Moving to Australia from South Africa

Estimating the exact finances you will need to move to Australia is complex because you will have to factor in both the Australian government’s minimum requirements and what you will need to facilitate the move and achieve the lifestyle you want.

Each visa requires a different amount of funds that you must show you have access to. Financial requirements exist to ensure that you can comfortably live in Australia without needing assistance from the state.

Skilled migration visas tend to require a minimum salary of AUD 70,000 to AUD 135,000, depending on the pathway that you use.

You will need to provide payslips, bank statements, and other documents to prove that you have sufficient funds.

Make sure to properly research your visa options before you apply, and that you have enough money.

Overview

Meeting the visa requirements is not enough to allow you to move to Australia. You’ll need to follow the application process:

1. Identify the right visa option for your circumstances and reason for moving to Australia.
2. Understand the specific visa’s requirements and gather supporting documentation that serves as evidence of your eligibility.
3. Submit your application. You can use the ImmiAccount online portal for most visa types, requiring you to create a profile.
4. Pay the non-refundable visa fee using a credit or debit card.
5. Book and attend a biometrics appointment at an authorised Australian Biometric Collection Centre (ABCC) if requested. Likewise, you may have to attend a medical examination based on your country of origin, length of stay, and more.

If your visa is approved, it will be added to your passport.

Processing Time and Application Fees for Australian Visas

Exact processing times will depend on the visa you apply for, the state of the Australian Government’s backlog, and if there are issues with your application.

Below is listed the processing times reported by the Australian government:

• Permanent skilled visas: 10 months
• Partner visas: 18 months

• Temporary skilled visas: 63 days
• Student visas: 28 days
• Visitor visas: less than 1 day
• Working holiday visas: 13 days

Each visa also has a different non-refundable application fee. A few are listed below. Additional fees are charged for minor and adult dependents added to South Africans’ visa applications:

• Business Innovation and Investment visa: AUD 1,505 to AUD 18,335, depending on the stream you are in
• Child visa: AUD 4,040, although the fee can be entirely waived if you have State Government support. The same fee applies to the Dependent Child visa
• Employer Nomination Scheme visa: AUD 6,140
• Parent visa: AUD 6,600
• Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa: AUD 6,135, reduced to AUD 630 for those applying outside of the Hong Kong stream
• Prospective Marriage visa: AUD 11,710

Given Australia’s astronomically high visa fees and the long processing times, it is essential that any applications submitted are of the utmost quality so that you don’t waste your time and money.

Get expert advice from Immigration Advice Service to boost your chances of success.

The Skills in Demand visa, designed as “Subclass 482”, is a temporary visa by which an employer can sponsor skilled workers for positions when they haven’t been able to find the right talent in Australia.

Workers on a Skills in Demand visa can stay for up to four years, which is increased to five years if you hold a Hong Kong passport.

The requirements for this visa are:

• Your role is in an occupation on the Core Skills Occupation List (CSOL) or is specified by an alternative Skills in Demand visa stream

• You will be paid the Annual Market Salary Rate (ASMR) for the occupation or higher. You will also need to earn at least the Core Skills Income Threshold (CSIT)
• You have at least a year of work experience relevant to the role you will be working in
• You meet the minimum English language proficiency standards

In some cases, Skills in Demand visa applicants also need to pass a skills assessment, demonstrating that they have the knowledge and experience to work effectively in the role.

As this visa is given based on sponsorship from a specific employer, you will not be allowed to take up any other work in Australia.

Overview

Australia is known for an exceptionally high standard of living. This comes from a strong economy, a relaxed culture, and the country’s incredible natural beauty, particularly along its extensive coastline. Australians also enjoy a fantastic work-life balance due to strong labour laws and ample annual leave.

However, life in Australia also has its problems that could dissuade some South Africans from moving permanently. House prices are incredibly high, which has driven up the cost of living. Moreover, Australia is geographically isolated. You will find returning to South Africa for visits incredibly expensive.

Cost of Living

According to Numbeo, the cost of living is significantly higher in Australia, with an overall difference of 46.2% excluding rent and 50.6% including rent. Rent alone is 61.7% cheaper in South Africa. The difference is also high for groceries, which are 58.1% cheaper in South Africa.

However, the cost of living alone does not tell the full story. Due to the substantially lower salaries in South Africa, the average purchasing power is 22.1% lower than in Australia. That means your paycheck should more than offset the high cost of living.

Australian Job Opportunities

The country is currently packed with opportunities. You’ll see hundreds of thousands of opportunities across all major job sites, but remember that not all jobs are open to those on work visas. The company will need to be eligible, and they will often have to prove they were unable to find someone already in Australia to fill the vacancy.

Australia performs particularly well in a number of sectors. If you have experience in any of these markets, you should be able to find lucrative employment:

• Service. This sector represents over 60% of the Australian economy
• Health and social care have been boosted in recent years by the aging population
• Mineral resources. This country has an excellent endowment of iron ore, lithium, coal, and natural gas
• Construction driven by the high level of commercial development and the growing government infrastructure
• Highly skilled technical fields like IT, engineering, and specialised consulting
• Financial and insurance services

There are notable overlaps with the South African job market, so your experience is likely to be relevant.

For example, both countries have substantial mineral-resource economies. Both countries also produce substantial quantities of wine and fruit.

Education in Australia

Australia has a conventional primary, secondary, and tertiary education system. Your child will usually need to go through the primary and secondary stages due to the ‘learning or earning’ rule enforced nationwide. Under this rule, children may leave school as young as 15, but only if they are going into full-time employment. Otherwise, they can’t leave school until they are 17 years old.

If your child wants to remain in education after secondary school, they have two options. Firstly, they can enter Vocational Education and Training (VET) to access job-ready training without needing a university degree. Such training could be their fastest way into the Australian labour market, but will often limit them to the trades and industrial work.

Meanwhile, young people with high enough grades can enter higher (tertiary) education, a particularly high-performing sector. Please note that overseas students can only enroll in courses that have been registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS). This body ensures rigorous quality

Australia’s Healthcare System

Health care in Australia is delivered under a hybrid system. It combines Medicare (public) with private health insurance. Medicare allows Australians to access health care at no or low cost and is also accessible to some visa holders. It covers visits to a doctor, stays in a public hospital, and a limited selection of tests, scans, medicines, and treatments. You will need to check your visa to understand what you have access to.

Regardless of whether you have access to Medicare, the coverage will not include dental work, eyewear, or stays in private hospitals. Moreover, some states do not offer Medicare coverage for ambulance use.

In many circumstances, you’ll need to arrange private health insurance to ensure that you have access to health care. Australia’s health insurance market offers two types of coverage. Hospital cover deals with your care in a private hospital, and also as a private patient in a public hospital. Meanwhile, extra cover deals with dental, eyecare and other similar services.

Australia’s Foreign Homebuyer Ban

In 2025, Australia imposed an initial two-year ban on foreigners buying existing homes in response to the nation’s ongoing housing crisis, which has made housing the top driver of Australia’s rising cost of living. That will limit South African expats’ housing options and push them towards the private rental market. This ban has now been extended to at least 30 June 2029.

There are some exemptions that could allow South African expats to still purchase an Australian home. The main exemption is for new builds, as such houses add to the nation’s housing stock. An exemption also applies to large-scale developments, such as the purchase of property for student housing or retirement villages.

In May 2026, the Australian Government announced it would restrict the permanent Migration Program to 185,000 places. It aims for a 70:30 split between Skilled and Family Programs. This split is largely unchanged from the 2025-2026 financial year.

The places across both streams will be prioritised for “onshore migrants”, those already in Australia. The government has allocated almost 130,000 places for these migrants.

The remaining 55,000 places will primarily be allocated to highly skilled migrants, which the Australian Government hopes will help address the nation’s ageing population.

These changes indicate the continued shrinking of the sorts of migrants that Australia wants to welcome. South Africans who don’t have family in Australia, aren’t highly skilled, or aren’t already living in the country, may find it difficult to achieve a permanent move.