There are many answers to the question of why Australians move to England in such multitudes. Australians are seemingly around every corner in the UK and now that travel is opening again, that number is expected to rise.
Moving to England is an exciting prospect for many, but can be scary for those who are not sure. Below are some of the reasons many choose to embark on this particular northern adventure.
Excellent Healthcare
As far as healthcare is concerned, the NHS (National Health Service) is often celebrated for its accessibility and quality. Australia’s healthcare is a right that is not afforded everywhere and it should be considered when wanting to move overseas.
This is especially important to consider after the COVID-19 pandemic. While the NHS was overwhelmed at times, they upheld people’s right to free healthcare. Everyone in the UK will be looked after in case of any COVID-19 concerns.
Citizens, non-residents, and visa holders all have access to free and extensive healthcare while in the UK. The system can be slow at times, but it is a small price to pay for the security of accessible healthcare.
Travel Opportunities
While there is so much to see and do in Australia, travelling beyond our borders is expensive and time consuming. Many Australians move to England due to the incredible range of travel opportunities just over the pond in Europe. Europe is also fully open to travel with the exception for countries affected by conflict.
Australians can expect cheap flights and short commute times – enough to spend a weekend in another country and not be broke and jet-lagged.
England stands as an amazing base to explore and travel the world. London and Manchester both have large international airports with huge amounts of discount flights available.
Job Opportunities
England offers many amazing job opportunities for Australians in a huge range of industries. Australia and England are very similar countries with similar work ethics, personalities, and expectations. Which makes taking on an international hire a less risky move for English companies hiring Australians.
For Australians, working overseas for a period is beneficial to their resume and boosting their portfolio while still getting to experience travel and living internationally.
There are also attractive working visas that make working in the UK easy and accessible.
Simplicity
It is incredibly simple for Australians to move to England, both legally and physically.
The Youth Mobility Scheme Visa allows 18-30 year olds to live and work in the UK for up to two years. Ancestry Visas are also available to any Australians with grandparents who are from the UK and last for five years. A skilled worker visa allows people to move to the UK to work in a specific job.
Physically, moving to the UK is pretty simple; the flight itself is long, but easy enough. Moving belongings to the UK is also simple through the use of Australian International removalists. This means that those that are moving to England don’t have to start from scratch and can get a head start on their new life.
Super Easy!
England and Australia are similar in many ways, both laid-back, with good senses of humour, and similar cuisine. This is a big reason as to why Australians move to England. It is easy to settle in while still being a new and exciting adventure.
Due to the huge Australian expat population in the UK, new residents are likely to have friends and family in the country. This is good as making friends and meeting people is often the most difficult part about moving to a new country. In this sense, Australians have a head start.
The Weather
With Australia being so uncomfortably hot for most of the year, England’s mild and drizzly weather can be somewhat refreshing. The summers are long and warm with park picnics and trips to the beach, and the winters are crisp and cosy with mulled wine and Christmas markets.
England is also built well to handle the cold with adequate heating in buildings. As long as one has a coat and an umbrella, the weather should not be a deterrent.
Moving to England for Australians
It is not hard to see why Australians move to England in such hordes – it’s easy legal, social, and physical hurdles make it very accessible. For those considering making the move, the best first step would be to look at visa’s and to make sure passports are up to date.
Once this is done, the journey is relatively simple, so just sit back and enjoy the ride.