According to the 2005 IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook, Australia is the best place in the world to live! Thats probably why so many people dream of starting a new life down under and apply for immigration to the Australian authorities annually.
The desirability of Australia stems from so many factors it is a country where the quality of life achievable is very high, the employment prospects are plentiful, the education available is world class and the health care facilities are very good but to achieve permanent residence status in Australia can be very tricky because the amount of competition for the limited number of visas granted each year is intense.
Those who are serious about starting a new life down under in Australia have a number of ways they can apply for residency.
Those who have a specific skill set that is in demand in Australia can apply for immigration for their entire family via the Skilled Visa Program. Ironically, despite the fact that demand for visas to live, study and work in Australia is so intense, in 2004 not enough people applied for immigration under this particular scheme!
Those who are initially put off at the...