Generally, citizens of New Zealand can travel to Australia to visit or to live and work without applying for a visa (tourist or work visa). However, a New Zealand permanent resident will need to apply for a visa if they want to visit or move to Australia.
However, if, as an NZ Permanent Resident, you would like to completely relocate to Australia, you will need to apply for permanent residency. Failure to apply for permanent residency will mean you won’t be able to access certain perks of living in Australia.
To move to Australia from New Zealand without any hiccups, there are some important things you need to be aware of.
To start with, you will require a valid New Zealand passport. If your New Zealand passport has expired, you can have it conveniently renewed online. Children under the age of 16, including babies, need to have a passport of their own.
There are various visa types you can apply for if you intend on relocating to Australia from New Zealand. Please bear in mind that Australian visa rules regarding New Zealanders were modified on 26th February, 2001, so, you need to familiarise yourself with the new rules to avoid any visa application complications.
Individuals with untreated TB or a criminal conviction need to apply to the Australia High Commission for permission to enter Australia.
New Zealand permanent residents do not qualify for a Special Category Visa. Permanent residents who want to relocate to Australia to live and work will need to apply for an appropriate visa.
Ensure you have all the necessary documents and anything else important before travelling to Australia, or else, you may find yourself paying even more to go back home. Once in Australia, you may not be able to leave until you have settled any and all unpaid fines you may have accrued on the way.
If receiving work and income benefits, it’s required to inform the appropriate bodies of your travel plans before leaving New Zealand. If not, you could lose your benefits the day after you leave.
Those paying child support will need to contact IRD before leaving the country.
If receiving Veteran’s Pension or NZ Super, you can travel anywhere overseas with all or some of your gross payment. However, you need to apply for this before leaving the country.
You may also be required to file a tax return (IR3). This should cover the time period of your travel. You may also be required to file a tax return later to cover any income earned while overseas or from a New Zealand source while you were overseas.
If moving as a New Zealand citizen to Australia, permanent residency status will not be automatically granted to you. Instead, you will be provided a special category visa that allows you to live in Australia for as long as you desire, as well as work and study.
If you want permanent residency and all the perks that come with it, you will need to apply for it. If living in Australia prior to 26th of February 2001, it’s possible that you are already a permanent resident. But, if you landed in Australia after that date, you will likely need to apply for permanent residency. As a New Zealand special category visa holder, you can apply under a new pathway if you were in Australia before 19th of February 2016.
If moving as a New Zealand citizen to Australia, permanent residency status will not be automatically granted to you. Instead, you will be provided a special category visa that allows you to live in Australia for as long as you desire, as well as work and study.
If you want permanent residency and all the perks that come with it, you will need to apply for it. If living in Australia prior to 26th of February 2001, it’s possible that you are already a permanent resident. But, if you landed in Australia after that date, you will likely need to apply for permanent residency. As a New Zealand special category visa holder, you can apply under a new pathway if you were in Australia before 19th of February 2016.
There are many perks that come with being granted permanent residency in Australia instead of a regular visa. For instance, without permanent residency, you will not be able to:
Without Australian citizenship, you won’t be able to:
Whether or not you arrived in Australia before 26th of February 2001 will greatly determine if you, as a New Zealand citizen, are eligible for Australian citizenship.
The majority of New Zealand citizens, upon entry into Australia, are automatically granted SCV (Special Category Visa). This is a temporary visa that allows its holder to live and work in Australia. If you held an SCV and were in Australia as of 26th February 2001, you could be automatically eligible for Australian citizenship.
This is because the Australian government announced that New Zealand citizens that come into the country after 26th of February 2001 will henceforth be required to submit an application for a permanent visa. Without this, New Zealanders will not be able to get an Australian permanent visa, or be able to access specific social security payments, sponsor their family members for permanent residence, or attain citizenship in Australia.
A New Zealander that has Australian permanent residence likely has a current permanent visa. This permits the individual to live in the country indefinitely. Various types of Australian visas exist that can grant a New Zealander permanent residency for citizenship purposes.
Bear in mind that the Special Category visa (SCV) can allow you, as a New Zealander, to enter Australia and stay, as well as work. But it is nonetheless no more than a temporary visa.
Eligible New Zealanders can still access a special pathway to citizenship to live and work in Australia. However, there have been Australian citizenship changes which affect New Zealanders as of February 2016.
The changes mean that, as of February 2016, New Zealanders applying for Australian citizenship will need to have held a minimum of four years’ permanent residency. This is unlike the previous provision which required only one year of permanent residency.
These rules apply strictly to New Zealanders who arrived in Australia after February 2016, not on or before.
Henceforth, the specific rules for New Zealanders applying for Australian citizenship are:
Two categories of eligibility exist:
If you are a New Zealand permanent resident who’d like to live and work in Australia, you need to consider the following to have a smooth transition.
There are lots of major banks that make opening an Australian bank account easy via their online services. Remember that you will need to present valid ID at a branch of the bank in Australia before you can make any withdrawals.
By opening an Australian bank account online before leaving New Zealand, you can avoid having to carry traveller’s cheques or excess physical cash. This also enables you to convert your New Zealand currency to Australian dollars with ease.
If you choose to open your bank account in Australia, you will usually need to present valid proof of identity at the Australian bank of your choice. All paper documents presented must show the exact same name of the applicant in the exact same format.
As a New Zealander residing in Australia, you will be entitled to subsidised health care. This is available under New Zealand and Australia’s reciprocal health care agreement. Medicare will begin to cover you from the moment you enter Australia for the following:
As a New Zealander living in Australia, you will not need a student visa to study at Australian tertiary institutions. You will also have access to:
As a Kiwi, you can get a job in Australia and start working soon as you arrive. You can even apply for and get a job before you arrive. You can find out more about needed and recognised qualifications in Australia before making a decision.
If you are going to live in Australia, you need to know the following about their tax system:
As a New Zealand permanent resident, you can easily purchase real estate in Australia. The rules for New Zealand permanent residents looking to buy Australian property are more relaxed than for residents of other countries.
The rules that apply to Australian citizens will be the same that apply to you. As a permanent resident, you can choose between purchasing an existing property or a new dwelling. You can also acquire more than one property as your place of residence or for investment purposes.
You can also access mortgage loans in Australia. Mortgage lending policies that apply to permanent residents are same as those for Australian citizens. You can take a loan that is equal to 95% of the property’s value.
New Zealand permanent residents can also take advantage of FHOG (First Home Owners Grant) and similar benefits. Also, if you are a New Zealand permanent resident, you can borrow more funds than other nationalities. Depending on location of the property, you may also be exempt from paying Foreign Citizen Stamp Duty.
To ensure a smooth transition from New Zealand to Australia, use the following checklist to verify that all you need is in place.
It’s best not to travel without a little cash in your pocket, just in case. Also, be sure to inform your bank of your relocation and apply for an Australian bank account in advance.
It pays to apply for a Medicare card before arriving in Australia as hospital bills can be quite expensive down under. Also apply for a Tax file number (TFN) as you may not be able to get paid in Australia without one.
Having the right removal company working with you during your move from New Zealand to Australia can make the entire process easier and less stressful. To find the perfect moving company, be sure to ask the following questions:
Be sure to check the credentials of the moving company before signing up for their services. You can also check out online reviews to see how effectively the company has helped others move to Australia in the past.
At Ausmove, we are specialists in safely and efficiently transporting personal effects and household goods to any point in Australia from New Zealand. No matter where it is you are headed to in Australia, we can meet you there with your possessions safe and intact. We take care of all shipping matters, including customs and quarantine procedures.
Over the years, our highly-trained team has helped many individuals and families move to Australia from New Zealand with ease. We have been doing this for more than two decades and are recognised as one of the most reliable movers you can work with, regardless of the size or complexity of your move.
We can advise or help relocate furniture, your car, and even your household pets. Stress-free, efficient moving and shipping services from door to door are what we stand for!
Contact us any time for a free quote via our online form.
