From Bangalore to Melbourne: building a tech career in Australia

I spent six years working as a software engineer in Bangalore before I seriously considered moving abroad. The idea of Australia had been on my mind since university, but it always felt like something other people did. Then a colleague at my company got her 189 visa approved, and suddenly it felt real.

The process started with a skills assessment through the ACS. I gathered my degree certificates, reference letters from every employer, and submitted everything online. The wait was nerve-wracking. It took about eight weeks to get the positive assessment, and then I had to sit the PTE Academic. I studied for two months, mostly using YouTube tutorials and practice tests. My first attempt I scored 72 overall but needed 79 in each section. I retook it three weeks later and cleared it.

I lodged my Expression of Interest in SkillSelect with 75 points. The invitation came after four months. Between police clearances, health checks, and gathering every document twice, the application process took another six months. Total time from decision to visa grant: about 14 months.

Landing in Melbourne in January was surreal. I stayed in a serviced apartment in the CBD for the first two weeks while I searched for a sharehouse. Finding rental accommodation was honestly the hardest part of moving. I must have applied for 30 places before getting accepted into a two-bedroom flat in Footscray. The rental market is competitive, and without an Australian rental history, landlords were hesitant.

I started job hunting immediately. I had five years of experience with Python and cloud infrastructure, which helped. Within three weeks, I had interviews lined up. I accepted a role at a fintech startup in Cremorne within six weeks of arriving. The salary was significantly better than what I earned in Bangalore, even accounting for the higher cost of living.

What surprised me most was the work culture. Meetings actually end on time. People leave the office at 5:30. My manager actively encouraged me to take leave. It was a huge shift from the always-on culture I was used to.

The things I wish I had known: open a bank account online before you arrive (most major banks let you do this). Bring certified copies of all your documents, not just originals. And do not underestimate how cold Melbourne winters can be. I grew up in 35-degree weather year-round.

The Indian community in Melbourne is huge and welcoming. I found my local temple, joined a cricket club in Box Hill, and made friends quickly. But I also made a conscious effort to build friendships outside the Indian community, through work and through a hiking group I joined on Meetup.

Two years in, I have my permanent residency, a job I love, and a flat in Brunswick that finally feels like home. The process was long and sometimes frustrating, but I would do it all again without hesitation.