Speaking of the Hindu Diaspora in Australia (original) (raw)
Journal of Dharma studies, 2020
The Indian Diaspora: Hindus and Sikhs in Australia makes an immensely significant contribution to knowledge, policy awareness and social appreciation in Australia on the Indian migrants. The compendium developed under three themes: The Hindu Diaspora, The Sikh Community in Australia, and General Reflections on the Indian Diaspora in Australia are also enriched with two resourceful appendices: The Importance of Diasporas; and 'Afghan Cameleers' and 'Indian Hawkers' and the Settlement of Australia: Race, Gender and the South Asian Colonial Diaspora. It features a rich array of 15 chapters that capture the historical lineage of the early Indians up to the current times. Based on interviews and surveys of the migrants, meticulous archival research, judicious examination of public sources and the use of both the qualitative and quantitative analysis, this book makes a vital contribution in understanding the role of the Indian diaspora in Australia. In the introduction, Bilimoria contextualizes the historical antecedents related to migratory processes, the circumstances and the challenges faced during the early migration. He takes the reader through an excursion of history on the Indian diaspora's involvement in camel rearing, mining, agriculture and the service sector in Australia. This chapter highlights a valuable account of the major boost to the Indian migration that took place after the rolling-back of the White Australia policy in 1973. Subsequent chapters trace the trajectory of the Indian diaspora. Notwithstanding the Muslim and Sikh being independent religious denominations, the British labelled all Indians as 'Hindoo' in 1830 (p.64). The labour shortage in the British colonies led to 'coolie' migration in 1779, indentured labour in 1837, and Ghans for camel handling in the latter half of the 19th century. Of significance, the volume highlights the fortitude of
Hindu (South Asian) Diaspora In Australia and New Zealand
The article maps the contours of Hinduism in the two major antipodean nations, Australia and New Zealand, highlighting some specific features of the socioreligious history and experiences of Sanatanis or adherents of the sanātanadharma (eternal sacred law). The following profile is contextualized in the background of South Asian diaspora during the colonial period.
Transglobalism of Self-exiled Hindus: The Case of Australia
Religion Compass, 2007
Hindu diaspora is now a global phenomenon, from the early immigrant experience as coolie labourers through the transnational movement of professional Hindus/ Indians to many corners of the globe. In this paper, I intend to contextualize Hindu diaspora experience in Australia in the broader theoretical thinking on transnational migration, globalization and heterogeneity. One concern is to understand how distinctive is the religious diaspora experience of Hindus in Australia from those of the international South Asia diaspora. Much literature on South Asians in the West neglect religion, while recent studies disclose the considerable prominence of religion in various communities, especially in comparison with the secularizing tendencies typical of many white societies.
Jumping Ship: Indians, Aborigines and Australians Across the Indian Ocean
Transforming Cultures Ejournal, 2008
Relationships between South Asians and Australians during the colonial period have been little investigated. Closer attention to the dramatically expanded sea trade after 1850 and the relatively uncontrolled movement of people, ideas and goods which occurred on them, despite claims of imperial regulation, suggests that significant numbers of Indians among others entered Australia outside the immigration restrictions of empire or settlers.
I still call Australia Home? Indian Christians negotiate their faith in Australia
Diaspora Christianities: Global Gathering and Scattering of South Asian Christians, 2018
Indian Christians practice ancestral faith while attempting to remain loyal to their new homeland --Australia. I review diaspora studies to provide theoretical foundations for the study on the Indian Christian diaspora. I then focus on two brief case studies of Indian Christian communities in Perth to draw out some of the salient features and characteristics of Indian Christianity in Australia.
Pillar of Changed Relationship? Australia’s New Indian Diaspora
ISAS Insights, 2020
The Indian diaspora in Australia has expanded rapidly in the last 20 years to 750,000 people today. This has been possible due to India’s own economic reforms in the 1990s and Australia becoming an attractive education destination to Indians. While, in the past, these two countries did not share a flourishing bilateral relationship, the time now seems ripe to build strong links between them.
The Recent Transformation of Indian Skilled Migration to Australia
2018
Recent Indian migrants constitute an extraordinary talent reservoir for Australia. They are characterised by high labour market participation, earnings and employment rates. They have the potential to offer a 'productivity premium' given their relative youth, level of English, tertiary training (with many qualified in Australia), and acculturation. At the same time they face significant barriers to securing initial work in their field. The scale of future intakes is also jeopardised by current skilled migration policy changes. These have particular significance for Indian IT workers entering Australian on a temporary sponsored basis. In the past decade Indian migrants have emerged as Australia's primary skilled migration resource. From 2008-09 to 2016-17 114,640 primary applicants (PAs) secured new grants in the permanent skilled migration program, far exceeding the scale awarded to Australia's other top source countries (the UK, China, the Philippines, Ireland and Malaysia). Within this period India simultaneously became Australia's second top source of temporary primary applicants, with 96,212 of new grants -only marginally less dominant than the UK, and far exceeding the scale of grants to Australia's next major source countries (Ireland, the USA, the Philippines and China). As established by national census data, new Indian migrants have also been disproportionately young, male, clustered in Victoria and New South Wales, and tertiary-qualified (with a remarkable 80% holding post-school qualifications compared to 56% of Australia's overall population). Despite these advantages, as demonstrated by this paper, recent Indian migrants face significant employment challenges. First, many have qualified in Australia in seriously over-supplied fields, impeding early access to professional positions (most notably in IT, business/ commerce, and accounting). Second, their recent scale of migration has been driven by the IT sector, rendering it highly vulnerable to any downturn in demand. Exemplifying this, an extraordinary 52,059 temporary and 34,591 permanent Indian IT workers were selected from 2008-09 to 2016-17 -vastly exceeding new grant rates for the UK (the next largest temporary IT source country with 3,553 PAs), and China (the next largest permanent source with7,775 PAs). Third, reduced Australian employer demand is evident in select other fields, most notably in medicine (where Indian migrants' share of new permanent grants dropped from 24% to 9%, and for new temporary grants from 21% to 10% in this nine year period). Finally, Australia's March 2018 refinement of the temporary skilled migration program, aligned with stronger labour market testing, has potential major consequences. Most notably 21 IT fields will become eligible for just two (rather than four) year visas, with no scope to apply for transition to permanent resident status. While Australia's recently announced Global Talent Scheme will allow some softening, these policy changes seem certain to reduce flows in a range of IT, business and commerce, nursing and medical occupations in which Indian migrants have recently been prominent. Young, tertiary-qualified Indian migrants constitute an extraordinary workforce resource for Australia, should their skills be effectively utilised. The scale of Indian skilled migration was surprisingly modest to Australia for decades, following the abolition of the White Australia Policy in 1973. In the five years to 1985 a mere 142 accountants, 129 computer science professionals, 93 electrical engineers, 79 doctors, 58 mechanical engineers, 43 lawyers, 24 nurses, 11 civil engineers, 9 architects and 9 dentists were admitted across all Australian immigration categories (spanning skilled, family and humanitarian entry). Indian arrivals have surged since, reflecting the rapid expansion and 'Asianisation' of Australia's skilled migration policy (with up to 14 of the top 20 recent source countries located within the Asia-Pacific region). From 1996 to 2006 49,106 degree-qualified Indian migrants arrived, with India emerging as Australia's second top source after the UK/Ireland (most notably IT professionals, engineers and accountants). The decade since has seen unprecedented growth in Indian skilled arrivals. From 2006 to 2011 a further 68,608 degree-qualified migrants were selected, along with substantial numbers in vocational fields. By the time of the 2011 Census 295,362 India-born people were resident in Australia -more than double the number in 2006, with around three-quarters (73%) present for less than ten years. Beyond their striking recency of arrival, Indian migrants were also disproportionately: • Location -Clustered in Victoria (111,787) and NSW (94,387), trailed by Queensland (30,259) and Western Australia (29,915), with only very modest numbers resident in other states. • Age and gender -Male (56%) and young, with a median age of 31 years (compared to 37 years for the Australia-born and 45 years for all migrants). • English -Characterised by excellent English ability (with 93% of Indians using a first language other than English at home speaking English well or very well). • Qualified -Tertiary qualified, with a remarkable 80% holding post-school qualifications (compared to just 56% of Australia's overall population). • Skilled -Reflecting this around half working in skilled, managerial, professional or trade positions if employed (48%, near identical to the rate of the Australia-born, despite Indian migrants' recency of arrival). • Remunerated -Impressive earners, securing a median weekly age of 663forthoseworking(farexceedingthe663 for those working (far exceeding the 663forthoseworking(farexceedingthe577 median for the Australia-born and $538 for all resident migrants) 1 . The potential impact of Indian migration on key professions was highly significant by this time. In the five years to 2011, India had become Australia's primary source for degree-qualified migrants in eight major fields (business/commerce, IT, accounting, engineering, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and physiotherapy), and the second top source in nursing and education. In numerical terms Indian arrivals in business/commerce and IT dominated, delivering 13,691 and 11,821 workers respectively, followed by accounting (8,751) and engineering (8,108). (See Table .) Despite Indian migrants' impressive human capital attributes, labour market participation rates and minimal unemployment levels, significant challenges were evident by 2011 in access to Australian professional positions in the first five years. While more successful than recent Chinese migrants qualified in identical fields, they lagged behind UK migrants, with outcomes worse than for overall 1