SA → Australia Financial-Emigration Playbook
A guided, document-by-document checklist that takes you from “thinking about it” to landed — with the tax and money steps in the right order. Updated 2026-06. Phase 1 below is free.
What's inside (5 phases)
- 1 · Decide & qualifyFree
- 2 · Tax & money prep🔒
- 3 · Visa lodgement🔒
- 4 · The move🔒
- 5 · Landing (first 30 days)🔒
Why get this before calling a specialist
A tax consultant or immigration lawyer can charge $3,000–$10,000+ to handle financial emigration — and you often pay before you even understand what you actually need. This playbook gives you the full sequence first, so you:
- ✓ Walk into any specialist conversation knowing exactly what to ask and prepare.
- ✓ Do the steps you can handle yourself — and only pay for the ones you can't.
- ✓ Avoid the expensive ordering mistakes (touching your RA or moving funds before ceasing tax residency) that specialists can't undo after the fact.
It's not a substitute for advice on your specific situation — it's the map that makes that advice faster, cheaper, and far less stressful.
1 · Decide & qualify
Weeks 1–4Confirm you actually qualify before spending a cent — occupation, points, and which visa fits.
- 1
Find your occupation on the skilled lists
Do it yourselfSearch the skilled occupation lists for your job title and note which visas it supports (189 independent, 190 state-nominated, 491 regional). Your occupation also determines which body assesses your skills.
Why it matters: If your occupation isn't listed, the skilled route is closed — better to know in week one than after paying for tests.
⚠ Pitfall: Job titles differ from SA. Match by the ANZSCO duties, not the title you currently use — a 'systems analyst' may be assessed under a different code.
💡 Tip: Note every visa your occupation supports; 190/491 often have lower points cut-offs than 189.
Official source ↗ - 2
Score your points honestly
DIY — but double-checkTally age, English level, qualifications, and years of skilled experience against the points test. Compare your score to recent invitation cut-offs for your occupation.
Why it matters: Invitations go to the highest scorers — a 'pass' isn't enough, you need to clear the actual cut-off.
⚠ Pitfall: Overstating experience that your skills assessor later discounts (years before your qualification often don't count) can collapse your score after you've committed.
💡 Tip: A higher English test result (e.g. 'superior') is often the cheapest way to add points.
- 3
Book your skills assessment
DIY — but double-checkApply to your assessing authority early — it's the longest-lead item and is required before you can submit an Expression of Interest.
⚠ Pitfall: Each authority has its own evidence rules; thin reference letters are the #1 cause of delays and rejections.
💡 Tip: Get reference letters on company letterhead listing duties, hours and dates while you still have good contacts at the employer.
Documents to prepare
ID/passport · Degree certificates & transcripts · Detailed CV with duties · Reference letters on letterhead
2 · Tax & money prep
Months 1–3 (start early)The part everyone gets wrong. Set up correctly before you leave to avoid double tax and trapped funds.
3 · Visa lodgement
Months 2–6Submit cleanly the first time — errors here cost months and money.
4 · The move
Months 5–8Logistics, sequencing and the money mistakes to avoid in the final stretch.
5 · Landing (first 30 days)
Arrival + 30 daysThe setup checklist that gets you operational fast in Australia.
Unlock the full playbook
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All 5 phases, every document checklist, and free updates when the rules change.
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Educational information only — not financial, tax, legal or migration advice. Verify current rules via the official links before acting.