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Nauru · Relocation guide

Moving to Nauru: employment, family and practical limits

Start with a confirmed employer, qualifying family relationship or other specific approved purpose. Nauru’s visa names have narrow meanings: a Residence Visa is not an open retirement programme, and special processing or settlement categories are not ordinary relocation options.

Content updated 12 September 2026. Individual source-check dates are listed below.

Use the branch that actually covers you

The Department of Justice and Border Control lists Business, Local Business (Employment), Dependant and Residence visas separately. Its Residence Visa form is for dependants of a Nauruan citizen. Do not infer a general self-funded residence route from the title.

The Local Business (Employment) branch is restricted to employment by a Nauruan citizen or a wholly Nauruan-owned business. A foreign-owned employer needs the other applicable employment branch; have the employer confirm the correct class and sponsor obligations before booking. Business, research, education and religious activities also have specific categories. Regional Processing Centre and Temporary Settlement visas are not ordinary relocation options.

Resolve the job and household package before travel

Obtain the contract, exact employer identity, workplace, permitted activity and immigration case contact. Confirm who pays for the application, housing, flights, family support and an early return. Keep the issued approval yourself, not only a message saying the sponsor has applied.

Ask for the live identity, police, medical and qualification checklist and the accepted certification format. Prepare civil-status documents for dependants and confirm whether each adult has permission for their intended activity. A family visa and a job offer answer different questions.

Inspect accommodation and water arrangements

Ask the employer to identify the available home before shipment. Check utilities, water storage, cooling, internet, repairs and the commute; establish what happens to employer housing when the contract ends.

FCDO warns of drought and possible water restrictions. Build that into the accommodation decision and supplies plan. Confirm the landlord’s authority and written terms rather than assuming an informal offer secures a long-term home or a right to own land.

Plan for limited treatment and medicine supply

FCDO describes very basic medical facilities and possible air-ambulance evacuation to Australia. It also warns that medicine supplies are limited. Discuss continuing treatment and necessary documentation with your clinician before leaving.

Confirm that insurance covers residence, the actual work and existing conditions, with a usable evacuation process and accessible payment funds. Ask who arranges travel and receiving-country admission if a family member needs treatment abroad. A visa approval is not medical coverage.

Arrange a payment backup, not just a bank card

FCDO cautions against relying on card and ATM access. Confirm the current service with the employer, bank and accommodation provider and arrange a secure Australian-dollar cash backup for immediate expenses.

Agree salary currency, payment dates and deductions in writing. Ask the bank about current identity, visa, address and source-of-funds evidence. Record overseas income and travel days for tax advice rather than treating the immigration category as a tax exemption.

Check schools, transport and the end of the posting

Obtain school-place and support-needs confirmation before moving children. Verify the appropriate driving permission and motor insurance before relying on a vehicle. Keep family documents and medication in hand luggage, with copies another adult can access.

Calendar passport, principal visa, dependant and employment dates separately. Ask Immigration before a role or sponsor change and preserve tax and employment records before departure. Budget for an earlier exit if the posting or available healthcare no longer works for the household.

Your moving checklist

Tick off the tasks that apply to you. The timing is a planning order, not a substitute for the deadlines on your permission or an official instruction.

0 of 11 tasks completed

Before you move
On arrival
Your first month
Later and before renewal

Sources and checks

The linked authorities set the rules. VisaAtlas explains how the steps fit together; planning suggestions are not a decision on your immigration status, tax residence or entitlement to services.

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