Australia is a top expat destination with expats and it’s a destination that many South Africans consider when they decide to emigrate. A recent study by World First looked at 2000 expats and compiled some of their findings – noting their likes and dislikes about Australia. Here’s what the survey found:

Likes

• 30% gave the country a 10/10
• The best rating features are beaches and nature (9/10), weather (8/10), safety (8/10), working conditions (8/10) and the food and culinary scene (8/10).
• 63% earn more money here.
• Slang: The use of profanity in everyday language was the greatest shock. However, expats learn quickly that this does not hold a negative connotation.

Dislikes

• 67% missed friends and family.
• 65% say Australia is a more expensive country to live in.
• Property prices (4/10), rental prices (4/10), the cost of living (5/10) and the state of Australian politics (5/10).
• The number one thing expats are concerned about Australia is its remoteness to the rest of the world.
• Most disliked slang: How ya going? G’day mate. Mate.
• Not fond of flies, spiders, stingrays, sharks and snakes.

The survey also showed that 64% of expats reported that they earn more money in Australia and 72% said they had the same or fewer work hours despite Australia’s reputation for working longer hours.

Australia offers “Top-notch” quality of life

In another survey conducted by InterNations, which has more than 12 300 respondents living in 188 countries and territories, expats in Australia reported that they were extremely happy with their quality of life and 51% of expats in Australia planned to stay there forever. In addition, the expats in Australia reported they were extremely happy with the quality of the environment with 88% of expats in Australia commenting positively on the weather, the outdoors and the low levels of pollution.

Australia is an expensive option for expats

The respondents in the Expat Insider survey concurred with the findings of the expats in the World First survey saying that they found Australia an expensive country to live. Despite two in five respondents having access to an annual household income of over 75 000 USD, expats in Australia are unhappy with their personal finances and over 30% believe that their disposable household income is not enough to cover their daily expenses.

Family comes first

Expats in the Expat Insider survey also agreed that they are able to spend more time with their families in Australia. Five-sixths of expats are happy with the friendly attitude everyone has towards families and over 80% of expats in Australia are positive about their children’s health and leisure activities.

The average full-time working week in Australia is 42.9 hours and 60% of expats in Australia are happy with this, saying they are able to spend quality time with their families in the remaining hours. Expats in Australia are also very happy with the quality of education, with 70% rating it positively – which is not surprising as Australia ranks in the top 15 in the Education sub-index of the Legatum Prosperity Index.

If you would like to know more about the process of financial emigration from South Africa after you’ve immigrated to Australia, contact FinGlobal today. FinGlobal has a team of financial emigration specialists who have assisted thousands of people to finalize their financial emigration with SARS and the South African reserve bank.