Australia has been rated by the American Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development, as the best place to live and work for the third year in a row. Why is moving internationally to Australia is so popular?
1. Quality of Life
The United Nations ranked Australia as second in the world for its quality of life, coming just behind Norway and ahead of Switzerland. That, in itself, is a good reason to consider moving to Australia. The standard of education is excellent with great government and private schools and a wide range of tertiary institutions to choose from. Life expectancy is now up to 82.5 years and the average gross income per capita is high.
2. Employment
Moving to Australia can open many doors. The economy is strong and its proximity to Asia encourages further growth. The rate of unemployment is low in Australia but there are shortages of many professional and trade occupations. Lots of people move to Australia and take up a job only intending to stay a couple of years but then fall in love with the country and permanently emigrate.
3. Education
Moving to Australia is great for the kids as the standard of education is high and the subjects covered are extremely diverse. There is a massive influx of international students into Australia every year to take advantage of the various courses in higher education at the many tertiary education institutions. In fact, Australia comes in third, after the US and the UK, in the number of international students which arrives at its shores every year. Moving to Australia means your children can take advantage of these excellent seats of learning, without having to pay international fees.
4. Economy
Australia is a rich country with a free market economy which has been growing steadily over the decades. It is one of the richest nations in the Asian-Pacific region. It is driven by the service sector, its natural resources and mineral export. It hasn’t had a recession in the 25 years unlike most the world.
Australia has been lauded for its adherence to the Rule of Law, its open markets and regulatory efficiency. Some international bodies have raised concerns over government spending and fiscal freedom.
5. Security
No matter where you move in the world, security is a factor which looms large, especially for those people who are thinking of emigrating with children. Australia has a low crime rate compared with most countries in the world. The Australian people are very community conscious and neighbourly, especially out of the big cities and, if they notice something suspicious, they will report it to the police. Like all countries, there are areas which experience more crime than others, so this is something to investigate before moving to an area.
6. Climate
For those people moving from colder climes, the weather in Australia is idyllic. It has a temperate climate, with mild winters and warm to hot summers. The north of the country and the interior can get extremely hot during the summer and New South Wales and Victoria have snow during the winter, so skiing and other winter sports are possible. The long sunny, summer evenings are enjoyed by everyone.
7. Lifestyle
Australia is a multicultural society, with over 40% of the population being born outside the country. This leads to a diverse and interesting culture. Australians are friendly, polite and helpful and enjoy introducing new residents to their country, of which they are very proud.
Australians work hard and play hard. They enjoy an active lifestyle, spending weekends in the parks, on the beach or playing sport. Family, and time spent with family, is very important to them. The wonderful climate allows lots of outdoor activity all year round. With over 16,000 miles of coastline, it’s not surprising that surfing is very popular in this country. Many people get up especially early to catch a wave before heading off to work.
During the summer in particular, eating and drinking al fresco is very popular both at home and at restaurants and bars. All the big cities have ‘Happy Hour’ every day for those people who want to have a quiet, or no so quiet, drink before heading home.
8. Sport
If you are a sports lover, then moving to Australia will be utopia. Australians love sport of every description. Cricket, rugby and Aussie Rules Football are the most followed sports in the country and soccer is gaining in popularity.
Every town has a swimming pool or two, an athletics club, squash and tennis, bowls and, of course, the bigger towns have great golf courses. Sea sports, such as sailing, scuba diving and surfing are very big. There are national and international competitions in most water sports. There is also skiing in the winter months in New South Wales and Victoria.
9. Nature and Wildlife
A move to Australia is a must for everyone who loves nature, conservation, wildlife and the great outdoors. Every town and city in Australia has a park. The bigger cities boast many parks and botanical gardens. There is always somewhere green to sit and contemplate or have a picnic.
Australia has a selection of national parks, conservation parks, game reserves, recreation parks, wildlife protection areas, conservation reserves and marine reserves. There is so much to do in these parks and reserves such as scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef, bush walking, aboriginal heritage, mountain biking, caving, enjoying the bird life and wildlife. These reserves and parks are all over Australia and if you are moving to Australia you can get a multipark pass which cuts down the cost of visits.
10. Healthcare System
Australia’s Medicare system is similar to the UK’s National Health and is an excellent healthcare system which serves all Australians and those people from the UK. There are also many private health care organisations and private hospitals to choose from.moving to Australia