Every year, thousands of international students and immigrants arrive in Brisbane to gain an education or start a new life. Emigrating is a major life change but we aim to give you useful information about life in our city. And once you arrive in Brisbane we'll connect you to events, real estate and much more.
Migrant welcome kit
The Brisbane City Council publishes an information kit to help recent emigrants. The kits are available in English as well as six other languages. They are full of useful information including links to the education system, housing, jobs, community groups and services to help you settle in. We highly recommend the kit as a starting point for anyone moving to Brisbane from overseas.
The Getting to know Brisbane map includes details of organisations that help recent migrants.
Driving
You may be allowed to drive in Queensland with a current international licence but there are conditions and limitations.
The road rules are consistent across Australia, but if you’re an emigrant you’ll need to make sure you know them before you can get an Australian license.
Most Brisbane suburbs do not have on-street parking restrictions and most homes have off-street parking spaces. However, some suburbs in the inner city have restrictions and there are limits to parking in the city centre. Find out more in our guide to parking .
Buying a home in Australia
If you want to buy a home in Australia and you aren’t a permanent resident, you will need to get approval for the government first. Read more information from the Foreign Investment Review Board.
Find out where you could buy in Australia, what your mortgage payments might be in $AUD and the top ten suburbs for real estate in Brisbane.
Quarantine information
International quarantine requirements for animals are based on which country the dog or cat is coming from. Use the information supplied by the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service to find out if and how long your pet may need to be quarantined if you are planning on bringing your pets with you when you emigrate.
Most other pets (apart from cats and dogs) cannot be brought into Australia.
There are also quarantine restrictions on the furniture and personal possessions you can bring to this country.
Weather and population
Our travellers’ tips tell you about Brisbane’s climate, what to do in case of an emergency or how much to tip if you’re dining out. If you are emigrating to Brisbane from overseas, you’ll find this page helpful for basic facts about Australia’s electricity, money and visa information.
Landing at Brisbane airport
Read our tips on getting to the city from the airports.
A great way to find a new home if you're relocating to Brisbane is to use a Buyer's Agent - they work only for buyers, they make sure you don't buy a 'lemon' and can help save you thousands of dollars in their negotiations!
Always use a Buyer's Agent accredited with both the REIQ (Real Estate Institute of Queensland) and REBAA (Real Estate Buyers Agent Association of Australia).