When making the move abroad, there is a lot of life admin to consider which can be overwhelming. Just as you would expect in your normal routine at home, it is important to keep an eye on your financial well-being and be aware of the best options to ensure your financial obligations are in check.
Often we don’t think about opening a bank account until we actually arrive at our destination, mostly because it may not be known that opening a bank account in our new destination is possible from abroad.
Thankfully for those who are fortunate enough to be moving to Australia, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia offers bank account services that can be pre-opened up to three months before travelling!
CommBank’s online services have an amazing wealth of information and are full of tips and practical advice for getting you all sorted with your finances before the move.
The CommBank’s budget planner calculator is a plug and play calculator that can be updated with your own anticipated figures for income and expenses and will auto evaluate your tax and Medicare levy’s’. The calculator produces a very accurate depiction of the various expense categories which can be displayed in a weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly or annual graph.
The Moving to Australia checklist is another great reminder of the various jobs you will need to tick off to make your move to Australia hassle-free and thorough. The checklist is a great reference point for immigration, employment, insurance, accommodation and travel, and the website has provided useful hyperlinks that provides guidance and practical advice. They have even provided separate checklists with different lead times, so you can use the different lists as your leaving date gets closer.
But we think the best thing about using CommBank is how easy it is to receive your new bank account details. You won’t even need to have an Australian address to apply! The whole process only takes about 10 minutes online and the bank will issue you a BSB (equivalent to sort code) and account number via email.
When you arrive in Australia, all you must do is head into a nominated branch and collect your Debit card by providing proof of identification – It is that easy! Here’s a great short video to give you a taste of the experience when visit the branch to collect your debit card.
CommBank has always been known for having an easy to use digital online banking and it’s no surprise that their award-winning app is used to access all your bank details, make payments and transfer funds.
Once you have arrived in Australia, CommBank has a wealth of services that you can access to help you hit the ground running. This link will provide you with the most updated info and tips on the property market insights, savings and retirement tips and even a quick read on how to buy a car!
Oh, and did I mention that the CommBank has Australia’s most extensive branch and ATM network? So you will always be able to find them, no matter where you are in Australia!
If you are ready to get started in your Overseas Teaching career, touch base with the International Opportunities Team who will guide you through the full process. Register your details here.
