Moving to Australia Checklist

3 months before you leave

With the countdown to your move beginning, you’ll want to get started on preparing for your move as soon as possible! Here’s what you need to do when you have three months before relocating:

Documentation

• Check that your New Zealand passport is still in-date. This needs to be valid for a minimum of 6 months after your moving day to be granted entry to Australia. You should also ensure that you have all of the appropriate documentation to move from New Zealand to Australia.
• Ensure you meet the eligibility criteria for the Special Category visa (SCV) or apply for another visa to live, work or study in Australia.
• Update your Electoral Roll in New Zealand and ensure you are able to vote from overseas.
• Find out about your tax obligations in New Zealand and Australia.

Getting organised for departure and arrival

• Book your flights to Australia—the sooner you do this, the cheaper the move will be.
• Start thinking about employment in Australia; What would you like to do, and how soon after your move do you want to start working? If your aim is to transfer your current role to an Aussie counterpart, start discussing this with your employer.
• If you work for yourself, then learn about setting up and registering a business in Australia.
• Familiarise yourself with the rental and accommodation landscape in Australia, give some thought to the best solution for you immediately after your move. This could be a short-term rental, space in a friend’s house, or your own rental property.
• Begin researching international moving companies to service your relocation. Reach out to potential providers, compare services, and request quotes to help you find the right one for you.

Packing preparation

• Over the next few weeks, start to slowly pack up the things you won’t need between now and your move—this could be seasonal clothes, decorations, or anything left to gather dust. Slowly chipping away at packing from now can be a big time and stress-saver as the clock ticks by.

4 weeks before you leave

With one month left until your relocation to Australia, it’s time for your preparations to ramp up:

Admin

• If you haven’t booked a moving company, now’s the time to get those plans in place. You should also book any related moving services such as pet relocation and vehicle transportation at this stage.
• Notify your post office to redirect your mail either to a friend or family member's address, or set up a P.O. Box.
• Cancel all utility services such as water, electricity, and gas from the day you leave New Zealand.
• Organise transit insurance for belongings you’re taking with you, and storage for those that you aren’t.
• If your employer isn’t already aware of your departure, give them your notice now.
• Choose an Australian bank and set up an account. Once this is up and running, transfer some money over to it so you have access to funds as soon as you arrive.
• Gather all essential documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, driver’s licence, etc, and make sure everything is accounted for and in order. Getting these together now can save stress in a couple weeks time if you can’t find something important, as you should have just enough time to solve any issues.
• Apply for your Australian Tax File Number. These can take a few weeks to process, so applying now means there’s a better chance it will be ready when you arrive.

Appointments

• Attend dentist and doctor appointments and notify the clinic or practice about your relocation.
• Ensure your prescriptions are up to date and can be filled in Australia. If not, make the necessary appointments to get these ready.
• Take your pet to the vet for a check-up and for any required vaccinations.
• Prepare your car for relocation by having it serviced by a mechanic.

More packing

• Declutter—start sorting through your belongings, sell or donate any unwanted items.
• Source moving boxes and other packing materials from your moving company.
• Create a packing list and start boxing things up room-by-room, leaving only the essentials you need between now and your move date.

2 weeks before you leave

With a fortnight to go till moving day, your packing should be well underway! You’ll also want to begin setting up your new home in Australia and handle the remaining administrative tasks:

• Arrange for items to be delivered to a storage facility, and give away things you won’t be keeping, like plants.
• Check that you are not bringing any restricted items into Australia.
• Arrange utilities for your new home in Australia.
• Cancel delivery services such as newspapers and any other relevant services you may receive.
• Review pantry and freezer items, dispose of expired or unwanted items and give away or donate any canned goods or unused items. You should also start working through any meals you have saved in the freezer, as these will need to be discarded before your move.
• Take photographs of electronic set-ups (such as televisions) to use a guide for reassembling.
• Record serial numbers and other essential information for electronic, fragile, and other special items.
• If moving with a pet, start to familarise them with their carrier so that when moving day comes around, it feels like a safe environment to them.
• Organise a cleaning service to clean the property after you leave.

2 days before you leave

Now is the time to tie up any last-minute loose ends before your move:

• Use any remaining food and pantry items, and give away anything unused.
• Remove all items from the fridge and freezer, and unplug them to defrost.
• Print out your flight itinerary and any other relevant information you’ll want to have on-hand on moving day.
• Finish your packing, or get things ready for your movers to do this for you.
• Create an essentials bag to keep with you throughout the move—including items like phone chargers, important documentation, medication, spare changes of clothes, etc.
• Disconnect the washing machine and drain the water pipe.
• Weigh luggage for the flight to Australia to ensure it meets weight requirements, and repack what you need to.

The night before you leave

With the big day just ahead of you, everything should be organised and packed for the move:

• Make sure that your devices are charged and your essentials bag is on-hand.
• Reduce your pet’s food intake (if advised by vet and pet relocation service).
• Review your packing and moving checklist for anything forgotten.

Moving day

The big day has finally arrived!

• After your movers arrive, take the time to talk through the move and raise any possible concerns or questions you may have.
• Empty all rubbish bins.
• Return keys to the landlord or real estate agent.
• Perform a walk-through with the moving company to check no belongings have been forgotten.