International student Australia arrival checklist
Just arrived? Follow this list to get set up quick
Introduction
Australia has been one of the most popular travels and study destinations for the rest of the world. The country saw more than 400,000 students flying in 2019 alone. Although those numbers have dampened in 2020 and 2021, owing to travel restrictions. This is changing as the Australian government hits its vaccination targets and gets a better understanding of tackling the virus. In addition, the mighty Australian education is lobbying with all their resources to get back up and running. Travel restrictions easing for student visa holders and extending the duration of the post-study work visa from 2 to 3 years are clear indicators of their focus on the industry.
If you are considering moving to an Australian city for your education, it would be safe to assume that you are going to be in the country for at least 2 years or more, depending on the degree of choice and if you chose to apply for another visa thereafter. In any case, there are a few things vital things you will need if you plan on living and working in the country.
Things to note:
- Student visa holders (Subclass 500) have the right to legally work in Australia, but certain restrictions apply. Check here for details.
- Temporary visa holders are treated as residents for tax purposes in Australia. This means you will be subjected to the same tax rates and laws as a permanent resident or citizen of Australia.
- Knowing (and following) our legal obligations in a foreign country is our responsibility.
The List
With that in mind, think of the following items as the pillars of your existence in Australia. Please note, all items and brands in the list are suggestions and mentioned here owing to ease of signing up. Most of the items in the list below can be set up at no cost, and online without ever having to leave your room. Believe me, it’s hard enough navigating through a new country to start with, you don’t want to be doing it with your passport all over the place.
Note: It is equally easy to discontinue or port these services to other providers as and when you feel fit.
1. Australian Address
It helps to you where you are going to be staying in the country for at least the first couple of weeks. While for some it is a relative or a friend, for others it can be a hotel or hostel. Either way, keep a local address handy, even if it is a short-term stay.
2. Australian Phone Number
There are a bunch of carriers for this purpose, and while most are similar to one another, I would recommend one
- Prepaid — Easier to get started.
- You can get your hands on quick — pick up at the airport, supermarket or petrol station.
- I went for amaysim because it's cheap.
Don’t bother getting confused by international calling offers, all you need is data. Whatsapp calling is all you are going to be doing anyway. You can get one for as cheap as AU$10.
You can always switch providers, plans, etc.
3. Bank Account
A local bank account will serve you well. If there was one piece of advice I could have given myself when I first came to Australia, it would be to NOT get the travel card from India, and just get a bank account as I land instead.
Now the big question of which bank to go for. There are 4 big players in the banking space in Australia, continuing the theme of quick turnaround and convenience I am going to ask you to steer clear of those for now and go for Up Bank. Why though?
- App-only, so no need to find a branch and fill a form.
- All you need is a phone, a local address, a phone number, and your passport to get started.
- You get a digital card on signup.
- No Fees
- Download link if you are interested: https://hook.up.me/kittu
There are other digital bank options as well, you can find out why I prefer Up Bank here.
PS: The fees for my travel card are still adding up.
4. Tax File Number (TFN)
A TFN is working in Australia 101. It is your identification number in the Australian Tax System. Employers use it to pay tax on your behalf. Once you have a job, be it casual, part-time, full-time employment, you will need a TFN to start with.
- It’s FREE.
- Apply here
- All you need is a phone, a local address, a phone number, and your passport.
5. Super Account
Superannuation is a uniquely Australian concept. In the most basic terms, it means that your employer is supposed to pay you in 2 ways,
- Salary in your bank account, that you can use right away.
- Money in your super account, which you can use only after the age of 65 years.
Since you already have opened a bank account in step 3, it's time to open up a super account. Although in many cases the employer opens this account for you, I believe it’s a good idea to open it by yourself, for better control and transparency.
Suggestion for a super account would be Spaceship super, for the main reason that it takes less than 2 mins to get it set up. All you need is a phone, a local address, a phone number, and your passport.
Why spaceship?
- Low fees
- Super quick and easy signup
Note: You can change super account providers as and when you wish in the future. It is equally as easy to transfer.
6. A Public Transport Card
Unless you are planning on spending heaps on Uber rides, it’s a good idea to use the public transport network in the city. Each Australian state has its individual travel card, Victoria has myki, NSW has opal etc. These are usually available at train stations. I would also recommend downloading the corresponding mobile apps as well.
While the list above is not exhaustive, it's a great place to start. I will continue to add to it as we go.
Now that we have the more important ones out of the way, here is a list of some good to have’s or optional lists which you might not need right away but may find useful at some point during your time here.
The Optional List
As you start getting used to your surroundings and adjust to life in Australia, you will come to realize there are other valuable pieces to your life’s infrastructure in Australia. Below lists is an attempt to compile those aspects for you.
1. Create MyGov Account
While many government-offered services are accessed via the myGov portal, not many are accessible to temporary visa holders. Except for, you guessed it right: Tax. Come tax time (Aug to Nov) every year, a MyGov account will come in handy.
- It’s FREE
- Create account here
- Takes about 2 mins
2. Link Australian Tax Office (ATO) with MyGov
Continuing the theme of paying taxes, once you have a MyGov account, log in and link it with the ATO. The guys who you went to for your Tax File Number.
In most cases, employers use software like Xero and MYOB, that basically take care of tax payment on your behalf. These portals come on handy when applying for a Tax Return. Simply put, these software’s may pay more tax than you are supposed to. Australian Tax Office lets you know if that has happened and you can apply to get that money back into your bank account via your ATO-linked MyGov account.
Steps to link MyGov and ATO can be found after logging into your MyGov account.
I hope the article was helpful and would empower you to better navigate through Australia.
