In March 2019, the federal government announced a slew of measures to increase migration to regional Australia, including the introduction of dedicated regional visas and increasing the number of places reserved for the regions.
Incentives are offered to international students to take up studies at regional universities, offering them additional years of post-study work visas, in order to wean them away from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
But how easy or difficult is it for aspiring migrants or students from India to settle down in Australia’s regional areas?
Are there enough educational and employment opportunities in regional Australia to justify their big move to places that are often said to be underpopulated? Are there enough jobs to keep them gainfully occupied or good educational and recreational facilities for their children?
And because they are underpopulated, will incoming migrants see a fair number of people from their community to feel at home? Or to ward off homesickness? Celebrate their religious and cultural festivals?
Such questions are bound to rise in the minds of those who give wings to their dreams of settling in a foreign land.
SBS Punjabi caught up with one such Punjabi family which had answers to all these questions.
Meet the Anands of Darwin.
They migrated from Mumbai to Sydney in 1992, to start with. Following the recession in 1996, they looked for greener pastures up north and finally docked in Darwin.
Jasminder Anand, 59, works as a Senior Marine Advisor with Inpex, a Japanese oil and gas company in Darwin. His wife, Amarjit, also 59, is an audiologist with Northern Territory’s Department of Health.
Both these professions are highly specialised and require uncommon skillsets.
While that can be a something to feel proud of, at the same time, it can be challenging too when looking for a job in regional Australia, where employment opportunities are few and far between.
“We moved to Darwin because Jasminder had already got a job here. But for me, it took some time,” says Mrs Anand, who has been in this profession since her Mumbai days.
Specialised professions follow a cycle in regional areas, says she. “There are phases when job seekers outnumber jobs and vice versa, because often, there aren’t enough jobs and at other times, there aren’t that many people to fill job vacancies,” says she, highlighting a challenge that skilled and highly-skilled professionals in regional areas often face.
“One has to do thorough research before taking the final decision to move to regional Australia. Landing up lock, stock and barrel to explore opportunities is risky. But once you have narrowed down your choices, the opportunities to excel can be immense in places where there’s no cut-throat competition for jobs and resources. Regional areas are a sword that cuts both ways,” says Jasminder.
Together, they have 31-year-old son, Karan, who is a director in the global corporate giant, Deloitte. The only child of his parents, he lives in big-town Sydney, thousands of kilometres and a few hours’ flying-time away from his parents.
“I grew up in Sydney and Darwin. Darwin is a lovely place. The community is so warm and friendly. Everyone knows everyone. But as I grew up, as a family, we realised that if one is ambitious and wants to do well during his youth, staying on in regional areas might not be a good idea. So I went to pursue my studies in University of New South Wales and here I am! I know it was and continues to be difficult for my parents that I’m far away from them,” says Karan.
Being a devout community, Indians, especially Punjabis, yearn to have a place of worship nearby so that their religious and cultural practices can be continued as they did back in India. Also, they tend to gravitate towards people who share their culture.
“There has been a Hindu temple in Darwin since long but we got a gurdwara only in 2018. Prior to that, for years, the Punjabi community would get together every fortnight for Sukhmani Sahib paath at someone’s house by turn. When we arrived in Darwin, there were hardly five Punjabi families. Now we have around 300 in Darwin and Alice Springs too,” says Jasminder.
According to the 2016 census, Northern Territory’s population of Indian origin was around 3,500. Although Darwin is the state capital, Alice Springs, the next big city of the state has registered a higher growth of Indians. 
How did Northern Perritory people react to Sikhs, back in the 1990s due to their distinctive persona?
The Anand family at an Indian wedding in Darwin. Source: Supplied
Karan says that he learned to coexist with the stares he got as a child. “Initially, it was odd. But then you adjust to it. I feel a sense of confidence now when people look at me. It then becomes a responsibility to live up to the sabat surat (turban and unshorn hair according to Sikh tradition) that Guruji has given us. I know people can get intimidated but that is also a state of mind,” says he.
So, does the Anand family advise aspiring migrants to opt for regional Australia?
“Absolutely! We don’t know what peak-hour traffic is. Everyone knows everyone. People reach out during good and bad times. If you are good in your profession and there are jobs vacant, you can rise up the ladder fast because there’s no cut-throat competition. Life is better than big cities, minus Myer and David Jones,” laughs Mrs Anand, evidently a shopping enthusiast.
Her husband adds an insightful detail: “people say that Australia’s north is very hot. But for Indians who are not from the north, the weather of Darwin is very similar to coastal India, like Mumbai or Kolkata or Chennai. It’s the same weather minus the pollution. So it is easy for most Indians to settle into.”
Generous as most people of the Punjabi community are, Mr Anand says that he and his family are available for any help aspiring migrants may need to decide in making regional Australia their new home.
To listen to this interview in Punjabi, click on the player at the top of the page.
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