Your Sri Lanka to Australia Relocation Toolkit
Sri Lankans are a long-established and growing Australian community, strong in healthcare, IT, and study. Visas, Medicare, jobs, housing, schools, pets, and moving your money — all in one place.
It looks like a lot — but you've already taken the hardest step by deciding to go. We'll walk you through it section by section.
Free to use · No sign-up · Checklist saves in your browser
or Skilled 189/482
in practice 90+
no reciprocal cover
plan transfers carefully
family of 4, Melbourne/Sydney
2.5–5.5 hrs ahead of Colombo
Last updated: June 2026. We keep this guide regularly updated, but immigration rules, fees, and costs change — always confirm the final figures with the official source linked in each section before you rely on them.
Many Sri Lankans arrive as students and move to a Graduate then skilled visa; others come directly via skilled migration or employer sponsorship.
Student → Temporary Graduate (485) → PR
A common path: study in Australia, then a Temporary Graduate visa (485) for post-study work, building experience and points toward PR. Australian study adds points to your skilled score.
Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) — PR
Points-tested, no sponsor needed — minimum 65 points to be invited. Submit an EOI via SkillSelect. Subclass 190 (state-nominated) and 491 (regional) can be easier to be invited for.
Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) — employer-sponsored
Employer-sponsored, not points-tested — minimum salary AUD $79,499 minimum salary; can lead to PR via the Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186).
⚠ Figures marked here change frequently — confirm the current amount with the official source before relying.
Where Sri Lankans settle
Victoria (Melbourne) has the largest Sri Lankan community (especially the south-eastern suburbs), with strong communities in NSW (Sydney) too. Queensland, WA, and SA offer state-nomination routes and lower living costs, with growing communities and demand in healthcare and IT.
Renting as a new arrival
Competitive market — Sydney median house rent is about AUD $750–815/week for a house, other capitals cheaper. Apply at open inspections with paperwork ready: passport, visa, employment or enrolment letter, references. Without local rental history, offer a few months upfront or a strong reference. A 4-week bond is standard.
🗺️ Explore Melbourne, Australia
Use the map to explore neighbourhoods, distances, and key areas before you arrive.
⚠ Figures marked here change frequently — confirm the current amount with the official source before relying.
High-demand sectors
Healthcare (nurses, doctors, allied health), IT and software, engineering, accounting and finance, and trades are all in demand and feature on the skilled lists. Check whether your occupation is listed — it drives 189/190/491 eligibility. SEEK is the main job board.
Sydney ranks #58 of 226 cities in Mercer's 2024 survey. Australia is far more expensive than Colombo across housing, groceries, and services — but salaries and the minimum wage are high, and stability, schooling, and opportunity are the real draw. Adelaide, Perth, and Brisbane stretch your money further than Sydney or Melbourne.
Cross-check with the calculator below and verify current rents.
💰 Monthly Budget Estimator
Enter your details to get a personalised monthly cost breakdown.
Monthly budget — family of 4, Melbourne
Rent (3-bed house): AUD $2,600–3,800/month · Groceries $1,000–1,400 · Transport $500–800 · Utilities $300–450 · Private health (required pre-PR) $250–450 · Eating out $400–700. Rough total: AUD $5,050–7,600/month. Smaller capitals trim 15–30%.
Open an Australian account before you fly
The big four banks let you open online before arrival, so your salary lands from day one; verify ID at a branch after you land. Moving funds out of Sri Lanka is subject to Central Bank of Sri Lanka migration allowances and forex rules — plan transfers carefully, keep documentation, and start early. You'll be auto-enrolled in superannuation once you start work.
Moving money abroad? Don’t lose it in the exchange rate.
Banks and high-street transfer services often bury a 3–5% markup in the exchange rate — on top of any upfront fee, and easy to miss because it hides inside a worse rate. On a large transfer — moving your savings across, or sending money home — that quietly costs hundreds to thousands, for nothing.
The mid-market rate is the one you see on Google. We earn a commission if you open a Wise account through our link — it never affects your rate.
No reciprocal Medicare for Sri Lankans
Sri Lanka has no Reciprocal Health Care Agreement with Australia — so on a temporary visa (student, 485, 482) you are NOT covered by Medicare and must hold private health insurance (mandatory OSHC for students, OVHC for working visas). Once you become a permanent resident or citizen, you enrol in Medicare for full public cover. Medicare covers most GP visits (some bulk-bill for free) and public hospital care, with gap fees common.
Public, Catholic, and independent schools
Australia runs Prep through Year 12 on a January–December calendar. Public schools are free for residents and catchment-based (temporary-visa holders may pay fees in some states); Catholic and independent schools charge fees. Sri Lankan families, with a strong academic tradition, often target selective public and high-performing schools. Year 12 feeds an ATAR for university.
Long-established and welcoming
Australia has a long-established Sri Lankan community — both Sinhalese and Tamil — concentrated in Melbourne's south-east and Sydney. Buddhist and Hindu temples, churches, and cultural associations are community anchors; Sri Lankan groceries and restaurants are easy to find; and community WhatsApp/Facebook groups are active with housing, jobs, and day-to-day help.
Australia's biosecurity is strict. From Sri Lanka, expect rabies testing, an import permit, and a minimum 10-day government quarantine on arrival. Plan 6+ months ahead and use an experienced pet relocation agent.
An ISO microchip and a valid import permit from the Department of Agriculture, applied for well in advance.
A rabies vaccination then a Rabies Neutralising Antibody Titre Test, with a 180-day wait from a successful test before entry — the longest step, so start early.
Treatments and tests in the months before travel, signed off by an official vet on the exact government schedule.
All cats and dogs enter via Melbourne and complete a minimum 10 days at the Mickleham facility. Book your space early.
📅 Your Move Timeline
Relocation feels overwhelming when you look at it all at once. Break it into stages — tick things off as you go. Your progress saves automatically in your browser.
⚠ Figures marked here change frequently — confirm the current amount with the official source before relying.
Was this checklist helpful?
Once your visa and housing are sorted, the last big job is shipping your life over. International moving quotes for the same route can vary by thousands — so it pays to compare a few movers before you book.
📦 Compare International Movers — Sri Lanka to Australia
Sea freight from Colombo to Australia — quotes vary by thousands. Get matched with vetted movers and compare. Free, no obligation.
Form provided by Sirelo. We may earn a small commission if you book with one of their movers — never affects your price.
Services our readers find genuinely useful. We may earn a small commission if you sign up — never affects your price.