Australia is now the third most popular destination for international students around the world, according to latest Australian government statistics. Indeed, over the last ten years, Australia has recorded a dramatic increase in the number of international students who have come to study or work Down Under, with a peak in 2017.
Truth to be told though, the Australian dream is not as easy to achieve as it is often believed. YES, there are great work opportunities and YES Australia needs specific workers, such as chefs, IT or nurses, BUT if you wish to stay, work and/or study in Australia, a country with a strong economy and stable socio-political situation, you will need to learn English. English proficiency is, in fact, one of the requirements to obtain a work visa in Australia.
Like everywhere else, the native language of a country is tested in every aspect of a person’s life: From going shopping, visiting the doctor, and studying to managing one’s everyday interactions with any local, state or federal government department. At the start of their life in Australia, a lot of migrants tend to live and work within their own communities, where they can comfortably speak their native language and not worry about mingling with the locals. This microcosmic life, however, usually only lasts until they are offered the opportunity of a permanent visa, which comes along with the scary English proficiency exam. Do you really think that a customer at a restaurant will speak Italian to his Italian waiter? Unfortunately, not. This means that English proficiency is not only important to stay in Australia from a visa point of view, but it is a requirement to be able to find and perform a job.