Money & paperwork
Banking, TFN and paperwork
The right order to sort a bank account, TFN, myGov and super — and why doing it in week one changes your first payslip.
Updated
The boring part goes quickly if you do it in the right order. And the order matters: every week worked without a TFN is money withheld from your pay.
The sequence that works: SIM card → bank account → TFN → myGov → super fund. It can all be done in a few days; in my case the bank and the SIM happened the same day, straight from the airport to a shopping centre.
What nobody tells you
No TFN means maximum withholding. Your employer is required to withhold at the top rate until you give them the number. You get it back at tax time, but you go months without that money.
Pay is weekly or fortnightly. Unlike Brazil, wages usually land every week or every two. That changes how you plan rent and bills — and it helps a lot early on.
Read your payslip. Every payment comes with a statement: hours, hourly rate, tax withheld and super. Mistakes happen, particularly through labour hire agencies. Checking the payslip weekly is the highest-return habit there is.
One super fund, only. Every new job tries to open a new one. Every fund charges fees and insurance. Always nominate the fund you already have.
Card is king. Cash barely circulates — contactless payment works virtually everywhere, including food trucks and street markets.
The short list
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Bank account (the big four)
Standard What I useCommBank, Westpac, ANZ and NAB. All of them open accounts for new arrivals with a passport and an address, many even before you land. Branches and ATMs everywhere, but they usually charge a monthly fee waived only above a minimum deposit.
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ING and digital banks
CheapNo fees and ATM fee rebates, as long as you meet the monthly conditions (deposit a minimum amount and use the card a few times). An excellent second account for savings.
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TFN — Tax File Number
Cheap What I useYour taxpayer number, requested free on the ATO site after you arrive. Without it, your employer withholds tax at the highest rate. It's the cheapest and most profitable thing you'll do in your first week.
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myGov
CheapThe single government portal. It links the ATO, Medicare and Centrelink in one place. You'll need it to lodge your tax return at the end of the financial year.
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Superannuation
StandardCompulsory retirement savings: your employer pays a percentage on top of your wage into a fund. Pick one fund and carry it from job to job, otherwise you pay fees on several accounts. When you leave Australia for good you can claim it back, heavily taxed on withdrawal.
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Wise and Remitly
Cheap What I useFor sending money to Brazil or bringing reais over. Far better exchange rates than a bank, which builds in a wide spread and charges a transfer fee on top.
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Financial year and tax return
CheapThe Australian financial year runs 1 July to 30 June. After that you lodge a return and, if you overpaid during the year, you get money back. Keep receipts for work-related spending — boots, PPE, courses — because they're deductible.
Prices, plans and rules change fast — and I am one person with one experience. Treat this as a starting point, not as official advice.
