New Zealanders in Australia
Encyclopedia
New Zealanders in Australia consist of Australia
n people who have origins in New Zealand
, as well as New Zealand migrants and expatriates based in Australia. Migration from New Zealand to Australia is a very common phenomenon, given Australia's close proximity as a neighboring country. As of 2010, there were over 530,000 New Zealand citizens residing in Australia.
Since 1973 the informal Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement
has allowed for the free movement of citizens of one nation to the other. The only major exception to these travel privileges is for individuals with outstanding warrants or criminal backgrounds who are deemed dangerous or undesirable for the migrant nation and its citizens. In recent decades, many New Zealanders have migrated to Australian cities such as Sydney, Brisbane
, Melbourne and Perth
. New Zealand passport holders are issued with special category visa
s on arrival in Australia. Although this agreement is reciprocal there has been resulting significant net migration from New Zealand to Australia. In 2001 there were eight times more New Zealanders living in Australia than Australians living in New Zealand. Many such New Zealanders include Maori Australian
s.
New Zealanders in Australia previously had immediate access to Australian welfare benefits and were sometimes characterised as living off Australian social welfare benefits. This was in 2001 described by New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark as a "modern myth". Regulations changed in 2001 whereby New Zealanders must wait two years before being eligible for such payments. There are complaints in New Zealand that there is a brain drain
to Australia.
Persons born in New Zealand continue to be the second largest source of immigration to Australia
, representing 11% of total permanent additions in 2005–06 and accounting for 2.3% of Australia's population at June 2006.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n people who have origins in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, as well as New Zealand migrants and expatriates based in Australia. Migration from New Zealand to Australia is a very common phenomenon, given Australia's close proximity as a neighboring country. As of 2010, there were over 530,000 New Zealand citizens residing in Australia.
History and demographics
Under various arrangements since the 1920s, there has been a free flow of people between Australia and New Zealand.Since 1973 the informal Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement
Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement
The Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement is an informal agreement between Australia and New Zealand to allow for the free movement of citizens of one nation to the other.- Treaty history :...
has allowed for the free movement of citizens of one nation to the other. The only major exception to these travel privileges is for individuals with outstanding warrants or criminal backgrounds who are deemed dangerous or undesirable for the migrant nation and its citizens. In recent decades, many New Zealanders have migrated to Australian cities such as Sydney, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Melbourne and Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. New Zealand passport holders are issued with special category visa
Special Category Visa
A Special Category Visa is a type of Australian visa granted to most New Zealand citizens on arrival in Australia. New Zealand Citizens may then reside in Australia indefinitely under the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement.- History :...
s on arrival in Australia. Although this agreement is reciprocal there has been resulting significant net migration from New Zealand to Australia. In 2001 there were eight times more New Zealanders living in Australia than Australians living in New Zealand. Many such New Zealanders include Maori Australian
Maori Australian
A Māori Australian is an Australian of Māori heritage. In 2008, there were approximately 100,000 people with Māori ancestry living in Australia. Māori Australians constitute Australia's largest Polynesian ethnic group...
s.
New Zealanders in Australia previously had immediate access to Australian welfare benefits and were sometimes characterised as living off Australian social welfare benefits. This was in 2001 described by New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark as a "modern myth". Regulations changed in 2001 whereby New Zealanders must wait two years before being eligible for such payments. There are complaints in New Zealand that there is a brain drain
Brain drain
Human capital flight, more commonly referred to as "brain drain", is the large-scale emigration of a large group of individuals with technical skills or knowledge. The reasons usually include two aspects which respectively come from countries and individuals...
to Australia.
Persons born in New Zealand continue to be the second largest source of immigration to Australia
Immigration to Australia
Immigration to Australia is estimated to have begun around 51,000 years ago when the ancestors of Australian Aborigines arrived on the continent via the islands of the Malay Archipelago and New Guinea. Europeans first landed in the 17th and 18th Centuries, but colonisation only started in 1788. The...
, representing 11% of total permanent additions in 2005–06 and accounting for 2.3% of Australia's population at June 2006.