On 23 June 2016, United Kingdom decided that it would leave with the European Union in a significant referendum that showed 52% of its citizens voting against the stay, the conclusion for the economic and political decision known as the Brexit. The result caused missive impact on a global scale: the British pound fell to its lowest level since 1985, $2 trillion were wiped out from the stock market on single day last Friday, and there has been a sudden spike of interest in migrating to Australia in the Google searches.
A combination of two words, “Britain” and “exit,” Brexit is United Kingdom’s decision to finally leave the European Union, a trading and economic group that it has been part of since 1973. The debate about staying and leaving the group has been raging on for quite a while now, with the politicians, pundits, economic experts, and British citizens completely polarized on the issue.
This debate was concluded last Thursday in a historic referendum (with more than 30 million people voting, the highest since the 1992 general elections), with 52% of the people wanting the country to leave.
Founded in 1957, the European Union (also known as the EU) is a political and economic partnership between 28 European countries aimed at forming a single market that allows free movement of goods, capital, and even people between each countries, just like as if they are a single country.
As what we have established with each of our articles where we compare Australia with other European countries (United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain), having a visa with any of the EU nations will allow you to travel, work, and even live to other member countries.
Nineteen of these countries share a singular currency, the Euro, to establish a faster and more efficient system of trade. These countries form the Eurozone. United Kingdom was never part of the Eurozone, as it has maintained the British pound from the time it joined the group up to now.
The United Kingdom heavily benefits from being a member of a powerhouse economic and political group such as the European Union, such as (but not limited to):
These and other benefits are quite blinding and worth keeping, but there are also corresponding burdens to this set up especially when it comes to migration, such as (again, not limited to):
It should be noted that one of the European Union’s mandates is that citizens can travel, live, and work on each member countries freely, thus the uncontrolled exodus among each nation.
A few days before the British referendum, people were turning to Australia as a possible alternative migration destination. The Google searches peaked significantly when media outlets finally announced the referendum’s result.
This is because with the United Kingdom leaving the trading bloc, there will be disruptions in its migration policies, making it more stringent and hard-nosed on future migrants. This move will reverse the unfavorable effects brought by uncontrolled flow of people back in its EU days. It should be noted that UK left EU mostly because of this reason.
With these changes coming in, people are looking for alternatives, possibly with the same economic foothold and democratic atmosphere. And one of their top choices? Australia.
The choice is not accidental. Looking at the numbers, Australia is your best bet while the UK and the EU are still in squabbles about what to do post-Brexit, and while the stock market atmosphere and economic policy changes are still yet to settle down.
So, why Australia? Here are a few convincing reasons:
Economy is the primary consideration when migrating to a country, and Australia has earned a big plus on that. The Land Down Under is the 12th largest economy in the world, has an inflation rate of a meager 1.3%, and a very low unemployment rate of 5.7%. It is a complete haven for migrants looking for a better life.
Given, Brexit will have repercussions on the world's economy, and that will include Australia. But seeing as how the country came out of the recent global economic crisis unscathed with its very good economic contingencies and fiscal policies, we can definitely say the Lucky Country can tide Brexit's impact as well.
European countries’ charm when it comes to migrants is its powerhouse trade bloc, the EU itself. This gives them strong footing as far as the economy is concerned. But they aren’t the only ones enjoying such privilege. Though not a member, Australia is a strong trading partner of the union since 2008. EU is the largest source of investment for Australia and their companies are directly responsible for the creation of 500,000 jobs in the country.
But their partnership is more than just the numbers. EU and Australia also supports each other when it comes to political issues and international cooperation. European Union's top migration destination, the United Kingdom, might be in the edge of stability now due to the exit, Australia remains as stable as ever.
One of the European Union’s bane on the United Kingdom is the very lax migration system between member countries, resulting to one-sided flow of migration of people from the less developed to the more thriving countries. UK got the short end of the stick on this with the massive influx of people coming here. After Brexit, the country is expected to curb migration and instill stricter tourism policies.
Australia, on the other hand, has its migration under control. While it may not be as strict as other countries (or as UK will be in the future), the country has always made sure it accepts only skilled migrants that adheres to its own well-designed migration policies and high standards of labor. It only makes sense to say that the Lucky Country has one of the best migration procedures in the world.
And how do we know this? Because the United Kingdom is planning to adopt Australia’s migration point system to help establish future policies and help their economy.
United Kingdom and Australia share a very long history. The Land Down Under was made a penal colony by the British Empire in 1788. For the next few centuries, Australia worked hard until it was able to set up a federal government and earned its freedom.
But that doesn’t mean it completely severed ties with the mother country. Australia is still a realm Great Britain and recognizes Queen Elizabeth as the as the ruling queen. And for many years until 1966 , the country uses the pound as its currency before switching to dollars
In our continuing effort to compare Australia with the other top migration destinations in the world, it is only fitting that we put the two countries side by side to give you a better decision for your visa applications.
The service sector is the main driving force of UK's economy, which makes up for almost 80 percent of its total GDP. Banking, business, and insurance are the most outstanding service sectors.
Despite these, the country is one of the largest manufacturing-driven economies in the world. It cradles the many vital players in the aerospace sectors, such as Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems, as well as pharmaceutical giants like Astra Zenica and GlaxoSmithKline. Construction and automotive industries were also thriving in the country, but took a hard blow from a recession.
Much like UK, The structure of the Australian economy rests on service and technology. This comprises for more than 70% of the GDP in 2008 and the industry accounts for about 20%. In the 2007 Globalisation Index which was conducted for Foreign Policy by consulting firm A.T. Kearney, the country was ranked as the third most technology-savvy country in the world.
On the other hand, agriculture and mining (which was on a boom recently) account for 4.7% of the GDP. Though they supplied to roughly 65% of the exports.
Housing affordability in the United Kingdom is driven by market factors such as the state of the local economy, supply of housing, and transport links. And it differs broadly on a regional basis.
Financial arrangements when it comes to housing here is divided in to three classifications: Owner-occupied; Private Rented Sector (PRS); and Social Rented Sector (SRS). House prices, income, interest rates, and purchase costs largely determines the affordability for the owner-occupied properties. PRS is based on house prices. While SRS rents are regulated by Local Authorities and Housing Associations or depending on what the lower income groups can afford.
An apartment in city center costs AU$ 7,988.71 per square meter while one outside the city costs AU$6,144.26.
The departments of state governments provides Public housing in Australia. It is divided into two categories: The inner-city medium to high-rise apartments and the low-density townhouses/fully detached houses located in the suburban fringes of cities and towns. The inner-city public housing is generally found in Melbourne and Sydney. They are usually 3-5 story walk-up flats and 11-22 story high-rise towers. Low-density suburban estates is located in almost every city and town in Australia.
An apartment in city center costs AU$ 8,436.67 per square meter while one outside the city costs AU$5,861.34.
Healthcare in the United Kingdom is decentralized, with England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales each operating their own healthcare systems, each funded by their governments with smaller private sector and voluntary provision.
Each of the National Health Service (NHS) system utilizes General Practitioners to give primary healthcare and to provide referrals to further medical services. Hospitals then supply more specialist services, such as care for patients with psychiatric illnesses and direct access to Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments.
A 2014 report ranking healthcare systems in developed countries listed UK as the best healthcare system in the world. Though in 2005 to 2009, cancer survival rates reportedly lagged ten years behind the rest of Europe, though survival rate is increasing constantly.
Contrary to the United Kingdom, Australia’s healthcare system operates on a centralized level, and is administered by both private and government institutions. The state and territory governments manage aspects of health care within their jurisdictions, such as the operation of hospitals.
It is two-pronged. There is the private health system, and there is the Medicare. The latter is funded partly by a 2% Medicare levy (with exceptions for low-income earners), with the rest being supplied by government. An additional levy of 1% is imposed on high-income earners without private health insurance. Death rate from medical care in the country is reportedly one of the lowest in the English-speaking world. It is lower than that of the USA and UK.
To find out more about how Australia’s healthcare system works, check our blog here.
United Kingdom has a well-placed and connected transport system. Modes of commuting include metros (trains moving above ground), tubes (underground subway), buses, and taxi. The country prides itself as having the oldest rail network in the world. It comprises of two independent parts, that of Northern Ireland and that of Great Britain. Taxis service, on the other hand, is of commendable quality, since they are strictly regulated, particularly in London, where mechanical integrity and driver knowledge are of high priority.
A one way bus ticket here costs around AU$4.52, while a monthly pass is at AU$117.90. Starting taxi tariff is AU$5.90 with AU$2.78 for every kilometer. But you could also get your own car. A Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) will set you back AU$33,406.09, while a litter of gasoline is at AU$2.14.
Much like in the United Kingdom, Australia has an efficient transport system, too. However, the citizens rely more on road transport, as it is a significant component of the Australian transport network. The substantial dependence on road transport is largely in part to the country’s extensive area and the low population density. As a result, Australia has the second highest level of car ownership in the world, with Melbourne as the most car-dependent city.
As for commuting and public transport, commuter rail, trams, light rail, and rapid transit systems can also be found around the country, and services the citizens adequately.
A one way bus ticket ride costs AU$3.96, with the monthly pass at AU$130. Starting taxi tariff is AU$4.00 with AU$2.17 for every kilometer. Getting your own car will set you back AU$25,000 for a Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car). A litter of gasoline is at AU$1.31.
United Kingdom is big, so its climate varies on each area. But it is generally described as temperate oceanic climate. Northern Ireland, Wales and western parts of England and Scotland are the windiest, wettest, and mildest regions due to their proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. The eastern regions are less windy, drier, and cooler. However, they also encounter the greatest daily and seasonal temperature difference.
The northern regions, on the other hand, are mostly wetter, cooler, and have marginally bigger temperature ranges than southern areas.
The Land Down Under experiences an assortment of climates also due to its size. It can range from severely hot in the Kimberley region in the north-west of the continent to below zero in the Snowy Mountains in the south. And due to its size, there just can’t be one seasonal calendar for the whole continent.
The seasons will vary depending upon where in the continent you are each month, whether the weather is defined by the Temperate zone seasons or the tropical seasons. To find out more what is the climate and weather patterns in each of the states in the country, check our blog here.
The dining scene in UK is still in the process of explosion. With the past ten years, it is slowly shifting from traditional British cuisines to involve more diversity in flavors and recipes from around the world.
But more interesting is the British’s way of eating. They will usually have around six separate meals each day. This will start off with the breakfast, then the elevenses (a mid-morning snack usually tea and biscuits), and then the lunch. And then tea time follows in the afternoon, to be seconded by dinner, and capped off by desert. And then another tea.
If dining out is your thing, a three-course meal for two people in a mid-range restaurant will cost around AU$98.05. Going for a modestly-priced café clocks around AU$23.53. A McDonald’s Combo Meal is at AU$9.81.
Eating here is just as exciting, but in the wallet. According to studies, income had risen faster than food prices. Over the past 20 years, food spending has increased by 13%, while income climbed by 36%. This results to people spending a decreasing proportion of their salary to food. No to mention, food prices here are rising at a slower rate than in most parts of the world.
Also, Australia cradles an exciting food scene. It draws inspiration to British, American, aboriginal, and even Asian influence. It is home to some of the most exotic and palate-challenging food like Kangaroo meat, Burger Rings, and the infamous Vegemite (you can check here for the complete list of Australia’s weirdest food).
Advantages of British Citizenship include:
Advantages of Australian Citizenship include: