Greece’s post-war recovery saw the return of many Greek migrants from the 1950s to the motherland; however, since Greece fell on hard times economically in 2009, Darwin has seen an influx of Greeks returning, and it’s not difficult to see why.
Data released last Monday indicated that the Northern Territory currently boasts Australia’s strongest employment market.
Yvonne Panatos, born in Darwin, was one of the Greek Australians who decided to move back to the homeland of her parents in the 1980s.
Eventually establishing a career as the director of an English language school and now having a family, Ms Panatos admits to thinking about leaving and returning to the Northern Territory.
“Despite the fact my husband and I had very good jobs, our clientele was suffering and we would see people who were once very well off struggling, and we were no exception,” she told the ABC.
According to the Honorary Consul for Greece, John Anictomatis, ties have remained strong between Darwin and Greece.
He reports that in the last three-and-a-half years, close to 3,500 Greeks have returned to the north, mainly from Kalymnos – and the return could not have come at a better time.
With Darwin experiencing a labour shortage, the Northern Territory Government, along with sponsorship of local business owners, have allowed for the establishment of a program that creates incentive for workers to return from Greece.
Although the number of Greeks migrating to Australia has fallen since 2013, the future is now dependent on the upcoming Greek elections this weekend.
If the possibility of Greece’s exit from the euro zone comes into fruition, Australia expects to see a hike in migration numbers.
Source: ABC News