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Australia's booming wine exports to China suggest that a small but growing number of such sales are being made to secure Australian residency, according to The Age.
Winemakers and immigration lawyers say Chinese business people are targeting deals with the wine industry as one way to show the proof of a business relationship with Australia to the immigration officials.
''We field a call every two or three days from China wanting to purchase red wine very inexpensively,'' reportedly said a manager from a mid-sized family winery in NSW.
Skilled immigration quotas have become tight recently as the rising unemployment levels prompt unions and other groups to call for deeper cuts in the annual intake. The removal of some professions from the priority list has also fanned anger among overseas students, many of whom enrolled in related courses in a bid to fast-track access to Australian residency.
''I've heard a lot of people saying we've exported business and wines overseas, hence, we want to come to Australia under a business visa,'' the lawyer apparently said.
Though the number of Indians wanting to go to Melbourne from India-including students has considerably reduced because of the anti racial bias among the locals, there could be a big number still willing to migrate from India.
The trend of Chinese buyers, with no experience in wine marketing, seeking one-off orders of cheap Australian wine continues a pace.
Winemakers say a favoured target for such purchases is inexpensively priced wines, such as those from the Australia's booming wine exports to China are generating an unintended residue: a small but growing use of such sales to secure Australian residency.
While the number of potential migrants from China seeking to link wine purchases to a residency visa is believed to be small, the interest is on the increase. Wine trading is an increasingly popular occupation choice for Chinese visa-seekers, one Melbourne-based lawyer said.
Winemakers say a favoured target for such purchases is inexpensively priced wines, such as those from the Victorian regions of Riverina and Sunraysia.
''We are interested in your wine. We need a larger quantity. Please send me the information about your product, the price...and your company profile if you receive the email.” The winemaker interpreted the buyer's interest to be visa-related rather than merely commercial in intent.
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