Close X
Thursday, November 28, 2024
ADVT 
International

Sikh Population In Australia Grows By 78 Per Cent In Five Years

Darpan News Desk IANS, 30 Jun, 2017 02:01 PM
    The population of Sikhs in Australia has grown by 75% in five years, according to the census 2016 data released by the Australian government over this week.
     
     
    With 1.26 lakh followers – up from 72,000 five years ago – Sikhism is now the fifth largest religion of the country, after Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism.
     
     
    In the 2006 census, Sikhism was not even among 20 religions recorded in Australia. As compared to the 2006 census that had recorded just about 26,000 Sikhs, there has been a five-fold rise in the community’s numbers Down Under in a decade.
     
     
    The migration of Sikhs to Australia dates back to 150 years, but the past decade has seen a massive surge of student migration rather than skilled migration, from Punjab.
     
     
    The rush Down Under on student visa is seen as passport to permanent residency. Lack of employment opportunities in India and the lure of better lifestyle are the driving factors.
     
     
    Though the latest census shows the Sikhs forming 0.5% of Australia’s 2.4 crore population, a sizeable number of them may still not be permanent citizens of this country.
     
     
    The last census of 2011 shows that the largest component of Sikhs was living on rent because they didn’t own a home and a majority represented the newly arrived student community.
     
     
    Australian immigration law has toughened up considerably since 2009. Skill lists, visa rules, and permanent residency requirements have changed rapidly. Despite that, the huge influx of new Sikh and Punjabi-speaking arrivals has continued in a steep upward trajectory in the last five years, with Victoria emerging as the destination of choice for them.
     
     
    Victoria, with Melbourne as its capital, is home to 52,762 Sikhs, followed by New South Wales ( 31,737), Queensland (17,433), Western Australia (11,897), South Australia (8,808) and Canberra (2,142). Northern Territory and Tasmania have a smaller population of under 700 Sikhs each.
     
     
     
     
     
    Hinduism, another religion with its roots in India, has grown three-fold since the 2006 census which recorded 1.48 lakh Hindus in Australia.
     
     
    The latest census data has recorded 4.4 lakh Hindus – a little less than 2% of the country’s population. Hindus are more densely populated in New South Wales with Sydney as its capital.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Pakistan 'Harbouring Terrorists' In Afghanistan To Counter Indian Influence: Top US Official

    Pakistan 'Harbouring Terrorists' In Afghanistan To Counter Indian Influence: Top US Official
    Pakistan holds terrorist organisations in reserve to ensure Afghanistan does not lean towards India, a top US defence official said.

    Pakistan 'Harbouring Terrorists' In Afghanistan To Counter Indian Influence: Top US Official

    Indian Woman Who Alleged Forced Marriage To Pak Man Allowed To Return: Report

    Indian Woman Who Alleged Forced Marriage To Pak Man Allowed To Return: Report
    Indian woman Uzma who accused Pakistani man of forcibly marrying her has been allowed to return to India, a media report said.

    Indian Woman Who Alleged Forced Marriage To Pak Man Allowed To Return: Report

    Indian-Origin Sikh Cabbie Pardeep Singh 'Racially Abused', Assaulted In Australia

    Indian-Origin Sikh Cabbie Pardeep Singh 'Racially Abused', Assaulted In Australia
    An Indian cab driver was assaulted and beaten unconscious in the Australian state of Tasmania by two passengers who yelled racial slurs at him.

    Indian-Origin Sikh Cabbie Pardeep Singh 'Racially Abused', Assaulted In Australia

    Justin Trudeau Photobombs Students' Prom Photo Shoot In Vancouver

    Justin Trudeau Photobombs Students' Prom Photo Shoot In Vancouver
    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's official photographer posted a photo to Twitter on Friday, depicting Canada's leader out for a jog along the city's seawall.

    Justin Trudeau Photobombs Students' Prom Photo Shoot In Vancouver

    Traps Set, Trails Closed After Bear Attacks Hiker Near Squamish, B.C.

    Traps Set, Trails Closed After Bear Attacks Hiker Near Squamish, B.C.
    Trails were closed in a mountain community north of Vancouver after a bear attacked a hiker.

    Traps Set, Trails Closed After Bear Attacks Hiker Near Squamish, B.C.

    Gay Indian-Origin Miniter Leo Varadkar Leads Race To Become New Irish Prime Minister

    Gay Indian-Origin Miniter Leo Varadkar Leads Race To Become New Irish Prime Minister
    The 38-year-old will face Housing Minister Simon Coveney after nominations closed for the leadership of the governing centre-right Fine Gael party, reported Sky News on Saturday.

    Gay Indian-Origin Miniter Leo Varadkar Leads Race To Become New Irish Prime Minister