Moving to Australia from Sao Tome and Principe

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Sao Tome and Principe to Australia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Sao Tome and Principe to Australia, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Sao Tome and Principe to Australia, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2019
2

people moved from Sao Tome and Principe 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

How Sao Tome and Principe and Australia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ST
3.2
AU
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ST
11.7
AU
4.5

Australia performs significantly better than Sao Tome and Principe across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ST
$355
AU
$7,691
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

ST
4.9
AU
39.8

Sao Tome and Principe generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ST
85.0
AU
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ST
0.6t
AU
14.1t

Sao Tome and Principe generally does better on environment, though Australia leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ST
2.0
AU
35.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ST
1.9%
AU
4.6%

Australia generally does better on infrastructure, though Sao Tome and Principe leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

ST
14.2%
AU
3.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ST
$5,500
AU
$59,500

Australia performs significantly better than Sao Tome and Principe across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ST
67.1 yrs
AU
83.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ST
44.4
AU
3.0

Australia performs significantly better than Sao Tome and Principe across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sao Tome and Principe 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.

Sao Tome and Principe passport

Sao Tome and Principe passport holder visiting Australia

Visa Required
Sao Tome and Principe passport holders need a visa to enter Australia.
Australia passport

Australia passport holder visiting Sao Tome and Principe

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Australia passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Sao Tome and Principe.

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?

With 35.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Australia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Sao Tome and Principe and Australia.

Is Australia safe for expats?

Australia performs significantly better than Sao Tome and Principe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Australia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.2 in Sao Tome and Principe.

How is healthcare in Australia compared to Sao Tome and Principe?

Sao Tome and Principe 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 4.9 in Sao Tome and Principe. Australia scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sao Tome and Principe: 59).

What language do they speak in Australia?

The official language in Australia is English. In Sao Tome and Principe, the official language is Portuguese.

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At a Glance

ST AU
Population 217,164 26,141,369
Currency São Tomé and Príncipe Dobra (STD) Australian Dollar (A$)
Languages Portuguese English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +239 +61
Time zones 1 8
Emergency number 000