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Australia
🇦🇺Australia

Getting There — Visa

Skills in Demand Visa (Subclass 482) — employer-sponsored, requires 1 year of relevant experience and a salary of at least AU$79,499/yr (from July 2026). After 2 years, eligible for permanent residency via Subclass 186. For retirees, the Investor Retirement Visa (Subclass 405) requires significant assets.

Cost of Living

Comparable to the US overall. Sydney/Melbourne are expensive (rival LA/NYC), but salaries are typically higher. Expect AU$3,000-4,500/mo.

Key Fact

Australia has strict immigration quotas for non-EU workers and your employer must prove no Australian can fill the role. The upside: excellent healthcare, outdoor lifestyle, and high wages.

Explore

Top Attractions in Australia

Must-see destinations that make Australia unforgettable

Sydney Opera House
Sydney

Sydney Opera House

One of the 20th century's most recognizable buildings anchoring one of the world's great urban harbors. The BridgeClimb at sunset is a bucket-list experience.

Great Barrier Reef
Cairns

Great Barrier Reef

The world's largest coral reef system — 2,300 kilometers along Queensland's coast with more marine biodiversity than any ecosystem on earth.

Uluru (Ayers Rock)
Northern Territory

Uluru (Ayers Rock)

Rising 348 meters from the flat desert, Uluru changes from burnt amber to deep crimson at sunset. Every American expat in Australia makes the Red Centre pilgrimage.

Great Ocean Road & Twelve Apostles
Victoria

Great Ocean Road & Twelve Apostles

243km of the most scenic coastal driving in Australia — surf beaches, coastal rainforest, and dramatic limestone sea stacks rising from Southern Ocean swells.

Bondi Beach
Sydney

Bondi Beach

Australia's most famous beach — the Bondi-to-Coogee coastal walk is one of the world's best urban hikes. The Icebergs pool is where serious swimmers go year-round.

Daintree Rainforest
Queensland

Daintree Rainforest

The world's oldest rainforest at 110 million years old. At Cape Tribulation, two UNESCO World Heritage Sites collide — reef meets rainforest.

Cities

Most Popular Cities in Australia

Where Americans are choosing to live

Melbourne

Melbourne

Pop. 5.1M

Australia's cultural capital — 77% of expats report being happy here. World-class coffee, celebrated restaurant scene, and a job market strong in finance and tech.

Sydney

Sydney

Pop. 5.3M

The iconic harbor city with the nation's largest job market. The outdoor lifestyle — beaches, coastal walks, national parks within 30 minutes — is without parallel.

Brisbane

Brisbane

Pop. 2.6M

2032 Olympic host city booming with investment. 20% cheaper than Sydney with 280+ sunny days and a rapidly improving food and arts scene.

Perth

Perth

Pop. 2.1M

The world's most isolated major city with 3,200 hours of sunshine per year. Booming resources and tech sector, significantly cheaper than Sydney or Melbourne.

Adelaide

Adelaide

Pop. 1.4M

The '20-minute city' with Mediterranean climate, world-renowned wine regions 45 minutes away, and housing costs well below Sydney and Melbourne.

Explore Cities in Australia

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