Studying in kangaroo country. The idea appeals to an increasing number of Mauritians. Every year, the number of young people going to Australia is on the rise. Recruiting agencies have noted a 20 % increase compared to 2006. And surprisingly enough, more and more people choose vocational rather than university studies.

“I went to Australia last year to study hair-dressing. If I had some difficulty finding my way at the beginning, I now feel very comfortable there,” Anouska relates. But what led this young woman who obtained her HSC in a well-known college of Plaine-Wilhems to go to study hairdressing in Australia?

“When I finish my studies, I am sure of having a job in Australia - which will allow me to settle here because I really don’t want to spend the rest of my life in Mauritius. A little job here has more of a future than going back to Mauritius with a big diploma,” she explains. And Anouska is not the only one to take advantage of this possibility.

This year, about a thousand people – most of them young people having obtained their secondary school certificate – have just gone or will go to Australia. Most of them will not come back. To have a better chance of obtaining a residence permit, they first consult the list of priority employment fields. This official document from the Australian authorities – available on www.dimia.gov.mu - gives the sectors where there is a high labour demand. Thanks to a recent change in legislation, foreigners going to Australia to study in one of these fields are authorised to apply for a work or residence permit. Australians really need skilled labour at the moment.

And an increasing number of Mauritians are taking advantage of this opportunity. “More and more people go for a two-year vocational course. A few years ago, 90 % of Mauritians used to enrol in universities. Now, the ratio is 50/50,” comments Avinash Poinen, a Mauritian who emigrated to Australia 20 years ago and is now executive manager of Auswize International, a recruiting agency in Mauritius for Australian higher education institutions.

Christine Faugoo, director of IDP Mauritius, agrees, “According to our statistics, 50 % of students enrol in technical colleges for courses such as mechanical engineering, cookery, hairdressing, hospitality management, to name just a few”.

The continuous loosening up of Australian immigration laws allows increasing numbers of Mauritians to settle there. In Melbourne alone, there are about 50,000 Mauritians. There are not far from 100,000 in the whole of Australia. “We do not suggest to people that they should emigrate but the Mauritian’s desire to do so is real. It would be untrue to say that all students who go there settle in Australia but there is a trend,” Christine Faugoo confides.

“The rising interest in vocational fields is partly due to the desire to settle,” she adds. And the will to put down their roots there is obviously really important. “We see people coming to the agency with 4As in the HSC and who choose pastry cookery or gardening with the objective of settling there after their studies,” confirms Avinash Poinen, adding, “Most students go there to settle”.

Even the most critical people may admit that Australia is conducive to immigration. “I feel well here. Besides the fact that the climate reminds me of my native Goodlands, I have discovered a completely different world with more open-minded people. The quality of life is excellent and I have no reason to complain,” Anouska smiles. “It is a lifestyle to which Mauritians can adapt easily,” confirms Christine Faugoo.

In order to obtain a university degree, one must pay 15,000 Australian dollars (Rs 375,000) a year. For a degree, people must count three years. A diploma, like the one offered by vocational institutions, can be obtained within two years and costs10,000 dollars (Rs 250,000). Students are allowed to work 20 hours a week to pay education fees, rent and other costs. “It is enough to cover the costs and part-time jobs are not lacking in Australia,” Christine Faugoo asserts.

The main local recruiting agencies do not make students pay for their services. “Universities and other institutions give us a commission for every student sent,” explains Avinash Poinen. Auswize International and IDP have offices in Australia where students can go if they have complaints. “We even offer free software for students where they can do a personality test to find their fields of interest to help them in their career choice,” Avinash Poinen declares. This software, which can be seen on www.wizecat.com.au, also allows people to have an idea of the salaries for a given job in the main towns of the world.