05 March 2008

Australian immigration numbers double

The number of people in the UK who are choosing to take advantage of Australian immigration has more than doubled over the past ten years, according to a new report. There is also expected to be a further rise in the amount of people considering Australian immigration after the government there announced it is adding 6,000 more places available to skilled migrants.

Steve Davis, regional director for immigration at the Australian High Commission, told the Independent: "Australia is actively seeking to recruit British skilled workers to move to Australia, particularly in the areas of health, engineering, accounting and trades." He added that recent research has shown that the main reason that people are migrating to Australia from the UK is "for the lifestyle, including the climate". People interested in Australian immigration can check if they are eligible by taking a skilled visa online assessment.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd recently announced the 17 jobs which are most in demand in the country. The list included mining, construction, health and community services jobs.

Australia needs skilled workers: Anyone applying for an Australian visa should begin by completing the Australian Visa Bureau's online Australian visa application to see if they meet the Australian visa requirements.