Australian court case could change the status of British expats

People planning to make an international money transfer to Australia may want to discover the outcome of an ongoing legal battle involving a group of expats in the country.

The mainly British expats are trying to win permanent resident status in Australia in a move that would save them hundreds of pounds every year in health insurance premiums, the Daily Telegraph reports.

The group currently hold temporary residency visas but are keen to be given full residency and the outcome of their legal battle could have a bearing on the decisions of people currently planning an international payment for a move abroad.

If the group is successful, it could encourage more people from the UK currently considering making an international payment to Australia to go through with their plans.

However, if the group fail in their bid for full citizenship, it could put off many Britons in the future because of the added costs they will incur for many years.

Meanwhile, it was recently reported that nearby New Zealand is considered to be the happiest place for British expats.

The study by NatWest International personal banking found that British expats living in New Zealand were more content with their lives than those who had emigrated to other parts of the world.

By Paul Jarvis