Skilled Migration From India To Australia: Historically Speaking

[This article is based on the excerpts from Aei4eiA's research titled Merrh-ma ~ Samanvaya: Socio-Economic Impacts of Indian Migration To Australia (2015)]

Today, Indian Community is one of the fastest growing communities in Australia. Over 700,000 strong, Australia’s Indian diaspora, comprising both Australians of Indian origin and Indians resident in Australia, had been playing and will play a significant role in the socio-economic development of Australia (DFAT, 2018). Even in 2019–20, India was the largest source citizenship country of migrants with 25,698 places of which 22,170 skilled migrants (Department of Home Affairs, 2020).

In this article, we take a quick look back through the pages of history gathering a few interesting facts on skilled migration from India to Australia.

It has recently come to light that Australia and India has a connection dating back to 130 million years. It is said that once upon a time both these countries were land-locked. Recent geological evidences prove that they were once part of the ancient super-continent- Gondwana. There is also archaeological evidence of a significant interaction between some of the Aboriginal People of the Kimberleys and Central India, including skilled artisans.

Between 1801 and 1850, the British Empire had a strong presence in the region especially in east of India. Now, with the establishment of a colony in Australia, trade and communication between these colonial cousins were established. Ships sailed between the two continents. The trade was built initially under a monopoly arrangement with the East India Company. Calcutta authorised all movements. By now Lascars (Indian seamen) were employed in large numbers (an average of 84% as on 1821) as crews on all British sailing ship routes between India and Australia. Did you know, Lascars, were skilful seafarers who often guided and assisted their European employers in their long and difficult voyages (Goodall et al, 2008).

The period between 1851 and the late 1860s (popularly known as the period of Victorian gold rush) was remarkable in the history of Australian migration. In 10 years, the Australian population nearly tripled. It was during this period that goldfields were discovered in the state of Victoria. Indians were called in to work in the goldfields. Between the years 1860 and 1900 more Indians arrived. The 1881 census records 998 people who were born in India, by 1891 this had grown to over 1700. They were hawkers, cameleers, gardeners, lascars, teachers, and even Indian oculist, doctors and alternative medicine practitioners (Workpermit.com, 2009) (Mukherjee Saha, 2013). History will always remember the remarkable story of Thomas James- a young educated immigrant man of Indian ancestry who arrived between 1876 and 1881. He became an active Methodist, married a Yorta Yorta woman from a high profile political family at the Cumergunja Aboriginal community on the Murray River. He kindled relationship with the local Aboriginal community, became a school teacher and made significant contributions by spreading literacy among the community, thereby becoming a role model (Goodall, 2008).

Inauguration of steam-engine driven ship communication between India and Australia in 1852 further facilitated trade, commerce and people-to-people links between the countries. The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) regularly and reliably delivered mail, passenger and cargo services between Australia and India (P&O, 2010). In steam communication, Indians were not only steam engine operators but also skilled sea- farers (P&O, 2010). Recent research by military historians have also noted that over 5000 highly skilled Indian army men fought as a part of, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) during Gallipoli war in 1915.

Post India's independence in 1947, non-ethnic India-born British and Anglo-Indians migrated to Australia in large numbers (UTAS, 2006). The Anglo Indians had technical skills mainly in railways and postal and telegraph services and those skills were then needed in Australia. In recent years, India has become one of the major sources of skilled migration to Australia.

Migrants contribute to the three factors of economic growth – population, participation, and productivity. They lower the population age profile, add to the size of the labour force, have high labour force participation rates, bring much needed skills and bring innovation and entrepreneurship and, through their contacts, help make business and trade connections overseas (DIBP, 2014, p 19). From the Gondwana days through to the period of Gold rush, lascars, cameleers to the modern days of skilled-migrants, the social and economic returns from Indian migration to Australia are substantial. A recent report also recognised the highly-skilled Australian Indian diaspora as a national economic asset (DFAT, 2018).

References
Department of Home Affairs, (2020), 2019 – 20 Migration Program Report Program year to 30 June 2020
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) (2018), India Economic Strategy to 2035
Goodall, H (2008), ‘Landscapes of meaning: views from within the Indian Archipelago, Transforming’, Cultures eJournal, Vol. 3 No 1, February 2008.
Mukherjee Saha, J (2013), Experience Australia: Reflections from the Indian community, Aei4eiA, Sydney, Australia.
Peninsular and Oriental Team Navigation Company (P&O) (2010), Shipping company: Brief History, P&O Steam Navigation Company.
University of Tasmania (UTAS) (2006), The Companion to Tasmanian history, Centre for Tasmanian Historical Studies.
Workpermit.com (2009), Indian immigration to Australia, viewed 25 October 2013 Available online at <http://www.workpermit.com/news/2009-08-31/australia/indian-immigration-to-australia.htm>