Australia and New Zealand Immigration News

According to workpermit.com's survey, many of our readers really like Australia. The good news is, if you are a skilled worker, Australia's door is open it you. Recent statistics show that Australia welcomed a record number of skilled workers into the country in the 2004-05 migration year.

Since workpermit.com has such a wide, global audience, we thought we'd conduct our own survey based on the story about a recent poll that found Australia was the world's favorite nation. What do you think? Does Australia deserve to be Number One? Are you surprised that the US is 11th? Should New Zealand be higher? Give us your opinion.

Thanks to everyone who responded. This poll is now closed.

Australia, followed by Canada, topped a worldwide survey of the world's favourite nations. One thousand people in 10 nations were asked to rank countries on a series of criteria, ranging across tourism, immigration, exports, investment, culture, heritage and people. The survey of 25 nations was compiled by marketing research firms Anholt-GMI.

The anti immigration party New Zealand First has launched its election campaign across the country for the upcoming elections on 17 September.The party could be a key player in the next parliament, although other parties shy away from a coalition with what some call a "racist" and "xenophobic" party.

Women of "marriageable age" are moving to New Zealand at rates of up to one-third higher than men. A new study has found that New Zealand has a higher ratio of women to men in the peak childbearing ages of 30 to 34 than any other industrialised country, with 9 per cent more women than men. The surplus of women is as high as 32 per cent among Asian women aged 30 to 34, and even higher among certain Asian nationalities such as Thais and Filipinos.

The number of Australia's skilled workers has increased by almost 78,000 in the past year in an effort to solve the country's skills shortage. This is the largest intake of skilled migrants since the late 1980s.

A total of 18,700 migrants took advantage of the state-specific and regional migration program, with 7,100 settling in Victoria and almost 5,000 calling South Australia home - an increase of almost 140 per cent in SA on 2003-04 figures.