Australia has long been a top destination for migrants all over the world to come for working, studying, and settling a new life. Australia prides itself in a safe environment, stable economy, high class educational and medical system, and multicultural demography. It also boasts many migration programs that encourage talents around to globe to come and develop their career in Australia.
During Covid19, Australia has once again proven its safe environment by successfully containing the virus with the possible minimal number of cases. In 2021, continuing its long-standing record, Australia has 4 cities ranked in the top ten most liveable cities in the world.
Let’s have a look at the cities that were ranked in the top ten and explore how to migrate to these cities in Australia.
The ten most liveable cities in the world
This is ranked annually by The Economist Intelligence Unit. If you have been following this survey for years, you will notice that many cities in Australia have been nominated in the top ten for many years. This is ranked based on different aspects of the cities, including the stability, healthcare, environment, education, and infrastructure.
Rank |
City |
Country |
Stability |
Healthcare |
Culture & Environment |
Education |
Infrastructure |
| 1 | Auckland | New Zealand | 95 | 95.8 | 97.9 | 100 | 92.9 |
| 2 | Osaka | Japan | 100 | 100 | 83.1 | 91.7 | 96.4 |
| 3 | Adelaide | Australia | 95 | 100 | 83.8 | 100 | 96.4 |
| 4 | Wellington | New Zealand | 95 | 91.7 | 95.1 | 100 | 89.3 |
| 5 | Tokyo | Japan | 93.7 | 100 | 84 | 91.7 | 92.9 |
| 6 | Perth | Australia | 93.7 | 100 | 78.2 | 100 | 100 |
| 7 | Zurich | Switzerland | 93.3 | 100 | 85.9 | 83.3 | 96.4 |
| 8 | Geneva | Switzerland | 92.8 | 100 | 84.5 | 83.3 | 96.4 |
| 8 | Melbourne | Australia | 92.5 | 83.3 | 88.2 | 100 | 100 |
| 10 | Brisbane | Australia | 92.5 | 100 | 85.9 | 100 | 85.7 |
This year, Adelaide has taken over big cities like Melbourne and Sydney to be ranked the third in the top ten, and obviously the first in Australia. Perth and Brisbane secure their 6th and 10th spots respectively in the top ten, while Melbourne drops 7 rates to sit at the eighth spot.
Noticeable, the 4 cities of Australia score the perfect score, 100, in education (another reason for international students to choose Australia to study abroad), and healthcare (except for Melbourne).
If you are planning to move to one of these cities in Australia, there are many pathways that you can investigate. The most popular migration programs for permanent residency are skilled migration visas. You can either start by studying a high demand course in these cities, or if you already have a skills and work experience in demand, you can start your application now. While Melbourne (Victoria) and Brisbane (Queensland) have more quota for skilled migrations, Perth (Western Australia) and Adelaide (South Australia) have more relaxing migration policies.
Related:
Migrate to Adelaide – South Australia
South Australia offers a relaxed, safe, family-friendly lifestyle where you can achieve true work-life balance, centrally located on mainland Australia. It boasts pristine natural landscapes and a beautiful climate that presents residents with great opportunities to explore South Australia’s regions, year round. So, whether you are starting or furthering your career, growing your business, or wanting better lifestyle opportunities for you and your family, South Australia has more to offer.
South Australia offers state nomination and endorsement pathways across a range of visa options for skilled and business migrants, and local businesses.
There are several streams leading to permanent residency in South Australia. Whether you are talent and innovators, or currently working in South Australia, or you are international graduate from an South Australia university, you might assess your situation and start your application now.
To know more details about South Australia migration program, see:
- South Australia State Nominated Occupation Lists
- South Australia nomination requirements for 491 visa
Migrate to Perth – Western Australia
Western Australia, the largest state in Australia, is known as a new built states with high standard infrastructure, and more to be built in the future. Although Perth is a quiet city, its GDP and average income is high due to many mining and construction jobs offered throughout the states. This place is the only place with a positive growth rate and lowest rate of unemployment during the pandemic.
Western Australia offers 2 streams for migration. Its focus is more on those who have graduated from a Western Australia university, and those who have ongoing job offered in the state.
General stream: if you have 1 year working experience in a occupation in the relevant list, and have a 1 year job offer in WA, you might be eligible to apply for this stream.
Graduate stream: if you have studied in WA for at least 2 years, and have at least 6 month work experience in a skilled occupation in the relevant list or 6 month job offer in WA, you might be eligible to apply for this stream.
Migrate Melbourne – Victoria
Although Victoria has been allocated more places for skilled migration compared to other states (except for NSW), the competition is relatively high. This results in either that you will have to score a very high point to increase your chance of getting the nomination, or move to regional areas within Victoria. Unlike Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne is not classified as regional area in Australia, and therefore, there will be some more challenges in migrating to this city.
During current Covid19 situation, however, if you are working in medical sector, you are more likely to get the nomination from the state compared to other occupations. To receive a nomination to apply for a visa from Victoria government, one of the key requirements is that you have to currently be living and working in any places within the state. The state migration program is not open for those who are not in Australia, or in other states of Australia. Therefore, you must first make your move to Victoria before your can consider starting your application.
To know more about Victoria skilled visa requirements, see here:
- Victoria’s 2020-21 skilled visa nomination program (subclass 190 and 491)
- Victoria’s Skilled Occupation List
Migrate to Brisbane – Queensland
Every day, the Queensland lifestyle entices people to visit, work and settle from all over the world. Known as Australia’s ‘Sunshine State,’ Queensland towns and cities are some of the most liveable in the world. The state offers a high standard of living with:
- a stable economy
- affordable housing
- world class education system and advanced health services
- modern infrastructure of roads and public transport
- a safe place for you and your family to live
- only state in Australia with 6 international airports
- perfect beaches, national parks, and the ‘outback’
- a subtropical and tropical climate
- a vibrant cosmopolitan, arts and cultural scene
- and an eclectic mix of differently friendly cultures ready to make you feel at home.
Brisbane is not considered regional area and migrating to this city can be more difficult due to high competition. The skilled migration and business migration in Queensland are currently closed to new application, until further notice.
The top 10 most liveable cities in the world, and their scores according to The Global Liveability Index 2019, 2018 and 2017, were:
| Rank |
Year 2019 |
Year 2018 |
Year 2017 |
| 1 | Vienna, Austria (99.1) | Vienna, Austria (99.1) | Melbourne, Australia |
| 2 | Melbourne, Australia (98.4) | Melbourne, Australia (98.4) | Vienna, Austria |
| 3 | Sydney, Australia (98.1) | Osaka, Japan (97.7) | Vancouver, Canada |
| 4 | Osaka, Japan (97.7) | Calgary, Canada (97.5) | Toronto, Canada |
| 5 | Calgary, Canada (97.5) | Sydney, Australia (97.4) | Calgary, Canada |
| 6 | Vancouver, Canada (97.3) | Vancouver, Canada (97.3) | Adelaide, Australia |
| 7 | Tokyo, Japan (97.2 tie) | Toronto, Canada (97.2) | Perth, Australia |
| 8 | Toronto, Canada (97.2 tie) | Tokyo, Japan (97.2) | Auckland, New Zealand |
| 9 | Copenhagen, Denmark (96.8) | Copenhagen, Denmark (96.8) | Helsinki, Finland |
| 10 | Adelaide, Australia (96.6) | Adelaide, Australia (96.6) | Hamburg, Germany |
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