Family of Indian migrants who got citizenship in Australia say they are moving to Canada for better job and visa sponsorship opportunities
- The Rao family, originally from India, are leaving Australia to move to Canada
- They are Australian citizens but believe Canada has better migrant opportunities
- Father Hardik Rao said migrants in Australia struggle to find growth in their jobs
- Some migrants cannot get permanent residency, making Canada a strong option
A family of Indian migrants with Australian citizenship are moving to Canada for better job and visa sponsorship opportunities.
Education agent Hardik Rao, 42, his wife and their two children are wrapping up their life in Australia as he believes there is not much room for growth here.
Mr Rao said it was not just a problem for his family but for migrants in general, especially those from the Indian subcontinent.
A family of Indian migrants with Australian citizenship are moving to Canada for better job and visa sponsorship opportunities. Pictured: Hardik Rao, his wife and their two children
‘How many migrants around you, particularly from India, can raise their hands and say we are doing what we came here for?’ Mr Rao told SBS Punjabi.
‘An accountant is driving a bus, an IT professional is relegated to a regional area where he has no job prospects, only very few are fortunate enough to be really working in the field they have a degree in. Is this what we came here for?’
Mr Rao said there are not enough opportunities or favourable polices for jobs, to start a business or to sponsor a family member in Australia.
As a result, the naturalised Australian citizen is trading life Down Under for a fresh start in the Great White North.
Mr Rao said there are not enough opportunities or favourable polices for jobs, to start a business or to sponsor a family member in Australia (stock image)
‘Canada is more migrant-friendly, has an easy and flexible migrant pathway, better job prospects, bigger economy, it’s closer to the US and most importantly you can easily sponsor your family members,’ Mr Rao said.
Mr Rao is an education agent while his wife works as a practicing migration agent.
The couple are two of the lucky migrants who managed to become Australian citizens but many migrants struggle to even achieve permanent residency.
‘How many migrants around you, particularly from India, can raise their hands and say we are doing what we came here for?’ Mr Rao told SBS Punjabi. Pictured: Mr Rao and his family
Temporary skilled worked visas, also known as 457 visas, were abolished in 2018 and replaced with Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visas, which make it harder for migrants to settle in Australia.
Meanwhile, the migration points system saw an increase in threshold from 60 to 65, adding another barrier to permanent residency.
Canada also has a points system. In addition, there is an express entry program for in-demand jobs like engineers, healthcare professionals and lawyers, among 347 different professions.
Mr Rao said Canada is more ‘migrant friendly’ and makes it easier to sponsor family members to also settle in the country (stock image)