Brits are heading for Australia and New Zealand to find work

Recruitment group Hays reports it is receiving 200 enquiries every week from jobseekers hoping to move to Oz for work. A fifth of these are Australian or New Zealand nationals hoping to move home, but 60% are Brits.

Alistair Cox, chief executive of Hays, said: "Most economies are experiencing growing recession or slower rates of growth and, against that background, labour markets are becoming increasingly mobile, not just nationally but on an international scale."

Back in April HR magazine reported thousands of Australians working in the UK are planning to head back down under this year due to changes to the laws allowing them to have a migrant visa, as well as the worsening economic climate.

In the past 10 years, thousands of antipodeans have moved to the UK, lured by higher wages and the opportunity to travel, but new visa laws that came into effect on 1 April mean people from outside the European Union working in the UK must have a master's degree and earn at least £20,000 in order to qualify for a Highly Skilled Migrant visa.