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Moving to Sydney from the USA

Tuesday, July 4, 2023
An artistic projection on the Sydney Opera House at night in 2017

Crikey about moving to Sydney, the more blokes and sheilas read, see, and hear about Australia the more of them want to take the trek down under. Some even want to go down to live with the unusual range of opportunities, adventures, animals, and wild nature. Once an adventurer at heart, an adventurer to the end. Sydney, Australia not only is a name you can name your child without strange looks but it is also a mixture of a rising art scene, and a modern lifestyle mixed with amazing, hot beaches, appealing to many who would like to move to Sydney. So, before you grab your lager, prepare your barbie (BBQ) and enjoy the weather of Sydney, you would first have to move down there.

Moving to Sydney from the US - The Australian Visas

 Kangaroo standing and looking at the camera in the wild nature of Australia

Let’s cut straight to the point, Americans need visas to move to Sydney. To find out which  Australian visa requires what you need, go visit the official site so that you get the right information. Also, you can quiz a professional that knows what is what. But, skimming off the top, the general requirements for applying for an Australian visa when moving to Sydney are:

  • People who do not have English as their native language will have to be assessed according to standardized tests. These can include Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE), Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic), OET (Occupational English Test), IELTS (International English Language Testing System) or Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT)
  • Your qualifications as well as employable skills have to be recognized by the relevant Assessing Authority 
  • A health check can be required depending on your country of origin, the visa category you are aiming for and what job you will have in Sydney. Plus, when applying for a temporary visa you will need to show proof that you have sufficient healthcare
  • You will be asked to sign the Australian Value Statement which is an assessment of the character requirement which can mean that you would have to give penal clearance. Such as having a clean criminal record or proof of good conduct

Remember to research what you need before applying for the Australian visa. As well as make sure that all your papers are organized, up-to-date, plus verified. 

Sponsored Migration to Australia

People surfing on Australian beaches enjoying their time on the sun

The classic expat assignments are in the category Employer Sponsored Migration. As you can see by the name this includes the 457, better known as the Long Stay Business Visa. A standard visa gives foreigners and expats the right to work in Australia, after potentially moving to Sydney for a total of four years. 

With this type of Australian visa one is able to also travel around the world as many times as they want, or can afford. Furthermore, this visa also allows the applicant to bring their spouse (or de facto partner/s) as well as the children who are dependent on them. And, they can even bring their elders with them too if the latter is needing financial support. The 457 can also grant the applicant the right to study in AUS. 

General Skilled Migration to Australia

A young woman in reading glasses posing in front of a modern patterned wooden wall >

This type of Australian visa, the General Skilled Migration, has a bit of history to it. In the past, it was reserved for people who moved to Australia to look for work. One must pass a point-based test as well as do an official skills assessment to apply. Only people who had the needed skills and qualifications were eligible. If the required amount of points for a permanent Australian visa were not met, then that person could look for sponsorship from the State Government of New South Wales or a relative living in Sydney. These requirements for the visa have been discontinued in 2012.

Nowadays, if you are a business person, skilled worker or investor you would have to enter your details into the official SkillSelect database. This is how the Australian government manages its skilled migration program. 

If you are aiming for the Skilled Migration Visa, then you would have to submit an expression of interest (EOI) through SkillSelect. Then your name and experience will be put in a pool where some Australian employers or the Australian state government can nominate applicants. If you get a high number of points, then you could get selected to apply. However, when a certain quota is filled then the Australian government will cap the number of invitations. It can be worth a try.

There are other visas to apply for such as family-centered visas in Australia if you have a partner who is Australian or is eligible for New Zealand citizenship. All the information and form filling is on their site, but read it carefully and make sure before deciding on moving to Sydney to “check twice, submit once’’ the visa application as they say.

Life and Cost of Living in Sydney

Smiling man in a black shirt standing outdoors in Australia smiling at the camera

Sydney can be a hub of culture, amazing warm weather, fantastic creatures and more but there is some culture shock to be prepared for even though the national language is English, it is Australian English meaning the spelling and grammar could be different. Just think British English VS American English for example. Do your research and explore further before making the final decision to move to Sydney.

There can be a lot to do in the land down under once you get what everyone is saying. From hikes, surfing, food, BBQs, nightlife, and more. To enjoy the fun of the country you would need to figure out the cost of living in Australia first. And, we would strongly recommend that you apply for a job in Australia before even making the move there. 

However, the cost of living in AUS is less than that of New York City, London, Paris, and even Los Angeles. Sydney is ranked either 11 or 12 on lists of the most expensive cities for foreigners or expats. So while there are more expensive ones in the world, Sydney is still fairly high.

A photo of koala between the branches in the middle of Australian forest

One major thing to note is that rent is paid weekly rather than monthly. Plus, where you leave can influence how much you will pay. For example, in the center of Sydney, it is about AUD 450 to AUD 550 for a one-bedroom apartment. This is about US $302 to US $369 per week. This is about the price in the center, but the further you are from the center of Sydney the lower the rent can be. But, then you would have to account for transit to get to work since there are often more businesses in the center. 

Australia is a very inviting country where making friends does not seem to be too hard. Plus, there is an ever growing foreigners, expat community you can be a part of. You can visit InterNations to help meet new people or try to find them through social media.

Something to point out for Americans is that the seasons are reversed. So, Christmas happens in Summer and June, July, August are the winter months. Just something to warp your mind around if you have never lived in the other hemisphere.

How About Moving to Sydney with Shyft

A woman walking on the sidewalk in Sydney with neon lights reflecting her

Americans moving to Sydney in Australia which is neighboring New Zealand, hence the subtitle, have a lot to prepare for the move. As you have figured there is a lot that goes into relocation regardless if you are just moving yourself or moving the family to Sydney. However, there is a way that can make the process a lot easier to handle. That is by working with Shyft, the world’s first tech-driven moving platform that will organize your whole move for you. Furthermore, you will save money, your time, and decrease your stress. 

Just get in touch with Shyft either through our safe and free-to-download mobile app, Shyft Next or via our secure site. Either way, you would have to download the app. Filling out the short form and telling us what time you want a call from us is all you need to do to get the ball rolling. A Move Coach from Shyft will give you a video call through the app. Only at the time that you want. Thereby, making sure we fit into your schedule from the get-go. 

During this call, you can get to know more about Shyft from how we do what we do, what other services we offer such as corporate relocation, and more. This call achieves two major points with one being the information dump and the most important point being that your Move Coach will make your inventory list during this call. 

This inventory list is done without the Move Coach needing to come to your current home. You just give them a virtual tour, and they will do the rest. The video chat and the creation of the inventory list may take up to half an hour to an hour depending on the size of your current home or what you want to move. Within half an hour from the end of this video chat, the inventory list will be sent to you. 

The Almost, Fully Accurate Inventory List for Your Move to Sydney

A beautiful sand beach in Australia from bird view

The inventory list that you will receive is 95% accurate. Hence, it’s almost fully accurate. Through the Shyft Next app, you can make the list 100% accurate by adding items overlooked, removing items that are not needed with a second thought and even leaving notes on stuff you want the moving company to know about. When all is said and done, done and said, you send this 100% accurate list to your Move Coach. 

They will take this improved list, as well as your moving details (no personal information) and present it to Shyft’s secure moving board. This moving board is where Shyft-vetted, verified and experienced moving companies gather and from this pile, we collect three or more moving quotes. There are moving companies that specialize in international moves, and in your case, we will focus on them, logically. Each quote is from a different company and all the quotes are fixed. There are no hidden costs, and the price does not change even if your inventory list were to.

A man sitting on the stairs of his building after moving to Sydney

We will present our moving quotes collection along with information about the moving companies to you. You can contrast and compare them. And even do so through the Shyft Next app. When you pick the moving company you want to work with, let us know so that we can book them straight away.

You can ask your moving company to help when it comes to getting through customs. While we are on the subject of communication you can also reach out to Shyft seven days a week if you have any moving-related concerns or questions. We are on call to you, and our goal is to make your moving life that much easier, save you money, and lower your stress by taking on the moving organization for you. We will prep your move, so you can prep your next barbie.

The city view of Sydney with Sydney Opera House and boats and yachts around it

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