Migration to regional Australia helps Indian migrant to pursue the passion for farming

Many migrants to Australia prefer to settle down in regional Australia to escape the city life hustle and they have carved out a successful life and career even after moving away from the big cities. One of them is Jaswinder Singh Dhaliwal who moved to Mildura, a regional city in northwest Victoria.

Mr. Dhaliwal moved with his family to Mildura to take up the cultivation and harvesting of grapes on 52 acres of land. The move helped Mr. Dhaliwal take up agribusiness which he claims is his passion.

Move to Mildura

 Mr. Dhaliwal does not regret his move to Mildura, “We are living a very peaceful life. Our family prefers rural life as compared to the hustle and bustle of the city. Moving here was a unanimous decision by our family and we have never regretted making this choice.”

He came to Australia in 2008 and was initially working in Brisbane as a taxi driver and was later part of a cleaning business in Queensland.

He got his permanent residency in 2016 and decided to pursue his passion for farming which has been a family tradition back in his home state of Punjab, India.

 Mr. Dhaliwal says his family was very much a part of his decision to move to Australia. This is because he wanted to take his family’s approval and move to a regional area after prior preparation rather than regret the decision and move back to the big city in a year or two like some families that went back.

He says his family quickly settled down in Mildura, “My wife got a job here, our kids adjusted to the new environment very quickly and our life became reasonably stable after initial hiccups.”

Best of both worlds

Mr. Dhaliwal believes that Mildura has given him and his family an opportunity to experience the best of semi-urban and rural life. He says that unlike a big city, regional areas are peaceful but still have facilities such as good quality schools and hospitals.

Apart from this, he feels that pursuing his interest in farming has helped him establish a work-life balance because he gets more time to spend with his family and his children join him at the farm.

 As for settling down in regional Australia to pursue farming, Mr. Dhaliwal has this advice to share, “You must have experience and skillsets in the farming sector backed by a diploma or degree in agriculture or horticulture, and that is only to be eligible in the skilled migration program.”

 Migrants who wish to settle in regional Australia can make use of the special visa subclasses for skilled workers living and working in regional areas.