What South Africans should know before migrating to Australia

Australia is one of the best countries in the world to live in. It is safe, has beautiful beaches, fantastic weather, friendly people, pretty good economy, low unemployment, good education and a wonderful lifestyle. You will not make a mistake to come down under, because it offers a lot more than what South Africa does in the long run. However, that said, there may be a lot of other things one should consider before making such a monumental decision.

Migration is not for everyone. It is the hardest thing I have ever had to do apart from having twins after I had three other children, with no support network. It may seem like the ultimate adventure, which it is, but with this adventure comes a lot of stress and unpleasantness.

Apart from the endless trips to authorities to certify an unending amount of documentation for the visa you are applying for. Be prepared to make many other trips to get medical examinations, language testing, drug testing, interviews and possibly more. If you are not being sponsored by an employer to work in Australia, you must be prepared to have a lot of savings and patience, because it takes a few years to get the permanent residency visa and it is extremely expensive, especially if you have a lot of dependents.

If you are lucky enough to get sponsorship from an employer, be prepared for some other unexpected difficulties to arise. One of which is paying international fees for everything from day-care to tertiary education. Which if you are not rich, you will not be able to afford. It also depends on the state which you plan to live in. In Queensland for instance, they charge international fees for temporary residence’s schooling, whereas in Victoria, they do not.

One can also find it difficult to get a driver’s licence in Australia, depending on the state where you decide to settle and the person who will be serving you. Since not all Aussies are migrant friendly. Many Aussies discriminate, especially if you have a strong accent when you speak English.

For English South Africans, it will be easier to settle in Australia with less discrimination directed at them, than for Afrikaans South Africans. However, persistence is key in getting an Aussie driver’s licence, because if you do not have an Australian photo identification, you will find everything difficult. From opening a telephone account to buying on credit.

Even if you have had your driver’s licence for twenty years, you will have to sit your learner’s test and do your driver’s test again. This may also depend on the state, but in Queensland you will not get away with it. Be rest assured though, that the learner’s test is short and easy. If you get one or two driving lessons, you will be sure to get your full driver’s licence without much effort. It is a pain in the backside though.

Also, make sure that if you have children who will need their driver’s licence soon, to get it done in South Africa, because it takes so much longer to get a full licence in Australia. They must log the amount of time they have been driving, and they must have driven a certain amount of time before they can get a full driver’s licence.

Depending on your looks and your work or social status, you may find it hard to make friends in Australia. They are very finicky when it comes to befriending migrants. If you do not have something that could benefit their social standing, they might not bother making you their bosom buddy.

Then again, it may just depend where you find yourself, your personality and special skills or hobbies. City people can be a little more demanding on social aspects and may discriminate on all sorts of aspects like your health consciousness, education, networking status, language fluency etc. Whereas in the regional areas, the people are more laid back and easy going. However, people are the same and different in all places in the world and experiences can be different for everyone.

You may think that you are leaving your friends and family behind, but you will make new friends and they will become like your family. It does not always work out that way. Some South Africans do settle in better than others. It will also depend on your workplace and the competitiveness surrounding your workplace and your ability to be sociable.

There are other opportunities to meet people, like through relocation specialists, South African migrant groups, playgroups for mothers and children, churches, or other interest groups and you might find it easier to connect with other migrants. Which there is a lot of in Australia.

However, nothing and nobody may ever replace family or old friends. You might find yourself in an extremely amazing country, where there are so many things you would like to share with the people you love the most. The only thing is that sometimes, when your friends and family may become jealous or hurt because of your migration, you may lose them forever.

You will find yourself making all the calls overseas to talk to your friends and family, but they never go through the trouble to connect with you. You may find yourself visiting them and nobody asks you any questions about your life and the new country you moved to, because it is too painful for them to hear about it. Migration can often leave you isolated and alone. You eventually find yourself not quite fitting in anywhere.

Once you have migrated to Australia, your eyes will open to what you have been missing out on in South Africa. It will even make you angry that life can be so good, but some people just messes it up for everyone else over there. For now, you might long for the old social connections you had in South Africa, the braai’s, Afrikaans Music and Movies and speaking the language, the Sokkies, the nature reserves, the simpleness of life, and familiarity, but you will know better.

You will know that even though you had so many good things in South Africa, it does not come close to the safety you feel in Australia, the quality and accessibility of education, the quality of the free medical treatment, the amazingly beautiful lifestyle you can give your children and the employment opportunities they will have, if you continue to live in Australia.

Then you can never go back. Your heart my long for your own country and for your family and friends, but you will never be able to go back! It will be like taking the blue pill in the matrix. You will just know better and you will not want to go back. It would likely be better to never migrate in the first place, because it would be easier to live in South Africa without knowing any better.

If your family is not migrating with you or will ever be able to migrate and you have a close relationship with them, then you must realize that you may lose your loved ones forever. So, make sure you are 100% certain what to expect before you decide to leave your homeland, because you may find yourself longing to go back, but never able or willing to make the move.