Re:locate magazine | Relocation Destinations | Australia

Australia is a great destination for UK nationals to relocate to – the climate is enviable, the quality of life fabulous, the economy strong and the language exactly the same. The statistics speak for themselves: over a third of immigrants into Australia are British. Sydney and Melbourne attract the most expatriates, but Queensland and the resource-rich states of Western Australia are common destinations, too.

But the fundamentals of good relocation do remain. It is essential to prepare relocatees for the move and to give them as much information as is desired regarding the new destination and support during initial set up, not least as Australia can hardly be described as being a stone’s throw from British soil.

“Cross-cultural issues for Britons relocating to Australia are reduced by the common heritage, but are significant enough to warrant cultural integration assistance,” says Kay Withell, Director of The Relocation Network, a country-wide organisation that provides support and information to service providers from the relocation industry and those that employ them. “Europeans definitely benefit from more extensive assistance. The relocation industry in Australia is constantly introducing new and better services, and we believe The Relocation Network is a good starting point to source the various strands of support required to ensure a successful relocation.”

Industry trends in Australia are comparable to those in the UK; a skilled workforce shortage affects recruitment and retention. The industries most affected are health, education, mining and engineering, but banking and finance are also feeling the pinch.

While Australians have travelled overseas for work for generations, the numbers have nearly doubled in the last 15 years. Almost one million Australians now live and work abroad. Net-loss of talent is a big concern for the social, cultural and economic development of the country. While this is a concern for the Australian Government to contend with, the indirect consequences are of enormous benefit to relocatees.

Rising to the challenge

Major banks are rising to the challenge of enticing the best people from a limited pool by remodelling human resources procedures and policies, in order to attract and retain employees. Some banks are widening candidate pools to include people who are not from traditional banking or finance backgrounds. Other tacks include being flexible and innovative with working conditions – offering home-based work, part-time roles, job-share, learning and development opportunities, carers’ leave, career breaks and the chance to purchase annual leave – and taking on mature-age employees.

Companies, too, are doing their bit: extremely generous salaries are offered as a way of enticing those working in areas where the skills shortage is most severe, such as business banking and financial planning.

Statistics suggest that most expatriates arrive in Australia from New Zealand, the UK and the US, with an increasing number from India, China and the Middle East. While the length of assignments varies, in general most last between six months and three years.

Accommodation is of course a critical issue – see our separate section for more information. Getting your removals efficiently sorted out is vital, too. Global independent removals specialist GB Liners lists Australia as one of its most popular destinations for international relocations.Jeremy Loney, Group Shipping Manager, says, “I would advise anyone looking to relocate to Australia to make life as easy as possible by appointing an FIDI-approved removals service.They have a wealth of experience in international moves, and because there are two sets of clearance procedures for belongings entering Australia – customs clearance, based on the declaration on the Australian customs form, and Quarantine Examination, which is a physical examination of some or all of the consignment – their experience and knowledge are essential.”

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