Australia and New Zealand Immigration News

Chris Evans the Australian immigration minister said that due to the current economic situation there will be a reduction in the level of immigration to Australia. Chris Evans also mentioned that six of Australia's trading partners are now in recession. For the last ten years Australia has enjoyed mining boom which has kept unemployment at a thirty year low.

There are representatives from various Australian State Governments, employers and recruiters at the Expo. Tens of thousands of people have made a life in Australia a reality after attending the Opportunities Australia Expo.

The removals firm Pickfords' Move Monitor Survey found that there was a 31 percent increase in the numbers of immigrants from the UK moving to Australia in 2008 compared to 2007.

An increasing number of Asians particularly from India and China are emigrating to Australia. The Australian Bureau of Statistics report "Portrait of a Nation" said that almost one-fifth of the new arrivals in Australia between 1996 and 2006 came from China and India. Asia may eventually overtake Europe as the main source of immigrants to Australia.

Australian citizenship was introduced in 1949 following the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948. Before this time most Australian residents were British subjects.

On 23 January 2009 the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) reminded Australian employers to check that their staff have the right to work in Australia.