Every year, people migrate to Australia from around the world in search of a better life and opportunities.
Drawn by an abundance of job opportunities, top-quality education and a high standard of living, Australia’s migrant population has steadily grown in recent years. People from India now account for the third-largest group of migrants to Australia behind China and England.
FACT: Close to 600,000 Indian people reside in Australia, and they’ve all arrived through various means, from student visas to significant investor visas. (Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics)
And it’s the high-net-worth individuals who are embracing their home here in Australia through strategic investment.
How do you imagine India?
India is a massive country with endless opportunities and plenty of wealth. The Migration Agency founder, Sarah Thapa, discovered this when she visited the country to speak at the International Investment and Migration Showcase presented by NPI Group India. She traveled to the city of Chandigarh, which has wide avenues, beautiful, lush gardens, and a metropolitan vibe – much like Canberra in Australia.
India is often imagined as a dense, highly populated country, and while this is true in some parts, certain areas have wide open spaces, commercial bustle and productive farm lands. In the cities, there are entrepreneur hubs and technology parks that attract the best and the brightest from around the country.
In 2016, a study found that Indians were Australia’s most highly educated group of migrants, with more than 50 per cent of migrants holding bachelor’s degrees. While many Indian migrants continue to speak their native languages, most can speak English fluently, which allows them to easily integrate in business, school and social settings. (Source: Department of Immigration and Border Protection)
Pathways to citizenship success for high-net-worth individuals
Thousands of people come to Australia on student visas and while these programs allow students to pursue studies at top Australian universities to give students of almost any age, an opportunity for a better education, it is not the only way for people to migrate to Australia.
There are other successful pathways that recognise and build on the valuable and transferable skills of an individual.
Migrants substantially contribute to Australia’s workforce through skilled business and investor visas. India has a significant role in Australia’s immigration landscape because of how skilled business owners and investors have poured funds into agriculture, tech, hospitality and other industries. Agriculture in particular is an ideal segment for Indian investments since it is a familiar industry and many of the staple grains that Indians consume are easily grown in Australia.
A large segment of India’s skilled labour force has technical training in disciplines like computer programming, software design and engineering. These high-demand skills allow Australian businesses to constantly stay on-top of cutting-edge technologies and to continually innovate and evolve. For migrants, jobs in industries like tech and agriculture can be incredibly rewarding and full of opportunity in Australia. A growing number of Indian technology companies are supporting Australian customers, requiring the establishment of business operations here.
In recent years, more Indians on skilled visas have come to Australia than any other group of people. If past years are any indication of future success, it’s likely that Indian migrants, among others, will continue to contribute heavily to the Australian economy given their high levels of education, entrepreneurial skill and democratic values.
Foreign investment is a vehicle for residency
Foreign investment is another common path many migrants take to Australian residency and citizenship.
Globally, many countries have migration programs to attract foreign investment whereby high net-worth individuals inject cash into businesses or other eligible investments, which helps them to gain a foothold into the economy. Through this method, these investors can eventually gain permanent residency and citizenship in the country of their choice.
Foreign investments are a popular path to citizenship for those who can afford it – generally, a person needs to have anywhere from $200,000 AUD to $1.5 million AUD to invest in the Australian economy before they can be considered for a business skills visa, which has a pathway to permanent residence upon achievement of certain investment outcomes. The Australian Government also has a program to nominate an investor for permanent residence under Australia’s Significant Investor Program for making a $5 million AUD investment.
Individuals can invest by buying or starting a business in Australia, purchasing government bonds, real estate, or other financial investments. This citizenship option benefits migrants since they can potentially secure a better life for themselves and their families while making an income from their investments.
Investing in a better future: Why global investors choose Australia and what it means for us
There’s much more to being a global citizen and immigrant than meets the eye. Many migrants are in search of a higher quality of life, more opportunities for themselves and their families, top business and education options and other attractive features that Australia has to offer.
The common misconception is that people need to study as a means to live in Australia, and then apply for their skilled residence visa or take their newfound skills back home. However, given the decline in places available under the General Skilled Migration program in 2020, it’s becoming more common for temporary migrants to put down roots in Australia via other visa pathways such as through investment or entrepreneurship. These paths allow families to gain citizenship in Australia, even with changes to the General Skilled Migration program.
Australia’s proximity is another benefit for migrants who want to remain somewhat close to family and friends, or have their family join them. With India already among the three main countries whose citizens emigrate to Australia, it’s expected that the Indian population in Australia will continue to grow and contribute greatly to the country’s economy.
How we can help
We specialise in full-service migration solutions for international investors to Australia. Our migration specialists provide expert representation and immigration services for investors and their families from strategic migration planning, advocacy to the State and Territory Governments to secure an invitation, through to the visa case management with the Department of Home Affairs.
We co-ordinate with your business, tax, accounting and finance team to ensure a seamless immigration and investment process. We can also connect you with expertise you require in Australia to purchase a complying business or investment, which meets the requirements of the Australian Government.
If you would like to find out if you are eligible for an investor visa to Australia, book a 15-minute strategy session with Sarah Thapa via this booking link (for a limited time). You can also get in touch with us at info@themigrationagency.com.au if you have any other immigration queries.
