Moving from Australia to Ireland
A long sailing to a small, friendly country where one number unlocks daily life. A work permit or an Irish ancestry route, a transfer of residence claim, and a container across the world. Get those lined up and the rest follows. Here is the honest brief.
The thing that catches Australians out in Ireland is how much depends on the PPS number, the Personal Public Service number. It is what lets you be paid, pay tax correctly, open accounts, and use public services, and you apply for it after you arrive with proof of address and a reason you need it. The early weeks are about sequencing your immigration status, your address, and that number rather than about the furniture.
The shipping is a long ocean haul, usually nine to fourteen weeks door to door, with most households sending a container to Dublin Port, the country's main gateway, or to Cork for the south, then onward by road. Australia sits outside the European Union, so your used goods import into Ireland under transfer of residence relief. Plan the immigration route, the shipping, and the customs file together, because immigration is the long pole and the sailing sets your delivery date.
What it costs to move from Australia to Ireland.
What it really costs to ship a household from Australia to Ireland in 2026, as indicative ranges by home size and method. The distance is similar to a move to the United Kingdom, and some sailings tranship through a British or continental port.
Indicative ranges for 2026 in US dollars, before full packing, premium insurance, and destination delivery beyond the port city. Air freight is far higher and suits essentials only. These are not binding figures.
Volume drives the price on this long lane, so a thorough declutter in Australia before the survey is the cheapest saving you can make. Season brings a clear summer premium from roughly June to September. Routing matters, because some services to Ireland tranship through a hub port and add time and cost. And delivery access counts, since a city centre apartment in Dublin with awkward access costs more to deliver into than a house with parking and a driveway.
A realistic schedule, working back from the sailing.
Work back from the sailing. On this corridor your immigration status is the long pole, so confirm it first, then line up surveys and the customs file.
Confirm your route into Ireland
Arrange the employment permit, working holiday authorisation, or family route that fits you, or confirm Irish citizenship if you qualify through descent. This step starts first because it gates the move.
Get binding surveys
Have movers run video or in home surveys for an accurate volume, and compare shared versus sole use container quotes on a like for like basis. Confirm your sailing and port, Dublin or Cork.
Build the customs file
Prepare the detailed valued inventory, proof you have lived outside the European Union for at least twelve months, and evidence of your move and Irish address. Plan to email the transfer of residence form to Revenue ahead of arrival, and sort pet paperwork.
Pack and load
The packing crew comes one to two days before collection. Goods are inventoried, sealed, and trucked to the Australian departure port for loading.
Clear customs and settle in
Your goods clear Irish customs against the transfer of residence claim, then deliver by road. Apply for your PPS number, register with a doctor, and set up banking and utilities.
Clearing your goods into Ireland.
Ireland applies European Union customs rules, and because you are arriving from outside the union you import your used belongings under transfer of residence relief. Done correctly, household goods come in free of customs duty and import value added tax.
The usual conditions are that you have lived outside the European Union for at least twelve consecutive months, that you have owned and used the goods for at least six months before the move, and that you import them within a set period of taking up residence. The Revenue Commissioners, known simply as Revenue, handle the relief, and the practice is to email the completed transfer of residence form, the C and E 1076, with a detailed valued inventory and supporting documents roughly two weeks before the goods arrive. Supporting evidence usually includes proof you are settling in Ireland, such as a job letter or a lease, and proof you previously lived abroad.
Restricted items follow European Union lines, with limits on alcohol and tobacco, controls on weapons, and rules on certain foods and protected species. Pets travel under European Union entry rules with a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, and a compliant animal health certificate. A vehicle can sometimes enter under transfer of residence relief, but it must be registered in Ireland and may attract vehicle registration tax, so check the position before you ship one rather than buying locally.
How Australians actually move to Ireland.
Australian citizens can visit Ireland, but living and working there needs the right status arranged before you go, unless you qualify as an Irish citizen. These are the routes most movers from Australia use, and ancestry is a big one.
An employment permit for in demand occupations with a job offer above a salary threshold. It is one of the faster skilled routes and leads toward longer term residence.
- Basis
- Skilled job offer
- Decided by
- Enterprise, Trade and Employment
- Work
- Permitted
- Path
- To residence
For a wider range of occupations with a job offer, subject to a labour market test in some cases. A common route for roles outside the critical skills list.
- Basis
- Job offer
- Work
- Permitted
- Conditions
- Salary floor
- Path
- Renewable
Many Australians have an Irish grandparent and can claim citizenship through the Foreign Births Register, which gives the full right to live and work with no permit at all.
- Basis
- Irish grandparent
- Status
- Citizenship
- Work
- No permit needed
- Route
- Foreign Births Register
A reciprocal scheme that lets eligible younger Australians live and work in Ireland for a limited period, a useful first step toward a longer term plan.
- Basis
- Age and nationality
- Work
- Permitted
- Length
- Time limited
- Path
- Switch later
How to choose a mover for this route, with no names attached.
This site never names, ranks, or recommends a moving company. Instead, here is the neutral checklist that separates a safe international mover from a risky one. Apply it to every quote you receive on the Australia to Ireland lane.
Get Moving Quotes for Australia to Ireland.
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Questions people ask about this move.
How much does it cost to move from Australia to Ireland?
As indicative ranges for 2026, a 2 to 3 bedroom move runs roughly 5,800 to 10,500 US dollars by shared container and 10,500 to 15,000 US dollars for a sole use 20 to 40ft container, before packing, insurance, and delivery beyond the port. The long sailing makes this a pricier corridor, so get a binding quote from a survey.
How long does shipping from Australia to Ireland take?
Most shared container moves run nine to fourteen weeks door to door, including the ocean voyage to Dublin or Cork and customs clearance. Some services tranship through a hub port, which adds time. A sole use container can be a little faster. Book well ahead of the busy European summer.
Do I pay duty on my furniture moving to Ireland?
Usually not, if you qualify for transfer of residence relief. Used household goods owned and used for at least six months, by someone who has lived outside the European Union for at least twelve months and is genuinely relocating, are commonly admitted free of duty and import value added tax. You file the transfer of residence form with Revenue. Verify the current rules first.
What is the PPS number and why does it matter?
The PPS number is your Personal Public Service number. You need it to be paid, pay tax correctly, open many accounts, and use public services. You apply for it after arriving with proof of your Irish address and a reason you need it, which is why settling your status and housing early matters so much.
What visa do Australians need to move to Ireland?
Living and working in Ireland needs status arranged before you go, unless you are an Irish citizen. Common routes are the Critical Skills and General Employment Permits, the Working Holiday Authorisation for younger movers, and citizenship by descent through the Foreign Births Register. This is not immigration advice, so confirm current requirements officially.
Can I bring my car from Australia to Ireland?
Sometimes, under transfer of residence relief, but the car must be registered in Ireland and may attract vehicle registration tax. Australian cars are right hand drive like Ireland, which helps, but the registration and testing add cost and time, so compare against buying locally before shipping one over.