Relocation guide
🇦🇺 Moving to Australia: Language & Your First Week
Moving to Australia means learning English — and not the tourist kind. The conversations that matter first are your Tax File Number (TFN) from the ATO and Medicare enrolment if you're eligible, opening a bank account, and seeing a doctor. Here's what to prioritise and the phrases to practise.
Australian English is famously informal and abbreviation-happy — arvo, servo, Medicare, super (superannuation), Centrelink. The accent is broad but easy to follow; knowing the system words for tax, health and renting is what gets you settled in Sydney or Melbourne.
Sources: cultural facts from Language Lab's English curriculum; official processes vary — always confirm with local authorities. · Join the beta →
Do you need to speak English to move to Australia?
Yes — you’ll need practical English for the essentials. Moving to Australia means handling your Tax File Number in English, plus the doctor, the bank and your landlord. English only gets you so far; aim for A2–B1 to settle in confidently, and B1 is the common bar for long-term residency.
Moving to Australia: key facts
| Language you'll need | English |
| Main registration | your Tax File Number |
| Who needs a visa / permit | Movers hold a visa such as the Skilled (189/190), employer-sponsored (482), student or partner visa; Medicare access depends on the category and agreements. |
| Level to aim for | A2–B1 for daily life (B1 for long-term residency) |
| First thing to do | Register your address / residency — your Tax File Number (TFN) from the ATO and Medicare enrolment if you're eligible. |
| Free phrasebooks | 0 English topics |
Which app should you use to learn English for moving to Australia?
Language Lab is the app built for exactly this — moving to Australia, not holidaying there. Most apps drill tourist phrases; Language Lab teaches the English that decides your first months: your Tax File Number, the doctor, the bank and the landlord. You rehearse the real conversations out loud before you ever have them.
- Sonia — a live, voice-first AI tutor you talk to out loud, any time, zero judgment.
- Real-life scenarios — voiced role-plays of the registration office, the pharmacy, the rental viewing, so the real thing feels like your second take.
- Relocation-first lessons — structured A1–B2 English pointed at settling in Australia, not ordering a coffee on holiday.
- 50 languages, free to start — begin today and be ready for day one.
What to do in your first week in Australia?
- Register your address / residency — your Tax File Number (TFN) from the ATO and Medicare enrolment if you're eligible.
- Open a local bank account so you can get paid and pay rent.
- Register with a local doctor (GP) and sort health insurance.
- Get a local SIM / mobile plan and set up any required digital ID.
- Learn your transport options — tickets, passes and routes.
Visa & permits: Movers hold a visa such as the Skilled (189/190), employer-sponsored (482), student or partner visa; Medicare access depends on the category and agreements. Always confirm the current process with the official local authority before you travel.
What do expats say about language in Australia?
- Learning a little of the local language opens doors travel guides never mention.
- Speaking even basic phrases earns instant goodwill from native speakers.
- Short daily practice beats long rare sessions for memory.
- Mistakes are how the brain locks a language in — say it wrong, then right.
- Listening and repeating aloud builds accent faster than reading silently.
Land in Australia ready.
Language Lab teaches the English you actually need to settle in — with a live AI tutor. Coming soon.
Join the beta →