Considering expat move to Sydney

Hi everyone,

We’re a family from the Netherlands currently exploring a possible 3-5 year expat assignment in Sydney. We’re trying to get a realistic picture of what everyday family life would actually look like before making any commitments.

We have two boys, aged 9 and 11, and the work location would be in the Parramatta/Western Sydney area. We’re therefore particularly interested in the western parts of Sydney and areas with a manageable commute.

We’d really appreciate advice from families who have made a similar move, especially on the following:

Schools

1. Which schools would you recommend for international students coming from the Netherlands?
2. What should we look for when choosing between international, IB and Australian schools?
3. How difficult is it to secure places, and how far in advance should you apply?
4. Are there particular schools or areas that work especially well for internationally mobile families?
5. How does the transition from the Dutch education system to an Australian or international school generally work for children aged 9 and 11?

Housing

1. Which suburbs would you recommend for a family looking for a 4-bedroom house with a decent garden and preferably a swimming pool?
2. What should we realistically budget for weekly rent?
3. Are there additional costs or considerations that newcomers often overlook when renting in Sydney?
4. How important is it to choose the suburb based on the school rather than the workplace?

Commuting and location

1. If working in Rydalmere, which suburbs would give a good balance between family life, schools, housing and commuting?
2. What is considered a realistic daily commute in Sydney?
3. Are there particular areas where traffic makes the commute significantly worse than the distance suggests?

Visa and immigration

1. We expect the assignment would involve an employer-sponsored visa, most likely a Skills in Demand (subclass 482) visa.
2. If you moved to Australia on a 482 visa with an employer sponsor, how long did the visa process take in your case?
3. How long did the entire process take from starting the application to actually receiving the visa?
4. Were there any unexpected delays or complications?
5. Did your employer or a migration agent handle the process?

Things we might not be thinking about

1. For those who have already done this, what do you wish you had known before moving to Sydney with children?
2. Are there financial, administrative, cultural, schooling or practical issues that you would recommend researching before committing to an assignment?
3. We’re also considering professional relocation and school-selection advice. How long did it typically take to get useful advice and recommendations after approaching a relocation or education consultant? We’re trying to understand how much lead time we should allow.
4. Any experiences, recommendations or things you would do differently are very welcome. We’re still at the exploration stage, so honest advice from people who have actually made the move would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks in advance!