Moving to Perth Australia from the UK

Interesting Facts About Perth Australia

• Referred to as the ‘City of light’ as it’s visible from space
• One of the most isolated cities in the world
• Mediterranean climate, sunniest Australia’s capital
• Friendly and multicultural people
• Historically attractive
• The largest population of wild quokka in the world lives on Rottnest Island (Perth)

Advice on How to Move to Perth, Australia

Visa Requirements

To live and work in Perth, you’ll need to apply for a visa and meet their criteria, which usually follow:

• Demonstrating the skills and qualifications needed for the position
• Your profession must be listed on Skilled occupation list due to skill shortage.
• Pass the points test (Include: age, English level, education, study requirements and other credentials). You can calculate the points you need for your specific visa with the Government Points Calculator.

The most common VISA for Brits moving to Perth permanently are:

• Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
• Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190): An employer in Western Australia can endorse you. This can increase your chances of getting the visa, as the demand is lower and you’re showing active interest in working in the particular state.

If you are nominated by a state, you can opt-in for the provisional Skilled Work Regional visa (subclass 191). Read more about all migration pathways and skilled visas on the Government of Western Australia page.

Healthcare Insurance in Western Australia

The health system in Western Australia, hence, Perth, falls under the national healthcare services. Australia counts with both public and private providers.

To be enrolled on Medicare (public system) you must have a residency visa – or applied for it – which allows you to work or have Australian, New Zealander or permanent resident relatives.

To receive coverage for these services, private health insurance is needed. Besides your patient status and insurance, you can still decide to go to private or public hospitals.

Setting up Finances

Before your arrival, the most important thing is to create a realistic budget for your move, some things you should take into account:

• Moving costs
• Costs of living
• First months of expenses (as you will probably expect more than usual to settle in)
• Housing – whether temporary or not
• Currency exchange

Once you arrive, make sure to:

• Open an Australian bank account for your everyday use, receive your salary and pay taxes
• Contract utilities (electricity, internet, water)
• Apply for your Tax File Number (TFN) – This is important to pay taxes and be eligible for benefits or allowances

Transportation

Transperth is the public transport system operating in Perth, which includes an extensive network of trains, metro, buses and ferries. Similar to London, Perth offers a reusable travel card to travel easily.

If you’re planning to live in the city centre, using public transport can be much more cost-effective, you will avoid traffic congestion and, no need to say, it’s more eco-friendly.

Owning a car will depend on your necessities, but it can also give you more flexibility, especially since distances in Australia tend to be longer. Riding around the city is also easier compared to the major cities in the UK.

Moving Furniture to Perth Australia

If you plan to ship your furniture from the UK to Perth, you have a few options depending on your needs and budget.

• Sea freight: The most cost-effective option, but it typically takes longer. If you want to save money, consider sharing a container instead of booking a full one, the costs will be split with others.
• Air freight: More expensive, but faster. Consider it for fragile items such as art or instruments.

The average price to ship a container from the UK to Perth starts from £7,700 for a 20ft container to £15,200 for a 40ft container.

Request Quotes from Furniture Removal Companies

Living in Perth

With a growing economy, Perth offers many opportunities for skilled workers with competitive salaries. It’s also a multicultural city and with a slow-paced atmosphere.

Costs of Living in Perth Australia vs the UK

For daily expenses, prices are generally lower in Perth compared to London. However, groceries can be more expensive in the WA capital due to factors like taxes, lower competition and importation.

See the following table for the average cost of meals, utilities and more compared to London:

Source: Numbeo

Life in Perth

• Outdoor lifestyle: Perth is a city rich in suburban parks, beaches, and marine life, offering many opportunities for outdoor activities.
• Sunny weather: In contrast to the UK, expect sunshine almost all year. It is known as the sunniest city in Australia.
• Large distances: Perth is quite large geographically, but most of its citizens reside on the coast. It would be convenient to have a car to explore the surrounding areas.
• Multicultural

Why Move to Perth, Australia? Pros and Cons

Should I move to Perth? It’s a tough decision, but weighing the pros and cons of moving to Australia compared to the UK could help.

Accommodation in Perth WA

People moving to Perth are advised to first rent before buying a property. There are two main areas where you can rent or buy a property in Perth – those north of the Swan River are typically more expensive than those south of it. Properties at the sea or riverfront also command high prices.

Properties in the south with the view of the Canning River are generally less expensive than those in the north with the view of the Swan River.

Cost of Houses

According to Numbeo in the statistics updated March 2024, the cost of a 3-bedroom flat in Perth, Australia in the centre is around 2,030 £. For a 1 bedroom apartment, the price lowers to 1,400 £

Property prices in Perth have been on the rise in recent years, but they’re not as expensive as those in Sydney and Melbourne.

Best Areas to Live in Perth

Choosing your place to live will depend on your circumstances. To start your housing research, these are some popular suburbs and their characteristics:

• Cottesloe: Beach life, slow-paced, safe and open
• Highgate: Centric, parks around, safe
• Subiaco: Well-connected, family-friendly, higher life standards
• Maylands: Rapidly growing, working class, young atmosphere

One thing to keep in mind when selecting a location when you have a child or children is the type of schools in that area. Some Schools in Perth can base their intake on whether or not you live within the boundaries of that school.

How to Get a Job in Perth Australia

Keep in mind that certain types of jobs are high demand whilst others are scarce. For example, jobs in Financial, media, marketing and IT are scarce in Perth and therefore are more difficult to secure compared to jobs in healthcare, engineering and mining which are in high demand. Check SkillSelect to see whether the skills you are trained in are in demand in Perth.

Western Australia Jobs for Brits

It may be worthwhile transferring or getting your diploma and qualification assessed for the Australian market. This will make finding a job in Perth smoother. Other tips for finding a job in Perth or Australia in general are as follows:

• Networking in your industry (Many jobs are not advertised, so connecting with professionals in your field is one of the best ways to find openings).
• Join a business association.
• Make yourself visible online on professional sites such as Linkedin or EURES.
• Check out the job sections of local newspapers (Many, if not all, have an online version).
• Look at different job websites such as jobs.wa.gov.au.

Work environment in Australia

• You will need a tax file number (TFN)
• Full-time employees work 38 hours a week
• Employees have a legal right to overtime compensation, this excludes executive and management positions.
• Workers have a legal minimum of four weeks leave (Excluding public holidays and +10 days of paid leave).
• Employees can have 18 weeks of paid (by the state) parental leave. Two weeks of dad or partner pay.

Ready for your move to Perth?

Moving to Perth will be a total adventure! If you need more information to plan your move to Perth, we recommend you take a look at the pages we have linked for you below -so you can start your journey to Australia on the right foot!