15 November 2007

Australia remains top destination for UK emigrants

Australia is still the favourite place to emigrate to from the UK, the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show

A total of more than 400,000 people left the UK in 2006, the official statistics revealed, up from 359,000 recorded in 2005 and was the highest rate recorded since current records began in 1991.

Australia was again the most popular destination for emigrants, with New Zealand, France, Spain and the US taking up the other spots in the top five.

32 per cent of British citizens moving abroad went to either Australia or New Zealand, while 24 per cent went to either Spain or France.

The US received just eight per cent of British citizen emigrants.

Nearly half of those leaving the UK, however, were not British citizens, although they were recorded as living in the UK for at least a year.

Australia needs skilled immigrants: 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.