Throughout history, there have been disasters. Earthquakes, fires, eruptions, famine, recessions and pandemics. But if you are bold, your fortune awaits, as the past teaches us.
If you were planning a move to Australia and COVID-19 feels like someone has just thrown cold water all over your plans, don’t feel too disheartened. All through history, the people that have made the difficult decisions, who have battled big and pushed against the status quo are the ones that fate has favoured.
From hard times come big success
Uber. Slack. AirBnB. Pinterest. WhatsApp. What do they all have in common? They were all founded during the 2008-2009 recession. With a great idea, persistence, innovation and enthusiasm, those challenging times have led to huge success for these companies. While you’re maybe not planning on making one of the most successful businesses in the world, the same theory applies. To those with grit and some appetite for risk, moving to Australia now could still be a great idea. In fact, the best idea.
What opportunities will there be after COVID-19?
There are a number of ways that Australia may be the ideal destination following the pandemic. Australia has higher salaries than in NZ—that much is for sure. And these profitable wages will continue after the danger has passed, giving you a step up from NZ. Because the Australian government seems to be more focussed on economic outcomes, it’s possible their economy will recover quickly.
What areas and industries will grow?
Life will resume normality as soon as possible- not only will the government be keen for people to get back to work, but individuals will be too. People will be sick of the insides of their own homes, and keen to head back to the office and their colleagues. In general, people will be returning to work and the economy will pick up quickly. Regardless of the industry you work in, there will be opportunities.
Industries such as hospitality have been hard hit by the virus. Many staff have been laid off or put on leave. This could make them ideal to seek employment in as they burst into life again. Hospitality was already severely under-staffed in Australia anyway, so it’s a good bet for a young person wanting to get a foot in the door in OZ, or for someone to get employment in to support the main breadwinner in the family.
Australia are always looking for talented STEM workers, nurses and medical staff, tradies, teachers, farmers and engineers of all kinds. If you have a NZ qualification or skill in any of those fields, your work experience and qualifications as accepted as equal to Australian ones. This means getting a job is far simpler, faster, and there’s no wasted time or extra work required when you get to Australia.
House prices
If you are wanting to get a foot in the door in the growing Australian housing market, this is your chance. Centres such as Melbourne and Sydney have plateaued over the past few years, while regional areas have continued to grow.
With the current pandemic, there have been a number of things happen. The RBA has cut the cash rate, making mortgages more affordable. The AUD has lowered, making it more affordable for Kiwis. Alongside the expected slump and lack of interest in the housing market as people feel uncertain about their futures, this is the ideal time to buy. The best, long-standing advice for the housing market is to buy in gloom and sell in boom. Despite the efforts to prop up the market, this is a very gloomy time indeed. Buy now, make money in the future.
America and China are struggling
These large, powerful countries are struggling due to demand shock. This is when demand drops hugely, both domestically and internationally. The fallout from this is unemployment, recession and panic. But Australia is somewhat protected from this. Its main exports include iron ore, coal, gas, wheat and gold. Historically, people invest in gold when economic times get tough; it’s a known, tangible way of storing your wealth. Iron ore, gas and coal are needed to resume running factories and restarting economies. Australia is very well placed for a quick recovery.
When should you move?
Obviously, there’s some logical concerns here; It’s possible Australia will shut it’s borders to non-Australians for an extended period of time. It also would be prudent to wait for the Coronavirus to ease in both NZ and Australia. But once that’s happened, there is nothing stopping you. In fact, it’s the perfect time to move.
So pack up your kids, cats, spouse, and pack your bags—there’s a heck of an adventure waiting for you—and maybe your future success.
