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With a population of 22 million, sparsely spread over 7,682,300 square kilometres and across three time zones, Australia is the world's sixth largest country*. Australia's magnificent scenery includes world famous beaches and coastlines, dense tropical rainforests and ancient artifacts.
The pleasant climate is conducive to Australia's outdoor lifestyle. Most Australians have a love for sport, food and the great outdoors. You'll find Australians on the whole to be a relaxed and friendly bunch of people.
*Source: Tourism Australia www.australia.com
Your first few months in Australia are likely to be expensive, especially if you move into a rental property and have to connect your gas, electricity, and pay a rental deposit or bond.
Citibank has a free online budget planner that you may wish to use, to help you keep track of your expenses.
Check out the Numbeo website to compare cost of living information worldwide.
School is compulsory for all children aged between five and sixteen years, and you can choose between:
- Public schooling, which is provided by the government and is either free or with minimal fees
- Private schooling, where you will pay tuition fees of between $6,000 and $30,000 a year.
For younger children, you'll also find a range of childcare centres and community-based day care available.
Places at these centres fill up very quickly, so it's a good idea to start looking and then registering for childcare before you arrive in Australia.
Australia has a world class health-care system, with both government-funded public hospitals and privately run hospitals available.
Public health care: Medicare is the Australian government-owned health care system under which you will have automatic access to. You can register and find out more about Medicare here.
Private health insurance: This will help to pay for any medical treatment and prescription medicines, if you get sick or have an accident, on top of what you receive from Medicare.
Private health insurance also covers some services that are not covered by Medicare, such as physiotherapy, dental and optometry.
Some of the largest private health insurance companies in Australia are:
You can find more about private health insurance in Australia here.
It's a great idea to bring with you an adequate supply and the exact details of any medication you take regularly, as brand names may differ between your home country and Australia.
Some medications that you can buy 'over the counter' at home may require a prescription in Australia.
This applies to all antibiotics, the oral contraceptive pill and some asthma medications, so you will need to visit a doctor first before buying these. Other medications, like painkillers and antihistamines, are available at pharmacies without a prescription.
The emergency assistance number in Australia for the police, ambulance or fire brigade is 000.
You'll find 24-hour automatic teller machines (ATMs) all around Australia. Most ATMs will accept cards issued by other banks, however you may have to pay a fee to access your money.
You can also use your card (credit or debit) at most businesses to pay for items or services directly via EFTPOS (Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale).
Opening a Citibank Plus everyday transaction account gives you access to an extensive ATM network, making it easy to access your money.
The local currency is the Australian dollar (AUD). There are 100 cents in one dollar. You'll find 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, $1 and $2 coins, and $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 notes.
You must declare any cash equal to or in excess of $10,000 AUD when you arrive or depart Australia.
While not expected, tipping in restaurants is common, with 10% being standard for excellent service.
Citibank Plus Account is issued by Citigroup Pty Limited ABN 88 004 325 080, AFSL 238098, Australian credit licence 238098 ('Citibank'). The Terms and Conditions that apply are available on request.
Any advice is general advice only. It was prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Before acting on this advice you should consider if it's appropriate for your particular circumstances.
Further information and our dispute resolution process is available at www.citibank.com.au or by phone on 1300 137 931.
Total balances held by a depositor with Citibank, up to an amount of AUD$250,000, automatically access the Financial Claims Scheme. For more information go to www.apra.gov.au or call 1300 55 88 49.
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There are three time zones in Australia:
(GMT + 10), includes Sydney and Melbourne
(GMT +9.5), includes Adelaide
(GMT +8), includes Perth
To maximise daylight hours, some states have 'Daylight Saving' between the first Sunday in October and the first Sunday in April each year, where clocks move forward one hour.
You can find out the time difference between home and Australia here.
Australia experiences four seasons throughout the course of the year:
Due to the size of the continent, it's no surprise that the weather can vary dramatically between states. In Sydney, you can expect average temperatures of 16°C during winter. Melbourne experiences slightly cooler temperatures, with an average temperature of 14°C during winter. Most states see average temperatures of around 30°C in the summertime*.
*Source: Tourism Australia www.australia.com
There are a number of visas available for workers in Australia.
- Employer Sponsored Workers
- Professionals and other Skilled Migrants
- Business People
- SkillSelect
- Temporary Work and Specialised Entry
- Doctors and Nurses
- Regional Employment
- Skills Australia Needs Events
- Air and Sea Crew
- Seasonal Workers
- Working Holiday Maker Visa
Please visit the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship website for more information about each visa and to learn more about how to apply.