Let’s start with the basics. To make your transition easy, we have put together information about banking, registering for tax, joining a superannuation fund, signing up for health care and getting an Australian drivers licence.
Banking
Having a bank account means your money is safe, and an account makes it easier for you to be paid, to save and keep track of your money.
Sydney has a wide range of domestic and international banking institutions to choose from. You may be able to open a bank account before you arrive, depending on the bank. If you open a bank account within six weeks of arrival, you will usually only need your passport. You will need additional identification documents after six weeks. For information on banking in Australia, the Australian Bankers’ Association (links to an external site) is a good source of information.
Paying Tax
The amount of tax you will pay in Australia depends on your residency status for tax purposes. To let UTS know how much tax to withhold from your salary, you will need to provide us with your Tax File Number.
Your TFN is yours for life. You keep the same TFN even if you change your name, change jobs, move interstate or go overseas.
To apply for a TFN, the Australian Tax Office (links to an external site) has all the information you need. You should provide your TFN to UTS as soon as possible. You will only be able to apply for a TFN when you have arrived in Australia. In Australia, individuals have to submit a tax return at the end of each financial year, which falls on 30 June.
Superannuation
Superannuation is money set aside that accumulates over your working life to provide you with an income for your retirement. By law, all employees receive compulsory superannuation contributions from their employer each pay cycle paid into their nominated superannuation fund. Upon reaching the prescribed retirement age of your nominated superannuation fund, this money is released to you.
UniSuper is the industry superannuation fund dedicated to staff that work in the higher education and University sector and is the default fund for staff at UTS.
Healthcare
Australians enjoy a range of free public and paid for private healthcare options. Depending on whether your country of citizenship has a bilateral agreement with Australia, you may be able to benefit from Medicare, Australia’s public healthcare system. Medicare (links to an external site) provides access to a range of medical services, lower cost prescriptions and free care as a public patient in a public hospital. Depending on which visa you are on, you may also have the obligation to subscribe to private healthcare and proof of subscription will be asked of you during the visa application process. The Consumers Health Forum of Australia (links to an external site) provides great advice and information about Australian healthcare.