Banks and Money – Bank Accounts in Australia

Activating an Australian bank account

If you’re planning to work in Australia one of the first things you will need to do when you get here is to set up a bank account or bank accounts in Australia. You will likely be paid weekly, fortnightly or monthly so you will need a functioning bank account very quickly so that your employer can deposit your salary into it. In order to do this you will need to attend a bank in person with the necessary identification documents.

New arrivals can open an account during their first six weeks in Australia with no more than a passport. After that time you will be required to provide sufficient identification to satisfy the 100 point check system which may be made up of a valid passport, birth certificate, Australian driver’s licence, or details of your Australian residential address. You can learn more about the identification documents required for each bank online or at a branch.