SYDNEY: India has topped Britain and China to become Australia's leading source of migrants for the first time, data revealed Friday, with seven of the top 10 source countries now in Asia.
Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said India accounted for 29,000 of the 185,000 places in Australia's 2011-12 permanent migration programme - some 15.7% of the total and the first time the country has come top.
China was a close second with 25,500 (13.8%), followed by 25,275 from Britain (13.7%), according to the 2011-12 Migration Programme report.
Bowen said seven of the top 10 countries for Australia-bound migrants were now in Asia - the others being the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, South Korea and Vietnam - with South Africa and Ireland rounding out the top count.
Skilled migration accounted for the majority of the programme's places, with accountants the top profession followed by cooks, software and applications programmers, software engineers and developers.
"Skilled migration is essential to support our economy and help overcome the challenges of an ageing population," said Bowen.
"Over 60% of skilled migration visas go to employer, government and regional sponsored places to help fill critical skills needs."
The report confirms census data released last month showing that Indian-born people were the fastest growing group in Australia, now accounting for 5.6% of the population, preceded only by China (6%) and New Zealand (9%).
The rise comes despite damage to Australia's reputation from a spate of violence against Indians in southern Melbourne, including a 2010 stabbing murder which stoked diplomatic tensions and saw a sharp drop in student numbers.
Indian enrolments are still in decline, with 40,709 students in the year to May, a 24.3% slump from a year earlier, which is almost triple the average fall being seen in the sector due to the strong Australian dollar.
Analysts said the strong migration figures likely reflected a large number of Indians who had studied in Australia qualifying for sponsored employment and family visas being granted to their relatives.
COMMENTS (38)
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@Cobra Commander: Ever thought of why British were leaving Britain at the height of Industrial revolution? Earlier even we used to think of brain drain, but not any more. I will love to see as many Indians settling in as many countries as possible. These Indians are our real ambassadors. Historically Indians never invaded and occupied far away lands like Muslims and Christians did. India has never been the hard power. However, we have been a significant soft power all through history. We migrated to far away places in large numbers and contributed a great deal to local culture and economy. You can find strong Indian foot prints in Africa, middle east, south america, Europe, Australia, Fiji, USA, Canada. Malaysia, It takes time to understand India. Being an Indian, even now I am learning new things about my own country. Bollywood might appear Tamasha even to many of us, however, it is becoming popular in countries where no one understands Hindi. Bollywood music has entered even Gyms in the western countries. Indian family drams are now dubbed in Dari and Arabic and broadcast to Afghan and Saudi homes. You may not accept, but till 1947 you were one of us. With all out Arabisation of Pakistan, could you cut yourself completely from India culture?
India has problem of poverty and lack of job opportunities , but the education level is good enough to get skilled jobs at international level. The labor cost is also competitive. Indians are very hardworking and mostly honest , law abiding and tolerant , so are easily absorbed into host country environment. Its a win -win situation for the India and for any developed country. The west, europe and australia provides good security and religious freedom to make them feel comfortable. There is nothing wrong to create good opportunity for oneself and bring the good values of west to India. One needs to be open-minded and be tolerant to others. The best example in India are Parsi people, highly religious,highly nationalist , successful and tolerant people.
@Indian trolls. I dont read Americans leaving their country or Brazilian bailing out or Russians making a beeline to the immigration counters but all I read is hordes of Indians bailing out, reading to become NRI's. If, as you guys say, economy is going strong why do all the skilled labor is leaving? Shouldnt the skilled labor stay behind because the "shinning India's" economy is going strong. Germany's economy is strong and their umempployment rate is around 3% and you dont see any German's leaving their country but skilled labor is leaving "Shinning India". Something is wrong.
Pakistanis should not worry, Somalia is awaiting for you, they also need skilled people and you know which department it is !
All top ten countries are polio free. Membership (polio free countries club) has its advantages.
Has anyone noticed? China is #2 and England #3. China used to be # 1. Would all those "things" told about India and the Indians apply to the other two countries too?
@someone: thank u for ur clarification my arab/mughal/persian friend.by the way better for u forget gauri ,jaznavi or mughal .they are past .last time i hear great gauri/gaznavi descendants surrender in 1971.
@Qalandarani: oh please give link of india future population.by the way india population growth is way lower than pakistan and many muslim countries and day by day decreasing (except muslim)first save ur country ur country population growing 24/7(one of the highest in the world) .and pakistan(88) mortalitty rate is way higher than india(62).unlike india (highest barren land in the world) ur country mostly land is useless.
@Qalandarani: Either ways, we are atleast not tagged with terrorist names...right?
@A J Khan: Keep watching...you can do nothing to stop Indians!!
Seriously guys, everything on the comments section becomes India versus Pakistan tamasha. For the Indians, this just a way of having some fun, after making a lot of money in some IT job in Bangalore or gurgaon. But for us this is not fun. When we step outside, we have to fear being blown to bits by some religious radical. Just not fun any more, as the joke is on us. Better to just ignore the "indian trolling for fun" comments.
@CK: "No matter what the topic is, do we have to make it Pakistan vs India always ?"
Whether one likes or not, it will always be like this. It will be "Pakistan vs India" and also "Balgadesh vs Pakistan" simply because these three nations were carved out of one nation. If things don't improve in Pakistan soon, you will hear even "Pakistan vs North Korea and Pakistan vs Somalia". Pakistan will have to work very hard if they want to be clubbed with Turkey. As far as India is concerned, she is bracketed with China, Russia and Brazil now. If all goes well, you will be hearing India, China and USA in next 20-30 years.
@someone: "Despite all the racist attacks on Indians, they are still flocking to Australia. " Well the Indian governmet got involved at the highest level and got assurances from highest functionaries in Australi that steps would be taken to stop these attacks. The attacks have significantly gone down and you hardly hear about them.
BBy the way there are as many British people of Pakistani origin as Indian origin (which in percentage terms is obviously much higher). There is a frequent complain about racism experienced by this community and it is provided as rationale for their radicalization. Why then do so many Pakistanis continue to live in Britain?
@Cobra Commander: "But why are all these people leaving “Shinning India”. Why is there such a rush for Indians to leave their country. Even EU countries have seen a surge of migrants from India. Something must be wrong"
SOme points that you may not have observed: 1. This refers to skilled migrants. This shows India has skilled migrants. Our skillled diaspora lives around the world as peaceful residents contributing to the host country and creates goodwill for India. This does not seem wrong but seems right. 2. Only this year India reached the lead earlier 3 years it was your higher than mountain friend China. surely you do not doubt China's success? 3. India Shining as a slogan was used in 2004 elections by NDA who lost those elections. Since then at least in India no one uses that slogan. 4. In the last 20 years, India has significantly progressed but no-one believes that there are enough opportunities for all talented people. There is no harm if theyfind gainful employment outside India. One thing is for sure, Indian leave for economic opportunity not because of religious persecution or to escape extortion or because life is so insecure in India. 5. Are you sure Pakistanis are not trying to get out of Pakistan? OR is it that they do not qualify for the criteria for skilled migrants in enough numbers? Please check latest PEW research on Pakistan to find out how many Pakistanis would like to leave the country. .
@someone: Lets see an Arab or a Mongol owning you as one of their race.....Let them stop calling you 'miskeen' or 'mawali'. Then I will believe you.
The Current Pakistanis are those subcontinent hindus who got converted when Qasim,Ghaznavi and Mughals ruled India....You may lie,but its in your DNA...
The sad reality is that people have lost faith in both these countries. Poverty, violence, lack of opportunities and corruption are common problems. In countries where emotions are stirred up so easily (PLEASE LOOK AT THE ABOVE COMMENTS), corrupt politicians play on the people's emotions and fill their pockets with money. Look at the above comments - proud because they are leaving their country. I dream of a day when people from abroad come to these countries to work in and settle - that is real success. Instead, we fight and ignore the true problems. Support peace between India and Pakistan - support prosperity and happiness. NOTE - my comment is for people of both countries - India and Pakistan. Sensible people from both sides of the borders will know what I mean.
EWWW! Australia will become unhygienic. Indians lack toilet training and usually don't have washrooms in their houses.
As they say, you can an indian from India. But not India from the indian. India has been one of three dominant human societies in the world for 5000 years. (other two are china and Europe). It is time spread our wings, our culture, and our genes.
Australians natives or aboriginals are of indian origin. look it up.
oh BTW pakistanis are also of indian origin. sorry mates, you aint arabs
@TightChuddhi: FYI majority of small job in west like kebab shops and driving taxis are done by Pakistanis-Indians are mostly in professional job like software,finance, Engineering.
@Someone People who are migrating to Western countries in India are the educated people and best and brightest atleast 60% of them, not poor or uneducated youths or religious nut jobs.
@TightChuddhi: FYI New Zeland already has Indian origin Governor General-its highest constitutional post.
Where ever Indian go, they play a very positive role. They don't force the host nation to change laws. Day is not too far when America will have a person of Indian origin as Vice President and hopefully even as President. Indians are already playing very influential role in America's economic and foreign policy. Don't forget that every sixth person on the Earth is an Indian. You simply can't avoid them.
Despite all the racist attacks on Indians, they are still flocking to Australia. The bottom line remains that despite all the propaganda to the contrary, India remains corrupt, poverty striken, and with a high unemployment rate. Hence Indians are running helter skelter to be out of India. Even in economically poor African countries you have massive numbers of indians migrating to set up petty businesses or do petty jobs with other indians...With a population of 1 billion there is no way India can provide its citizens the life style provided by European countries or USA, Canada, Australia...
@ TightChuddhi:
guess you have not read the article properly.
Skilled migration accounted for the majority of the programme’s places
Indians are spreading their wings as 'skilled' people NOT as refugees. Hope you guys know the difference between 'migrants' and 'refugees'. I see lots of Pakistanis fleeing to Canada as refugees by hook or crook. Other countries are welcoming Indians because they are mostly law abiding citizen, integrate with locals more easily and completely. Why you do think Chinese are migrating inspite of their economy?
@Cobra Commander:
If none from Pakistan were opting for migration, your argument might have carried more weight.
Anyway, Australia is a nation of immigrants. The native population was decimated and is in very small numbers. Indians need to spread their influence and are doing that precisely.
Nobody debates about brain drain now in India, because Indians bring back a lot back to India. IT revolution was spearheaded by Indians in Silicon Valley which has brought huge dividends for India. So, its a 2 way street.
Indians get to go because we are highly skilled. We tend to work for large multinationals. No wonder we top the migration list. The reason Pakistanis are not in the list is not because nobody wants to leave Pakistan, but nobody wants Pakistanis, because most of them are unskilled and economic migrants.
If you look at Canada or the UK, you will find many because the rules are much more relaxed than in Australia. Even USA is refusing to take you guys.
@Cobra because the competition in India is too intense plus the systematic discrimination in educational institutions where caste is taken into account instead of financial background, thats where bright students miss out. Indians migrate especially to western countries into two ways. One is through work visa and other is through student visa.
@CobraCommander: Precisely, that is why India is shining as the not so classy people are leaving India and going to EU and Oz to open kebab shops and drive taxis. Sorry, I meant open sambar-dosa restraunts and work at takeways. Kebab shops and taxis are Pakistani forte
@Cobra Commander The reason Indians are helping other economies."Skilled migration is essential to support our economy and help overcome the challenges of an ageing population". @TightChuddhi Ha Ha .. Brother they welcome skilled people to other country . They except software and applications programmers, software engineers and developers etc.
If this continues for another 10 years Oz will become a colony of India. Pakistanis must inhabit nearby regions. Like New Zeland
But why are all these people leaving "Shinning India". Why is there such a rush for Indians to leave their country. Even EU countries have seen a surge of migrants from India. Something must be wrong.