Moving to America from Australia is a huge decision for Aussies. Our book Moving to the US for Aussies is the culmination of years of knowledge captured from the collective experiences of thousands of Australian members of our non-profit organization.

Moving to the US for Aussies is designed to assist Aussies moving to America from Australia to gain an insight into ex-pat life in the USA.

Firstly, our AI Assistant, Joey, connects you to the largest private Australian knowledge base in North America. If you would like more information on The Australian Community or join our organization, click here to learn more.

Breaking the Cycle of Reinventing the Ex-Pat Wheel 

Moving to the US for Aussies encompasses the collective ex-pat knowledge of our organization and is intended to provide valuable knowledge for moving to America from Australia.

Given more Australians are moving to New York from Australia, many chapters cover tips for Australians in New York.  However, chapters on U.S. Tax, Immigration, Employment, Health Insurance, Housing, Driver’s Licenses, and other ex-pat challenges provide important information, no matter where Australians live in the United States.

“Australians culturally tend to dive in the deep end fearlessly, but the U.S. is a vast shark-infested pool, so this book will at least teach you how to swim!”

Learning from those who have gone before!

Long before the inception of our organization in 2011, there was a culture of every Aussie in the U.S. for themselves.  Independently, Australians would go about overcoming the challenges they faced in day-to-day living, and hopefully, they did not accumulate too much unnecessary scar tissue along the way.

Then after their “tour” of [Insert US City], they would return to Australia, taking with them all of that knowledge and experience – and leaving the next Australian to go through the same process!

moving to america for ausies
New York can be a cold and lonely place. Connecting with other Australians can overcome many social and professional challenges.

Before Moving to America from Australia

Let’s not get off on the wrong foot, so the first order of business is to clarify what we mean by “Moving to the U.S.”.

As we discuss in a later chapter, an important distinction between an Australian on a Green Card or an Immigrant Visa such as an H-1B and those who are on Nonimmigrant and Tourist visas.

Green Card holders are Legal Permanent Residents, and Immigrant visas allow the holder to have what is known as Dual Intent. That is, they can be on a visa AND have an intent to stay in the U.S.

For everyone else, unless you can clearly demonstrate that you have intent to return home, you intend to adhere to the conditions of your visa, or if you have some legal or immigration skeletons in the closet, you may well find yourself on the next flight back to your original destination.

Under an Administration that is hardening existing Immigration Laws and creating policies to protect its borders further, it is essential for Aussies on non-immigrant visas to have well-prepared paperwork and clearly articulate their intentions of returning home and arriving at a U.S. border.

Helpful Tip!

It is also important to note that changing your visa status within 90 days of arriving in the U.S. can be interpreted as “misrepresentation.”  This would be applicable if you married a U.S. citizen and applied for a Green Card, i.e., a change of status.  This is very different from leaving the USA after a visit on an ESTA or B-1,2 visa, successfully applying for an E-3 visa, and returning on a new E-3 visa within 90 days.

Having stated that, and for the record, with the exceptions of Green Card holders or Aussies on Immigrant visas, “Moving” in the context of this book means having a finite stay in the U.S. on a non-immigrant work visa, all of the time intending to return to Australia.

Moving to America from Australia – Keeping it Brief

Naturally, this document would end up looking like a set of encyclopedias if we documented ALL of the challenges Australians face when moving to America from Australia. Understanding the US tax system alone could fill several volumes.

Further, addressing every day to day challenges such as where to get Broadway tickets or where to find Aussie products or coffee shops could fill four or five chapters alone.  These topics have been well documented in hundreds of blogs and news articles – some of them on this website – so a quick Google will get you your answer in less than a second!

In 2016 we launched our own Private Social Network leveraging Microsoft Yammer.  This private network is for members only of the Australian Community, and it connects you to more than 1,000 other professional Australians, as well as the collective knowledge of all members.

It contains the largest private Australian knowledge base in the U.S., with more than three dozen communities containing the collective wisdom of our members through conversations ranging from Accounting to Visas.  It also contains our Employment Group, which is a unique service we offer to members.

Our Community Job Fair v3.5 is open to ALL Australians who are physically present in New York.  It is designed to connect Australians to Recruiters and Employers looking to fill professional positions eligible for the E-3 visa.  In conjunction with our Employment Group, we offer a unique solution for finding jobs in the USA for Australians.

Our Private Social Network connects Australians in Real-Time

Books are a great reference. However, you cannot ask them a question.  Our private Yammer network has Australian Friendly Professionals who offer recruiting, taxation, legal, immigration, and other important business services in areas where you may need assistance now or further down the road.  These professionals have a track record of assisting our members.

Unlike single Facebook and LinkedIn Groups where you (annoyingly) receive updates on every post, Yammer groups are based on Interest, Location, and Industry.  Joining the most relevant groups is easy, and you only receive alerts for the groups you join – which keeps email to a minimum.

Moving to the US for Aussies outlines how to overcome some of the more common challenges of moving to America from Australia. Our private social network gives you access to the collective knowledge of other Australians living in America.

Caution!

moving to america for aussies

Do not believe everything you read on social media. Much of what is out there in the blogosphere is hearsay. Further, what may have worked for one, may not work for another. If you follow bad advice, you could be denied a visa and or entry into the US.

Be wary of what you post on social media. It is now quite common for Australians to be denied visas, as well as entry into the US, based on posts that indicate Immigrant intent including posts seeking work! 

Our recommendation is always to seek professional advice in any matter that effect your Health, Finances, and Liberty (HFL) and not seek the consensus of social media.

You can follow the links below to read more, and we encourage you to explore the other articles on this website. To receive the full benefits of membership, including access to our private social network, you can Join the Australian Community.

Moving to America from Australia: The Chapters

How to Survive the first 30 days: Chapters 1&2

Chapter 1:  Moving to America from Australia is a huge decision for any Aussie. We hope that you enjoy reading our first chapter: Surviving the first 30 days. COVID-19 Preface COVID-19 has caused immeasurable hardships and created havoc for International…

The Hierarchy of (Ex-Pat) Needs: Chapter 3

The Hierarchy of (Australian Expat) Needs There is a saying:  “You do not choose New York – New York chooses you”.  There are numerous examples of Australians who arrive in the US with great expectations, yet return to Australia within…

The Inconvenient Truth: Chapter 4

The Inconvenient Truth Australians have a capacity to be direct, and a book written by Australians should be nothing less.  Think of this chapter as your friends dishing out some tough love.  They just want to be sure that you…

Decoding US Health Insurance: Chapter 5

Decoding US Health Insurance Several times in this book, we have suggested that priority should be given to overcoming challenges that effect your, Health, Liberty and Finances.  This chapter addresses the first: Health Insurance. Whether you are accessing Health Insurance…

Local Language 101: Chapter 6

Local Language 101 In 1887 Oscar Wilde wrote: “We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language.” This observation is very true for Australians who move to the US. Firstly, Americans have a very different Language of…

About The Australian Community

Founded in 2011, we connect more Australians in America.

If you are a professional Australian taking your career to the next level, or the U.S. is the next step in your company’s global expansion, we can connect you to all of the resources you need for success in America.


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