India is Australia's largest source of permanent migrants
NEW DELHI: Surpassing China and Britain, India has become the largest source of permanent migrants for Australia.
"India has surpassed China and the United Kingdom as the largest source of permanent migrants with 25,509 and 25,274 places respectively." Australian High Commissioner Peter Varghese said in a press statement here Friday.
"Indian migrants comprised a total of 29,018 places or 15.7 percent of the total migration of 185,000 places under the 2011-12 permanent migration programme," he added.
Commenting on the figures, Australia's Immigration and Citizenship Minister Chris Bowen said: "The Indian community has made a valuable contribution to economic, social and cultural life in Australia, and I know this will continue with more Indians choosing to make their home here."
According to the statement, seven of the top 10 sources countries in Australia's 2011-12 migration programme are from Asia: India, China, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, South Korea and Vietnam.
"Skilled migration accounted for over two-thirds of Australia's total migration programme, with a 2011-12 skill stream outcome of 125,755 places," it added.
(IANS)
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