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: