Once you decide to move your business to Australia, you have to take into account how your decision will affect your personal life. More often than not, those that decide to move their businesses to Australia will suffer from family members being homesick or not adjusting well to their new country. It is important that you carefully consider how to bring your family members to Australia and also how they will have the opportunity to do well once they have arrived. If you fail to plan effectively, you may have issues with your spouse or children not adjusting to your new way of life in Australia. If you are considering moving your family and your business to Australia, then it is wise to review the conversation below:
Business Success vs. Family Success in Australia
The first few months when you relocate to Australia, you may have to be there alone setting things up for your family. This can cause a great deal of strain on your family members who have to be apart from you when you are first getting your operations started. Additionally, if you are having to invest a substantial amount of capital, it could affect your family’s quality of life as well. Furthermore, once your family arrives to Australia, you will likely have a high workload in their most important time of getting settled in. This is something that you should carefully consider so that you find a way to balance the demands of your business with the demands of your family. The business owners that do not achieve this balance many times have a great deal of difficulty relocating to Australia because at the beginning their company has to come before their family in order for their business to thrive there. Keeping this dilemma in mind is quintessential to both your business and your family doing well in Australia.
Legal Status of Your Family
Australia has a very transparent and open immigration policy to foreigners. There are many avenues in which family members can accompany the business owner to Australia such as: partner visas, child and adoption visas, parent category visas, family member visas, relative visa options, and care giver visa options. If the business owner has successfully obtained their business visa, they can then apply to bring a family member with them.
That said, there are many other ways to bring family members to live in Australia such as: including your family member on your visa when you apply to live in Australia, your family member can apply independently, sponsoring your family member through the migration program or your family member can come as a refugee should they meet the criteria. Many of these options are available online; however, if you have any doubts, it is best to speak with an immigration lawyer before bringing your family to Australia so that you are able to avoid any unnecessary pitfalls that are related to obtaining a legal visa for your family members.
Can Your Wife or Husband Work?
A very common question that is asked when family members are relocating to another country on their spouses’ visa is whether or not they are legally able to work? In the case of relocating to Australia on a business visa, the wife or husband of the visa holder does have the ability to work. The reason for this is that the Australian government tries to provide an incentive for the business owner to be able to bring his family easily to Australia in terms of immigration. Many households need two individuals to work, which is why the spouse is open to work when the other spouse is on a business investor visa.
School for Your Children
Another issue that is quite common in terms of relocating one’s family to Australia is picking the proper school for their children. A major consideration for parents to take into account is that Australia is quite expensive. The schooling system is no different and the best schools are often the private schools. Bear in mind this substantial cost when trying to ascertain where you will be sending your child for school. It is highly recommended that you visit the schools before relocating your family to Australia to ensure that there is a school that your child will thrive at. This is an issue that can lead to families having a difficult time when they first move to Australia. For this reason, sorting out not only which school you can afford, but also, which school will be the best for your child to do well while you are conducting your business in Australia.
Any Other Bureaucracy?
1. Health Insurance: It is best that you are investigating health insurance for your family members and yourself when moving to Australia. The health insurance is quite affordable, but is yet another item that you will need to arrange for your family members either just before or immediately after they arrive in Australia.
2. Driver’s License: One major hurdle that occurs is that individuals have to repeat their driver’s exam in Australia in order to be able to drive. Even if the foreigner has a license in another country, that license will usually not be valid within Australia. If you are in a position where you will have to commute to work, then it is highly recommended that you obtain the appointment to take your driver exam again to avoid delays in being able to legally drive in Australia.
3. Moving Assets: Moving a family to Australia can be quite expensive. It is important that you have the proper capital available to you for those unexpected moving expenses that will undoubtedly arise. You will need to pay for your children’s tuition, deposit on your home, and many other setup expenses. You will want to move your assets using a money transfer company into your new Australian bank account. This will give you the best possible rate because you will be able to have lower fees and have the best exchange rate available in the market quite quickly. You will be able to establish your Australian bank account before you arrive, which will make this process even easier for you to complete.
4. Real Estate: Your real estate should be one of the first things that you are worrying about for your family. Australia has a very high cost of real estate. You will have to hunt, bearing your family in mind, the best neighborhood for them to thrive in Australia. You will also have to determine whether it is worth it to rent or buy a property. Some areas in Australia have limits of how many foreigners can own property there legally. Looking into this beforehand will help you narrow your search. If you select the right neighborhood, you will be able to have a better adjustment period with your family in Australia. By working with a real estate agent or getting referrals from professional contacts, you will be able to find the ideal neighborhood for your family with ease. Additionally, you can fund the purchase of asset through a business loan – just know which are the best lenders in Australia.
What Should You Do?
Many individuals have experienced a great deal of success with moving their families to Australia. The key to their success is related to how they planned their relocation in advance and how they organized their family visas. Balancing the moving of one’s business and their family at once is a great challenge. The families that have done the best in Australia have moved to the proper neighborhood, dove right into the expat life in Australia, found the right schools, and were realistic about the cost of living in Australia. Be sure that you take these considerations into account and you can absolutely have a successful transition with both moving your family and your business to Australia.