Australia is a great place to live, work, and raise a family, but what are the top 10 reasons people migrate to Australia? Following is a list of the some of the best things that continue to bring people to our shores.
1. Career opportunities
Australia’s economy has proven to be resilient through the global financial crisis and with our proximity to Asia the future is rosy with continued growth expected. Australia has a low unemployment rate and skills shortages in many professional and trade occupations bring skilled workers to Australia each year on long-term work visas. Statistics show that the majority of these workers, once settled, decide to stay on in Australia through the permanent employer sponsored visa options.
2. Quality of life
There’s no doubt that Australians enjoy a high quality of life. With plenty of fresh air, low pollution levels, and a low population in a vast country of superb natural landscapes and breathtaking scenery many choose to make Australia their home simply for the beauty of the place. With a coastline over 36,000 kilometres and countless beaches Australians gravitate to the coast. They live in vibrant cities but have a love of the outdoors and activities like camping, bushwalking, and fishing are extremely popular. Australia protects its natural heritage with over 500 national parks.
3. Education
Australia has a high standard of education and many students come to Australia to receive a top level university education.
International student numbers peaked in 2008-09 with around 631,000 students from overseas enrolled in tertiary educational institutions across the country. At the time over one in five tertiary students studying in Australia were international students. The number of international students has declined in recent years as changes to skilled migration have made it more difficult for students to remain in Australia permanently without obtaining a job after graduation.
There are currently more than 350,000 international students in Australia and the international education sector continues to provide significant contributions to society and the economy, demonstrating that Australia is still a great place to study and experience life in Australia.
4. For Love
Australians love to travel and inevitably many have fallen in love with a foreigner while travelling overseas and have decided to make Australia home. Partner visa options are available for those who are married to Australian citizens or permanent residents and those who are in a de facto relationship. There is also a visa option for those who want to come to Australia to get married to their Australian partner. This year it is expected that almost 50,000 partner visas will be issued.
5. Family
Almost one in two Australians were either born overseas or have a parent who was born overseas. Australia’s visa program allows for family reunification through the family stream with visas available for parents, remaining relatives, carers, and dependent relatives. These visas are very popular and the number of entrants is capped each year through the management of the migration program.
6. Diversity
With so many Australians born overseas Australia is an extremely multicultural society. This means that is not difficult for new migrants to fit in and feel at home. Community groups are strong and lively festivals take place around the country throughout the year. Harmony Day is celebrated around Australia on 21 March and coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. It is a day Australians celebrate our cultural diversity and come together in mutual respect of each other’s culture.
7. Security
Australia has a low crime rate compared with many parts of the world and the community minded nature of the people makes Australia a safe place to live and raise a family. Australia provides a home for many refugees each year who are fleeing war or persecution in their homeland.
8. Climate
Australia has a temperate climate with mild winters and warm to hot summers. The north of Australia is tropical and the south is cool in winter and hot and dry in summer. Victoria and New South Wales enjoy a regular snow season in the high country during winter, but it is the many hours of sunshine and long balmy evenings that attract migrants to Australia, especially those in the UK and northern Europe seeking to escape the long dreary winters.
9. Lifestyle
Australians love their laid-back lifestyle. They don’t like to take themselves too seriously and relaxation and time with family and friends is very important. Aussies are a friendly bunch and love to stop for a chat with strangers or to lend a helping hand to those in need. Work-life balance is an art-form many Australians have perfected. Family picnics and gatherings, parties, and a day at the beach are all essential parts to the Australian way of life. Australians are blessed with fresh produce and there are many wonderful restaurants, wineries and markets to enjoy.
10. Sports
Sport in Australia is something of a national obsession and participation rates are high when compared globally. Cricket is the national pastime, while Australian Rules Football (AFL) in the south and Rugby League and Rugby Union in the north are simply known as ‘footy’ to most, while soccer is becoming ever more popular and enjoys a high profile and level of participation. Every town or suburb maintain tennis and netball courts, bowling greens, and athletics clubs, while fabulous golf courses abound. All those beaches make for a land of keen surfers and water sports enthusiasts, and Surf Life Saving Clubs host competitions around the country.
There’s never a shortage of events on the sporting calendar with the football codes dominating the winter months, followed by the Spring Racing Carnival, the summer of cricket, the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, the Australian Open tennis grand slam, and the Formula One Grand Prix some of the highlights.
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The Living and Working in Australia LinkedIn group has been created as a pathway for people wanting to live and work in Australia to connect with a visa and migration network and other like-minded professionals.
