EMedBuddyThe AMC exams get most of the attention, but the logistics of actually moving your life to Australia are their own project. This is a practical checklist for the non-exam side: what to sort before you fly, and what to do in your first few weeks on the ground.
Key takeaways
- Sort your visa pathway first - it gates almost everything else, including when you can legally start work.
- A Tax File Number (TFN) and a local bank account are two of the first things to set up on arrival.
- Ahpra registration, a Medicare provider number, and any state-specific requirements are separate processes that can run in parallel with your job search.
- Budget for upfront costs most people underestimate: bond plus rent in advance, setting up a household from scratch, and a gap before your first pay.
Before you fly
- Confirm your visa pathway and exactly what work rights it gives you - some visas restrict hours or employer type until certain conditions are met.
- Scan and back up every document you might need: degree certificates, verification letters, English test results, passport pages, vaccination records. Keep a digital copy somewhere you can access without your original devices.
- Arrange interim health cover. If you are not yet eligible for Medicare, you will need private health insurance from day one.
- Research your destination city or town, not just the state - cost of living, rental market, and job availability vary enormously between, say, inner-city Melbourne and regional Queensland.
Your first two weeks
- Apply for a Tax File Number (TFN) through the ATO - you will need it before you can be paid properly, and delays here can hold up your first pay.
- Open a local bank account. Some banks let you start this before you land; otherwise it is usually one of your first stops.
- Get a local phone number and SIM. Many registration and job-application processes expect a local contact number.
- Sort accommodation, even short-term, before committing to a lease sight unseen if you can help it - a short stay first lets you view properties in person.
- Register with Medicare once eligible, and start the Ahpra registration steps that are still outstanding if you have not already.
Budgeting for the move
The costs people underestimate are rarely the big obvious ones. Rental bonds are commonly four to six weeks' rent, paid upfront, plus the first period of rent itself. Furnishing a home from nothing adds up fast. And there is often a real gap of several weeks between arriving and your first pay cheque clearing, so landing with more of a buffer than feels necessary is worth it.
Settling in
Beyond the paperwork, give yourself permission for the adjustment itself to take time - new health system, new colleagues, new accent to tune your ear to, possibly a new climate and season entirely. Most IMGs describe the first three months as the hardest, and the first year as the one where it starts to feel normal. Connecting with other IMGs, whether locally or in online communities, tends to help more than trying to push through it alone.
Keep your clinical skills sharp while you sort the move →
What should I do first when I land in Australia?
Applying for a Tax File Number and opening a local bank account are usually the two highest-priority first steps, since several other processes, including being paid, depend on them.
How much should I budget for relocating?
Beyond exam and visa costs, budget for a rental bond (commonly four to six weeks rent), furnishing a home, and at least four to six weeks of living expenses as a buffer before your first pay clears.
Do I need private health insurance when I arrive?
If you are not yet eligible for Medicare, yes - arrange interim private health cover before you fly so there is no gap in cover.