Everything you need to know about relocating your family when moving abroad for a medical career, including schools, housing, and settling in.
Moving overseas as a single doctor is one decision. Moving with a spouse and children is several decisions stacked on top of each other — and each one has a deadline. The doctors who settle in fastest are the ones who plan in parallel rather than in sequence.
Visa and dependent status — start here
Most skilled-worker visas (UK Skilled Worker, Australia subclass 482/186, Ireland Critical Skills) include dependents, but each country has its own definition of who counts as a dependent and what they're allowed to do. Get the dependent visas filed at the same time as yours, not after.
Schools
School placements drive your housing decision more than the other way round. In the UK, state schools allocate by catchment, so research the schools first and rent inside that catchment. In Australia, public schools are zoned similarly. International schools are an option for the first year if you arrive mid-academic-year.
Housing
- Rent first, buy never in your first 12 months — markets and your circumstances will both change.
- Furnished short-term lets (4–8 weeks) give you breathing room to find the right area.
- Many NHS trusts and Australian regional health services offer subsidised accommodation for the first 1–3 months — always ask.
Spouse career and recognition
If your spouse is also a healthcare professional, start their registration paperwork in parallel — it usually takes longer than yours because their employer hasn't initiated it. For non-healthcare spouses, plan for a 3–6 month settling period before they actively job hunt.
The first 90 days
Banks, NI/Tax File Number, GP registration, driving licence conversion, and a local network. Block the first weekend after arrival for paperwork and the second for exploring. The doctors who settle fastest treat the first three months as a project with a checklist.