Living and working in a vibrant city such as Brisbane brings many advantages. Its beach and outdoor lifestyle, thriving job market and sub-tropical climate are just some of the reasons cited by immigrants, particularly Indian immigrants, looking to move to Australia.
Indians Moving to Australia
Indian-born immigrants represented Australia’s fastest growing diaspora community in 2020 and the numbers keep rising. The Australian Department of Home Affairs even established a Global Talent Officer for South Asia, with the aim of sourcing the best talent from India to work in Australia. Indians are immigrating to Brisbane, Queensland, in higher numbers than ever before. In fact, the 2021 ABS census recorded 783,958 Indian-born citizens totaling 3.1% of the Australian population [1]. Let’s explore in more detail exactly why Brisbane is one of the cities of choice when living in Australia as an expat.
Top Reasons Immigrants Move to Brisbane
Its Appealing Climate
Known as the ‘Sunshine State’, Queensland and its capital city Brisbane lie on the east coast of Australia. The climate is sub-tropical which means the average temperature year-round is between 16C and 26C. With around 320 rain-free days per year, Brisbane has the perfect conditions for a beach and outdoor lifestyle.
The Beaches of Brisbane
Brisbane’s beaches are among the best in Australia with the Lonely Planet guide suggesting the best five as:
- Cylinder Beach, North Stradbroke Island – best beach for families
- Main Beach, North Stradbroke Island – best beach for surfers
- Suttons Beach, Redcliffe – best beach for young children
- Moreton Island – best beach for snorkeling and scuba
- Streets Beach – best urban beach
Work Opportunities
There are typically good work opportunities in Brisbane, particularly in retail, health and social care, education, construction and professional services. Most major Australian companies have offices in Brisbane, and many are headquartered there. Brisbane is Australia’s third largest city with around 2.4 million inhabitants [2] and like Sydney and Melbourne, retail activity is focused on the Central Business District (CBD) which is one of the largest employment sectors in the city.
Brisbane’s economic development plan (2012-31) has three main aims:
- 5 million employed citizens
- $217 billion economy
- $75,000 per capita income [3]
The city is on track to be one of the world’s fastest growing economies, making it a great choice for those planning on moving to Australia from India.
Culture, Arts and Sport
Brisbane has recently been chosen to host the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032. According to Brisbane City Council, hosting the games will bring benefits including a $4.6 billion increase in tourism and trade and $3.5 billion in social improvements such as health, volunteering and community benefits [4]. Large-scale infrastructure projects are already underway to ensure Brisbane is ready for the world’s greatest sporting event.
There’s plenty to keep residents of Brisbane entertained, from theatres and galleries to music venues and a thriving restaurant scene, as well as many indoor and outdoor activities for your children and teens.
Quality Education
One of the greatest advantages of moving to Brisbane is for the excellent schooling and universities that the city has to offer. University of Queensland has one of the largest campuses and is home to more than 56,000 students, of which almost 21,000 come from 137 countries (figures for 2021 [5]) while Queensland University of Technology has a slightly smaller population of around 47,000 students of which about 8,000 are from overseas.
Schools in Brisbane have a reputation for a good standard of education and you can choose from public state-funded schools, fee-paying private schools or international schools. Students must attend primary school for seven years starting at age six, followed by five years of high school. Alternatively, Brisbane, like all other states, permits home education.
Better Cost of Living than Sydney
Property prices, whether for sale or rent are significantly more affordable in Brisbane than Sydney. A three-bedroom apartment in the city centre is typically around 36% cheaper to rent and the cost per square foot to buy property in the city centre is almost 50% less in Brisbane [6]. Other costs of living such as groceries, eating out and utilities tend to be less expensive than Sydney and Melbourne but a little pricier than Adelaide and Canberra.
Moving to Brisbane from India
Moving to Australia from India will likely result in a better standard of living. Although the cost of living is higher in Australia, wages are significantly higher than in India, meaning you have greater purchasing power. This is important for the many expats who send money to family back home.
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