Nestoria Interview: Susan Wareham McGrath
Lots of people who don't live in Australia think they might like to. Which is reflected in the fact that some of the people who use Nestoria Australia aren't searching for Australian properties from an Australian IP address. So what sort of added difficulties might non-Australian citizens encounter while house hunting? This is actually quite a technical question, which it's been put to an expert on your behalf, in our latest Nestoria Australia interview with Susan Wareham McGrath, Registered Migration Agent.
Thanks for sharing your expertise, Susan.
You spend a lot of you time helping people move to, and settle into, Australia – would you say that this process is becoming easier or harder?
In one way it's becoming easier as there's more information than ever before on the web, which makes it possible to research Australian properties, costs of living, proximity to local facilities and the immigration process itself without leaving your home country.
But although there is more information available than ever before, people should be aware that it's very risky to try to arrange your own lease or purchase, especially from overseas. There are significant legal implications involved in all Australian property transactions, so it's always wise to obtain advice from an Australian qualified legal adviser before signing anything. On that note, many people are under the impression that purchasing a residential or commercial property in Australia will strengthen an applicant's case to have a visa granted. This is not true and people should be very wary of anyone who tries to sell them property on that basis.
What about since Julia Gillard has been the PM?The body that sets the requirements for non-residents purchase in Australian property, the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) has not made any major changes to its requirements since Ms Gillard became PM. Outside that, there have been some natural market fluctuations during that period, caused both by global economic conditions and internal fiscal policy, such as interest rate increases, but nothing that has made it more difficult to move and settle in Australia.
Is finding somewhere to live high up on people's settlement lists?
Yes, it is one of the most significant decisions that immigrants need to make.
What advice do you give people about finding the right place to live?It can be difficult to find somewhere even when you live in Australia, and this difficulty is greater when you are conducting your property search from overseas. I suggest they rent a property temporarily to give them time to assess their chosen area before investing their hard-earned money in purchasing a property. Wherever possible, I also suggest that they do as much online research as they can before deciding on their preferred location. Some of the things they could consider might be the availability of public transport, schools, places of worship, shopping centres, medical centres and hospitals, as well as the distance they might have to travel to find work, and of course, property costs and the general cost of living in their chosen area – some suburbs are much more expensive than others.
Are there any special challenges faced by ex-pat house hunters?
Yes, ex-pats wishing to rent property in Australia sometimes find it difficult to obtain a lease, as they don't have a track record of tenancy in Australia. This situation has become particularly prevalent over the past year or so, due to the tightening of Australia's rental market.
And what about buying or building a property?
Sometimes, for a number of reasons, people have to immigrate before selling their overseas property. Until the overseas property is sold, so they can access the funds required for a deposit on their Australian property, they're not able to purchase a home in Australia, which is a frustrating situation for them, particularly as they have to negotiate the overseas sale remotely, which can be a challenge in itself.
What's the current situation regarding purchasing an Australian property if you're not a permanent resident?Through the Foreign Investment Review Board, the Australian Government has imposed certain restrictions on foreigners purchasing property in Australia. They can:
- purchase vacant land, but must commence construction on it within 24 months
- purchase new apartments (i.e. apartments that have never been occupied), where the developer has permission to sell up to 50% to foreigners
- can purchase an existing home in an Integrated Tourism Resort (ITR) such as Hope Island, Sanctuary Cove, Royal Pines; and
- people on any temporary visa that allows a stay in Australia for at least 12 months at the time they acquire the property, can purchase an existing home to live in, but not for investment purposes - if they depart Australia permanently, they must sell the property
In some of the above cases approval from FIRB must be sought. In the second point above, the developer will already have obtained such approval.
How has technology changed the way the immigration process works?It's made it much easier for potential immigrants to source information, both about their options and the immigration process itself. In terms of the process itself, some of the more significant technology-based changes include online lodgement of applications, online assessment of medical tests for visa applicants and their electronic forwarding to DIAC, the use of Skype and email which not only makes the immigration process more efficient, but also allows immediate communication with clients all round the world regularly, and at little or no cost.
What about social media?I keep my followers up to date on Twitter, regularly post about immigration matters on Facebook and participate in a number of Australian immigration groups on LinkedIn – social media is yet another way that technology has improved the immigration process.
Susan Wareham McGrath is a MARA-registered Australian immigration agent (MARN 0601990) and Australian jobsearch consultant to immigrants and overseas applicants. She is also a blogger and social commentator, particularly on issues that affect women, immigrants and visa applicants. Susan is based on Queensland’s Gold Coast, but works with clients all over the world, via the internet, Skype and email.
