Migrating to Australia from Taiwan

Compared to the United States and United Kingdom, Australia provides relatively more affordable education that doesn’t compromise on quality. This makes it appealing for many Taiwanese students. There has actually been a steady increase in enrollments of around 20% in 2018. If you’re interested in studying in one of Taiwan’s biggest trade partners, here are all the things that you need to know to get there.

Getting There

If you’re wondering which comes first: applying at university or getting a student visa, it’s applying. One of the key requirements to getting a student is being accepted in an Australian educational institution. You also need to pair this with legitimate health insurance for your protection. It costs about TWD 12,600 to get an lasts a good five years. You’d also need to be more than 6 years old. But if you’re reading this, that last one should be no problem.

Taipei is about 5,700 km from Australia and is a 9 hour and 15 minute non-stop direct flight via China Airlines. Due to the fact that much of the flight is over open ocean, there really are no stop-overs to consider—making it all the more easier to get to Australia.

The Relative Cost of Living

There are generally higher prices in Australia relative to Taiwan. That isn’t too high when talking about consumer prices where the difference is only 20% or so. It’s with the rent prices where you might feel some weight as it is almost twice as high in Australia. Fortunately, when it comes to groceries, you’ll find that it’s more affordable overall in Australia by a significant factor. Meats and vegetables are almost half the price. So if you’re looking to save up a little bit on expenses, it’s your best bet to cook at home.

Raising the Bar

The hourly basic wage is Taiwan sits an TWD 115 roughly. In Australia, it goes up to twice that amount sitting at TWD 383. One of the most popular fields in Taiwan is IT. Jobs with the field generate income of TWD 1,510 monthly and that’s pretty low overall. In Australia, that does up to a significantly higher TWD 152,750 monthly. This, coupled with relatively affordable prices, makes it a great incentive to study in Australia.

A Smaller Community

Though not as prolific as other nationalities, the Taiwanese have a strong presence across the many cities of Australia—but Melbourne in particular has a thriving community. While these communities might be smaller than most, they more than make up for it with the passion in which they reach out to fellow Taiwanese. Several communities, in fact, arrange meet-ups and get-togethers. This is especial for newer and younger members of the community.

Much to Celebrate

While not strictly following the western calendar, the presence of so many foreign expats in Taiwan has lead to the embracing of some major western celebrations like Christmas and New Year. The New Year in particular is tied in with celebrations of the foundation of Taiwan. Culturally, one of the biggest celebrations is the Lunar New Year which is cause for more somber celebrations within the Taiwanese communities in the area.

Striking a balance between affordability and quality education, Australia is one of the best options available for Taiwanese cultures. Coupled with a much higher income potential, this make the country an amazing place to go to advance your career.