Australia may ban some immigrants from big cities – minister

Australia’s government is considering a ban on some immigrants settling in big cities, AP reported. Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population Alan Tudge said on Tuesday that the government wants to cut the number of immigrants moving to Sydney and Melbourne in a bid to reduce congestion in the country’s two biggest cities. Placing conditions on visas that force immigrants to stay in less popular centers for several years would increase the likelihood that they would settle in those places permanently, Tudge said. Australia is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. It has long had a high proportion of its population – currently 25 million people – living in cities. Around two in every five Australians live in Sydney and Melbourne alone. The government may ban immigrants from settling in these cities for five years after they arrive in the country, reports say.