Have family in Australia. If you're the spouse, parent or child of an Australian citizen, you can get a permanent visa to live in Australia for a minimal fee. For most of these, unless you're a child under 25, you can work and study in Australia. There are also minimal visas available for extended family members.
Get a job. You can apply for a work visa that allows you to move to Australia and live there permanently. If you work at a company that has offices in Australia, have your company sponsor you, which will grant you a work visa. Otherwise, you can apply for an independent work visa by proving that you have skills that are in demand for Australia (see Resources below).
Take into consideration the cost of moving to Australia. Consider the cost of plane ticket, shipping furniture, possibly coming back and forth to interview for jobs or look for places to live, and hotel costs if you have to come to Australia multiple times before moving. Make sure you can afford the move before you commit to a job--you're talking about moving across the world here.
Find a place to live once you've obtained your visa. Look for places to rent online near the area where your job is, and keep in mind the extreme time difference if you call. If you haven't been sponsored by your employer, you might want to find a job before you move to Australia. Take a trip and stay in a hotel while you interview. Your work visa allows travel to and from Australia with ease.
Ship over as little furniture as possible. It will cost you hundreds of dollars to ship even a few pieces from the United States to Australia because of how far the two countries are from each other. Only ship over furniture that you can't live without. It's cheaper to sell your furniture and buy new when you get to Australia.
Shop around for your plane ticket ahead of time when you move. A ticket from the United States to Australia can cost you a pretty penny, so think ahead when you buy your ticket. Look for deals on cheap plane ticket websites, otherwise you could be stuck spending over $4,000 for a one-way trip.
