Moving to the UK From Australia in 2026: Visa Guide
Australians have routes to the UK that do not need a job offer. The Youth Mobility Scheme takes applicants up to the age of 35 and runs for up to two years, with a one-year extension. A UK-born grandparent opens the Ancestry visa. Australian nationals skip the English test, and an Australian driving licence can be exchanged without a new test. What needs care is what you leave behind: Australian tax residency does not end automatically, and a study loan follows you. This guide covers both sides from GOV.UK and Australian Government sources, as read on 13 October 2026.
Quick answer
For a visit of less than 6 months, Australians need an electronic travel authorisation: £20, valid 2 years. To live and work in the UK, the Youth Mobility Scheme visa is open to Australians aged 18 to 35, costs £340, needs £2,530 in savings and lasts 2 years, extendable by one year. The UK Ancestry visa costs £726 and lasts 5 years. A Skilled Worker visa costs £819 or £1,618. Stays of more than 6 months carry the healthcare surcharge, and study-loan holders must notify the ATO within 7 days of leaving.
Step 1: Visiting
Smartraveller, the Australian Government's travel advice service, puts it simply: for a visit of less than 6 months as a tourist or to transit, you need an Electronic Travel Authorisation. For a longer stay, or for reasons other than tourism, you will likely need a visa. An ETA costs £20 and lasts 2 years.
Dual Australian-British and Australian-Irish citizens cannot rely on an ETA. They need a valid British or Irish passport, or a certificate of entitlement in another valid passport, to enter the UK.
Step 2: The routes without a job offer
| Youth Mobility Scheme | UK Ancestry | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Australians aged 18 to 35 | Commonwealth citizens aged 17 or over with a grandparent born in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man |
| Length | Up to 2 years, extendable by one year for people from Australia, Canada or New Zealand | 5 years |
| Application fee | £340 | £726 |
| Savings | £2,530 | Enough to support and house yourself |
| Healthcare surcharge | Usually £776 per year | May apply |
| Work | Most jobs. Self-employment if your premises are rented, your equipment is not worth more than £5,000 and you have no employees | Employed or self-employed |
| Family | Must apply separately | You can bring your partner or child |
| Timing | Apply up to 6 months before you travel. A decision usually comes within 3 weeks | Apply up to 3 months before you travel |
Australia appears in the Commonwealth's list of member countries, which is the basis for the Ancestry route.
Step 3: Sponsored work, study and family
| Route | Main condition | Application fee |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | A job with a licensed sponsor, usually paying at least £41,700 per year or the going rate, whichever is higher | £819 for up to three years, £1,618 for longer |
| Student | A course place, and £1,529 per month in London or £1,171 elsewhere, for up to 9 months | £558 |
| Family | A partner or family member who is British or settled in the UK | £2,064 |
| High Potential Individual | A qualification from an eligible university in the last 5 years | £880 |
Step 4: Where Australians have it easier
- English: Australia is on the list of countries whose nationals do not need to prove their knowledge of English for a Skilled Worker visa.
- Tuberculosis test: Australia is not on the list of countries where a test is required.
- Driving: Australia is a designated country. You can drive on your full licence for 12 months from when you became resident, then exchange it for a British licence, and you have 5 years to do so.
Step 5: Healthcare, and why the agreement does not cover a move
Australia and the UK have a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement. Smartraveller describes its scope: some medical treatment is free if you are in the UK for a short visit, and you need to prove you are from Australia and eligible for Medicare. It then adds the line that matters for movers. If you stay for over 6 months, you pay the Immigration Health Surcharge when you apply for your visa.
| Applicant | Surcharge per year |
|---|---|
| Youth Mobility Scheme, students and under-18s | £776 |
| Other visas | £1,035 |
Step 6: Your Australian tax residency
The Australian Taxation Office decides residency by its own tests, which are not the same as the rules of the Department of Home Affairs. As the ATO's example below shows, moving abroad for a period does not necessarily end your Australian residency.
- Resides test: the primary test. The ATO looks at physical presence, intention and purpose, family, business or employment ties, the location of assets, and social and living arrangements.
- Domicile test: you are an Australian resident if your permanent home is in Australia, unless the ATO is satisfied that your permanent place of abode is outside Australia.
- 183-day test: presence in Australia for more than half the income year.
The ATO's own example is a teacher who takes a one-year contract in Japan, rents out her Australian property and plans to return. She remains an Australian resident for tax purposes under the domicile test.
Step 7: HELP and other study loans
If you have a HELP loan, a VET Student Loan or an Australian Apprenticeship Support Loan and plan to live and work overseas, the ATO requires two things:
- An overseas travel notification within 7 days of leaving Australia, if you intend to reside overseas for 183 days or more in any 12 months.
- A report of your worldwide income, or a non-lodgment advice, each year. The deadline for the Australian income year, 1 July to 30 June, is 31 October.
The loan continues to be indexed each year until it is paid.
Step 8: UK tax, belongings and pets
- UK tax residence usually depends on days spent in the UK in the tax year, which runs from 6 April to 5 April. Spending 183 or more days is one of the automatic tests.
- Belongings: you might be able to claim transfer of residence relief on tax and duty, with form ToR01 before you move.
- Pets: microchip first, then rabies vaccination, a wait of at least 21 full days, and a pet travel document from your vet.
Step 9: Staying for good
The Youth Mobility Scheme is a temporary visa: two years, plus the one-year extension. With a work visa you must usually have lived and worked in the UK for 5 years to apply for indefinite leave to remain, and the Ancestry visa also leads to settlement after 5 years. The fee is £3,226. A proposed reform of settlement periods was awaiting final decisions in September 2026. The UK recognises dual nationality.
Frequently asked questions
Can Australians live and work in the UK?
Yes, with a visa. Australians aged 18 to 35 can apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme without a job offer, and those with a UK-born grandparent for a UK Ancestry visa.
How long can Australians stay in the UK on a working holiday visa?
Up to 2 years on the Youth Mobility Scheme, with the option to extend by one year.
What is the age limit for the UK Youth Mobility visa for Australians?
You must be aged 18 to 35.
Do Australians need a visa to visit the UK?
For a visit of less than 6 months as a tourist, Australians need an Electronic Travel Authorisation, which costs £20, not a visa.
Can Australians use the NHS for free?
Some treatment is free on a short visit under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement. If you stay for over 6 months, you pay the Immigration Health Surcharge with your visa.
Do I still have to repay my HELP debt if I move to the UK?
Yes. You must submit an overseas travel notification within 7 days of leaving and report your worldwide income each year by 31 October.
Can I swap my Australian driving licence for a UK one?
Yes. Australia is a designated country, so you can drive for 12 months after becoming resident and exchange the licence within 5 years.
Official sources
- GOV.UK — Youth Mobility Scheme visa
- GOV.UK — UK Ancestry visa
- GOV.UK — Get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA)
- GOV.UK — Skilled Worker visa
- GOV.UK, Home Office — Immigration and nationality fees, 8 October 2026
- GOV.UK — Immigration health surcharge
- GOV.UK — Tuberculosis tests for visa applicants
- GOV.UK — Driving in Great Britain on a non-GB licence
- The Commonwealth — Member countries
- Smartraveller, Australian Government — United Kingdom travel advice
- Australian Taxation Office — Your tax residency
- Australian Taxation Office — Overseas obligations when repaying loans
- GOV.UK — Tax on foreign income
All figures verified against the official pages above on 13 October 2026. Tax residency depends on your own facts, so take advice before you leave. Information, not legal or tax advice.