News Release

3/68

FROM THE MINISTER FOR IMMIGRATION

PRESS STATE EN BY THE i:IIN SLER FOR II i IGRATION

THE HON . EB.H. SNEDDEN . I.0 , M.P.

A record number of 10,533 Britons last month applied to

migrate to Australia, the Minister for Immigration, i,Ir. Snedden, said today.

This was 2,095 above the December, 1966, figure, and 1,538

more than the provious highest December figure of 8,995 in 1962.

"This exciting increase continues the dramatic rise in British

applications which started last November." lira Snedden said.

"The record British figures are in line with mounting

applications Q lurope in the latter half of 1967 and will be reflected in

the number of new settlers arriving; in Australia later this year."

Mr_ Snedden said that the success of the thrust for migrants in Britain followed new riteasurss introduced since his visit there last June.

There hi=d been a lull in the application rate until the last two months of 1967. This was to be expected following three years of

iflTGGflSiva activity during which 210,000 assisted British settlers had arrived in Australia,

Following the signing of a new five-year migration agreement

with the British Government, new 'cgional offices were being opened and

information, publicity and counselling services had been expanded.

hr. Snedden said that although the total British application

figures for assisted passages in 1967 had decreased from 155,720 to 115,686,

the upswing towards the end of the year clearly indicated a climb back to the

high application rate which made possible the record number of 210,000

assisted British migrants in the three years to 30 June 1967.

'While it will naturally take time for the full effect of all

new measures to be felt, the vastly encouraging early '-rend in the applicat-ion rate is a distinct pointer to further success in the migration programme," Mr. Snedden said.

Applications in Europe for the five months to the end of

November, 1967, were 27,829 compared with 19,126 in the corresponding period in 1966.

Figures so far available for December showed -that -the upward

trend in applications in Europe continued to gather momentum following new and more generous assisted passage arrangements introduced in various

European countries last year.

Department of Immigration, CANBERRA A.C.T.

7 January 1968.

