Many people breathe a huge sigh of relief once their Australian PR is approved. But in reality, securing PR does not mean everything is automatically finalised. When settling into life in Australia, you will find there are a number of follow-up tasks that should be handled as soon as possible \u2014 and the earlier you arrange them, the fewer headaches you will have later on. Whether you obtained PR through skilled migration, employer sponsorship, or another pathway, these seven tasks should be your top priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Apply for Medicare as Soon as Possible<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For most new permanent residents, Medicare is one of the first things to arrange after arriving. Australian PR is mostly issued as an electronic visa, unlike the physical \u201cidentity card\u201d in the past. For this reason, a Medicare card often becomes one of the first and most commonly used official proof of entitlement you receive. It covers medical billing and is also frequently accepted as secondary identification for daily use.You will typically receive a temporary card first, with the physical card arriving by post later. There are two main ways to apply:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Online via myGov While online applications seem convenient, issues can arise with system matching, document uploads, and identity verification. For this reason, many people prefer the more reliable paper form method. In short, apply for Medicare immediately after your PR is granted \u2014 waiting until you need medical care will almost always be too late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Don\u2019t Rely on Medicare as Full Coverage; Consider Private Health Insurance if Needed\uff0cMany new PR holders assume Medicare covers all their medical expenses, but this is not the case. Medicare provides access to basic public healthcare, including bulk-billed GPs and specialists, public hospital treatment, and medications under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). However, it does not cover everything, especially:\nPrivate hospital costs\uff0c\nDental care\uff0c\nOptical services and eyewear\uff0c\nElective treatments with long public waiting lists.\n\nAs a result, most PR holders take out private health insurance after enrolling in Medicare. It is especially recommended if you:\nNeed regular dental treatment,\nAre planning a pregnancy or having children soon,\nRequire optical care or prefer private specialist care,\nHave a high income and need to consider tax implications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Private hospital costs As a result, most PR holders take out private health insurance after enrolling in Medicare. It is especially recommended if you: Also, many people confuse the Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) with the standard Medicare Levy \u2014 they are separate. Whether to get private health insurance is not just a healthcare decision but can also affect your tax obligations. If you do not want full private cover immediately, consider ambulance insurance, as ambulance services are not universally free in all states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. If Your Parents Plan to Settle Long-Term, Join the Queue Early<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Many new PR holders put off thinking about their parents, assuming \u201cthere will be time later\u201d. The reality is that parent migration is more about time than cost. Common parent visa categories involve extremely long waiting periods \u2014 for the queued parent visa, waits can stretch to more than a decade.\nIf you definitely want your parents to live in Australia long-term, it is highly advisable to research and plan as soon as you get PR. A key advantage is that joining the queue earlier starts your waiting time earlier. Some visa categories do not require large upfront payments or high income thresholds at the time of lodgement, so many people simply secure their place in the queue and finalise details later.\nParent migration policy is complex with multiple visa streams, so your choice depends on budget, age, family structure, and long-term plans. One rule remains clear: if you intend to bring your parents over, acting early is far better than delaying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Sort Out Your Driver\u2019s Licence Quickly!\n\n\nAfter receiving PR, you will likely start job hunting, moving house, buying a car, or travelling with family \u2014 making a driver\u2019s licence essential. Many Australian employers require a local licence, especially for roles involving commuting, fieldwork, or identity checks.\nFor Chinese migrants, translated Chinese driver\u2019s licences are generally not valid long-term once PR is granted, so you will need to convert to an Australian licence. Rules vary by state: some allow direct conversion based on your existing licence, while others require written and driving tests, with specific requirements around driving experience and documentation.\nThe safest approach is to check the official rules in your state or territory as soon as possible. Sorting this out early will make work and daily travel much easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. Explore Free or Low-Cost Training and Courses!\nMany new PR holders focus only on work and residency status and overlook valuable education and skills support. If you want to improve your English, consider programs like the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP). For upskilling, career changes, or gaining local qualifications, look into TAFE courses and state-funded support available to PR holders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many courses are free, low-cost, or only charge minimal application or material fees, depending on your state, course type, and personal situation. These resources are ideal for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n New PRs looking to improve English for daily life and work Courses often offer flexible delivery: full-time, part-time, evening, weekend, and online classes to suit working schedules. 6. Set Up myGov and Centrelink Accounts Early! \n\nSome people stop at Medicare after getting PR, thinking other government services can wait. However, setting up myGov and Centrelink early saves significant hassle later.\nmyGov acts as a central portal for most government services, while Centrelink administers family benefits, parenting payments, and other social support. You may not need these services immediately, but having your accounts properly set up in advance makes accessing support much faster when required.\nThis is especially important if you have children, are planning a family, have changing income, or are unfamiliar with the Australian welfare system. Many people miss out on eligible benefits simply because they never researched what was available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 7. Get a TFN as Essential; Consider an ABN if Needed<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether you are employed, casual, a contractor, or planning to freelance or run a small business, your tax number cannot be delayed.\nTFN (Tax File Number) is mandatory for everyone. Without it, you will face issues with payroll, tax returns, and higher withholding rates.\nABN (Australian Business Number) is mainly for business and self-employment. Not every PR needs one immediately, but it is necessary if you work as a freelancer, take on contract work, or run a side business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In short: \u5f88\u591a\u4eba\u62ff\u5230\u6fb3\u6d32PR\u540e\uff0c\u7b2c\u4e00\u53cd\u5e94\u662f\u7ec8\u4e8e\u677e\u4e86\u4e00\u53e3\u6c14\u3002\u4f46\u5b9e\u9645\u4e0a\uff0cPR\u83b7\u6279\u5e76\u4e0d\u610f\u5473\u7740\u6240\u6709\u4e8b\u60c5\u90fd\u81ea\u52a8\u5b8c\u6210\u4e86\u3002\u771f\u6b63\u843d\u5730\u751f\u6d3b […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1010,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1009","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-study-and-immigration-news","category-immigration-consulting"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/ebpimmigrationconsultant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/\u4e0b\u8f7d.jpeg",301,167,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/ebpimmigrationconsultant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/\u4e0b\u8f7d-150x150.jpeg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/ebpimmigrationconsultant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/\u4e0b\u8f7d.jpeg",300,166,false],"medium_large":["https:\/\/ebpimmigrationconsultant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/\u4e0b\u8f7d.jpeg",301,167,false],"large":["https:\/\/ebpimmigrationconsultant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/\u4e0b\u8f7d.jpeg",301,167,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/ebpimmigrationconsultant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/\u4e0b\u8f7d.jpeg",301,167,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/ebpimmigrationconsultant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/\u4e0b\u8f7d.jpeg",301,167,false],"trp-custom-language-flag":["https:\/\/ebpimmigrationconsultant.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/\u4e0b\u8f7d-18x10.jpeg",18,10,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"EBP Immigration Consulting","author_link":"https:\/\/ebpimmigrationconsultant.com\/en\/author\/ebp-immigration-consulting\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"\u5f88\u591a\u4eba\u62ff\u5230\u6fb3\u6d32PR\u540e\uff0c\u7b2c\u4e00\u53cd\u5e94\u662f\u7ec8\u4e8e\u677e\u4e86\u4e00\u53e3\u6c14\u3002\u4f46\u5b9e\u9645\u4e0a\uff0cPR\u83b7\u6279\u5e76\u4e0d\u610f\u5473\u7740\u6240\u6709\u4e8b\u60c5\u90fd\u81ea\u52a8\u5b8c\u6210\u4e86\u3002\u771f\u6b63\u843d\u5730\u751f\u6d3b…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebpimmigrationconsultant.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1009","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebpimmigrationconsultant.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebpimmigrationconsultant.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebpimmigrationconsultant.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebpimmigrationconsultant.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1009"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ebpimmigrationconsultant.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1009\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1013,"href":"https:\/\/ebpimmigrationconsultant.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1009\/revisions\/1013"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebpimmigrationconsultant.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1010"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebpimmigrationconsultant.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1009"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebpimmigrationconsultant.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1009"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebpimmigrationconsultant.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
By completing and submitting a paper application form<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dental care
Optical services and eyewear
Elective treatments with long public waiting lists<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Need regular dental treatment
Are planning a pregnancy or having children soon
Require optical care or prefer private specialist care
Have a high income and need to consider tax implications<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Those wanting to switch careers or gain local credentials
People working full-time while upskilling
People working full-time while upskilling\nParents seeking flexible study options<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 TFN is a non-negotiable essential<\/strong>
\u2022 ABN depends on your employment type and income structure<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sorting these out early ensures smooth employment and tax compliance.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"