kerry knight Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 Hi all We are off to Oz in August and so excited! We have clarified that the schooling is free under the 489 visa but I am still unsure where we stand with healthcare. Do we need insurance? Are we eligible for anything in Australia? Any info would be much appreciated! Thanks heaps Kerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 Congratulations! If you're British and you lived in the UK immediately before arriving in Australia, you'll be covered by the reciprocal agreement. That means you're covered by Medicare for any treatment which can't wait until you get home to the UK (the fact you're not planning to return to the UK is not considered relevant). If you're young and fit that may well cover most of your needs, but remember it doesn't cover dental, optical or ambulance at all. You need health insurance for those. Also be aware that if you want to buy a property, you will have to get special permission (because you'll be classed as a foreign buyer) and also pay a lot of extra duty. On balance, you'll probably be better off to stay renting until you get your PR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerry knight Posted June 7, 2019 Author Share Posted June 7, 2019 Thanks Marisa! Thats really helpful. I didn't know that about the property market over there! We were hoping to buy within the first year and are in the middle of selling our home here, which I think we still need to do in order for us to have a clean break? If you have any other Australian property buying tips or could point me in the direction of a good website I would be really appreciative. Many thanks again Kerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 1 hour ago, kerry knight said: Thanks Marisa! Thats really helpful. I didn't know that about the property market over there! We were hoping to buy within the first year and are in the middle of selling our home here, which I think we still need to do in order for us to have a clean break? If you have any other Australian property buying tips or could point me in the direction of a good website I would be really appreciative. It's up to you, but it is a lot of extra money to shell out for nothing. Someone who posted recently said it cost them an extra $40,000 in fees and duty, compared to someone who has PR. Two real estate websites dominate the Australian market: domain.com.au and realestate.com.au. If you want to check out reviews of suburbs, check Homely.com.au Be aware that real estate agents are shameless about doctoring photos, so don't set too much store by what you see! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerry knight Posted June 7, 2019 Author Share Posted June 7, 2019 Wow OK, both really good points. We were going to try to secure a rental before we arrived but were a but dubious about not visiting it first. Maybe we should secure a short term holiday rental first and wait until we can view a property properly. We are looking at realestate.au quite regularly - maybe I should take a closer look to see if they also offer foreign purchase advise. Thanks again - invaluable info. Kerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 (edited) 21 minutes ago, kerry knight said: Wow OK, both really good points. We were going to try to secure a rental before we arrived but were a but dubious about not visiting it first. Maybe we should secure a short term holiday rental first and wait until we can view a property properly. We are looking at realestate.au quite regularly - maybe I should take a closer look to see if they also offer foreign purchase advise. Real estate agents won't let you sign a lease if you (or your representative) haven't seen the property. Most migrants book a holiday cabin or AirBnB for four weeks when they first arrive. That may sound like a long time, but many properties are only "open for inspection" on Saturdays, so effectively you may get only four days to look at places. Realestate.com.au is run by real estate agents for real estate agents, and it's wise to remember that agents make their money from sellers, not buyers, so they are not always acting in your best interest. This is the Foreign Investment Review Board website (they're the body you have to apply to before you're allowed to buy a property - and of course, they charge a fee!) http://firb.gov.au/ Here's a calculator for the extra stamp duty: https://stampduty.calculatorsaustralia.com.au/stamp-duty-qld Edited June 7, 2019 by Marisawright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerry knight Posted June 7, 2019 Author Share Posted June 7, 2019 Thanks thats awesome! Really really useful. I have found an agent who leases properties unseen but there is a waiver to sign and its always more of a risk so maybe it would be best for us to book a short term holiday rental first. I will check out those links. I can see you only came back to the UK for a year before returning to Oz - thats reassuring! It's such a big move and as it gets closer it becomes quite overwhelming. I am very excited but there is sooooo much to organise. I hope you are happily settled again and back on the property market yourselves! Thanks again for all your support Kerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 Some of the photos you see on rentals can be decades old. Don’t rent unless someone you can trust has seen it live. Fees vary from state to state (or territory) on buying property but you will need FIRB approval unless you are PR. Each state will have an info site and advice check any .gov.au domain for help. Definately best to take a short term holiday let to suss it all out before signing a longer lease. Plus if you are shipping goods and furniture it will take up to three months to arrive on your doorstep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerry knight Posted June 7, 2019 Author Share Posted June 7, 2019 Thanks thats great information. We will definitely take a shorter term rental as you are the second person to advise us of this! Thank goodness I asked. I will take a look at the gov.au site for property info. Thanks again Kerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 (edited) Do check specifically for the state you intend to settle in. If you let us know locals can give you more specific tips. Not like the UK each state can be very different. Off to Oz? It is a big place. Where exactly? Edited June 7, 2019 by rammygirl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerry knight Posted June 7, 2019 Author Share Posted June 7, 2019 Great thanks! We are moving to Noosa in Queensland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skhush Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 4 hours ago, Marisawright said: Congratulations! If you're British and you lived in the UK immediately before arriving in Australia, you'll be covered by the reciprocal agreement. That means you're covered by Medicare for any treatment which can't wait until you get home to the UK (the fact you're not planning to return to the UK is not considered relevant). If you're young and fit that may well cover most of your needs, but remember it doesn't cover dental, optical or ambulance at all. You need health insurance for those. Also be aware that if you want to buy a property, you will have to get special permission (because you'll be classed as a foreign buyer) and also pay a lot of extra duty. On balance, you'll probably be better off to stay renting until you get your PR. Hey There, Any idea how much do one person need to pay for Medical insurance while on 489? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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