I LOVE living in Australia. The sunshine, the lifestyle, the beaches, the BBQs …but the move to Australia isn’t right for everyone. I often get asked: ‘Is it worth migrating to Australia?’ For me and lots of people I know, yes it really is worth moving to Australia – it’s worth all of the upheaval and expense for the lifestyle benefits we’ve gained over here. BUT, there are some people that shouldn’t waste their time and money moving to Australia. While there are many reasons to move to Australia, there are also many reasons not to go to Australia too!
If you’re considering it and wondering is it worth moving to Australia, read this post and think carefully about whether any of these reasons not to live in Australia apply to you!
8 reasons not to move to Australia…
In this post, I’m sharing eight great reasons NOT to move to Australia.
Don’t move to Australia to please someone else
Moving to Australia is a challenging experience. You need to really want to make the move in order for you to go all in and make it work. That’s not to say that one person in a relationship can’t want it more and the other – I know lots of people where one person was the driving force behind making the move – but if it’s not even slightly in your heart to want to move and you love where you live at the moment, it’s not a good idea. You will end up feeling resentful about leaving everything behind, you’ll self sabotage the experience and you’ll end up unhappy. Plus you’ll make your partner unhappy so they won’t get the incredible experience they’re hoping for either. It’s a recipe for disaster.
If you’re on the fence about making the move (keen but a bit nervous) and your partner REALLY wants to go, consider doing more research and see if you can get comfortable with the idea of moving or, when time allows, plan a trip to Australia explore.
If you’re in a relationship, both parties need to be committed to making it work as if you have a lot of doubt then it will be very difficult to make a life here.
Don’t move to Australia if you’re assuming it will be the same as your home country
So many people move to Australia expecting it to be similar to their home country, but it’s not exactly like any other country. Don’t move to Australia on the basis it will be the same, as you’ll be disappointed.
The UK, US and Australia are all English-speaking countries and there are lots of similarities, but so much is different here in Australia. Don’t come with preconceived ideas and then you won’t feel disappointed. Remember: you’re moving to Australia for a different lifestyle, so expect a different experience here!
Don’t move to Australia if you hate hot weather and sunshine
It gets so hot in Australia. You need to like (or at least be willing to tolerate) the hot weather if you’re moving to the mainland of Australia (Tasmania’s climate is a bit different, so that’s an option if the really hot weather isn’t for you). The weather matters even more if you have a job that will be impacted by it – say you work as a builder, on the roads, or as a gardener or doing electrical work in lofts…There are lots of jobs that get directly impacted by the heat and the sun (and also by the heavy storms we get here).
My husband works at the airport and spends his days on the hot tarmac and inside planes that don’t always have air conditioning on. I’m very grateful that he doesn’t mind the extreme heat as I’m not sure I’d be able to work in those fierce conditions (thankfully I work from my home office where I have air conditioning!)
If the weather is a real issue for you, do your research and consider which location is going to suit you more. Choosing the wrong location can make or break your move. Not sure where to move? I have a mini-course that walks you through the process of figuring it out. Find my Where to Move in Australia course here.
Don’t move to Australia if you hate the outdoor lifestyle
Being outside is a big part of life in Australia. Whether that’s camping, beach days, sports, enjoying picnics, cooking BBQs…people in Australia spend a lot of time outside. You don’t need to do all of those things (I’m not into camping!) but you’ll really miss out on what makes Australia special if you don’t go outside and enjoy this amazing country. Whether you love to hike, ride your bike, swim in the ocean, stroll around lakes or even if you just like to sit outside and enjoy the sun, Australia gives you the ultimate outdoor lifestyle. If that isn’t for you then maybe there are better places to move instead.
Don’t move to Australia if you can’t stop complaining about what is missing
As I said above, Australia is its own country. Don’t compare it – just enjoy it! If you compare it all the time and spend your time thinking or complaining about what it DOESN’T have, you won’t appreciate what you have in front of you. Yes, leaving your country of origin (and your friends and family) is difficult and you might find you miss lots of things (food, TV shows, shops…) but try to focus on the things you’re gaining from your new home in Australia, not the things it doesn’t have. Complaining isn’t a good habit to get into as it only leads to negative feelings and more negative thoughts and before you know it you’ll be trapped in a cycle that is difficult to escape from.
Don’t move to Australia if you aren’t willing to give it a fair go
Homesickness is a real thing and lots of people give up on their life in Australia and go back to their home country only to realise that they didn’t give Australia a fair chance. Then they spend lots of money turning around and coming back to Australia again!
There is a way to avoid this costly mistake – give Australia a proper chance in the first place! Some people firmly believe you need to sell your home before you move and go all in otherwise that safety net will always be there calling to you. It’s hard to commit to something when you have one foot in each country. I don’t think it matters if you keep your home and rent it out too much – just do it for financial reasons rather than to keep that door open as an easy escape route.
I also think you should try not to say ‘we’ll give it xx years’. Even if you plan on reassessing your life later, don’t put a time limit on it. Everyone settles at different stages so just see how you get on. If it feels like Australia isn’t right for you in the future, you can choose something else when the time feels right. You get to choose what you do – how cool is that?! Whether that’s moving to another city in Australia, or a different country or whatever that might be (don’t assume leaving Australia means you need to go back to exactly where you were!). No path is fixed but you do need to give it a proper go before moving on. You need to be willing to try and see what happens over time.
Don’t move to Australia expecting everything to fall into place instantly
Your new life Down Under takes time to build and create. This is an exciting time and I’d love for you to see it as that (rather than choosing to see it as stressful/overwhelming/difficult).
Your new life won’t drop into place the second you land. You may need to work a job you don’t like for a while or that doesn’t pay as much as you need initially to get your foot in the door. You might not get your dream home right away (or even for a few years). You might need to initially buy some second hand furniture off Gumtree to tide you over. These are all circumstances and they don’t need to bind you – you have the power to move beyond them!
See every opportunity as a stepping stone towards where you want to go. You are building this new life for yourself and the magic happens when you keep putting one foot in front of the other. Don’t expect everything to come to you immediately. Life doesn’t work that way most of the time. It’s OK that it takes some time and effort – the best things in life usually do. Think of it as an evolving journey.
Don’t move to Australia if you don’t have the finances in place to make it happen
I hate that money can stifle our opportunities, but when you move to Australia you need to know you have at least enough money to cover you for the move and some time after arriving (some visas require you to have a certain amount of funds to support yourself too). I have posts on my site about how much it costs to move to Australia, and how much it costs to live in Brisbane if you want to do some research about the costs involved in moving to and living in Australia. It’s not just about having the relocation fees – you will need to get settled when you arrive and you want to have a buffer for anything unexpected that might happen. This last two years are an important reminder of why it’s important to have some savings behind you.
Not having finances in place isn’t a reason not to ever move to Australia though. If you really want to move to Australia, work out how you can save up to make it happen. When you want something badly enough you will always find a way.
Reasons not to go to Australia
What do you think of these reasons not to move to Australia? Is moving to Australia a good idea? Can you think of any other reasons not to migrate to Australia? Let me know in the comments!
