London exodus as Australians return home for jobs and sun

From taking over entire districts with rowdy bars and crowded house-shares to antagonising the English by boasting of their sporting prowess, the Aussies have made an indelible mark on the capital.

Now, for the first time in more than three decades, they are returning home in droves.

The Times has learnt that record numbers of Antipodeans are leaving Britain and its economic gloom for better job opportunities - and nicer weather - back home.

According to the Australian Government’s Immigration Department, an average of 2,700 Australians are leaving each month, up from 1,750 a month in 2005. In the 12 months to June, 13,062 Australians applied for working holiday visas compared with more than 27,000 two years ago.

In the 1970s and 1980s, waves of Australians were pulling pints and cramming into flats in Earls Court, earning the West London suburb the nickname Kangaroo Valley.

In recent years, thousands of professional, educated Australians have been enticed to Britain by the strong pound, the opportunity to travel and the superior job opportunities - particularly in London’s financial sector.

But with mass redundancies, a plummeting currency and the poor economic outlook, there is an exodus from the Square Mile.

While major financial companies are shedding jobs in London, Australia’s economy is significantly more robust. With a A$21.7 billion surplus, Kevin Rudd, the Prime Minister, is forecasting modest growth and believes that he can stave off recession.

Bernard Salt, KPMG’s leading analyst of Australian demographic trends, said that with skills shortages and low unemployment at 4.7 per cent, Australia was seen as a safe option. “The economic crisis has had blanket coverage in Washington, New York and London,” he said. “Back in Australia, it’s come off page 1 of the papers.” However, he gave warning that Australia, too, was not necessarily the financial Utopia that many believed and there was a false sense of security.

“All is forgiven, come home - that’s the call from the colonies. But do it quick smart before Christmas, because things may well start to deteriorate here.”

Oliver Harris, of Robert Walters recruitment, one of the biggest employers of Antipodeans in London, said: “Two or three years ago, it would take [Australians] one week to get a job. Now it will take a month. A lot will be heading home for Christmas, leaving dark and wet London.”

Jason Cartwright, of Link Global Recruitment, based in Melbourne, said that the introduction of the highly skilled migrant programme may also account for some of the decline, with some Australian immigrants shifting to a different visa.

“However we haven’t noticed this very much. The visible trend is the massive decline in people going to the UK, regardless of what visa they are on,” he said.

“In October 2007, we sent 240 candidates to the UK to put in front of our clients. In October this year we only sent 11. The economy and job uncertainty is definitely a major motivator to return – by contrast, immediately after the July 7 bombings and terror alerts, we did not see an increase in departures.”

The decreasing number of Australians applying for visas has also been attributed to the widening gap between the “mother country” and the colonies, with increasing number of Australians having no English ancestors.Mr Salt said: “London will continue to attract Australians and Kiwis and others for decades to come. Some might be drifting back home now but, after the recession, the numbers will be back bigger than ever.”

Meanwhile, many Britons are looking for greener pastures abroad, with expatriate associations reporting a surge of interest.

Earlier this year the South Australian government took out a series of newspaper adverts to entice Britons to Adelaide. Under the headings “Sod London House Prices”, “Screw Working in Staines” and “Stuff London Traffic”, they promised fine weather, cheap houses, glorious beaches and excellent universities in the state’s capital. More recently it has appealed to single British women with a series of speed dating nights, promising to match them with eligible Australians.