortunately, New Zealand permanent residency does not entitle you to an SCV (Special Category Visa), which NZ citizens automatically get granted when they enter Australia. If you are a New Zealand permanent resident, you must apply for a visa to live and work in Australia. Do New Zealand permanent residents need a visa for Australia? Yes, New Zealanders with permanent residency need a visa to work, study and live in Australia. Most New Zealand citizens can visit, live and work in Australia without applying for a tourist or work visa. Permanent residents in NZ need to apply for a visa. For more detailed information, consult the official Australian immigration resources or seek advice from a migration specialist. Can Australian citizens live and work in New Zealand? Flip yeah! Australian citizens are able to live, work or study in New Zealand. Australian citizens do not need a work visa to work in New Zealand. This is also the case if you hold a current Australian permanent residence visa, including a current Australian resident return visa. When can I apply for citizenship in Australia? To be eligible to apply for Australian citizenship, you must have lived in Australia on a valid visa for four years and not been absent from Australia for more than one year or have been living in Australia for 12 months as a permanent resident. Read my direct pathway to citizenship for New Zealanders in Australia post for more information. You might also be interested in… The below posts might interest you: Renting and accommodation in Australia Open an Australian Bank Account Australian Mortgage 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. Can I help you find something else? 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! Are you wanting to move to Australia but have a criminal conviction?Australian VisaMoving Company to AustraliaSCV Visa ExclusionsXE vs OFX (NZForex)! 122 comments FacebookPinterest JJ Smith previous post White Card Australia next post Moving to Australia with a criminal conviction? You may also like Moving to Australia Process November 12, 2024 Documentation needed when moving to Australia March 25, 2024 Money – What You Need to Know February 17, 2024 Open an Australian Bank Account November 6, 2024 Foreign Exchange/Money Transfer November 6, 2024 $19,000 exchange fee shocks family January 14, 2025 Australian Tax November 14, 2024 Getting Your Tax File Number (TFN) October 15, 2025 Jobs in Australia May 3, 2024 Australia Skill Shortages July 16, 2025 122 comments Geri April 25, 2022 - 5:50 am Am in the early stages of considering moving my young family to Australia. The cost of living in NZ is getting worse and worse and we feel like we can’t get ahead. My fears are the grass won’t be greener. What is your experience of life in Aussie- honestly. Reply JJ Smith May 13, 2022 - 12:51 am Hi Geri, Thank you for your message. Honestly I really enjoyed living in Australia. The lifestyle is great with so much sun. It was easy to find work and meet people. The cost of living is cheaper, as is owning your own home. Fantastic food! Because they have a larger population, there is more on offer in every area of life. We loved the culture in Brisbane. Our favourite art galley is the Gallery of Modern Art located in South Bank. And there was always theater and plays etc to see. Kids love it because we spent so much time outdoors. The culture is very similar to NZ, so an easy transition for kiwis. For me the only downfall was not having my family with me. I come from a large family (one of seven) and couldn’t live so far away from them, which is why I moved back to Auckland. I still have a sister (with her family of five) living in Noosa and a brother and his wife in Sydney. I think the question you need to ask yourself, is what would you lose by giving it a go? Yes it will cost you money, but you can always move back. Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have. Good luck! Making the decision to move is the hardest decision you will make in the process. Reply Eric Furman April 7, 2022 - 10:05 am Hi JJ You have great website with oodles of info. I’m grateful. I have read somewhere of a requirement to show proof that I have closed my NZ bank account to access, open or be eligible for something or other. The problem is that I can’t remember what that requirement referred to. Can you perhaps help me remember!!?? Many thanks Eric Reply JJ Smith April 11, 2022 - 9:37 pm Hi Eric, Thanks for your comment. I’m sorry but I don’t know of a reason to close your account before leaving NZ. Most people I know living in Australia still have their NZ bank account open. The only reason I can find online is to save ongoing bank fees. It might be regarding opening a bank account after you arrive in Australia, but you can open one before you leave: https://www.staging.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/open-an-australian-bank-account/. Could you please email me back if you remember or come across the reason? Thanks Reply Yvonne March 8, 2022 - 7:22 am Hi we are a south African family of 4 who has been living in New Zealand for almost 3 years and have just obtained NZ residency. My parents are Australian Permanent Residence and my brother is an Australian Citizen. Do i need to be an New Zealand Citizen to be able to go over to Australia to join my family ? My husband is 52 and i am 46. Reply JJ Smith March 14, 2022 - 3:56 am Hi Yvonne, Thank you for your comment. Unfortunately I am not an immigration specialist and can not advise you. If you’re not an NZ citizen and want to move to or travel in Australia, you need a visa. This includes NZ permanent residents who are not entitled to a Special Category visa. There are different types of visas and different rules for each. Find the Australian visa that applies to your situation: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-finder. I recommend you check out IMMagine: http://www.immigration.co.nz/. They offer a free preliminary evaluation to establish which Visa category may suit you. You can also ask them the same question. For a small fee (AUD$15.00) you can post your question online and one of the team will be in touch with your answer within 24 hours (usually same day response): http://www.immigration.co.nz/ask-us-question/ask-us/. Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have. Good luck with your move. Reply Paul May 19, 2022 - 12:02 am Yes, you need to be a New Zealand citizen to be able to automatically live and work there on a SCV444. Otherwise you’d have to apply for a working visa like anyone else from anywhere else in the World. Reply John February 17, 2022 - 10:54 am Hi My partner has a job offer in Australia and I am planning to do my job nz NZ remotely from Australia. Do I need to pay double tax if Im living there and getting paid in NZ when I transfer my money? Also anything else I need to be aware of for remote work while living in Australia? Reply JJ Smith February 21, 2022 - 4:45 am Hi John, Thanks for your reply. So… I know that you only pay tax once because of the double tax agreement (DTA), which is a tax treaty between NZ and Australia. However, I am not an accountant so can only advise from information I can find online. There is the option of being a temporary resident in Australia for tax purposes because an SCV is classified as a temporary visa, despite its holders having the right to indefinite residence in Australia. I recommend you contact Beyond Accountancy and ask them as they are qualified accountants: https://beyondaccountancy.com.au/. Here are some articles that might help explain the above: – https://www.ird.govt.nz/international-tax/double-tax-agreements – https://bakertillysr.nz/news/a-substantial-tax-benefit-for-migrant-kiwis-living-in-australia/ – https://beyondaccountancy.com.au/something-every-kiwi-in-australia-needs-to-know/ (an accountancy company you should contact to discuss your situation with) – https://movetoaustralia.net/forum/topic/720/working-new-zealand-company-australia-whats-best-way-get-new-zealand-dollars/ Hope the above helps. Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have. Good luck with your move. Reply Odell July 30, 2021 - 2:45 am Hi there, My mother-in-law is 94 years old. She has been back and forth from NZ to Aus since 2016. She was meant to live with her son in NZ in 2018, unfortunately her son passed in Oct of 2018. She came back here to stay for a bit, then was heading back home. Unfortunately, due to a fall, illness and another recent fall and now covid she hasn’t made it back home. We would like her to now live with us for good and was wondering what we would need to do in terms of WINZ NZ and centrelink. Thankyou Reply JJ Smith July 30, 2021 - 2:46 am Hi Odell, Thank you for your message. Have you read this post: https://www.staging.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/can-a-nz-citizen-get-an-australian-benefit-or-pension/. The above post covers all the information I have been able to gather from the web. Unfortunately I have not been through the process or personally know of anyone who has, so can’t advise more. However, if you have any specific questions after reading the post, please ask me in the comments section at the bottom of the page and I will try my best to answer them. I also keep my Covid-19 post update to date, so you can check there to see what current restrictions are in place: https://www.staging.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/trans-tasman-bubble/. Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have. Good luck with your Mother in-law’s move. Reply Deepak Stevens June 3, 2021 - 12:36 am Hi JJ, Hope you are safe and well. I am an NZ citizen and my partner is an NZ permanent resident. If we move to Australia what visa does she initially need to apply for? Can we get her on a partner visa before moving to Australia? Thanks Reply JJ Smith June 21, 2021 - 10:23 pm Hi Deepak, Thank you for your comment. Sorry for the delay in replying. Unfortunately I am not an immigration specialist. I recommend you check out IMMagine: http://www.immigration.co.nz/. They offer a free preliminary evaluation to establish which Visa category may suit you: http://www.immigration.co.nz/assessments/free-evaluation/. They also have the service where you can ask them a question. For a small fee (AUD$15.00) you can post your question online and one of the team will be in touch with your answer within 24 hours (usually same day response): http://www.immigration.co.nz/ask-us-question/ask-us/. Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have. Good luck with your move. Reply Corey February 8, 2021 - 10:09 am Hi, I have family in Caboolture and they are wanting myself and my partner move over they only thing that is putting us off is being able to retire over there I am 50 years old and my partner is 59 years old at the moment she is worried that because she wont be over there for 10 years she wont be entitled to the pension when she reaches the retirement age because she might only be there for 5 years do you know if this is correct. Thanks Reply JJ Smith February 17, 2021 - 10:59 pm Hi Corey, Sorry for the delay in replying. Have you read this post: https://www.staging.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/can-a-nz-citizen-get-an-australian-benefit-or-pension/. New Zealand and Australia have a social security agreement. The agreement means that New Zealand residents who have lived, live or are going to live in Australia should qualify for a benefit or pension from either Australia and New Zealand, or in some cases both. To qualify for a pension, a New Zealander must have been resident in either Australia or New Zealand for at least 10 years of their working life (between the ages of 20 and 65). The only thing to take into consideration is the asset and income testing, which you can read more about in the post. Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have. Good luck with your move. Reply Giovanni Maio October 3, 2020 - 3:03 am Hi I was born and bred in Australia and emigrated to NZ in 1983. I have dual citizenship and carry an Australian passport. I have been married to a Kiwi for 32 years and she has a NZ passport. We want to move to Australia to live permanently. Can my wife apply for Australian citizenship without restriction and at what cost please. Reply JJ Smith October 20, 2020 - 1:41 am Hi Giovanni, Thank you for your comment and sorry for the delay in replying. Unfortunately I am not a immigration specialist so can’t answer your query. There are also a lot of different individual circumstances that go into New Zealanders becoming an Australia PR and then citizen. You can read my post here: https://www.staging.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/become-an-australian-permanent-resident-and-australia-citizen/. If you wife doesn’t clearly fit into one of the options I’ve included above, then you should contact IMMagine: http://www.immigration.co.nz/. They are immigration specialists. 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. Not many immigration companies do this. Read more here: http://www.immigration.co.nz/assessments/free-evaluation/. Next step is a full assessment where IMMagine will develop your detailed strategy, timeline and pricing structure in-person or on Skype. Naturally, a small cost applies for this full and comprehensive assessment. You can also them your question via their website where your question will be answered by licensed adviser living in New Zealand or Australia: http://www.immigration.co.nz/ask-us-question/ask-us/. For a small fee (AUD$15.00) you can post your question online and one of the team will be in touch with your answer within 24 hours (usually same day response). Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have. Reply Firasat Mirza September 9, 2020 - 3:50 am Hi there, We are a Kiwi family with 3 kids, aged 7, 5 and 03 year old. If we were to migrate to Australia, do my kids need to pay Uni fees when they are fit to join Uni in Australia. Kindly explain? Regards Firasat Reply JJ Smith October 13, 2020 - 11:34 pm Hi Firasat, Thank you for your comment. Yes your kids will need to pay for schooling and university. They will also not be able to apply for a student loan to cover their university fees. You can read more here: – https://www.staging.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/schools-in-australia/ – https://www.staging.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/scv-visa-exclusions/ To overcome the above restrictions of an SCV holder you will need to become an Australian Permanent Resident then Australia Citizen: https://www.staging.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/become-an-australian-permanent-resident-and-australia-citizen/. Please let me know if you have any further questions. Reply srujan Nekkalapudi August 30, 2020 - 7:16 am Hi. I am a Nz citizen. My wife is a NZ permanent resident. What are the visa options for my wife to move with me to australia. I would also like to know if the move is possible in this pandemic times. Thanks Srujan Reply JJ Smith September 8, 2020 - 1:35 am Hi Srujan, Thank you for your comment. Unfortunately I cannot answer your questions as I am not an immigration specialist. I recommend you contact IMMagine: 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. Not many immigration companies do this. Next step is a full assessment where IMMagine will develop your detailed strategy, timeline and pricing structure in-person or on Skype. Naturally, a small cost applies for this full and comprehensive assessment. You can also ask them a question online for a small fee (AUD$15) and an immigration specialist will answer it for you: http://www.immigration.co.nz/ask-us-question/ask-us/. No one knows when the borders will open or trans-tasman bubble will happen. You are going to have to wait for one of these to happen before you can move to Australia. However, you can keep planning so when moving to Australia is possible so are you. Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have. Good luck with your move when you are able to. Reply Raewyn July 20, 2020 - 11:38 pm Hi. I’m hoping you can help me solve my confusion. My husband and I both turn 65 at the end of 2020 (born 1955). We moved to Australia in January 2008 and have lived and worked here since then on SCVs. We both worked in NZ from 1973 until our move in 2008. We have also both worked in Australia from 2008 to the present time. Are we eligible for both payments? NZ pension age is 65, Aus age for us is 66years 6 months. My confusion is what we are eligible for and at what age. Am confused by WINZ and Human Services websites. Thank you in advance for any info you can give me. Regards Raewyn Reply JJ Smith July 21, 2020 - 12:06 am Hi Raewyn, Thank you for your comment. Your are only eligible to receive the benefit or pension in the country you are living in, so Australia. However, you need to apply for a benefit or pension in both countries. Once you applications are processed you may be paid payments from both New Zealand and Australia, e.g. your payment is made up of a NZ Superannuation payment and an Australian Age Pension payment. When this happens the total amount you will receive will be similar to the amount you would have received if you spent all your life in Australia. Senior Services International uses certain criteria to decide who can receive a NZ pension or benefit in Australia and how much you will be paid. You can read more about this here: https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/pensions/travelling-or-moving/social-security-agreements/australia.html#null. Here is a link to the post I wrote ‘Can a NZ citizen get an Australian benefit or pension?’: https://www.staging.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/can-a-nz-citizen-get-an-australian-benefit-or-pension/. It is quite confusing, so I hope this helps. Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have. Reply Lance Gilbert July 1, 2020 - 9:01 am Hello! I’m an NZ Permanent Resident and can’t find info on which type of visa I need to live (but not work) in Australia as my wife (an NZ citizen) may land a contract role there very soon. Please can you point me in the right direction? Cheers Reply JJ Smith October 13, 2020 - 11:42 pm Hi Lance, Thank you for your comment and sorry for the delay in replying. Unfortunately I am not a immigration specialist so can’t answer your query. I recommend you check out IMMagine: 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. Not many immigration companies do this. Read more here: http://www.immigration.co.nz/assessments/free-evaluation/. Next step is a full assessment where IMMagine will develop your detailed strategy, timeline and pricing structure in-person or on Skype. Naturally, a small cost applies for this full and comprehensive assessment. Good luck with your move, when you are able to. Reply Sharda June 22, 2020 - 6:53 am Hi, I hold a new Zealand work visa, I want to move to Australia, what process should I follow Reply JJ Smith October 14, 2020 - 10:44 pm Hi Sharda, Thank you for your comment and sorry for the delay in replying. You should contact IMMagine and find out what is the best Australian visa for you: 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. Not many immigration companies do this: http://www.immigration.co.nz/assessments/free-evaluation/. Next step is a full assessment where IMMagine will develop your detailed strategy, timeline and pricing structure in-person or on Skype. Naturally, a small cost applies for this full and comprehensive assessment: http://www.immigration.co.nz/assessments/full-assessment/. This post might also help you: https://www.staging.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/moving-to-australia-process/. Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have. Reply Sharon Prentice June 14, 2020 - 10:02 am Hi there Husband and I are both NZ citizens and selling everything to move to Australia including our home, do we need a visa to do this. We are both retired, receiving NZ pension and we will buy a home in Australia. I keep reading about a Special Category Visa, do we need it and where do we get it. Thanks so much, this is the best website. Reply JJ Smith June 17, 2020 - 1:10 am Hi Sharon, Thanks for your comment. As NZ citizens you do not need a visa to move to Australia. The Special Category Visa is what NZ citizens automatically get granted when they enter Australia. It is recorded digitally and you do not need to do anything. You can read more here – https://www.staging.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/australian-visa/. I recommend you check out the below: – Australian age pensions are asset and income tested, so any assets or income a New Zealander has will affect the amount payable. Read this post where you will find links to the income and asset tests so you know how much Australia pension you will get when your NZ pension stops (26 weeks after you leave NZ) – https://www.staging.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/can-a-nz-citizen-get-an-australian-benefit-or-pension/. – Find out how to get the best exchange rate on the money you will transfer to Australia. You will save a lot of money by using an online foreign exchange company to exchange your NZ Dollars into Australian Dollars – https://www.staging.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/foreign-exchange-money-transfer/. Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have. Good luck with your move. Reply Brit February 16, 2020 - 9:32 am Hey JJ! My partner and I are NZ citizens, wanting to move to Australia in 1-2 months. My partner was applying for jobs on seek. He’s an electrician, and was rejected for all because he doesn’t have a ‘white card’. Do you know how we can get this? And do I need one too? Thank you! Brit Reply JJ Smith February 26, 2020 - 12:55 am Hi Brit, Thanks for your comment. Yes I do know! I have been asked before. Australia has very strict health and safety rules: ‘To be able to carry out construction work in Australia, a person must complete an introductory safety training course called ‘general construction induction training’. This is also commonly known as ‘white card’ training.’ I recommend he reads the below info, which will take him through to where he can obtain a white card. It doesn’t take long and I believe it can be obtained online: – https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/construction – https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/licensing-and-registrations/work-health-and-safety-licences/what-licence-do-i-need/general-construction-induction/apply-for-a-general-construction-induction-card Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have. Good luck with your move. Reply « 1 2 3 4 » Leave a Reply to JJ Smith Cancel Reply Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
