It's official -- Donald Trump hasn't sparked a mass American exodus to Australia..... yet.
In the leadup to the U.S. election last November, and in the wake of Trump's unexpected win, many Americans started making the same joke:
Countless American citizens started talking about high-tailing it out of the United States if Trump won the presidency. Whether as a joke, or as a serious proposal, lots of Americans got talking about it; in the wake of the election on November 8, the terms 'A
Even the NT News got in on the act:
Well, the official figures are in, and it seems those Americans were all talk. The Australian Bureau of Statistics released its regular report on immigration figures, Overseas Arrivals and Departures, on Tuesday. The figures, accurate up to April, show that migration to Australia from the U.S. in recent months has been astoundingly normal.
In April, just 80 people classed as "Permanent Movement, Settlers" came to Australia from the U.S. In March, 80; in February, 90; in January, the month of Trump's inauguration, 80; in December 2016, 120; and in November 2016, the month of Trump's election win, just 80.
These numbers are actually down on the year before. In April 2016, 100 people came to Australia in this category; March had 110, February and January 120, December 2015 saw 140 Americans come to Australia as permanent settlers, and 100 in November.
However, over the same time period, more Americans visited Australia on short trips, according to stats from the 'Short-term Movement, Visitor' table.
In April, 65,800 people from America came here -- in April 2016, there were 57,600. January 2017 saw 62,000 visit, up on the 56,100 in January 2016. November 2016 had 61,300 Americans visit, compared to 54,100 in November 2015.
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