| Provider | Amount Received | Fee | Exchange Rate | Speed | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Smart Currency Exchange | GBP £5,582.02 | No Fee | 0.5582 | 1-3 days | more... |
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TorFX | GBP £5,596.11 | No Fee | 0.5596 | 1-3 days | more... |
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OFX (prev. OzForex) | GBP £5,582.02 | No Fee | 0.5582 | 1-3 days | more... |
There are no money transfer regulations when sending money from Australia to the UK. The UK has traditionally been a very popular country for Australians to emigrate to. Popular cities with Australian expat communities include London, Manchester and Edinburgh. Below, we cover some issues that relate to moving to the UK and sending money from Australia, whether in the early days of a move, for example, or to support children at university. Australia is also the number one destination for UK expats: research by Australia's Department of Home Affairs put the number of British expats living in Australia in 2018 in the region of 1.2m. This is likely to increase if the freedom of movement within the EU is limited after Brexit.
If you are moving to the UK from Australia, you will need to obtain the relevant visa. The most common reasons that Australians move to the UK are employment, to join up with their family or with their spouse, or to study at university. There are a number different categories of visas required for moving to the UK, and eligibility will depend on your profession, who you are moving over with, or if you are studying. Most work visas are Skilled Worker visas, whereby qualifying professionals take up a new job offer, although people being transferred by their company may be eligible for an Intra-company visa. Medical professionals, meanwhile, can apply for a Health and Care Worker visa. There is a limit on the number of people who can secure such visas each year. The Tier 1 visa is aimed at a small number of “high-value migrants” who are investors with at least £2,000,000 of disposable funds. Entrepreneurs, meanwhile, can apply through either the Start-up visa or Innovator visa. Australians who are moving to the UK to live with family have the opportunity to apply for a UK ancestry visa. This allows Australians who have a parent who was born in the UK the opportunity to move to the country as long as they satisfy a certain number of criteria.
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While the UK is popular with Australians as a place to work, relatively few come to study. That said, there were 2,205 students from Australia in the UK in the 2018/19 academic year, according to the UK government. According to the British Council, the annual cost per year of study in the UK for international students starts at around £23,200 (approximately A$40,200) – fees start from £11,000, and the cost of living is £12,200. Fees for foreign students can often be higher than those for UK nationals, reaching as high as £40,000 per year for a medical degree, for example. The number of Australian students coming to the UK has actually fallen over the last decade, and in fact Australia is close to overtaking the UK as the second most popular overseas destination in terms of studying.
Australian students will need to obtain a Student visa. Once your place at an accredited institution is confirmed, the process of applying is simple, but you have to be able to demonstrate that you have sufficient savings to fund your course and cost of living. It is, however, usually possible to work part-time for up to 20 hours a week in term time, full-time in a non-permanent role during term breaks, and pursue a sandwich course. Once your course ends, you can work full-time hours for up to four months. You can also bring dependents on a student visa, but you must be able to show that you have sufficient savings to cover them too.
To open a bank account in the UK, you will need proof of your income and employment, evidence of a local UK address, and a passport.
There are several commercial banks in the UK, but none of the major Australian banks have a substantial UK network. It will be easiest to have a UK account set up before sending money from Australia to the UK either for general living expenses or for a major transfer, as payments in the UK can then be made out of that account.
TheUK tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April of the following year, whereas theAustralian tax year runs from 1 July to 30 June. This will have implicationsfor tax planning. Australia does have a double tax treaty with the UK, but youshould still check which items may not fall under the treaty and may be taxedtwice. It is essential to familiarise yourself with relevant UK financialregulations in advance of moving from Australia to the UK, particularly if youare considering purchasing a property or making a large currency transfer fromAustralian dollars into pounds.
Australia has strict rules laid out by the Department of Agriculture (formerly under the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service) governing whether you can bring your pet over when you move. Typically, cats and dogs can be brought into Australia as long as strict quarantine rules are adhered to. These rules include your pet being up to date with its shots as well as being fitted with a microchip. The quarantine period for a dog or cat entering Australia is 190 days, but 180 of these days can be completed in the country of origin. There is a mandatory ten-day quarantine for all animals entering the country. While it is unlikely, there is also a possibility that any EU-enforced rules regarding transporting pets may be abolished after the UK leaves the EU.
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All the providers listed are regulated by the relevant authority (e.g. the FCA in the UK, FinCEN in the US, ASIC in Australia) and have been vetted by FXcompared.
FXcompared.com is an fx money comparison site for international money transfer and to compare rates from currency brokers for sending money abroad. The website and the information provided is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer, solicitation or advice on any financial service or transaction. None of the information presented is intended to form the basis for any investment decision, and no specific recommendations are intended. FXC Group Ltd and FX Compared Ltd does not provide any guarantees of any data from third parties listed on this website. FX compared Ltd expressly disclaims any and all responsibility for any direct or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever arising directly or indirectly from (i) any error, omission or inaccuracy in any such information or (ii) any action resulting therefrom.
