Oceania is a popular destination for Chinese families settling abroad, and on this site we focus on Australia and New Zealand. Clean air, a relaxed pace of life, good public schools and healthcare, and well-established Chinese communities in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland have kept “moving to Australia” and “moving to New Zealand” among the most talked-about options for Chinese emigrants for years. Both are English-speaking countries with transparent points-based skilled migration, and are seen as among the immigration countries with the clearest rules.
But Oceania is neither cheap nor easy. Both countries require ordinary Chinese passports to get a visa in advance, Australia raised most visa fees from July 2026, and New Zealand’s economy is weak with rising unemployment. Distance from China and limited direct flights also make visits home more time-consuming and expensive than from Asia. This guide compares Australia and New Zealand from a Chinese citizen’s point of view – entry rules, long-stay routes, cost of living, Chinese communities, safety and climate – to help you decide which country in Oceania suits you.
The two countries at a glance
| Country | Entry on an ordinary Chinese passport | Main long-stay routes | Chinese community | Monthly cost level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Visa required in advance (subclass 600 Visitor, A$250 offshore); ETA/eVisitor not available | Student 500, employer-sponsored 482, skilled 189/190/491, partner visas, Work and Holiday 462 | ~732,000 born in mainland China (2025); ~1.39m Chinese ancestry (2021) | High |
| New Zealand | Visitor visa required (online, from NZ$441); holders of a valid Australian visa travelling from Australia can use an NZeTA during the trial | Study, Accredited Employer Work Visa, Skilled Migrant Category, partner, Active Investor Plus | ~260,000 ethnic Chinese, ~145,000 born in China (2023) | Medium-high |
Is Oceania visa-free for Chinese citizens? Entry rules
Neither Australia nor New Zealand currently offers visa-free entry to ordinary Chinese passports. For tourism, family visits or business trips to Australia you need a subclass 600 Visitor visa, usually for stays of 3, 6 or 12 months, with no right to work; the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) and eVisitor available to Americans, Japanese and others do not apply to Chinese passports.
From 1 October 2026 New Zealand visitor visas must be applied for online; fees start at NZ$441, and you must show at least NZ$1,000 a month for living costs. Since 3 November 2025, New Zealand has been trialling an arrangement under which Chinese citizens holding a valid Australian visa and travelling from Australia can apply for a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) and stay for up to 3 months. The trial runs for 12 months; whether it continues depends on Immigration New Zealand’s announcement.
Getting an Australian visa first and adding New Zealand on the same trip has been the easiest way for Chinese visitors to scout both countries over the past year. But the NZeTA trial may end around November 2026 – check the Immigration New Zealand website before you go.
Long-stay routes compared
Australia: the most common paths are “study – graduate work – skilled migration” or “employer-sponsored 482 – 186 permanent residence”. Base fees for main applicants rose on 1 July 2026; according to law-firm summaries: student visa A$2,500, subclass 482 A$4,015, subclass 189 Skilled Independent A$6,135, subclass 190 state-nominated and 491 regional A$6,140, and partner visas A$11,710. The income threshold for the 482 Core Skills stream is about A$79,000 a year. The Business Innovation and Investment visas (188/888) stopped taking new applications in 2024, so the old “investment migration to Australia” route is essentially closed.
New Zealand: the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa uses a 6-point system, requires applicants to be under 55 and meet English requirements, and costs NZ$6,450. The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) lasts up to 5 years and costs NZ$1,540. The Active Investor Plus visa requires at least NZ$5 million in growth investments. The Parent Boost Visitor Visa lets parents make multiple visits and stay for up to 5 years, but cannot lead to residence.
For documents and procedures for each route, see the country visa guides, for example Australia visa guide.
Cost of living compared
Living costs in both countries are clearly higher than in Shanghai, especially rents in Sydney. Figures in Chinese yuan, with Shanghai as a benchmark:
Adding rent and living costs, one person living in central Sydney spends about CNY 25,000 a month, Melbourne about CNY 20,000, Auckland about CNY 16,000 and Wellington about CNY 15,000, against about CNY 11,000 in Shanghai. Salaries are higher too, but a new migrant’s first job is often a step down from what they had in China, so it is wise to have six months to a year of living costs saved. For the rules on moving large sums out of China, see Personal foreign exchange and moving money abroad.
Chinese life in Australia and New Zealand
Australia is one of the English-speaking countries with the most Chinese residents: about 732,000 people born in mainland China lived there in June 2025, and about 1.39 million reported Chinese ancestry in the 2021 census. Sydney and Melbourne have the largest Chinese communities, and Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide also have mature Chinese-language services – Chinese supermarkets, doctors, lawyers and weekend Chinese schools are easy to find.
Chinese New Zealanders trace their history back to the gold miners of Otago in the nineteenth century. In the 2023 census about 260,000 people identified as Chinese, around 194,000 of them in Auckland; the communities in Christchurch, Wellington and Hamilton are much smaller. Overall, life in Auckland is as convenient as in a big Australian city, but outside Auckland you will mostly rely on English.
Both countries offer limited public healthcare to temporary visa holders: Australia’s Medicare generally covers only citizens and permanent residents, China and Australia have no reciprocal health agreement, and international students must buy Overseas Student Health Cover. Plan your insurance before you go – see Insurance in Australia.
Safety
Both countries are generally safe, with lower violent crime than most, but burglary, car theft, theft from cars and phone scams are not uncommon. Chinese diplomatic missions in Australia and New Zealand have warned for years that phone scams by people posing as Chinese police, prosecutors or embassy staff, fake landlords taking deposits and fake agents offering visa services are the scams Chinese residents meet most often. New Zealand lies on an earthquake zone – the 2011 Christchurch earthquake caused severe damage – while in Australia summer bushfires and extreme heat must be taken seriously.
Biosecurity checks in both countries are extremely strict: failing to declare food, Chinese herbal medicines, seeds and similar items can lead to on-the-spot fines or even refusal of entry. If in doubt, declare it.
Climate
Oceania is in the southern hemisphere, so the seasons are the reverse of China’s: December to February is summer and June to August winter. Sydney and Brisbane are warm, Melbourne’s weather can change several times a day, and Perth and Adelaide have hot, dry summers. New Zealand is mild all year, with the North Island warmer than the South; Auckland has rainy winters, and many older houses are poorly insulated and cold indoors in winter.
Pros and cons
Pros
- English-speaking, with transparent points-based skilled migration
- Clean environment and relaxed pace, good for families with children
- Mature Chinese communities in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland
- High-quality public education and clear study-to-residence paths
- Stable Australian job market, 4.6% unemployment (August 2026)
Cons
- Visas required for both; Australian fees rose again in 2026
- High rents in Sydney; overall costs above Shanghai
- Investor routes narrowed; Australia’s 188/888 closed
- Far from China, with costly and time-consuming trips home
- Weak New Zealand economy, unemployment up to 5.6% in 2026
Which country in Oceania is best for you?
- Young, well educated, aiming for study or skilled migration: Australia has more jobs and cities to choose from, and state nomination and regional visas add more paths – see Moving to Australia.
- Value environment and pace of life, fine with a smaller market: New Zealand is quieter, Auckland’s Chinese community is convenient and the parent visa is friendlier to families – see Moving to New Zealand.
- Aged 18 to 30 and want to try it first: consider Australia’s Work and Holiday visa (462), though places are limited each year and there are English and education requirements.
For passports, police certificates, degree authentication and other preparation, see the Leaving China checklist, and follow visa and immigration changes in both countries in our news.
FAQ
What are the requirements for moving to Oceania?
Australian skilled migration mainly looks at age, English, qualifications, work experience and whether your occupation is on the list, with permanent residence granted through a points-based invitation system. New Zealand’s skilled migration uses a 6-point system, requires applicants to be under 55, and usually needs a skilled job in New Zealand first. Both countries require medical checks, police certificates and legalised degree and marriage documents.
Which countries in Oceania are visa-free for Chinese citizens?
Neither Australia nor New Zealand is visa-free for ordinary Chinese passports. New Zealand’s trial allowing Chinese citizens with a valid Australian visa travelling from Australia to apply for an NZeTA is a conditional facilitation, not visa-free entry.
Is daily life easy for Chinese people in Oceania?
In Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland, Chinese-language services cover almost every aspect of life; in smaller cities and towns there are fewer Chinese and you will need English for most things.
Can I immigrate by buying property in Australia or New Zealand?
No. Neither country offers residence by property purchase. Australia requires approval and extra taxes for foreign buyers of residential property, and the 188/888 business and investment visas no longer accept new applications; New Zealand’s investor visa requires qualifying investments, not a home to live in.
Sources
- ABS: Australia’s population grows 1.4% in March 2026 (17 Sep 2026) (accessed October 2026)
- ABS: Australia’s Population by Country of Birth, June 2025 (accessed October 2026)
- ABS: 2021 Census QuickStats – Australia (accessed October 2026)
- ABS: Labour Force, Australia, August 2026 (accessed October 2026)
- Study Australia (Australian Government): Student visa (subclass 500) (accessed October 2026)
- Australian Migration Lawyers: Visa fee increases from 1 July 2026 (law firm, backup source) (accessed October 2026)
- Baker McKenzie: Skilled visa income threshold indexation 2026–27 (law firm) (accessed October 2026)
- Stats NZ: National population estimates at 30 June 2026 (accessed October 2026)
- Stats NZ: People of Asian ethnicities in Aotearoa New Zealand (2023 Census) (accessed October 2026)
- Figure.NZ: Chinese people in New Zealand by territorial authority (2023 Census) (accessed October 2026)
- Stats NZ: Labour market statistics, June 2026 quarter (accessed October 2026)
- Immigration New Zealand: Visitor Visa (accessed October 2026)
- Immigration New Zealand: NZeTA and Australian visa recognition trial (accessed October 2026)
- Immigration New Zealand: Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa (accessed October 2026)
- Immigration New Zealand: Accredited Employer Work Visa (accessed October 2026)
- Immigration New Zealand: Parent Boost Visitor Visa (accessed October 2026)
- Embassy of the PRC in Australia (accessed October 2026)
- Embassy of the PRC in New Zealand (accessed October 2026)
- Numbeo: Cost of living in Sydney (shown in CNY) (accessed October 2026)
- Numbeo: Cost of living in Melbourne (shown in CNY) (accessed October 2026)
- Numbeo: Cost of living in Auckland (shown in CNY) (accessed October 2026)
- Numbeo: Cost of living in Wellington (shown in CNY) (accessed October 2026)
- Numbeo: Cost of living in Shanghai (accessed October 2026)