News
A hot bed of emigration
Many people dream of a new life abroad but it seems people in the north-east are the most likely to make this dream a reality, according to research by currency exchange company HIFX
The report, based on enquiries received by the company in the first five months of this year, shows that one in five migration enquiries are from people living in the North East – nearly double the number in the North West (11 per cent) and far exceeding the number from the South West (7 per cent). However the Scots and Welsh clearly have a greater love of their homeland as they account for just 4 per cent and 2 per cent of enquiries, the report reveals.
Also revealed is the intended destination of those living in regional Britain. People in the North-East (27 per cent) are most likely to be heading for the land Down Under as they account for over one in four of enquiries for migrating to Australia. The Midlands is the next region (19 per cent) keen to move to the other side of the world. Mark Bodega, marketing director for HIFX, comments, "Australia in particular is facing a shortage of home-grown skilled workers, and the Australian Master Builders Association (MBA) has called for an increase in skilled migrants. The MBA is expecting 80,000 skilled workers to retire in the next five years, with only 40,000 home grown replacements able to fill their places. "Our figures show that builders from the North East in particular, seem to have heard the calls from Australia's construction industry."
Besides factors attracting Brits to Australia, Bodega also comments on reasons why those in the North East might want to leave the UK. "Rising crime levels could also be a contributing factor," he says. "Both Bradford and Leeds appear in our top ten enquiry hotspots. Both recently appeared in the Reform report which ranked urban areas according to levels of crime. Leeds, for example, was named the second most crime ridden area overall out of the 55 towns and cities in the survey and Bradford was cited as the worst area in the country for gun crime."
For further information:
HIFX
Register now for your FREE emigration starter pack
Subscribe to Emigrate magazine. Read more ...
20 December 2006