Sydney Moving Checklist
Moving to Sydney is a 12-month project with deadlines you can’t miss. I’ve organized this checklist chronologically because timing matters more than you’d expect. Each timeline below includes the tasks, costs, and links to more information you’ll need so you can plan systematically instead of discovering critical deadlines too late.
12 Months Before Moving to Sydney
Research the cost of moving and make a moving budget.
When we moved, we didn’t create a budget, and I wish we had. Our bank account quickly drained, with every expense costing thousands of dollars. Nothing was cheap.
A simple list of major expenses with due dates would have been a tremendous help. Knowing when large expenses were coming could have helped us prepare better.
I have two detailed posts on moving expenses. The first lists relocation costs before moving to Sydney. The second lists arrival expenses to prepare for.
Shipping anything to Sydney? That’s a major cost to budget for.
I have several posts to help you. The first covers the cost of shipping a 20-foot container to Australia from various ports worldwide. I also have detailed posts on packing and shipping, including a three-part series on our Seattle to Sydney shipping quote.
Work with a migration agent or navigate the visa process yourself.
Most Sydney Moving Guide readers have employer sponsorship in Australia. If that’s you, skip ahead.
Applying for an Australian visa on your own? It’s getting tougher to receive an invitation to apply (after you have your Expression of Interest submitted), especially for partner visas and permanent residence skilled visas. In 2017/18, visa refusals increased by 46%.
If you decide to hire a migration agent, then plan on paying anywhere from the same as your visa application fee to 1.5 times more.
I have several migration agents recommended by other SMG readers on my resources page. My Private Facebook Group for email subscribers is another place to get recommendations (details on how to join are on page 3 of the moving checklist pdf).
Update: Kelly Lloyd, a registered Australian migration agent, is now a member of my Facebook group.
Renew passport BEFORE visa approval or six months before leaving.
If you renew your passport after you have submitted your application, you’ll need to update your application. Having it done beforehand will save you the trouble, plus you don’t want to have any delays.
You can renew your passport in Australia, but it’s better to handle it before moving if it expires within the next year or two. Most passports are valid for 10 years.
Submit visa application.
I know I said the checklist covers everything you need to know 12 months before you go, but the processing times for several Australian visas are over 12 months. Way over 12 months.
Processing time depends on what visa you’re applying for and if you’re a compelling applicant. Here’s the link to processing times for Australian visa subclasses on the Department of Home Affairs website.
Sydney Moving Checklist PDF Download
The PDF version of this moving checklist is 36 pages, pack full of resources.
8 Months Before Moving to Sydney
Start pet importation.
Australia allows the importation of dogs, cats, rabbits, horses, and select bird species from approved countries. The following information is for importing cats and dogs.
First, determine your home country’s category group. Most accepted countries are in Group 3. Find your country here.
Second, get a rabies neutralizing antibody titer (RNAT) test. For Group 3 countries, including the U.S. (except Hawaii and Guam) and the U.K., the test must be done between 180 days and 12 months before exporting your pet. There are no exceptions to the 180-day waiting period. After 12 months, you must retest your pet.
The 180-day countdown begins one month after your first titer results. Start this process eight months will give you a one-month buffer.
Read through the FAQs and step-by-step importation guides for detailed information:
Pet importation to Australia is complex, with multiple vaccination timeframes. Hiring a pet relocation company can help with paperwork and tracking these requirements. Here is a list of recommended pet relocation companies.
Get house ready to sell or organize renting out.
You might wait until your visa is approved, but start planning now for selling or renting out your house.
First, consider any renovations or home improvements. Have a real estate agent walk through your house to suggest necessary updates for a fast sale and provide an idea of the current asking price. Ask about the best time of year to list your house and get contractor recommendations. Reliable contractors often get booked far in advance, so start early.
Next, consult a tax accountant to understand how selling your home before moving will affect your taxes.
If you are renting out your home instead of selling, then you have a whole other list of things to consider.
- Will you manage the property yourself or hire a local management company?
- How do you find a trustworthy property management company?
- Is Airbnb an option worth exploring?
- How will owning a rental property affect your taxes in the U.S. and Australia?
The IRS provides tips on rental income, deductions, and record-keeping here. Still, consult a tax accountant before you move.
6 Months Before Moving to Sydney
Organize your finances.
Why start organizing your finances six months before moving? This is one thing I wish we had done before we moved, but we were in the camp of “we’ll just figure it out as we go”. If we had simply taken the time to organize our finances, even a big picture, zoomed out view, we would’ve saved a ton of money and avoid long delays.
Stay on top of financial commitments back home.
You’ll likely still have financial commitments back home. Keeping track of payments is easier with fewer to manage.
List regular payments like school loans or credit cards. Pay off or combine what you can before moving. (I know, easier said than done. It took me forever to pay off my school loans, but I finally did while living in Sydney.)
Keep a bank account open back home until you’ve settled your financial commitments.
Note for US Expats: It’s getting harder for US expats to keep a bank account open back home. Check with your bank and investment funds to ensure you can maintain access to your accounts while in Australia. Some US banks and investment funds may close your account once they learn you’ve moved. Keeping an address in the US while living abroad is illegal even if it’s a close family member’s address.
Open forex account and lock-in exchange rate.
We made many financial mistakes when we moved to Sydney. Transferring money was the biggest one.
We waited until we had an Australian bank account before transferring money through that bank into our new account. Not only did we end up getting the worst exchange rate possible, but it also took forever! This caused us a lot of stress since we needed that money for our rental deposit and first month’s rent.
Most forex companies let you lock-in an exchange rate six months before you’re ready to the transfer funds. This is what many of my UK Facebook members did during the lead up to Brexit when the exchange rate was bouncing all over the place.
I list my two favorite forex companies and two good alternatives in my post, An Expat’s Guide to Transferring Money. They offer great rates and fast transfers.
Inform your tax accountant of your move.
You’ll still need to file your US taxes each year you’re in Australia, for as long as you’re a US citizen. Yes, this means you’ll file a tax return in Australia and another in the US. Sorry, but that’s just the way it is.
Even if you don’t have a tax accountant now, consider getting one as US expat taxes are complex and change often. TaxesForExpats.com offers Sydney Moving Guide readers a $25 discount.
Make a budget for the first few months.
I have a post that lists how much money you’ll need saved when you arrive in Sydney. It explains how to correctly calculate your monthly rent and deposit. Even though rent in Sydney is advertised weekly, you will pay it monthly.
For more help with budgeting, check out my other posts about the cost of living in Sydney.
Sydney Moving Checklist PDF Download
The PDF version of this moving checklist is 36 pages, pack full of resources.
4 Months Before Moving to Sydney
Downsizing before shipping
It’s best to purge before you splurge. International shipping is not cheap. I have several posts about shipping on the website that cover the cost of shipping, getting your shipping quote, what you can and cannot ship to Australia, and a three-part series that details our shipping quote experience.
Downsizing before getting your shipping quote is essential. There is no need to get your shipping quote now. Most shipping quotes are only valid for a month or two. For now, focus on reducing your shipment volume and getting a better idea of what is going to be shipped to Sydney.
Sell or donate what’s not being shipped to Sydney.
Driving to Goodwill, setting up garage sales, or selling on Craigslist can be time-consuming. Several companies will come to your house, pick up everything you want to donate, and sort through it all for you. If time runs out, this is an option to consider.
After the movers picked up our shipment, we had odds and ends left in the house. We called 1-800-Got-Junk to clear it out. You must schedule a pickup time, and they charge a fee. We were okay with paying the fee because we just wanted to be done.
Book short-term accommodations.
I always recommend staying in a short-term rental instead of a hotel in an area you’re considering moving to. This way, you can explore the neighborhood, and it makes getting to rental inspections easier since you’re close by. Check out Stayz.com.au, the Airbnb of Australia.
Message the rental owner to let them know you’re moving to Australia and considering living in their area. Many owners are generous with information about the area and may allow you to use their address for setting up your Tax File Number when you first arrive. Just remember to update your address once you find a permanent place.
3 Months Before Moving to Sydney
Research schools and child care in Sydney.
Are you moving to Sydney on a temporary work visa like the 482 TSS Visa? New South Wales public schools will charge tuition for your kids, ranging from $6,000 to $7,400 per year for 2024/25.
If you move on a permanent residence visa, you won’t pay tuition for public schools in New South Wales.
I have a few posts on schools in Sydney, child care and preschools.
My private Facebook group for Sydney Moving Guide email subscribers is another fantastic resource. Many parents in the group can recommend schools and advise on enrollment.
Final medical checkups and records pick up.
Medical appointments to make before you move: Dental check-ups, eye appointment, and yearly OB/GYN.
Dental check-ups in Australia are yearly, not every 6 months like in the States, and OB/GYN check-ups are every 2 years. Dental and optical coverage are extras you can opt to add on to your insurance coverage.
Your health insurance in Australia will have a wait period that ranges from 2 months to 12 months, depending on the insurer and the insurance plan.
Parents, you’ll need immunization records for public school enrollment. You’ll want to bring those with you, on your person, to avoid any school enrollment delays.
Make your resume Australian-friendly.
Recruiters spend less than 6 seconds on a resume. The first page must grab their attention.
A US resume and an Australian CV are similar, but the Australian CV is longer. Check out my blog post with Australian CV examples here. It focuses on work visa sponsorship, but the layout is the same for everyone.
I also have a post with 10 tips for optimising your resume for Australia.
Notice that I used an “s” instead of a “z” for “optimising”. Australian English differs from American English, affecting grammar and spelling. Nothing looks worse when you’re applying for a job than misspellings or bad grammar.
Use Grammarly to check spelling and grammar. It explains errors and works for US, Australian and British English. It’s free and compatible with Google Docs via a Chrome extension.
Renew driver’s license.
Renew your driver’s license if it’s due to expire while you are in Sydney. If you do renew your license, then get an official copy of your driving record or keep your old license if the issue date is less than 3 years.
If your license issue date is less than 3 years, you may end up with a provisional P1 or P2 driver license. This happened to me.
I renewed my license before leaving, but the new issue date was less than 12 months before I got my NSW license, resulting in a P1 provisional license. Keeping my old license or getting my driving record would have given me an unrestricted license.
Permanent Australian residents must get a NSW license within 3 months. Temporary visitors need a temporary NSW license within 6 months.
Sydney Moving Checklist PDF Download
The PDF version of this moving checklist is 36 pages, pack full of resources.
2 Months Before Moving to Sydney
Get three in-house shipping quotes.
Shoot for three in-house quotes. Don’t depend on an over the phone estimate or an online form that asks you to estimate how many items you’re shipping. There’s more to a shipping quote than just the number of boxes you’ll be shipping to Sydney.
I have an international mover’s contact form here. Yes, that form also asks you to estimate the volume of your shipment, but I’ve included a cheat sheet with the contact form to help you with that.
When you get your quote, be sure to ask how long the quote is good for. Most quotes are good for one month.
I have several posts on the site, all about packing and shipping. As I mentioned before, I have a three-part series all about shipping quotes and what to look for when you get yours.
Give formal notice at work.
When giving notice, ask for a letter of recommendation from your boss and for LinkedIn recommendations from coworkers.
This is huge and counts when you start applying for jobs in Sydney as recruiters love LinkedIn. You might also want to optimize your LinkedIn profile and become more active if you’ve neglected it.
Note for moving from the UK: Obtain a P45 form and an Inland Revenue P85 form for each adult moving to Australia. Complete and send these forms back to the UK within a few weeks of arriving in Australia to ensure Revenue & Customs knows you’ve left the UK and are now a tax resident in Australia.
Note for moving from the US: Ask if your employer will send your end-of-year tax forms to you in Sydney. If not, use a family member’s or friend’s address, or consider a mail forwarding service.
Start searching for a job in Sydney.
When your resume and LinkedIn profile are complete, it’s time to begin your job search.
As you search for a job, note recruitment agencies and create a list of them. It’s often better to apply through the recruiting agency’s website rather than a larger job search site like Indeed. General search sites rarely update their job listings.
Check airlines baggage limits.
If you need to pack more than allowed, consider sending bags ahead. Two services for this are Send My Bag and Luggage Forward.
Send My Bag offers a 5% discount for Sydney Moving Guide readers. Luggage Forward is also worth checking out for price and service comparison, though I don’t have a discount code for them.
Clean and pack non-essentials.
Don’t wait until the last month to pack! After donating or selling what’s not being shipped, pack non-essentials like picture frames, knickknacks, extra bed linens, books, and out-of-season clothes. Remember, Australia’s seasons are opposite to those in the Northern Hemisphere. Winter in Sydney is mild but wet, so pack accordingly without bringing your entire wardrobe.
Australian quarantine is very strict. We received a notice about two pairs of shoes with “foreign” dirt. The options were to have them cleaned for $363 or destroyed for $71.50. Be sure to clean the soles of shoes that likely have dirt, like running shoes, hiking boots, and sports cleats. Also, clean camping and sports gear, gardening tools, outdoor furniture, kids’ outdoor toys, and stroller/pram wheels.
For more on packing and shipping, check here, and for Australian quarantine info, check here.
Zero in on suburbs in Sydney.
Start your research now. Focus on one side of Sydney Harbor and three adjacent suburbs.
For example, if you like Bondi Beach, consider Bondi, Waverley, Bellevue Hill, and Woollahra. If you rely on public transport, check Sydney’s train route map and find the nearest station. Also, look at areas within a 10 to 15-minute walk from the station.
I have a post with Sydney suburb suggestions for expats new to the city, and several posts about renting in Sydney from the paperwork you’ll need for your rental application to how we found our first rental in Sydney before it was listed.
The top rental search sites in Australia are Domain.com.au and RealEstate.com.au. Set up accounts on each to get alerts for rentals in your preferred areas.
1 Month Before Moving to Sydney
Packing should be full throttle now.
Two posts to check out before packing:
One surprise we encountered was that all boxes must be new due to Australian Quarantine and Customs inspections. Avoid quarantine fees by ensuring all boxes are new.
Ordering new boxes from Amazon is convenient though odd to order a box full of boxes, but they make it so easy to do. Also pick up some extra adapters and a step-down voltage transformer for small kitchen appliances like your KitchenAid stand mixer instead of replacing them in Australia. That’s something I wish I had done when we moved. (If you’re moving from the UK, you don’t need a transformer.)
Label boxes sequentially from #1 to the total number you have, like #1 to #125. Keep labels simple with terms like “bedroom,” “kid’s room,” or “shoes.” No need for long lists of what’s inside.
Organize paper records.
Get school records when notifying them of the last day of attendance.
Print a copy of your visa approval email and visa grant number. While everything is digital and linked to your passport, having a paper copy can be crucial if Australian Border Control can’t access your records. You might also be between mobile plans and unable to access email at the airport.
Print other important documents you might need. You’ll likely have limited access to a printer until you settle in. Photocopy or scan important papers like your birth certificate, marriage certificate, and shipping insurance documents. Don’t ship these copies or originals, as you’ll need them for rental applications and proof of ID.
I have a post detailing the documents needed for the 100 Points of ID Check, and another for situations if you lack the necessary documentation to pass the 100 Points of ID Check.
Forwarding mail to Australia.
Ask a family member or friend if you can use their address until you have a permanent address in Australia. Call your more important accounts, like your bank and any investment accounts, to let them know you are moving out of the country if you haven’t done this yet. Sign up for paperless statements from all your financial accounts.
There are several mail forwarding companies you can also use if you don’t have someone willing to let you use their address. Here are two several Sydney Moving Guide Facebook Group members have recommended.
Note for moving from the UK: You can redirect your mail to any overseas address for 3, 6 or 12 months through the Royal Mail website.
Cancel accounts before you leave.
- Household utilities such as gas, water, electricity, and internet
- Car insurance
- Homeowner’s insurance
- Gym membership
- Newspaper and magazine deliveries
- Any other regular deliveries
Note about TV streaming accounts: Yes, there is Netflix Australia, but you cannot simply switch over your account. According to Netflix documentation, you must cancel your account and open a new one in Australia. Also, there is no Hulu or HBO Max in Australia.
Want to keep your current streaming accounts? You’ll need a VPN (Virtual Private Network). PureVPN offers a discount for my readers: 80% off plus 3 extra months when you sign up for a 2-year plan, costing a little over $4 USD a month.
Contact bank and credit cards.
Yes, I already mentioned this, but it’s important to reiterate contacting your bank if you haven’t already done so. Let them know you’re moving to Australia and you want to keep your account open. Also, inform them you’ll use your bank cards in Australia and request new ATM cards for any expiring soon. Check on any foreign transaction fees.
Refill medications for first three months.
Make sure the amount doesn’t exceed a three-month supply. Bring a letter or a copy of your prescription in English from your doctor to show it’s for your treatment. Keep the medicine in its original packaging and declare it to the Australian Border Force when you arrive.
Sydney Moving Checklist PDF Download
The PDF version of this moving checklist is 36 pages, pack full of resources.
2 Weeks to 1 Day Before Moving to Sydney
Open a bank account in Sydney.
You can open a bank account two weeks before arriving in Sydney, depending on the bank. I have a list of Australian banks you can open an account with online. Most banks let you fill out a form online and pick up your ATM card at a branch in Sydney. However, you might need to wait a few days for your card to arrive.
Keep your home bank account active so you can withdraw money at ATMs in Australia while waiting for your new card. Of course, you can always go to the bank and make a withdrawal in person.
Organize an airport transfer.
The flight to Australia is long. Afterward, you’ll go through customs and baggage claim. Do you want to wait in the taxi queue or sort out public transport? If considering public transport, check out my post on Sydney’s public transport. It covers getting to and from the airport.
Note for Parents: Child car seats from abroad are illegal in Australia as they don’t meet AS/NZS 1754 standards. Inform your airport transfer service if you need a car seat, or select “Car Seat” when booking Uber.
Plan your going away party.
It’s time to have fun.
Prepare for the long flight to Sydney.
Get a good night’s rest and start hydrating. Don’t forget to check for any dirt that might be present on shoes, suitcase or stroller wheels.