Australia among best migration destinations

SYDNEY - Australia is one of the best migration destinations for young people, respondents to a global opinion poll say.

The latest survey of the Pew Global Attitudes Project asked 17,000 people in 16 countries about their attitudes to the US.

Respondents were also asked where they would advise a young person to move to lead a good life.

The poll found the US had lost its image as the land of opportunity, with only India rating it the most popular country to migrate to.

Australians were not polled, but Australia topped the ratings in four countries: Britain (31 per cent), Canada (18 per cent), the Netherlands (16 per cent) and Germany (11 per cent), The Sydney Morning Herald reported today.

Canada was the most highly regarded destination in the US, France and China.

Australia ranked the highest among the British. But even for Canadians, whose country has a record of large-scale immigration, Australia ranked highly.

Australia also ranked second, tied with the US, among the Chinese polled.

Australia, Canada, Britain and Germany were more frequently recommended as first choices than the US.

The poll was conducted from April 20 to May 31. The project, conducted by the Washington, DC-based Pew Research Centre, is headed by former secretary of state Madeleine Albright and former Republican senator and ambassador to the UN John Danforth.

http://pewglobal.org/

- AAP