Pre-Australia Check List
Here are the things I was able to do before my move to Australia to help the transition once I'm there.
Visa
The visa I got is the Working Holiday Visa, I applied through the Australian government site here. I had to triple check that I was filling out the write form because the questions on the this application were kind of out there. The questions were mainly around "do you have a criminal past" and "are you associated with a terrorist or terrorist group" after saying no to all of them that was it. 5 minutes later I received an email with my "Grant Notification" .... say what? This really confused me because 10mins after that I got an email simply confirming that my application had been received! Looked like a lucked out huge and fit all the criteria needed and was accepted right away.
Below are the main factors that make you eligible for an Australian Working Holiday Visa:
Between 18 and 30 years of age and unaccompanied by dependent children;
Be an eligible passport holder with at least 6 months until renewal on your passport;
Be able to show sufficient funds for a return or onward fare and an adequate amount of funds for the first part of their stay;
Be of good character and meet the health criteria.
Work Restrictions
Australian Working Holiday visa holders are permitted to do any kind of work of a temporary or casual nature. The main purpose of the visa is holiday and travel, so work for longer than 6 months with any one employer is not allowed.
While in Australia you cannot spend more than 4 months in any studies or training.
Financial Requirements
The minimum amount recommended is $5,000 AUD. This amount all depends on your own personal travel plans while you are living there. Myself, I am going over with about $3000 after vehicle expenses and we shall see how that goes!
Living Accommodations
There are several different options when it comes to living accommodations. Hang tight for my upcoming post Van Life Newbie for more details. Spoiler alert... My accommodation choice is to live out of a van :)
Medical Insurance
Getting this sorted before I left was a huge weight off my shoulders. Of course there are many many different options to go with for medical insurance while traveling. I used Now Compare and ended up going with Regency for Expats. I have always been healthy and have never had to go to the hospital so with that I went with the plan for just the in patient coverage because if I do end up in a hospital chances are it's gonna be bad.
That's just about everything I did before I moved down under, stay tuned for more information on my move to Australia.
