AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION NEWS

The new wave of UK emigration

Sunday, 7 October 2007

British emigration to Australia is starting a new wave that could become an exodus. Close to 1 in 5 Britons has put serious thought into emigrating, with many wishing to leave as soon as possible.

Australia remains the premier destination for emigrants from the UK, with a sunny climate, strong job opportunities and an amenable culture with a long history of taking in emigrants from the UK. Australia is now home to 71,000 UK citizens, with more arriving every year. This is a massive figure for a country with a population of just over 21 million.

Much of the impetus to leave the UK may be economic. The surge of property prices in the UK has meant that many families have discovered that they are sitting on unrealised capital gains, sometimes worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. Value increases in double-digit percentages are relatively common in southern England, and in many other parts of the UK. This potentially liquid capital provides a tempting nest-egg for a life abroad.

The economic numbers are startling. A 2 bedroom flat in London easily sells for upwards of £300,000. This amount converts into almost $700,000 AUD, which is enough to purchase larger and extremely desirable property in Australia outright, often with money left over to invest.

With the considerably lower cost of living and a wealth of job opportunities that may not exist in the UK, especially for trades people, the appeal of a new life abroad is strong.

The effect is not limited to Australia, either. Spain plays second to Australia as the UK's emigration destination of choice. 58,000 UK citizens call Spain their home.

North America, one of the world’s traditional destinations for migrants, is still a strong attraction for people in the UK. Both Canada and the United States have seen increases in the number of permanent visa applications from the UK in recent years.