I moved to Australia from Canada and didn’t expect it to be so hard: ‘It’s a crisis’

A Canadian expatriate has warned about how difficult moving to Australia can be due to the cost of living crisis.

Kirsty Feely moved to Down Under earlier this year and discussed the dire state of the housing and job market.

While moving abroad was one of the best experiences of her life, it was also the most challenging.

She advised expats to adopt an inexpensive backpacker lifestyle to get on their feet and warned against farm work, which is mandatory on some visas.

“I want to tell you a few truths about moving to Australia. Yes it is that great, and yes all these videos showing all the great content in Australia are true. But there are also more difficult aspects,” she said in a TikTok video.

Rental housing availability and affordability are at crisis levels in Sydney, with more than a third of the city’s tenants paying more than 30 percent of their monthly income on housing costs.

“Finding housing and looking for a job is very difficult,” Kirsty continued.

“I think it depends on where you look. But if you come here for about a year to have fun and meet some friends, the housing situation is definitely a mild crisis.

‘And that goes for all the hotspots – Byron Bay, Bondi, Gold Coast, you name it.

“Finding a job can also be very difficult, especially if you live in a smaller beach town. If you search in a bigger city, you’ll have much better luck.’

She recommended living a cheap backpacker lifestyle to get on her feet and warned against mandatory farm work

While some people try to start a whole new life when they move abroad, Kirsty warned that “your problems” haunt you.

“So many people expect their lives to suddenly change once they get to a new place, but it’s still you. You’re still living the same life, you’re just in a new place,” she said.

After arriving in Australia, Kirsty lived a backpacker lifestyle to get on her feet and save some money. She said maybe others should do the same.

‘I’m still a bit stuck in that (backpacker) scene, which isn’t bad at all. I’ve had some of my best moments and met some great people,” she said.

“But in the end, this isn’t the life I’m trying to live here.”

Finally, she said farm work is “not easy,” but is often a requirement for some visas.

“If you are Canadian, you have to work on a farm for three months to extend your visa for another two years. You can’t get around it unless you’re sponsored by a company,” she continued.

It comes after an American expat shared a huge change she’s noticed about Australia since moving to Sydney.

Brooke Laven, a fitness industry brand strategist, previously worked in the US, South Korea and Chile before making her way to Down Under in early 2023.

Of the three, she said Aussies have “the perfect work-life balance” and “work hard” but “know when to draw the line.”

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