‘It is like Australia was once’: What drew these Aussies to the US?


Annually, hundreds of individuals from world wide pack their baggage and head to the US to expertise life within the self-proclaimed “land of the free”.
Sydney-born Madeleine Miller is certainly one of them.
“I landed in Philadelphia not realizing a soul,” she says.
Miller moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in November 2023 together with her former companion.

Regardless of the connection ending after six months, she rapidly discovered buddies and a job that provided her more cash and higher profession development than she had in Australia.

A woman wearing a black t-shirt with Voices written on it in yellow writing. She speaking into a black microphone she is holding in her right hand.

Madeleine Miller has been having fun with work alternatives within the US, however the potential of a second Donald Trump presidency has made her nervous about her future. Credit score: Equipped

The 31-year-old is certainly one of round 98,000 Australians dwelling within the US. Miller had at all times wished to work abroad however dwelling within the US throughout an election yr was by no means a part of her life plan.

“That relationship was the catalyst”, she says.
Nevertheless, the results of the upcoming on 5 November may change that.
With lower than every week to go, Miller is feeling nervous and says issues in Philadelphia really feel extra tense than ordinary.
“It feels a bit extra unstable, the power is a little more not sure,” she says.
For Miller, the selection between Democratic vice chairman Kamala Harris and Republican former president Donald Trump is a stark one.

She is worried in regards to the potential for a second Trump presidency to deepen cultural tensions within the US, mentioning that the previous president has an extended monitor report of utilizing racist and sexist slurs.

“[Trump] is so outwardly and explicitly racist, for lack of a greater phrase,” she says, including “he provides license to folks that in any other case may maintain their mouths shut.”
Miller is Vietnamese Australian and says she has skilled racism firsthand within the US, together with a verbal assault shortly after her arrival in Philadelphia.

“I really feel like as a lady I’ve sufficient harassment to cope with. I do not actually wish to have racial slurs yelled at me once more.”

‘Extremely irritating’

Whereas dwelling in Sydney, Miller was very energetic in politics and even labored on election days counting ballots. However as a short lived US resident, Miller is ineligible to vote.

It is tremendous bizarre for me to be in a spot the place like I actually cannot have a say within the consequence of the election.

Madeleine Miller

She says many younger folks in Philadelphia are disillusioned with politics.
“The factor that has shocked me … is the quantity of individuals my age who I’ve spoken to who don’t have any intention of voting in any respect, [which] is so extremely irritating,” Miller says.
Pennsylvania is without doubt one of the seven swing states tipped to find out the election — and the state by which each candidates have spent probably the most cash on pre-election campaigning.

Traditionally, it has been a blue state — held by Democrats — however the 2016 election noticed Pennsylvania flip crimson by a margin of 0.72 per cent favouring Republicans. In 2020, the Democrats re-claimed it by a margin of 1.17 per cent.

Present nationwide polling from exhibits Harris is narrowly forward of Trump by 1.3 per cent.
“The overall vibe is persons are disenchanted by the influence of presidents. I actually do not know what is going to occur,” Miller says.
“Part of me is making an attempt not to consider it as a result of I am so nervous.”
One other concern on the forefront of Miller’s thoughts is the potential for to be additional eroded. Throughout his first presidency, Trump appointed three Supreme Courtroom judges who helped overturn, the landmark 1973 case that established abortion entry as a constitutional proper.

Because it was overruled in 2022, half of all US states have tightened restrictions on abortion entry, and 13 have launched near-total bans.

Miller, who had a termination when she was 24, says the end result of the election may limit her entry to reproductive healthcare.

“It is surreal … very dystopian,” she says.

Why am I dwelling in 2024 and I’m having to contemplate the truth that the brand new chief … is probably going to limit my entry to my reproductive well being?

“Why do I’ve to query [whether or not] I will have entry to a termination of being pregnant, an abortion, just by who will get elected?”

‘They need the immigrant vote’

Like Miller, many foreigners dwelling within the US received’t get the prospect to vote within the election primarily based on their short-term visa standing.
Miller got here to the US on an E-3 visa — a particular subclass of working visa obtainable solely to Australians, which has allowed her to reside and work within the US for telecommunications firm Comcast.
She says alternatives for profession development have guided her choice to remain.
“The scope of the corporate is unparalleled to something I’ve had publicity to in Australia,” she says.

“America is a rustic the place when you’ve got cash and have entry to healthcare by way of your work, it is a great place to reside. I believe issues are as costly right here as they’re in Australia [but] the potential of being profitable right here is large.”

As much as 10,500 E-3 visas can be found every monetary yr to Australians with a job provide or sponsorship from a US firm to work in a “specialty occupation”. They’re legitimate for 2 years and may be renewed indefinitely.
New York-based immigration legislation knowledgeable Zjantelle Cammisa Markel, who’s initially from Adelaide, says she has seen an inflow of Australians during the last 20 years, largely due to the introduction of the E-3 visa in 2005. Purposes for the E-3 make up round two-thirds of her caseload.
“Australians used to go to London … then as soon as they began to get wind of the E-3 they began coming,” says Cammisa Markel, who’s the founder and CEO of her immigration legislation agency.

“It is given Australians so [many] extra alternatives.”

A woman in a dark dress with colourful flowers on it standing in front of a book case

Within the lead-up to the election, Zjantelle Cammisa Markel has observed a rise within the pace at which citizenship purposes are being processed. Credit score: Equipped

In response to the US Census Bureau, nearly all of Australian ex-pats within the US reside in California and New York. Slightly below half arrived after 2010 and 70 per cent work in enterprise, science, administration or the humanities.

Cammisa Markel got here to the US in 2000 and has been practising legislation since 2005. She mentioned a lot of her shoppers are enticed to maneuver to the US due to enterprise and work alternatives.

“It could possibly be they’ve reached a sure degree of their profession in Australia … [and] what they begin to see [is] a market right here and the market is larger within the US than what it’s in Australia,” she says.

Four graphs showing a data breakdown of Australians living in the US. Almost half arrived after 2010.  Almost 70 per cent are employed, over 50 per cent have completed higher education and 35.2 per cent are American citizens.

Many Australians select to maneuver to America for higher work and enterprise alternatives. Supply: SBS Information

In her time within the US, Cammisa Markel has seen how totally different administrations can affect immigration coverage however the demand for visas stays excessive, she says.

“Even if some folks may determine they may not even wish to come to the US when it is an election yr, most occasions folks do not base their choice on that,” she says.

I’ve had shoppers which have mentioned: ‘If X or Y will get elected, I will transfer again’ — I have never truly seen that a lot of it.

Over the previous yr, Cammisa Markel has seen an uptick in purposes for US citizenship, together with from her Australian shoppers.
“They need to have the ability to vote and … it provides them a way of safety within the US.”

She’s additionally seen a rise within the pace at which citizenship purposes are processed. Whereas an software would usually take 12-14 months from begin to end, she says some are taking as little as two months.

Courting the Latino vote: why Trump and Harris are targeting this community image

“The present administration is pro-immigrant and is searching for the immigrant vote, so I believe they’ve prioritised citizenship purposes.”
Underneath the incumbent President , the US Citizenship and Immigration Companies (USCIS) has processed 3.5 million citizenship purposes. In 2024 the typical processing time was 5 months — half the processing time of citizenship purposes made in 2021.

As soon as-in-a-lifetime alternative

Nolan Hirte, 44, is without doubt one of the many Australians who noticed a higher marketplace for his enterprise within the US.
Hirte and his spouse Shari are the co-owners of Proud Mary Espresso Roasters in Melbourne, which opened in 2009. In 2016, Hirte took a leap of religion and moved his household to Portland, Oregon, to open Proud Mary USA with the intention of staying round 5 years.
He is now been within the US for eight years and has opened a second cafe in Austin, Texas, the place he additionally lives.
Initially, Hirte contemplated transferring to the US to broaden his enterprise and to assist the espresso producers he works with promote extra espresso.

“They have been rising extra espresso than I may purchase — I actually wished to have the ability to assist them,” he tells SBS Information.

A man in a t-shirt and cap drinking a coffee from a small blue cup.

Nolan Hirte moved along with his household from Melbourne to Portland to broaden Proud Mary after noticing a niche within the US cafe scene. Credit score: Equipped

The sheer measurement of the US additionally appealed to Hirte: its inhabitants exceeds 335 million folks, which is greater than twelve occasions .

“[I kept thinking]: ‘Nicely if I used to be within the US that might be tremendous fascinating to develop that viewers’.”
After travelling to Oregon on a household vacation, Hirte noticed a niche within the metropolis’s hospitality scene he thought he may fill.
“There have been all these wonderful specialty espresso outlets however none of them would do meals,” he says.

“I may see how effectively it might work within the US … there was this nagging query: ‘what number of alternatives in your life are you going to get to supply one thing within the US?'”

Since organising store within the US, Hirte’s proximity to producers has meant he can supply espresso extra sustainably and scale back his working prices.
“It’s far simpler for me to place out a high quality product right here and cost accordingly, so which means I will maintain chasing that dream that I’ve received.
“It makes us glad we’re thriving.”

Whereas Hirte says he doesn’t plan to return to Australia any time quickly, he says there are some drawbacks to dwelling within the US.

The toughest capsule to swallow within the healthcare system.

Nolan Hirte

In contrast to Australia, the US doesn’t have a common healthcare insurance coverage scheme. As a substitute, folks should pay for medical insurance and any out-of-pocket prices they incur when accessing medical companies.
In response to the Peterson-KFF Well being Care Tracker, Individuals spend a mean of US$12,555 ($19,081) every year on healthcare — roughly double the quantity spent by Australians.

“The healthcare system is just not geared round giving everybody entry,” Hirte says.

In response to a Pew Analysis ballot from Might, healthcare affordability is without doubt one of the prime three points for US voters. All through the marketing campaign, each Harris and Trump have made guarantees to enhance healthcare entry and affordability.
Hirte is a Inexperienced Card holder — the US equal of a everlasting resident — and, like Miller, is just not permitted to vote in elections. However he says he’s feeling “okay” forward of the election.
“I really feel prefer it’s out of my management; there’s not loads I can do there,” he says.

“I attempt to keep out of politics and that has served me fairly effectively.”

A way of freedom

In contrast to Hirte, Steve Berry is unfazed by the US healthcare system.
“I’ve at all times had good healthcare. I had healthcare paid principally by my employers,” Berry tells SBS Information.
“Individuals who complain in regards to the value of healthcare [are] both ignoring the services which can be there to maintain your self or they’re too tight to pay a few hundred bucks,” he says.
The 75-year-old grew up in Orange, NSW, and now lives in Houston, Texas.

He first got here to the US in 1980 on a working visa, along with his younger household in tow. The previous Royal Australian Air Drive officer settled in Dallas, Texas, the place he secured a two-year work contract.

Texas may be very very similar to Australia — or it is like Australia was once.

Steve Berry

After his two years have been up, Berry selected to increase his visa, and he saved extending it.

“I wasn’t lacking Australia, [though] I missed our household and that slightly bit.”

A man wearing a black t-shirt with Harley-Davidson Motorcyles written on it.

Steven Berry has been dwelling within the US for greater than 40 years and says he feels that the US is a a lot freer nation than Australia. Credit score: Equipped

Berry’s work in hydraulics took him all around the US. On a number of events, he thought of returning to Australia however after a go to from his spouse’s household within the 80s, whereas he was dwelling in Chicago, he determined there was no going again.

“They noticed how we have been dwelling and went: ‘Boy, we want we may reside right here. If we have been youthful and we may do that,’” he says.
Berry and his household ultimately settled in Texas, the place they’ve lived for the previous 20 years.
He has now retired and says the sense of freedom he feels within the US is what has saved him from returning to Australia.

He explains that when, when he was contemplating transferring again, he spoke with a salesman about shopping for a aircraft and so they listed the intensive guidelines round proudly owning and working plane in Australia: so he determined towards it.

I assumed, ‘rattling, why would I wish to return [to Australia]?’

Steve Berry

Over Berry’s virtually 40 years within the US, he ran a number of companies alongside his profession in hydraulics. One of many companies included shopping for and promoting aeroplanes, which meant he flew ceaselessly between Houston and California, a distance of roughly 1,400 nautical miles (2,250km).
“You’ll be able to’t try this in Australia: the principles of flying and personal plane in Australia are exhausting,” he says.
In Texas, legal guidelines regulating aircraft possession are extra relaxed. So too are gun legal guidelines. Round 45 per cent of all adults personal weapons. Berry feels completely secure dwelling in Texas and takes consolation in realizing he has the appropriate to personal a gun.

“You do not see folks strolling with weapons…the liberty is right here to do it,” he says.

Berry turned an American citizen twenty years in the past and has lived by way of eight US presidents. He intends to vote for Trump within the upcoming election and is feeling assured about his probabilities of re-election.
“Underneath Trump issues have been actually good … I do know we’ll get again on monitor.”
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