New migrants can’t settle in Melbourne, Sydney
CANBERRA: New migrants wanting to settle in Australia may soon face a big condition on their stay: Sydney and Melbourne will be off limits.
India is the biggest source of skilled migrants to the country, comprising 21% in fiscal 2017, followed by China on 15 % and the UK with 9%.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s government is in the early stages of drafting plans to force thousands of migrants to settle outside the nation’s two largest cities. It’s seeking to address concerns about rapid population growth and the impact on infrastructure ahead of an election that must be called by May. The influx of immigrants that’s equivalent to one person arriving in Australia every minute is causing a backlash in the biggest cities. While the flood of arrivals has swelled the population by 50 percent over the past three decades and underpinned economic growth, residents are frustrated that their quality of life has been compromised, with house prices too high, roads clogged and wages stagnant. “We are working on measures to have more new arrivals go to the smaller states and regions and require them to be there for at least a few years,” population and urban infrastructure minister Alan Tudge said in a speech on Tuesday.
“In that time, the evidence suggests that many will make it their home for the long term.”
The measures may affect just under half of the total intake, specifically those not sponsored to work in a major city by companies.