Question 1

What's the easiest country for Australians to move to?

SortaRich · Accepted Answer

New Zealand is the easiest by a wide margin — the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement gives Australians effective NZ residency on arrival with full work + residence rights. The UK Youth Mobility Scheme is open to Australian citizens 18-35 (the upper age extended from 30 to 35 + the stay extended from 2 years to 3 years in 2024); the UK Ancestry Visa (5-year work visa for those with a UK-born grandparent) is uniquely Australian-accessible. The US E-3 visa is uniquely Australian under the AU-US FTA (~10,500 visas/year for specialty-occupation Australians, with spouse work rights). Most digital-nomad visa programs (Portugal D8, Spain DNV, Croatia DNV, Estonia DNV, Mexico Temporary Resident) accept Australians on standard terms.

Question 2

Can Australians live in Bali long-term?

SortaRich · Accepted Answer

Yes, via several pathways. The B211A "social-cultural" visa (formerly known as the social visa) allows 60-day stays extendable to 180 days. The Indonesia Second Home Visa (B214 or successor — verify current name) allows 5-10 year stays for those with $130K-130K USD savings. The newer Indonesia Investor Visa requires investment in an Indonesian company. Many Australian Bali residents cycle B211A renewals + visa runs — legal but high-friction. Indonesian-tax residency triggers at 183+ days in any 12-month period. Verify current visa rules at the Indonesian Embassy/Consulate before relying.

Question 3

Best country for Australians to retire to?

SortaRich · Accepted Answer

Top retirement destinations for Australians combining cost + healthcare + visa accessibility: Thailand (Long-Term Resident + Retirement visas — well-established Australian retiree communities in Pattaya, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai), Malaysia (MM2H — recently reformed, accessible), Indonesia (Second Home Visa or B211A cycling — Bali especially), New Zealand (Trans-Tasman — easiest from a paperwork standpoint), UK (if you have a UK-born grandparent for the Ancestry Visa), Portugal (D7), Spain (Non-Lucrative). Mexico + Costa Rica are accessible but not common Australian destinations due to distance.

Question 4

How does the ATO treat Australians living abroad?

SortaRich · Accepted Answer

Australian-tax residency is determined by the ATO's "resides" test (a facts-and-circumstances analysis of where you ordinarily live) + four statutory tests. Moving abroad does NOT automatically end Australian tax residency — you need to demonstrate that you no longer "reside" in Australia. Indicators: maintain no Australian residential property available for your use, sever Australian banking + utility ties, establish a permanent residence abroad (typically 12+ months continuously). Once non-resident, Australian-source income (rent, employment) is still taxed in Australia at non-resident rates (no tax-free threshold); foreign-source income generally is not. The CGT "deemed disposal" applies to most Australian-located assets when you become a non-resident.

Leaving Australia?

Australian-passport visa landscape

What's the easiest country for Australians to move to?

Can Australians live in Bali long-term?

Best country for Australians to retire to?

How does the ATO treat Australians living abroad?

Top destinations

Kochi

Constanţa

Salvador

Surabaya, Java

Bangkok

Tirana

Seoul

Tbilisi

Brno

Riga

Budapest

Barranquilla

Aguascalientes

Guayaquil

Palermo

Kuala Lumpur

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Thessaloníki

Córdoba

Tallinn

Durban

Lisbon

Belgrade

Zagreb

Panama City

Montevideo

San Jose

Dubai

Voronezh

Ready to see your numbers?