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A tax file number (TFN) is your personal reference number in Australia's tax and superannuation (super) systems. It is usually 9 digits and stays the same for life. You need it to work, open a bank account and claim government payments in Australia, and applying is free. If you hold a foreign passport, are already in Australia and have a valid visa with work rights, you can apply online on the ATO website and usually receive your TFN by post within 28 days.

Everyone who arrives in Australia completes an Incoming Passenger Card. If you carry food, plant material, animal products or traditional medicines, you must declare them honestly. Declaring is free and brings no penalty; if you do not declare and officers find the items, you can get an infringement notice of up to A$7,280, and visa holders may have their visa cancelled on the spot. Commercially packaged mooncakes without meat are allowed, but sausages, ham, fresh fruit, whole eggs and raw rice are not. Adults have a duty-free allowance of A$900 in general goods, 2.25 litres of alcohol and 25 cigarettes. Cash of A$10,000 or more must be declared to AUSTRAC before you reach customs.

Once you are a permanent resident (PR), you can apply for Australian citizenship by conferral if you meet the residence requirement, are of good character and pass the citizenship test. The general residence requirement is 4 years of lawful residence in Australia before you apply, with the last 12 months as a permanent resident, and limits on time spent outside Australia. The application fee is A$595 (2026–27 financial year); children aged 15 and under can be included in a parent's application for free. After approval you must attend a ceremony and make the pledge before you become a citizen. You must then enrol to vote and can apply for an Australian passport.

myGov is the Australian Government's online gateway to its services. With one account you can link the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Medicare, Centrelink and other agencies, receive government letters, lodge your tax return and check Medicare claims. All you need to create an account is a personal email address. When you link each agency, you prove your identity by answering questions about information that agency holds about you. myID is a different thing: it is the government's Digital ID app, which you can use to sign in to myGov more securely.

If your English is limited, you can call 131 450 for a TIS National telephone interpreter, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Calls to government agencies through TIS are usually free. At the GP or the pharmacy you can also ask for a free interpreter on the spot. New migrants can also use the Free Translating Service: within 2 years of your visa being granted, up to 10 personal documents can be translated into English for free. Permanent residents aged 18 or over with little English can join free English classes through the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP).

In Australia, immigration assistance, which means advising you about your own visa situation or preparing and lodging your application, can only be given by a registered migration agent, an Australian legal practitioner or a person exempt under the law. Only the first two can charge a fee. Before you use an agent, check their registration number (MARN) on the OMARA public register, and sign a written agreement before they start work. An education agent who is not registered cannot give immigration assistance. NewBee AU only summarises public information and does not give immigration advice.

In Australia, wages and government payments almost always go straight into a bank account, so open a local account soon after you arrive. Under anti-money laundering law, banks must verify your identity; if you have just arrived, your passport is usually enough. Once you have your TFN, tell your bank, or tax will be withheld from your interest at the highest rate. This page explains the general rules only and does not recommend any bank.

Australia's working holiday programme has two visas: the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417) and the Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462). Which one you can apply for depends on your passport. Both are for people aged 18 to 30 who want to stay for up to 12 months, do any kind of work and study for up to 4 months. This guide explains the subclass 462 rules using China as the example: some countries have a yearly cap (China has 5,000 first visas a year) and a ballot, so you must register in ImmiAccount, be randomly selected, and then apply within 28 days. The visa fee is A$840.00. If you complete 3 months of specified work you can apply for a second visa.

When you buy goods or services in Australia, the Australian Consumer Law automatically gives you a set of 'consumer guarantees': goods must be of acceptable quality, match their description and do what you asked for, and if something goes wrong the seller must repair, replace or refund. For a major problem you choose between a refund and a replacement; for a minor problem the seller can repair it. But you cannot demand a refund just because you changed your mind. A 'no refunds' sign is illegal. Contact the seller first; if that fails, go to your state's consumer protection agency. The ACCC does not handle individual complaints.

Your visa status comes first when you buy a home in Australia. Australian citizens and permanent residents can buy straight away, and can apply for the federal 5% Deposit Scheme and their state's first home grant and stamp duty concession. Temporary visa holders and buyers living overseas count as 'foreign persons': you must get FIRB approval from the ATO before you buy, you generally cannot buy an established (existing) home between 1 April 2025 and 30 June 2029, and you pay your state's foreign buyer surcharge duty on top. This page covers the federal scheme and the rules in NSW, VIC and QLD. It is not loan or investment advice.

In Australia you buy electricity and gas from a retailer. At the same address you can switch freely between retailers and plans, and prices vary a lot. In NSW, QLD, SA, TAS and the ACT, compare plans on the AER's official site Energy Made Easy; in VIC use Victorian Energy Compare. Every three months your bill must tell you whether a cheaper plan is available. If you cannot pay a bill, your retailer must by law offer you a payment plan and hardship help. If you hold a concession card, you can apply for your state's energy rebate.

When you rent a home in Australia, the landlord cannot keep your bond. It must be lodged with the state government's bond authority: in NSW with NSW Fair Trading through Rental Bonds Online, in VIC with the RTBA, and in QLD with the RTA. The maximum differs by state (NSW and QLD up to 4 weeks' rent; VIC usually 1 month's rent). Complete a condition report with photos when you move in, claim the bond back through the official system when you leave, and the other side has 14 days to dispute. If you cannot agree, go to the state tribunal (NCAT, VCAT or QCAT). This page covers NSW, VIC and QLD.

One step applies everywhere in Australia when you buy a used car: search the PPSR for A$2 using the VIN to check whether the car has money owing on it, or has been stolen or written off. Everything else depends on the state. The buyer must transfer the registration within 14 days and pay a transfer fee and vehicle duty (stamp duty). In VIC the seller must provide a roadworthy certificate, in QLD the seller must provide a safety certificate, and in NSW a private sale with current registration does not need an inspection certificate. Buying from a licensed dealer gives you a statutory warranty; buying privately gives you almost none. This page covers NSW, VIC and QLD.

Driver licensing is run by each state, so there is no single national rule. Temporary visa holders can generally drive on a valid overseas licence: in NSW for up to 6 months after arrival; in VIC you must transfer before you have lived there 6 months; the QLD, WA and SA websites set no time limit for temporary visa holders. Once you get permanent residency or citizenship, NSW, QLD and WA require you to transfer within 3 months, SA within 90 days, and VIC still counts 6 months of living in the state. A licence from a country that is not on a state's recognised list, for example mainland China, needs a theory test and a driving test in every state; check whether your own country is on the list. This page covers NSW, VIC, QLD, WA and SA.

Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is the Australian Government's child care payment. It is paid directly to the child care service you use, so you pay less in fees. Your subsidy percentage depends on your family income, and there is an hourly rate cap. From 5 January 2026, the 3 Day Guarantee gives eligible families at least 72 hours of subsidised care per fortnight. CCS only covers government-approved child care, and you must meet residence rules and your child must meet immunisation requirements.

Family Tax Benefit (FTB) is a payment from the Australian Government to help families with the cost of raising children. It has two parts, Part A and Part B, and is paid by Services Australia through Centrelink. Part A is worked out for each child and depends on your family income. Part B is paid per family, to single parents or couples with one main income. You must meet residence rules (normally Australian citizenship or a permanent visa), so families on temporary visas usually cannot get it.

You do not need to be an Australian citizen or permanent resident to marry in Australia; visitor and student visa holders can marry too. The process: lodge a Notice of Intended Marriage with an authorised celebrant at least 1 month (and no more than 18 months) before the wedding, hold the ceremony with the celebrant and 2 adult witnesses, then apply to the BDM of the state where you married for an official marriage certificate. The cheapest option is a wedding at a state registry office: from A$482 on a weekday at the Pyrmont registry in Sydney (NSW), A$500 for the Classic package at the Melbourne registry (VIC), and A$410.60 at the Brisbane registry (QLD). Same-sex marriage is legal.

Parental Leave Pay (PLP) is money the Australian Government pays to parents of a newborn or newly adopted child under the Paid Parental Leave scheme. It is based on the national minimum wage and can be shared between parents. For children born or adopted from 1 July 2025, a family can get up to 120 days; for children born from 1 July 2026, up to 130 days. You must pass an income test, a work test and residence rules, and new residents usually wait 2 years. From July 2025, the government also pays super on it into your super fund.

Most domestic students at Australian universities study in a Commonwealth supported place (CSP): the government pays part of the fee and the student pays the rest, called the student contribution. Australian citizens can defer the student contribution with a HECS-HELP loan and repay it through the tax system once their income passes the threshold (A$69,528 for 2026–27). Permanent residents and New Zealand citizens can generally get a CSP but cannot use HECS-HELP, so they pay each term up front. International students and temporary visa holders get neither and pay full fees. HELP balances as at 1 June 2025 were reduced by 20% in a one-off cut.

Public (government) schools are run by each state, and the first year has different names: Kindergarten in NSW, Prep in VIC and QLD. Each home address has a designated local school (a catchment or zone), and if you live in the catchment the school must take your child. To enrol you need a birth certificate or passport, proof of address and immunisation records. The school year starts in late January and has 4 terms. Children of citizens and permanent residents pay no tuition fees. Children of temporary visa holders usually pay fees in NSW and VIC, while QLD charges mainly dependants of student visa holders and visitor visa holders; check your state's website. This page covers NSW, VIC and QLD.

Student visa condition 8501 requires you and any family members with you to hold adequate health insurance for your whole stay in Australia. For students this is Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC); it must start on the day you arrive and must not have any gaps. Basic OSHC covers doctor visits, hospital treatment, surgery, emergency ambulance and some prescription medicines, but not dental, physiotherapy or optical, and some services have waiting periods. Temporary work visas such as the subclass 482 also carry condition 8501; holders usually buy Overseas Visitors Health Cover (OVHC). Temporary residents without Medicare can claim an exemption from the Medicare levy at tax time. This page does not recommend any insurer.

If you hold a Student visa (subclass 500), you can only start work once your course has started. While your course is in session you can work up to 48 hours a fortnight; during holidays there is no limit. Master's by research and PhD students have no limit once their course has started. This is visa condition 8105; the work limit for family members is condition 8104. Student workers have the same minimum wage and workplace rights as everyone else under Fair Work rules, and you need a tax file number (TFN) before you start work.

If you are owed wages, underpaid, dismissed without good reason or exploited at work, first check the rules and collect evidence, then raise the problem with your employer and put it in writing. If that does not work, contact the Fair Work Ombudsman (Fair Work Infoline 13 13 94; for an interpreter call 131 450 first) or take a small claim to court yourself for unpaid wages of up to A$100,000. If you were unfairly dismissed, you must apply to the Fair Work Commission within 21 days. Visa holders have the same protections, and asking Fair Work for help will not get your visa cancelled.

JobSeeker Payment is income support for people aged 22 to Age Pension age who are looking for work, or who cannot work for a short time because of illness or injury. Centrelink pays it every 2 weeks. You must be an Australian resident (a citizen, permanent resident or protected New Zealand SCV holder) and be in Australia; most new permanent residents wait 4 years, and temporary visa holders are usually not eligible. From 20 September 2026 the maximum rate for a single person with no children is A$824.90 a fortnight. You must also pass the income and assets tests and meet mutual obligation requirements (looking for work) while you receive it.

The National Employment Standards (NES) set the minimum leave for every employee in Australia. Full-time employees get 4 weeks of paid annual leave a year, 10 days of paid sick and carer's leave, 2 days of compassionate leave each time it is needed, and 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave a year. After 12 months of continuous service you can take up to 12 months of unpaid parental leave. Part-time employees get these pro rata. Casual employees get no paid annual or sick leave but receive casual loading instead. Public holidays and long service leave are set by each state and territory.

Australia's income year runs from 1 July to 30 June. If you earned income and had tax withheld, you generally need to lodge a tax return with the ATO after the income year ends. If you lodge it yourself with myTax, the due date is 31 October; a registered tax agent can lodge later. The ATO then works out whether you get a refund or owe tax. Australian residents for tax purposes have a tax-free threshold of A$18,200 and also pay the 2% Medicare levy; foreign residents and working holiday makers pay different rates.

Every employee in Australia is protected by a minimum wage. From 1 July 2026, the National Minimum Wage is A$26.44 an hour or A$1,004.90 a week (before tax). But most jobs are covered by an award, which usually sets a higher rate, so check your rate with the Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool. Casual employees do not get paid leave but must receive casual loading on top of their pay. Your employer must give you a pay slip within 1 working day of payday. Employees on temporary visas have the same pay protections as everyone else.

If you run your own business in Australia, take on freelance work or earn money through a platform (ride-share, food delivery and so on), you usually need an ABN (Australian Business Number) first. Applying for an ABN at abr.gov.au is free; many of the 'ABN websites' that charge a fee are scams. GST is 10%. You must register for GST once your turnover reaches A$75,000 a year, and ride-share drivers must register before their first trip whatever they earn. Once registered, you lodge a BAS on time, and the invoices you give customers must meet the tax invoice requirements.

Super (superannuation) is Australia's compulsory retirement saving. If you are an eligible employee, your employer must pay 12% of your wages into your super fund, and this applies to temporary visa holders too. You generally cannot take the money out until you retire at 60 or reach 65. If you are a temporary resident, you can apply for a departing Australia superannuation payment (DASP) after you leave Australia and your visa ends, but tax is deducted. This page does not recommend any fund.

Medicare is Australia's public health insurance. As a public patient in a public hospital you are treated free, GP and specialist visits and tests are subsidised, and PBS prescription medicines are cheaper. Australian citizens, permanent residents, and people who have applied for a permanent visa and meet the conditions can enrol. Most temporary visa holders (students, work visas) are not eligible and rely on OSHC or OVHC insurance instead. You can enrol in myGov, or fill in form MS004 and post or email it.

If you are struggling, having thoughts of suicide or worried about someone close to you, Australia has free 24-hour helplines: Lifeline 13 11 14 and Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636. If life is in danger, call 000. If your English is limited, call the interpreter service TIS on 131 450 first, say your language, and ask to be connected to the helpline. For ongoing treatment, your GP can prepare a Mental Health Treatment Plan so that Medicare pays towards psychological therapy. You can also walk into a free Medicare Mental Health Centre with no referral and no Medicare card.

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) is the Australian Government's subsidy for prescription medicines. If the medicine is on the PBS list and you have a Medicare card, you pay only a capped co-payment and the government pays the rest. From 1 January 2026, general patients pay at most A$25.00 per prescription and concession card holders at most A$7.70. Once your co-payments in a calendar year reach the Safety Net threshold, medicines are cheaper or even free for the rest of the year. People without Medicare pay the full price.

In Australia you usually see a GP (general practitioner, or family doctor) first when you are unwell. If the clinic bulk bills, it charges Medicare directly and you pay nothing. If it does not, you pay the full fee first and then claim the Medicare benefit back; the difference (the gap) is your cost. From 1 November 2025 the government extended bulk billing incentives to every patient with Medicare, so more clinics now bulk bill. The easiest thing is to ask 'Do you bulk bill?' when you book.

The Age Pension is the Australian Government's main income support payment for people aged 67 and over. It is paid by Services Australia through Centrelink. It is not automatic: you must pass an income test and an assets test, and you normally need to have been an Australian resident for 10 years, including at least 5 years in a row. The rates change on 20 March and 20 September each year. If you get the Age Pension, you automatically get a Pensioner Concession Card.

If you have reached Age Pension age but do not get the Age Pension, you can apply to Services Australia for a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC). With the card you pay the concession price for PBS medicines, doctors may bulk bill you, and you may get higher Medicare Safety Net benefits. It has an income test only, with no assets test. Separately, each state government has its own Seniors Card (from age 60 in NSW and VIC). State cards are based on your age and your weekly work hours, and the benefits (public transport, business discounts) differ from state to state.

In Australia, if someone is seriously injured, life or property is in danger, or you have just seen a serious accident or crime, call 000 (Triple Zero). When the call connects, say whether you need police, fire or ambulance. The call is free. From a mobile you can also dial 112, which reaches the same service. People who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment use a TTY to call 106. Do not tie up 000 with non-urgent matters: the police non-emergency number is 131 444, storm and flood help is SES 132 500, health questions go to healthdirect 1800 022 222, and poisoning to 13 11 26.

Australia has compulsory enrolment and compulsory voting. If you are an Australian citizen aged 18 or over and have lived at your current address for 1 month, the law requires you to enrol with the AEC and to vote in federal, state or territory and local elections. After your citizenship ceremony, enrol once online at aec.gov.au/enrol; this covers all three levels of elections. You can use your citizenship certificate number, Australian driver licence, Australian passport or Medicare card. If you do not vote in a federal election you receive a notice: you either give a valid reason or pay a A$20 administrative penalty. Permanent residents and temporary visa holders cannot enrol.

The most common scams in Australia include callers pretending to be police, an embassy or a courier from your home country (for example the 'Chinese authority' scam), callers pretending to be a government department or debt collector who threaten arrest or deportation, investment and cryptocurrency scams, and fake jobs and fake rental listings. Scamwatch's rule is simple: any call that threatens arrest or deportation is a scam, so hang up. Ignore anyone who asks you to pay by gift card, wire transfer or Bitcoin. If you have been scammed, contact your bank first, then call IDCARE (1800 595 160) and report it to Scamwatch; if you lost money, report it to the police through ReportCyber. Scamwatch also publishes scam information in languages other than English.