THE NUMBER OF Irish people seeking permanent residency status in Australia is on the up.
Some 6,171 Irish people received permanent residency, or skilled migrant visa grants, in 2014 – making up 3.2% of all those granted (sixth overall).
This is compared to 5,209 visas in 2013 (eighth overall).
A further 5,947 employer-sponsored visa were granted to Irish people.
Michael Pezzullo, secretary of the Australian Immigration Department, said the country will issue more than five million visas to migrants this year, reflecting a range and scale of policy challenges not seen since the Second World War.
The huge influx means a higher proportion of the population was born overseas than at any time since the gold rushes of the 19th century.
Edwina Shanahan, migration expert with VisaFirst said the number of traditional permanent migrants in Australia in growing significantly with estimates indicating this year’s intake is “likely to surpass the existing record of 185,000, which was set in 1969″.
“Some of the key reasons why Australia continues to be a powerful draw for the Irish is the fact that many know people that are already out there. The language and culture is the same or similar to Ireland and, most importantly, Australia has jobs,” Shanahan said.
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