Moving to Australia from Papua New Guinea

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Papua New Guinea to Australia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Papua New Guinea to Australia. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Canberra averages 67°F vs 88°F in Port Moresby, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Papua New Guinea to Australia.

Moved in 2023
223

people moved from Papua New Guinea to Australia · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Australia?

Top countries of origin for Australia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Australia compared to Papua New Guinea.

Is it safe?

Homicide rateUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

PG
9.4
AU
0.8
Road traffic deathsUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

PG
14.9
AU
4.5

Australia performs significantly better than Papua New Guinea across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per personWorld Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

PG
$133
AU
$7,691
Doctors per 10,000 peopleUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

PG
0.6
AU
39.8

Papua New Guinea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deathsUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

PG
38.0
AU
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capitaWorld Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PG
0.5t
AU
14.1t

Papua New Guinea generally does better on environment, though Australia leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 peopleUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

PG
0.2
AU
35.1
Water stress levelUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PG
0.1%
AU
4.6%

Australia generally does better on infrastructure, though Papua New Guinea leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateThe World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

PG
2.6%
AU
3.7%
GDP per capitaThe World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PG
$4,200
AU
$59,500

Papua New Guinea generally does better on employment & economy, though Australia leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyThe World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PG
69.4 yrs
AU
83.1 yrs
Infant mortalityThe World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PG
33.6
AU
3.0

Australia performs significantly better than Papua New Guinea across all family life metrics.

Data: Internal Revenue Commission, Papua New Guinea, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Port MoresbyRain: 35.4 in/yr (899 mm)
88°/74°F

Avg. annual high / low

CanberraRain: 24.8 in/yr (629 mm)
67°/44°F

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsPort MoresbyCanberra
Jan–Mar89°/74°F (32°/24°C)80°/54°F (26°/12°C)
Apr–Jun88°/74°F (31°/23°C)61°/39°F (16°/4°C)
Jul–Sep87°/73°F (30°/23°C)56°/35°F (13°/1°C)
Oct–Dec90°/74°F (32°/24°C)73°/47°F (23°/9°C)
View all months
MonthPort MoresbyCanberra
Jan90°/75°F (32.1°/23.7°C)82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C)
Feb89°/74°F (31.6°/23.5°C)81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C)
Mar89°/74°F (31.4°/23.4°C)76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C)
Apr88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C)68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C)
May88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C)60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C)
Jun87°/74°F (30.3°/23.1°C)54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C)
Jul86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C)52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C)
Aug87°/73°F (30.3°/22.6°C)55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C)
Sep88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C)61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C)
Oct90°/74°F (32.0°/23.5°C)67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C)
Nov90°/74°F (32.5°/23.6°C)72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C)
Dec90°/75°F (32.4°/23.7°C)79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C)

Data: Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service, Bureau of Meteorology Bureau of Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Papua New Guinea and Australia. To live, work, or study long-term in Australia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Australia's immigration authority.

Papua New Guinea passport

Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting Australia

Visa Required
Papua New Guinea passport holders need a visa to enter Australia.
Australia passport

Australia passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Australia passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Papua New Guinea.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Australia?

Connectivity is usually fine (Australia: 35.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Australia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Australia safe for expats?

Australia performs significantly better than Papua New Guinea across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Australia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.4 in Papua New Guinea.

How is healthcare in Australia compared to Papua New Guinea?

Papua New Guinea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 39.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Australia, compared to 0.6 in Papua New Guinea. Australia scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Papua New Guinea: 30).

What's the weather like in Australia compared to Papua New Guinea?

The average high temperature in Canberra is 67°F, compared to 88°F in Port Moresby. Canberra receives around 24.8 in of rainfall per year, while Port Moresby gets 35.4 in.

What language do they speak in Australia?

The official language in Australia is English. In Papua New Guinea, the official languages are English, Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin.

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At a Glance

PG AU
Population9,593,49826,141,369
CurrencyPapua New Guinean Kina (PGK)Australian Dollar (A$)
LanguagesEnglish, Hiri Motu, Tok PisinEnglish
Driving sideLeftLeft
Calling code+675+61
Time zones18
Emergency number000000