We are seeing significant progress in the fight against the Coronavirus with vaccines rolling out in many countries. Still, COVID 19 is not yet behind us. We must still follow strict rules such as social distancing, quarantine as well as good hygiene in order to reduce the spread of the virus.

Despite the situation, people are relocating from their homes for an extensive number of reasons including moving back to their home countries to be closer to family, moving for work purposes or simply looking for a new lifestyle in light of the pandemic. We know moving house can be stressful and that was before adding in the extra stresses surrounding COVID 19.

We also understand that many people have questions about their move, the process and what is involved in these particular times. Some of you may just want to know if moving house is still possible or not. So, we have answered some of the main questions we have on moving house during covid 19 (Q&A).

Are Moving Companies Impacted by Coronavirus Restrictions?

Moving Company in Australia during COVID-19

There are currently no restrictions on removal companies in Australia.

In other words, moving companies like Palmers Relocations can operate as normal.

The government has separated business into 2 categories; non-essential and essential service. At this time, removalists are listed as essential service (falling under the category transport and logistics). It means that we still can move your goods wherever you need including local, interstate or overseas moves.

Through utilising the rail network and sending shipments interstate in shipping containers, we avoid any unwanted issues with border closures as well.

At Palmers Relocations our offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth are open for business and to assist with every step of your move. You can rest assured that we are operating under strict hygiene guidelines and are registered as “COVID safe”. More questions? Feel free to discuss with our team.

Can I Still Move House During the Pandemic?

Most of the time, yes, but a few nos apply.

This cannot be taken for granted as state and federal governments restrictions vary considerably. Indeed, it depends on how the virus spreads in Australia and overseas as well as if there is an outbreak and (new) restrictions in place.

That being said, at the time we write this article, you can move in most cases. We so, however, advise you to prepare your move a little bit more in advance than usual.

Indeed, you and your family will probably be required to apply for a permit, or in some circumstances, you will need to self-quarantine after your move especially if relocating interstate.

Moves overseas as residents or Australian citizens are rather different. You will need an exemption to leave the country. For more detailed info, visit the Home Affairs website as well as the government or health website of the country you are moving to.

Still, even during COVID 19 moving house either locally, interstate and internationally is possible. For more information, our team is always here to assist with any questions you may have.

Can I Still Move Locally During Coronavirus?

Yes, you can move home locally.

Moves in the same state or city are allowed. While at this point when moving house locally there are no specific restrictions, common sense and state guidelines apply such as social distancing, good hygiene and you might need to wear a mask depending on the state you live in.

Can I Move Interstate in Australia During COVID-19?

It depends on the state stage and border restrictions in place at the time of your house move.

Currently, most of the Australian states require a permit and/or a border pass to enter their territory. In other words, you will need to apply for a permit online, on the states’ website before entering a new state.

In addition, most of the states such as VIC, QLD, WA, South Australia and Northern Territory might require 14 days self-isolation/quarantine.

If you are unsure about the current coronavirus restrictions, seek the latest news or on the states’ website using the links below:

• NSW Covid updates: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19
• VIC Covid updates: https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus
• QLD Covid updates and border closing: https://www.covid19.qld.gov.au/government-actions/border-closing
• SA Covid travel restrictions: https://www.covid-19.sa.gov.au/restrictions-and-responsibilities/travel-restrictions
• WA Covid Updates, travel and quarantine: https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-the-premier-and-cabinet/covid-19-coronavirus-travel-and-quarantine
• NT Interstate Arrivals and Quarantine: https://coronavirus.nt.gov.au/travel/quarantine
• TAS Covid updates: https://coronavirus.tas.gov.au/travellers-and-visitors/coming-to-tasmania

Can I Move Internationally During COVID 19?

International Relocation during COVID-19

Yes, but you need an exemption first.

For moving house overseas, you will need an exemption from the Australian government. Since covid 19 pandemics started, Australia has banned overseas travel. This does not mean you can’t leave the country but it involves extra preparation for people who want to move their house.

If you are an Australian Citizen or a permanent resident, you need to refer to the checklist provided here. For instance, you can leave the country for work and permanent relocation to another country. Our team can help you with paperwork and provide evidence that you are moving overseas.

If you are temporary visa holders such as WHV, Sponsor Visa (457) etc… Those requirements do not apply to you. You are automatically granted an authorization to leave Australia (without exemptions). However, we strongly advise you to check the travel information and advice as well as border controls in your home country or the country you are moving to. Most, if not all of the countries around the globe have some kind of restrictions for people travelling such as total ban, quarantine etc…in order to reduce the spread of covid 19.

Check the government website for more details.

Can I Move From Overseas back into Australia During Covid 19?

Moving from Overseas to Australia

Yes, but only if you are you and your family members are Australian citizens, residents or exemption category.

The same as with leaving Australia, there is a ban if you want to return home or migrate to the country. As removalists, we can import your goods anywhere in Australia, however, you will need to follow strict requirements for entering Australia, such as a mandatory quarantine and negative covid 19 test before flying.

Do I Need to Self Isolate When Moving House?

Local Moves: no – Interstate Moves: Potentially

• Moving house locally: there are no quarantines in place for local moves.
• Moving house interstate: currently, some restrictions with self-isolation are in place in QLD, VIC, SA and WA. There is no need to worry about your goods, however. As an essential service, we do not need to self isolate, which means that we can work on moving your home and personal effects as usual. For any questions regarding what you can or can’t do at the time your move is planned, you always can get in touch with our consultants. They will be able to provide you with the latest updates and rules.
• Moving house overseas: if you are moving internationally, it’s important to read the international section above. Almost every country, if not all, have quarantines requirements upon entry on their territory. Sometimes, they have bans on who can enter such as Australia and most of the European countries for example. As a moving company, we are still able to collect your house goods and to ship your items worldwide.

Is it Safe to Move With a Relocation Company?

When moving with a removal company such as Palmers Relocations, we put your health and safety first.

When quoting, we can provide a virtual in house inspection with one of our consultants as an alternative to a face to face meeting if you are more comfortable with this.

As a registered Covid-Safe business, we also comply strictly with all regulation in place by Government Health Authorities. Our team practices social distancing on every move as well as extra hygiene steps such as hand sanitiser and facemasks where applicable.

In addition to this, we also ask our customers to play their part. This includes opening all doors both internally and externally before our arrival, opening windows prior to our arrival, turning on all lights in advance and ensuring we never have more than 2 x people in a room where possible.

All these steps help us make your move as safe as possible. If you have any concerns or questions, please contact our team for more information.

Disclaimer: Information in the blog post is not guaranteed as details about coronavirus change regularly without notice. You must follow the Australian government advice and/or the rules of the country you are moving to.

From world-class shopping malls to basic hawker centres selling street food, Singapore has a unique blend of cultures. What makes this all the more better is that English is an official language of the country, making communication much easier for many expats. With so many benefits, it is no wonder that many expats want to relocate to Singapore. Before you jump to your maps and examine this lovely island, let’s look at what you need to know about moving there!

Are you looking to move abroad? Palmers Relocations offers a wide range of services from full end-to-end move management, professional packing and unpacking services to storage, insurance and more to help you relocate abroad. Request your free quick quote.

Work lah

Singapore’s work culture observes punctuality and respect for those in more senior positions. This means that the power distance between juniors and managers is huge, although the trends are changing. Singaporeans value team culture rather than individuality. Also, negotiations are often less confrontational due to the traditional business culture present. This is less prevalent in multi-national corporations which have a more diverse workforce. Which leads to the next point that expats make up more than 50% of the workforce. This means that you won’t be alone in the challenges you face as an expat in the workforce, and there are ample avenues of support. 

Common challenges expats face in Singapore include not securing a job in a field/company of their choice. Given that Singapore has a highly skilled workforce, it is good to approach this with an open mind and being flexible to different job options.

If you are an expat wishing to lead your own business in Singapore, that is well and truly possible. You will have to keep in mind the appropriate visa to apply for, the registration of your business and the correct taxes to pay. 

Here’s a final tip about working in Singapore: Salaries in Singapore are rather competitive. However, since there is no minimum wage, be sure you negotiate your salary well before signing the contract.

Education System in Singapore

The education system in Singapore is deemed to be one of the best in the world. With state-of-the-art education facilities for students of all ages, it has become one of Asia’s largest education hubs. If you are an expat parent looking to enrol your children to schools in Singapore, there are many international school options with different academic models. If you are someone looking to move through higher education, Singapore might be a bit expensive. It recognises foreign qualifications and has a large number of course options. 

Notice is “lah” and “lor” used throughout the article? Those are words part of Singapore’s official colloquial language, Singlish. The bulk of Singlish is made up of the core English language, with words taken from Hokkien, a Chinese dialect, Malay and Tamil. Expats looking first to do an English language course before further study also have tons of options to choose from! 

Your health how?

Healthcare in Singapore is one of the best in the world, but it is expensive. While Singaporeans and Permanent Residents (PRs) are entitled to government subsidies for their healthcare, these schemes do not cover the healthcare fees for expats. As such, the best way to cover your health costs in Singapore is to get a health insurance plan. 

There are several doctor/dental clinics available in Singapore, and they almost always take a walk-in appointment. The only thing is that they expect you to pay it upfront, and you can then sort it out with your insurance company later for the reimbursement. The wait times are not too long, either unless you visit one of the local government clinics called Polyclinic. The services provided at a Polyclinic is cheaper.  

Singaporeans are quite health-conscious and encourage others to take off when they display the slightest of symptoms to prevent the spread of illnesses. Likewise, most public toilets/food areas are plastered with good hygiene reminders. Many Singaporeans and expats in Singapore enjoy a healthy lifestyle with a large number of outdoor activities there. 

With such fantastic sunshine on a daily basis, how can one refuse to go out for a walk?

Got house?

Property prices in Singapore are high, given the land constraint, and this trickles down to rental prices being high as well. Be it a single room you wish to rent or to buy a luxury apartment, be prepared to spend. 

Like healthcare, Singaporeans and PRs have more subsidies and rights when it comes to purchasing property in Singapore. The most common type of accommodation is Housing Development Board (HDB) flats, which is kept mostly for lower to middle-income Singaporeans. These would be the cheapest to rent, but since it is not available to foreign residents, you would have to rent it from a Singaporean.

There are a large number of foreigners who live in private accommodation such as condominiums and landed properties due to lesser regulation applied to these properties.   

Unlike other countries, there is only one utility provider in Singapore, which looks after gas, electricity and water, called Singapore Power. 

If you are renting, you should have a rental agreement with your landlord in place. Sometimes, a deposit is involved. Landlords in Singapore will often want proof your for immigration status, so it is good to keep it handy when you are going for inspections.

That’s it meh?

While that’s not all, here are some final few things about Singapore:

Multiculturalism: Singapore has been built on the value of being a multicultural society, and embraces its ethnic diversity by celebrating the main cultural holidays from these predominant demographic cultures – Chinese, Indian (Hindu), Malay(Muslim) and Caucasian (Christmas). It is useful to note that Singapore is currently way more diverse than just these four cultures, although these four cultures were the main ones in the early days. 

Weather: Yes, while it is blessed with regular weather throughout the year with beautiful sunshine, it is humid. As such, many shopping malls and areas are fitted with air-conditioners. 

Safety: It is one of the safest places on earth! This is due to its strong implementation of strict laws which tolerates zero crimes. 

Food Culture: Singapore has a wide variety of food, and it is easily available. This makes food consumption somewhat a national hobby amongst the locals and foreigners there!

Transportation: Singapore has an efficient public transport system, and it is highly recommended to use public transport, as owning a car can be costly. This is due to the fact that Singapore highly regulates the number of cars on its roads and to own one. You would have to pay for a certificate of entitlement (COE), which can go up to SGD 30,000!

It seems like you’re already convinced to move to Singapore but don’t know where to begin? 

An international relocation is not something you should do by yourself. Here are Palmers Relocations, we understand what you need, and offer the best solutions to help you move and live abroad easily. Contact us to embark your journey to Singapore!