The post-war mass migration to Australia.2C 1946.E2.80.931970.27s Italian Australians

the ossario @ murchison, victoria, memorial italian prisoners of war held in region during world war ii

during wwii, more 18,000 italian prisoners-of-war sent internment camps throughout australia. interned enemy aliens , after 1942 large number of them employed in inland farms without surveillance. many prisoners of war , italian-australian interned worked hard in farms , cattle stations, gaining favourable opinion hard , committed workers australian employers. circumstance contributed generate environment more agreeable – before war – italian post-war migration australia. after world war ii, attitude of australians towards italians gradually began change, increasing appreciation of value of italians in economic development of australia. @ same time, italian war experience helped destroy many of political , sentimental attachments italians had felt towards country. consequence, end of war encouraged naturalisation of many italian migrants, had been caught enemy aliens @ outbreak of world conflict.

at end of 1947, 21% of italians residing in australia not yet naturalised. many of becoming naturalised in late 1940s did allay suspicion caused war. borrie wrote in fundamental work on assimilation of italians , germans in australia: naturalisation obvious first step towards rehabilitation. war had broken many of links italy, , in addition still difficult secure shipping passage return there. while act of naturalization may have been irrevocable step in turn provided incentive become socially , culturally assimilated, field investigations show italians retained many traits, particularly within circle of home, not australian . , naturalized or not, still not accepted australians .

conversely, after war experience, australian government embarked on populate or perish program, aimed increase population of country strategically important economic , military reasons. immigration debate in postwar australia assumed new dimensions official policy sought significant increase in number , diversity of immigrants, , find place coming tired , torn europe. war had occasioned shift in migration patterns, pressing need place large number of people not return own countries wide range of reasons. case of on ten million people central , north-eastern europe, such poles, germans, greeks, czechs, yugoslavs , slovaks.

an important stage in immigration program began displaced persons scheme in 1947, attracted on 170,000 displaced persons australia. macdonald writes in regard:

the reservoir of displaced persons recruited australia practically exhausted 1950. italy catchment area offered more eager candidates australia willing accommodate , screened selectively. italians still considerably less desirable central , northern europeans, yet preferred cypriots, greeks, , maltese not because there more italians choose because hoped large proportion drawn superior peoples of northern italy. admitted in greater numbers had seemed conceivable, third-best type.

italy s postwar migration grew out of country s policy of industrial development. although there had been significant industrial growth in italy before war, devastation wrought conflict left structure in ruins. factor , return of italian soldiers war fronts generated surplus of population turned emigration alternative poverty.

by 1950s, australian authorities negotiated formal migration agreements netherlands (1951), germany , austria (1952). introduced system of personal nominations , guarantees, opened italians, permit families separated war come again. in addition, australian , italian governments negotiated scheme of recruitment , assisted passages, became effective in 1952. extensively outlined macdonald, chain migration process, eased personal nomination scheme, seemed more flexible administrative machinery of bilateral program. personal nominees had guarantee of assistance , contacts @ arrival in australia, migrants evaluate employment possibilities.

since mid-1950s, italian flow of migrants australia assumed sort of mass migration. either nominated relatives in australia major component, or assisted migrants, notable number of migrants left italy australia. unlike pre-war movement, of migrants of 1950s , 1960s had planned settle permanently in australia. within these 2 decades, number of italians came australia high number increased tenfold. although there not precise figures, due fact census refers born in italy, scholars have suggested that, children born in australia, italian ethnic group in australia approaching 800,000, still ranking first non-english speaking ethnic community of australia.

between june 1949 , july 2000, italy second common birthplace settler arrivals in australia after united kingdom , ireland.