Four things to do

Tick the boxes as you go. Ticks are saved on this phone. Tap ☰ to jump between tasks.

Phone number (eSIM)

Your iPhone is unlocked, so an eSIM works in minutes.

Bring:

PassportVisa detailsiPhone on Wi-Fi

Pick a plan

Exetel · 130 GB for $40 a month · Telstra network, best coverage.
Exetel plan and eSIM →

Boost Mobile · big data, Telstra network, 28-day or yearly.
Boost eSIMs →

Dodo or TPG · cheapest, Optus or Vodafone network, fine in cities.
Dodo student plans → TPG SIM-only plans →

Steps

Pick a plan above and choose eSIM, not a physical SIM.
Prove who you are: photo of your passport, then your visa details. Australian law needs this.
Scan the QR code they send you. Apple's eSIM steps if you get stuck.
Turn off Wi-Fi and open a website. If it loads, you are done.

If it does not work

Restart the phone once. If still nothing, any Telstra or Boost shop finishes it at the counter with your passport.

Bank account

Your job pays into this. No monthly fee at either bank.

Bring to the branch:

PassportVisa grant letterAustralian address

Pick a bank

NAB Classic Banking · $0 monthly fee · easy app.
Open NAB Classic online →

CommBank student account · $0 monthly fee · most branches.
CommBank student banking →

Steps

Open the account online. 5 to 10 minutes.
Go to any branch with your passport and visa letter. They check your ID and give you a card.
Add the card to Apple Pay. You can pay with your phone before the plastic card arrives.
Write down your BSB and account number from the app. Your job will ask for them.

Say this at the counter"Hi, I opened a student account online. I am here to verify my ID and get my card."

Tax file number (TFN)

Your tax ID. Without it, your job takes far more tax out of your pay.

Have ready:

PassportVisaAustralian address

Part A: get the TFN (free, online)

Apply for a TFN (foreign passport holders). You must be inside Australia to apply.
Fill it in with passport and visa details. It is free. Never pay anyone for a TFN.
The letter comes by post within 28 days. Keep the 9-digit number safe.

Part B: the form your job gives you

It is the TFN declaration (NAT 3092). Only Section A is yours.

Q1: Tax file number	Your 9-digit TFN. Not arrived yet? Tick the box that says you have applied.
Q2 to Q6	Name, date of birth, current Australian address.
Q7: Australian resident for tax purposes?	YES Students on a course of 6 months or longer count as residents for tax.
Q8: Claim the tax-free threshold?	YES Your first $18,200 each tax year is tax free.
Q9 and Q10: HELP, VET or Financial Supplement debt?	NO Loans for Australian students. Not you.
Bottom of Section A	Sign and date. Hand it to your employer.

Tick YES on Q8 for one job only. A second job gets NO.

Super (retirement money)

Your employer pays an extra 12% on top of your wage into a super fund. The standard choice form tells them which fund. It is your money and you can claim it when you leave Australia.

Pick one option

Option B: a low-cost fund (keeps more of your money)
Dad can help you set this one up so the fees stay tiny. About 5 minutes online. Then tick "My chosen super fund" on the form and copy the fund's Name, ABN, USI and your member number from the welcome email.
Join AustralianSuper → Hostplus →

Option A: employer's default fund
Tick "My employer's super fund (default fund)", sign, date, hand it back. Fine if the form is due today. Fees may be higher. You can switch later.

Steps

Text Dad, then pick A or B.
Option B only: join online, then find the fund's ABN, USI and your member number in the welcome email.
Fill Section A of the form. Sign and date. Hand it to your employer.
Open the fund's app once and turn off the default life and disability insurance so it does not eat your balance.
Every few months, check the app to see your employer's payments arriving.

Can I trade stocks inside super, like a 401k?

Sort of. Both funds let you pick your own ASX shares and ETFs inside super: AustralianSuper Member Direct and Hostplus Choiceplus. Both need a $10,000 balance first, and a year of part-time work puts in roughly $2,000 to $4,000, so you will not reach it on this trip.

What you can do: pick the fund's High Growth or Indexed Diversified option in the app. Low fees, mostly shares, no minimum.

Tax: not tax free. Money goes in before tax like a 401k, the fund pays 15% on earnings (10% on gains held over a year), and you cannot touch it until you leave Australia, when the ATO keeps 35%.

Your own trading money: keep using your US brokerage. Australian brokers and ETFs create US tax headaches for a US citizen.

Getting the money back when you leave Australia

After your visa ends and you are outside Australia, apply for the Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP). The ATO keeps 35% tax and pays the rest to your bank. You need your member number and your TFN.