Can a trip to Australia turn into a life in Australia? For many people on holiday, it can and it does. People began immigrating to Australia more than 50,000 years ago, but it was not until the late 1700s that the country began to be colonised. The population grew slowly but steadily until the 1940s. Since the 1940s, however, more than 7 million have immigrated to Australia. Today, an estimated 150,000 put their roots down in the Land Down Under every year.
Australia is a highly urbanised country, with as much as 85 per cent of its population located within urban centers. Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are the largest Australian cities. An estimated one out of every four residents is foreign-born, with many of them hailing from the U.K., New Zealand, China and India. Australia official policy recognizing the importance of multiculturalism and diversity encourages a welcoming atmosphere and celebrates the differences amongst its people.
Most foreign-born immigrants choose New South Wales as their home of permanent residence, many of them hailing from such diverse locations as Iraq, South Korea and Fiji. New South Wales is perhaps best known for its capital city, Sydney, but the beautiful Blue Mountain region is also located there, as is the beach-loving paradise Byron Bay and the lovely Hunter Valley wine region. Victoria and Western Australia also attract a large number of immigrants, including those from Sri Lanka, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Singapore and Britain.
If you are considering migrating to Australia, read Australian newspapers to learn more about potential work opportunities, and explore job recruitment websites to locate vacancies. Check to ensure you fulfill any necessary requirements for the job you wish to obtain. Some jobs have special licensing or registration requirements. Learning English will also play a valuable role in helping you settle more easily and comfortably into your new country. If you qualify, the adult migrant English program, or AMEP, will provide you with free lessons to get you started with basic English appropriate for many work and social situations.
Permanent residents of Australia will need to meet certain requirements before they will be eligible for citizenship. They will need to have lived in the country for a specific amount of time and maintained a good character, pass the citizenship test and meet various other requirements.
