Australian living overseas. Is the grass greener?

[travelislife]

If you can get an expat package (housing, health, education) covering a lot of your expenses it can be a great way to get ahead quickly combined with generally lower tax rates. I grew up as an expat kid and had a lifestyle that we never could have had living in Australia. Living in Melbourne now but may look at OS opportunities in the next couple of years.

 

[Mrmaxwell]

If you can get an expat package (housing, health, education) covering a lot of your expenses it can be a great way to get ahead quickly combined with generally lower tax rates.

+1

If your current employer can set you up overseas or your new employer can offer a comprehensive package then go for it. Also if you're single it will be a lot easier than bringing over a family (expensive to school the children and a spouse than can not have the same excitement / wanting as you).

 

[Sdtravel]

+1

If your current employer can set you up overseas or your new employer can offer a comprehensive package then go for it. Also if you're single it will be a lot easier than bringing over a family (expensive to school the children and a spouse than can not have the same excitement / wanting as you).

I dont doubt that would be a sweat package but how common is that in todays world? I guess there are some silicon valley tech companies doing this but i wouldnt expect it to be the norm?

 

[Isochronous]

I dont doubt that would be a sweat package but how common is that in todays world? I guess there are some silicon valley tech companies doing this but i wouldnt expect it to be the norm?

Not very common in HK/Singapore these days because the talent pool is so international, they don't need to offer those incentives.

Dubai is much easier to get that sort of stuff.

 

[teamhamsandwich]

I've lived in Shanghai the last couple of years.

Positives -
Low tax rate
Cheap food (if you want to eat local)
Great expat communty
Easy travel (basically within a flight from anywhere in the world)

Negatives -
Pollution
Lack of environment
High Rent

My time is almost done overseas, but I have been able to visit 18 Chinese provinces and about 35 countries in 27 months. Would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[travelislife]

I dont doubt that would be a sweat package but how common is that in todays world? I guess there are some silicon valley tech companies doing this but i wouldnt expect it to be the norm?

Very common in the teaching world. Free housing, free flights, free healthcare, free top notch education for your kids. Good salaries at the top schools.

 

[AnnaB]

As they say, life is always greener ....

Not always, but overall life is so much better here. Sure, I do miss friends and family and it is hard to be away from them at times, but looking at the bigger picture, even everyday life is so much better here in Australia. There is life after work and you are not identified through your job. You can grab a beer after work and not get judged.

But in saying all that, I miss our nature and wildlife. I miss seasons and the summers can be fantastic over there. I also think its way better if you have children, easier for parents, childcare, schooling and education is better. Where else in the world can you get free uni degrees? Hard to compete with

 

[Deleted member]

And then there is the old saying "a change is a good as a holiday".

 

[Flashback]

For me the "tax benefits" or "pay" didn't even factor into the equation, it was about being on a more global stage and easy access to travel (which PER didn't have quite so readily at the time). I'm stationed in the UK and always planned to do the work and travel thing; however met Mrs Flashback and bought a house and as they say .... the rest is history.

Don't regret it one bit and this is definitely home for me now. As to where we retire, we have a few options in which country to do that in but that's not even close on the radar so that's one to think about some way down the line. I don't think it'll be Australia, though - much to the parents dismay!

 

[Reggie]

I (we) have just moved to Manchester. Wife was born here and always wanted to return. We have been regularly travelling to the UK over the past four years over all the seasons so know what to expect regards weather.

So far Pro's
True free primary school education. (No "voluntary" fees or subject fees etc etc etc)
superior primary education
Social community
9 pubs within 5 minute walk
cheap cars, cheap luxury cars
Cheap restaurant meals
cheap alcohol
24 hour shopping
buying alcohol at supermarket (unlike nanny state Perth)
bonfire night - fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks
Buying fireworks at supermarkets and letting them off ourselves (did I mention nanny state)
access to Europe on cheap flights.
People more friendly and flexible
Old Trafford versus Subiaco
£20 road tax

So far cons
No healthy takeaway
high petrol price x 2 of perth
Car insurance is extortion for expats as compulsory
energy costs
heating costs
lack of Mall shopping
Public transport cost
parking in streets EVERYWHERE, don't try to drive your Toorack Tractor here
Service (realestate agents, car sales men, recruiters very poor compared to AUS standards)
the backwards step in career to break in to job market
dealiang with UK government, licence, NIN, HMRC etc etc

Overall, still a good decision 1 month in for me, 15 months in for wife and son and no regrets. Do love the lifestyle. Off to Spanish villa in 4 weeks, flights cost us around $300 return for three of us, I couldn't, fly to Kalgoorlie one way for that.

 

[Flashback]

I (we) have just moved to Manchester. Wife was born here and always wanted to return. We have been regularly travelling to the UK over the past four years over all the seasons so know what to expect regards weather.

So far Pro's
True free primary school education. (No "voluntary" fees or subject fees etc etc etc)
superior primary education
Social community
9 pubs within 5 minute walk
cheap cars, cheap luxury cars
Cheap restaurant meals
cheap alcohol
24 hour shopping
buying alcohol at supermarket (unlike nanny state Perth)
bonfire night - fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks
Buying fireworks at supermarkets and letting them off ourselves (did I mention nanny state)
access to Europe on cheap flights.
People more friendly and flexible
Old Trafford versus Subiaco
£20 road tax

So far cons
No healthy takeaway
high petrol price x 2 of perth
Car insurance is extortion for expats as compulsory
energy costs
heating costs
lack of Mall shopping
Public transport cost
parking in streets EVERYWHERE, don't try to drive your Toorack Tractor here
Service (realestate agents, car sales men, recruiters very poor compared to AUS standards)
the backwards step in career to break in to job market
dealiang with UK government, licence, NIN, HMRC etc etc

Overall, still a good decision 1 month in for me, 15 months in for wife and son and no regrets. Do love the lifestyle. Off to Spanish villa in 4 weeks, flights cost us around $300 return for three of us, I couldn't, fly to Kalgoorlie one way for that.

Pros:
Can order any kind of takeaway cuisine, it's cheap and can have it at your door in 30 minutes

 

[Reggie]

How did you handle the car insurance when you arrived. It still annoys me

 

[Flashback]

How did you handle the car insurance when you arrived. It still annoys me

Haven't had to, yet! Don't really use a car enough to justify having one, so just hire as we need.

 

[Archipelago]

Expat for most of the past 20 years. 2 years Philippines 96-98, then Myanmar from 1999-2008, and since 2012 I am half the year in Myanmar and half the year in Thailand.
This is the longest period I have spent overseas without going back to Australia (not since early 2012, and I have no plans to go back)

In my earlier career, I was employed as a project manager in aquaculture. Good salary, regular flights back to Oz, all accommodation/meals/expenses paid. Local tax paid for me (10% flat rate). Nowadays I am a self-employed consultant, and work on a contract basis from project to project.

Time to clear up the tax issue which has been touched on a few times in this topic:
In the early years as an expat working overseas, I had property in Australia, plus income from shares etc.
Rule of thumb - 183 days or more per year overseas to qualify as non-resident of Oz for tax purposes.
However - when calculating tax payable in Australia (eg income from a rental property, capital gains on share disposal - whatever) - you are required to declare TOTAL income earned overseas for the purposes of calculating the tax payable in Australia.

Example - I earned $150k per year overseas, tax paid locally in country of earning.
I additionally made say $5,000 income from the sale of shares and some rental income in Australia.
When declaring that $5k on the Australian tax form - tax will be calculated on the $5k as if I had earned $155k - pushing that measly $5k into the top tax bracket.

That's the catch to watch out for there ^

I have now cut all ties with Australia, have no property or shares there, and no longer file a return in Australia. (not due to the tax example above, I am just done with Oz and far happier where I am now and consider my 'home' as being here in SE Asia

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I can't really reply honestly to this thread, as I'm only living OS for 1/2 each year, but here goes anyway.

I'd say if you can get an expat job with benefits, it's hard to beat. I've had three OS jobs, one with my wife with me where I earned and paid tax on a regular resident basis, one role that was tax free as an AusAid advisor however that meant a 6/1 swing to be eligible for the tax free status, which is hard (when family is not with you, as they weren't). The other is fully taxed as a FIFO and that is fabulous. My advice is not to get bogged down with the tax juggling. I took the first role for the travel and both recent roles for the pay packet (which I can't lie, is alluring) but what I have learned is how to sit back and appreciate the difference. I have made many great friends here in PNG and I absolutely love the lifestyle, even though it's very, very different to Australia (especially here in the highlands). I can actually see myself living more permanently here and it is far less of a nanny state than AU. (we could debate the pros and cons for days however, so I won't even start). I've even been told that if I die here, they'll give me a "nais kofin box na matmat bilong gutpela ples" (a nice coffin with a grave in a beaut location). :shock:

I'd advise potential expats to appreciate everything that the place you find yourself in, has to offer and revel in difference (with due caution, of course).

 

[Isochronous]

The key question is whether credit card bonuses are better overseas.

 

[Flashback]

The key question is whether credit card bonuses are better overseas.

Reasonable in the UK, but not as high as in the US or Australia. That being said, a lot of ours come on free cards so I guess there's that.

 

[CaptJCool]

when calculating tax payable in Australia (eg income from a rental property, capital gains on share disposal - whatever) - you are required to declare TOTAL income earned overseas for the purposes of calculating the tax payable in Australia.

Example - I earned $150k per year overseas, tax paid locally in country of earning.
I additionally made say $5,000 income from the sale of shares and some rental income in Australia.
When declaring that $5k on the Australian tax form - tax will be calculated on the $5k as if I had earned $155k - pushing that measly $5k into the top tax bracket.

That's the catch to watch out for there ^

I have now cut all ties with Australia, have no property or shares there, and no longer file a return in Australia. (not due to the tax example above, I am just done with Oz and far happier where I am now and consider my 'home' as being here in SE Asia

Didn't know all that,
https://www.ato.gov.au/general/inte...ts/in-detail/residency-status-and-tax-relief/

https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/...e-threshold/#Ifyourearesidentforpartoftheyear


but is also what's about to be done to to overseas Australians who need repay HECs
https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Study-and-training-support-loans/Overseas-repayments/

 

[waz22]

A bit off topic, I am currently working in London which was quite easy to find work after arriving but how does one go finding expat roles in countries such as PNG, Singapore, China, Hong Kong?

 

[juddles]

A bit off topic, I am currently working in London which was quite easy to find work after arriving but how does one go finding expat roles in countries such as PNG, Singapore, China, Hong Kong?

Answering that may be easier if a particular profession was stated