Immigration Minister Chris Evans said “It is fair to say that we expect the demand in the economy for labor to reduce. As it (The Permanent Migration Program) is a program very much linked to the demand for labor, we expect to run a smaller program.”

In March 2009 the Government reduced the year’s immigration target by 14%. Meanwhile, the Permanent Migration Program for skilled migrants was slashed to 115,000 people. All this translates into a sharp drop in service prices most used by immigrants. For example, since there is less of a need for shipping to Australia, many companies are cutting prices to try to attract more business.

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Today Canada is the country with the highest per capita immigration rate in the world. This is followed by the United States, and only then by immigration to Australia.

Canada in known throughout the world for having a very loose and broad immigration policy. This policy is witnessed by the ethnic diversity of the population.

Meanwhile economically developed countries like Japan have allowed little immigration but population decline may change that. The population of Japan is aging and while the childbirth rate remains extremely low.

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A survey was conducted in Australia in which it was attempted to determine which were the most followed religions. The numbers do not show anything spectacular or startling.

Christianity is by far the biggest faith in Australia with 64% or nearly two thirds saying they are Christian. Of that Roman Catholics make up 25.8% of the population. the Anglican faith followed in at 18.7%. Members of other Christian denominations account for a total of 19.4% of the population.

Other religions were also recorded. A total of 2.1% of the population claimed to follow Buddhism. Islam and Judaism came in at 1.7% and 0.4% respectively.

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Asians today make up for the largest share of people moving to Australia.

During 2005, for example, 123,424 people immigrated to Australia.

This breaks down to:

54,804 from Asia

21,131 from Oceania

18,220 from the United Kingdom

17,736 were from Africa

2,369 from Eastern Europe

1,506 from South America

Australia is one of the most multicultural tolerant societies worldwide. There is little or no friction to be found between ethnic groups. Being Australia is such a large continent there is room for everyone.

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2008 saw the highest level of immigration to Australia from the UK since the late 1960s, with 23,236 out of the 149,365 permanent migrants coming from Britain. In other words, about 14% of all immigrants arriving in Australia are from England.

Today 1,153,264 British born citizens are living in Australia.

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Currently named B17B and afloat less than 1,000 miles from Australia’s west coast,  many sea mariners are expressing their worries that this unwelcome visitor may disrupt their shipping lanes. If the iceberg does enter Australian waters, there is a danger of it colliding with the continental shelf resulting in tremors that could then spur tsunami waves.

But Australians can still sleep easy. According to scientists, the iceberg is very unlikely to hit Australia. The iceberg is expected to melt and eventually break into thousands of smaller pieces as it enters warmer waters.

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In fact, all of Australia’s foods were pretty scary. If you wanted to eat out you’d go for fish and chips, and not even bother to leave the car. Fancy meals were nowhere to be found. At the most, you would order chips and gravy at the local pub.

In the 70’s and early 80’s the term “Australian cuisine” was an oxymoron. It conjured in the mind images of boiled beef, lamb stew, and meat pies.

Then there was a change.

Australia transformed into a gourmet restaurant laden country. There are few places in the world that have restaurants that can compare with the variety, quality and inventiveness of those in Australia. From little cafes beside the sea to the best of formal dining halls, Australia has something for everyone. New creations such as “seared kangaroo fillet with wilted beetroot greens and roasted onion” can now be found on the menu.

Even basic corner cafes, which once just served hamburgers and chips, now serve fancy Italian dishes and exotic fruit.

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Such a trend could see a 60 per cent population increase in the population over the next four years and chief economist at CommSec James Craig said this would directly impact on the property sector.

He stated: “More people translates to increased spending and demand for homes and as a result, increased momentum for our economy.”

Such a situation could mean those who buy homes in Australia find the price gradually rising, particularly if the increase in supply fails to keep up with demand.

Australia is also the most popular choice for Britons keen to move abroad to work, a recent survey showed. It is easier to find jobs in Australia.

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Frank Lowy

Westfield Chairman
Born: 1933, Slovakia
Now lives in Australia

Lowy, one of the richest men in Australia, left Eastern Europe as a refugee after World War II. He then fought in the Haganah, the predecessor to the Israeli army, during Israel’s War of Independence. A few years later, after moving to Australia, he co-founded Westfield (WDC.AX) and built it into one of the world’s top developers of shopping centers.

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Australia has a fantastic higher education system with some of the best universities in the world. Want to know how well they rate against other universities? Check out the list below!

THES World University Rankings 2009

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