[Source of Pictures: TOI article, Ravi Lochan Singh’s Blog and DIAC press release]

With 29016 people from India who were granted migrant Visa to come to Australia in 2011-12, India is now the top source of migrants to Australia. This is 12.7% more than the  previous year. This is likely to continue for years to come. By now, Indian-born numbers have grown four fold in the last 15 years, while Chinese-born numbers have grown by three fold..

The Census in 2011 told us that there were about 400,000 people of Indian heritage in Australia. If we add the numbers up to June 2013 and add the numbers from people of Indian heritage from other countries plus those born here in Australia, the number of people of Indian heritage could well be about 500,000 by June 2013.

With 21768 Indians in 2010-11, India was the third top source of Australian migrants. With 29546 Chinese immigrants, China was the top source then. Things have obviously changed.

The latest list outlining the sources of migrants also tells us that 7 of 10 countries are from Asia, the region where Australia has its major trading partners.

China with 25508 is the second top source and Great Britain with 25273 is at the third spot.

India has many good universities with a large number of young people with the skills and English which Australia needs. These skills are in the fields of medicine, IT, teaching, nursing, Engineering, accounting, management and many others. These are all high value skills which are in great demand all over the world. Australia is now competing with other countries quite successfully.

I am quite pleased that increasing numbers of Indians are choosing Australia as the place to migrate to, despite exaggerated negative coverage of Australia in the Indian media in the recent past. This is the best certificate that Indian media was not factual in its reporting back then.

Dr Yadu Singh/Sydney/4th June, 2013

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