Moving to Sydney or Melbourne from the UK

Whether you are coming from England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, a move to Sydney or Melbourne puts the other side of the world between you and the life you know: a new role, reversed seasons, a time difference of 9 to 11 hours and, for many families, a school year that starts in a different month. Westprecinct offers managed serviced residences in Sydney and Melbourne, exquisitely furnished and presented to The Westprecinct Standard. You arrange it from the UK, move in when you land, and keep the feeling of home while you choose where to settle.

Arranged from the UK. Choose your residence by email, phone or video call. We find a time that works across both time zones and confirm the details with you before you commit.

Try the suburb first. A few months in Balmain or Barangaroo, or in Toorak or Brighton, shows you the commute, the schools and the weekends before you sign for anything long-term.

Live well while your shipment travels. Furniture, a full kitchen, premium linen and a proper place to work are ready on arrival, so the wait for your belongings from the UK does not decide how you live.

One point of contact. One person to deal with from enquiry to departure, and itemised invoices if your employer is covering the stay.

Time to settle properly. If the home search or the school start takes longer than planned, your stay can continue by arrangement, subject to availability and the guest terms.

Visas. The Department of Home Affairs sets visa rules. UK passport holders aged 18 to 35 can apply for a Working Holiday visa and, since 1 July 2024, can be granted up to three without doing specified work. For employer-sponsored and family visas, speak to a registered migration agent.

Health care. Under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement, people who lived in the UK before arriving may be eligible for medically necessary care under Medicare, with cover from the day they arrive. Bring your passport, visa and a UK Global Health Insurance Card or other proof of UK residence. Services Australia sets the rules.

Driving. The UK is a recognised country in NSW, so a current UK car licence can be transferred to a NSW licence without a knowledge or driving test. Australian citizens and permanent residents can drive on it in NSW for three months before transferring. In Victoria, you can drive on a current overseas licence for your first six months of living there, then convert it with VicRoads. Transport for NSW and VicRoads set the rules.

Pets. The UK is a Group 3 country for cats and dogs, so allow at least six months for tests and paperwork. Pets fly directly into Melbourne and complete quarantine at Mickleham, usually for 10 to 30 days depending on the paperwork, before they can join you in Melbourne or Sydney. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry sets the rules.

School year. Australian school years run in four terms from late January or early February to mid-December. In 2027, Victorian government school students start on Thursday 28 January, and NSW students in the Eastern division on Wednesday 3 February. A family planning around a UK September start will join partway through the Australian year. The NSW Department of Education and the Victorian Government publish term dates.

We do not advise on visas, tax or health cover. We look after where you live while you settle.

In Sydney, our residences sit in established harbourside and inner-west neighbourhoods. Balmain and Rozelle offer village high streets, harbour parks and a ferry into the city; Barangaroo suits those who want to walk to a CBD office; Drummoyne, Cabarita and Breakfast Point offer quiet waterfront living popular with families; and Rhodes and Wentworth Point are convenient for Olympic Park, Macquarie Park and Parramatta. In Melbourne, they sit in Toorak, Armadale and Malvern, leafy and close to well-regarded schools, and in Brighton, by the bay.

Sydney stays are from around three months, and Melbourne stays are 30 days and beyond. Higher rates may apply for under 6 months. Your stay can continue by arrangement, subject to availability and the guest terms. Through The W Circle, Westprecinct’s recognition programme, paid stays from now count towards standing from 1 January 2027, carried across Sydney and Melbourne.

Send us your flight date, the city and the suburb or school you would like to be near, the household (including any pets) and how long you expect to stay. We come back to you with suitable residences and a clear proposal, and can speak by phone or video call at a time that suits the UK.

Over 20 years of looking after residents who are new to the city. A residence with the feeling of home, ready when you land.