Victoria

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Victoria is in the south-eastern corner of Australia, below Queensland and NSW and to the east of South Australia. It is a small, densely populated and urbanised state deriving the majority of its economy from the finance, insurance and property services. The state is well-known as a culture and sporting mecca, and a good example of what it is like to live in Australia.

Population

The current population of Victoria is approximately 5,200,000 and while it is the smallest mainland state in terms of area, it is also the most densely populated and urbanised.

Victoria is the second most populous Australian state, with Melbourne both the state’s capital and largest city, with more than 70% of all Victorians living there - roughly 3.8 million.

Victoria’s second largest city is Geelong, a port city which has an urban population of almost 161,000 people and lies about 45 miles from Melbourne.

A typical small Victoria coastal town is Torquay, a town with a population of just under 7,000 that is situated about 14 miles from Geelong. However, Victoria also has a number of rural communities, such as the town of Swan Hill situated on the Murray River, which has a population of approximately 10,000.

Interested in emigrating to Victoria? Take the online skilled migration assessment

Climate

Victoria has a varied climate despite its small size. It ranges from semi-arid and hot in the north-west, to temperate and cool along the coast. Victoria's main land feature is the Great Dividing Range which produces a cooler, mountain climate in the centre of the state.

Its southernmost position on the Australian mainland means it is cooler and wetter than other mainland states and territories. The coastal plain south of the Great Dividing Range has Victoria's mildest climate, with Melbourne and other large cities like Geelong located in this temperate region. Average temperatures in Victoria top 30 °C during summer and 15 °C in winter.

However, Victoria is also the wettest Australian state after Tasmania. Rainfall in Victoria increases from north to south, with bigger falls in areas of high altitude. Median annual rainfall exceeds 1,800 millimetres

Economy and Primary Industries

The Victorian economy is the second largest in Australia, accounting for a quarter of the nation's gross domestic product. Finance, insurance and property services form Victoria's largest income producing sector, while the community, social and personal services sector is the state's biggest employer.

In terms of manufacturing, machinery and equipment manufacturing is the state's most valuable activity, followed by food and beverage manufacturing and petroleum, coal and chemical manufacturing. More than 15 out of every 100 Victorian workers are employed in manufacturing industries.

Agriculture in Victoria represents approximately 25% of national agricultural production total gross value. It is estimated that approximately 35,000 farms occupied around 52,500 sq miles of Victorian land; more than 60% of the state's total land surface.

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Victoria Immigration Options

Skilled workers wishing to emigrate to Australia have a number of Skilled Migration visa categories to which they can apply.

Those specifically wanting to emigrate to Australia to live in Victoria can apply for the Victoria Skilled Regional Sponsored Visa (subclass 475).

The Skilled - Regional Sponsored visa (subclass 475) is a sponsored work visa for skilled people wishing to live and work in a regional or low population growth area in Australia. The Skilled Regional Sponsored Visa is a temporary visa valid for three years.

See if you are eligible to emigrate and take the free online skilled migration assessment