Tag Archive for: Australia

Australia’s Department of Home Affairs has published its migration data for the 2019/2020 year, detailing how many South African migrants have arrived in the country over the last year.

The department said that emigration was significantly impacted by Covid-19, which disrupted supporting services such as English Language testing, biometrics and health and character checking.

As a result, overall migration program lodgements dropped by 12.3% from 198,710 in 2018/19 to 174,170 in 2019/20.

The largest source citizenship countries of migrants in 2019/20 were:

  • India: 25,698 places
  • China: 18,587 places
  • United Kingdom: 10,681 places
  • Philippines: 8,965 places
  • Vietnam: 5,398 places
  • Nepal: 5,048 places
  • New Zealand: 4,997 places
  • Pakistan: 4,136 places
  • South Africa: 3,743 places
  • United States of America: 3,301 places

How South Africans are getting to Australia

There are four streams in Australia’s migration program:

  • The Skill stream is designed to improve the productive capacity of the economy and fill skill shortages in the labour market, including those in regional Australia.
  • The Family stream is predominantly made up of Partner category visas, enabling Australian citizens and permanent residents to reunite with family members from overseas and provide them with pathways to citizenship.
  • The Special Eligibility stream covers visas for those in special circumstances that do not fit into the other streams. This can include permanent residents returning to the country after a period away.
  • The Child stream is demand-driven and does not have a ceiling.

The department’s data shows that the majority of South African migrants entered on a skilled visa (3,260), with a smaller number entering on family (427) and child visas (56).

This is a slight decrease from prior years with 3,861 migrants reported in 2018/2019 and 4,235 migrants reported 2017/2018.

While this decrease can partly be attributed to Covid-19 and restrictions on movement and travel, it is clear that Australia’s stricter visa requirements and other factors have also had an impact on potential South African migrants.

In 2010/2011, over 8,612 South African migrants were reported as part of the program – over twice as many than what was recorded in 2019/2020. The change has seen South Africa slip from fifth to eight in Australis’s ranking for migrant countries.

Relocation Africa is able to assist with Outbound Services for South Africans looking to move to Australia. For more information about our Australian emigration services, contact immigration@relocationafrica.com, visit our Outbound page here, and view our Outbound brochure here.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Recently, we launched outbound immigration services to various locations, including Australia, which you can learn more about by visiting our website here, or viewing our outbound services brochure here.

Our Immigration Lead, Lynn Mackenzie, recently had the pleasure of speaking to Nicole, our Australian Immigration partner, about Australia’s current immigration landscape.

To listen to Lynn and Nicole’s conversation about immigration in the current context, click here to view the recording, or view it below.

We would like to say a huge thank you to Nicole for her insights. We hope you enjoy the recording.  

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Written by Quintin Coetzee

Cape Town, where our head offices are located, is currently going through a severe drought. As a result, residents are having to think of new and inventive ways to save water, both to avoid being fined, and to try and help the environment. Many other cities around the world are currently facing similar problems.

There are many ways that one can be more water-wise, and this article outlines a few recommendations.

As you can see in the image above, we have recently installed a water storage tank in our office garden. This tank is linked to the gutters, and collects rain water for storage and later use. Whenever needed, we can take buckets to the tank, and retrieve clean water to use wherever we like. These storage tanks can be professionally installed if you’d prefer not to DIY, and can be purchased in different sizes from Builder’s Warehouse. Prices can be found here.

We also have a special drip system set up to water our rooftop vegetable garden, which you can read more about here. The system involves a number of rubber tubes that route from a storage source. These tubes slowly release water into the beds of vegetables, and can easily be tied to prevent water flow. The water storage is even contributed towards from waste water dripping from air-con condenser units.

Drip Irrigation System

 

 

Other tips for saving water are:

  • Storing recycled water and using it to flush toilets, by pouring it into the cistern or bowl. (Water stored for long periods of time should be treated).
  • Stacking dirty dishes and washing only once per day.
  • Only washing clothes when you have a full load.
  • Showering instead of bathing, and reducing shower times.
  • Watering your garden when the sun is low, to prevent lots of evaporation.
  • Fix all drips and leaks at home and in the office.
  • Install a water meter or monitor your bills to track your usage, and set goals for yourself each month.
  • Invest in appliances that are rated for efficient use of water.
  • Lobby your city to invest in sustainable water solutions.

There are numerous places around the world where the demand for water is not met. The problem affects an estimated 2.7 billion people for at least one month of every year, across every continent, and is particularly pressing in cities, as the global urban population grows. Currently, almost four billion people live in cities, with a further 2.5 billion expected to join them by 2050.

Over the past few years, both Los Angeles and São Paulo have been impacted by major droughts affecting their surrounding states. In response to the absence of snow, California governor Jerry Brown announced mandatory regulations that prohibited the watering of ornamental grass, required new homes to use drip irrigation, and directed water agencies to set up new pricing structures to maximize conservation.

Further east, Singapore, Kuwait City, Abu Dhabi, Doha have some of the lowest access to freshwater in the world, and make use of desalination plants, which convert ocean water into freshwater.

Much of western Queensland, Australia experienced drought between 2013 and 2015, affecting agriculture as well as residents. In response to further drought warnings in the area earlier in 2017, the Queensland Farmers’ Federation offered online advice to farmers on assistance available to them in their local areas.

As we attempt to combat climate change, saving water helps people the world over. Not only does doing so benefit the environment, it can also save you money.

For more water tips and information relevant to Cape Town’s water situation, visit the City of Cape Town website.

For more information about how we can assist you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, and Remuneration needs, email marketing@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2], [3], [4].