For generations of Britons, Australia has represented something bigger than simply another country: sunshine, space, better weather, beaches, opportunity and, perhaps most importantly, the possibility of starting again.
In the decades after the Second World War, more than a million Britons travelled to Australia under assisted migration schemes, with many paying just £10 for their passage. They became famously known as the Ten Pound Poms.
Nearly 80 years later, Britain appears to have another generation looking Down Under. They aren’t being offered a £10 boat ticket this time. Instead, they’re armed with passports, working holiday visas and, increasingly, a feeling that building the life they want in Britain is becoming harder.
So, are we witnessing the arrival of the new Ten Pound Poms?
Are more young British people leaving the UK?
There’s been plenty of dramatic talk about a British “exodus”, but the reality is more nuanced. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), an estimated 246,000 British nationals left the UK in 2025, while around 110,000 British nationals moved to the UK.
That means around 136,000 more British nationals left than arrived. However, the ONS specifically warns against interpreting this as evidence of a sudden record-breaking exodus. Overall British emigration has actually been relatively stable in recent years.
Something particularly interesting is happening among younger people, though. The ONS says the biggest gap between people leaving and returning is among 16 to 34-year-olds, with around 75,000 more young Britons leaving than arriving in 2025. That gap has grown every year since 2022.
Why are young Britons looking overseas?
The reasons for leaving Britain are inevitably different for everyone. For some, it’s career progression. For others, it’s simply adventure. But housing costs, the cost of living, wages and frustration about career opportunities are increasingly part of the conversation.
Recent Financial Times reporting has highlighted young British workers considering opportunities overseas, particularly in countries including Australia and Canada.
For someone in their twenties or early thirties who feels that home ownership is slipping further away, the idea of spending a few years overseas can become particularly attractive. And one country stands out: Australia.
Why are so many young Brits moving to Australia?
The connection between Britain and Australia is hardly new. Families have been moving between the two countries for generations, and Australia remains one of the most popular destinations for John Mason International customers.
But recent figures show just how attractive Australia has become to younger Britons. ONS analysis of Australian population statistics found a sharp rise in the number of young UK-born people living in Australia after 2021.
Even more striking are the visa numbers. In the year ending June 2025, more than 79,000 Britons were granted Australian Working Holiday Maker visas, compared with around 20,000 a year earlier.
Australia’s working holiday visa has changed the game
Part of the attraction is Australia’s Working Holiday Maker programme. Eligible British citizens can apply between the ages of 18 and 35, making Australia accessible to a much wider group than the traditional post-university backpacker.
For many, the intention isn’t necessarily to emigrate permanently. It’s: I’ll go for a year.
Then a year becomes two. A temporary job becomes a career. A house share becomes a home. Friendships become a community. Perhaps they meet a partner. Suddenly, the return flight to Britain doesn’t look quite as certain as it once did.
Simon Hood, owner of John Mason International, says:
“We’ve been moving British families to Australia for generations, so the idea of Brits heading Down Under certainly isn’t new. What’s interesting is the age at which people can now go and how easily an adventure can become something much bigger. Someone can leave Britain with a backpack thinking they’re going for a year and eventually find themselves building an entirely new life.”
When does a backpack become a shipping container?
That’s the point international movers see that tourism statistics don’t. The first journey can be remarkably light: a suitcase, a backpack and maybe a surfboard if you’re particularly committed to the Australian dream. Everything else stays at Mum and Dad’s house.
Then comes the phone call: “I think I’m staying.”
Suddenly the clothes, books, photographs, furniture and possessions left behind in Britain aren’t things being stored during a gap year. They’re part of someone’s life that now needs moving to the other side of the world.
Simon says:
“There’s a moment where somebody stops being a backpacker and starts becoming an expat. From our perspective, it’s often when Mum and Dad get the call asking whether they can finally clear the bedroom because their son or daughter isn’t actually coming home.”
For parents, that can be a strange adjustment too. A child who was supposed to be travelling for a year may suddenly be talking about permanent visas, careers and buying property 10,000 miles away.
Is Australia offering young Britons the life they’re struggling to find at home?
It’s tempting to make this a simple comparison between Britain and Australia. It isn’t. Sydney and Melbourne have their own housing affordability problems. Australia has experienced significant increases in living costs, and moving Down Under doesn’t automatically mean higher wages, cheaper property or a better life.
But emigration decisions aren’t made on spreadsheets alone. Lifestyle matters. Weather matters. Career opportunities matter. And perhaps most importantly for younger people, optimism matters.
Sometimes moving overseas isn’t about believing another country is perfect. It’s simply about believing something different might be possible there.
From the Ten Pound Poms to the working holiday generation
The comparison with the original Ten Pound Poms isn’t perfect. The post-war migration scheme actively encouraged British citizens to settle permanently in Australia. Today’s young Britons have very different motivations and circumstances, and the ONS data doesn’t show that Britain is suddenly experiencing unprecedented youth emigration.
But there is an interesting similarity. Both generations looked at Australia and saw opportunity.
For the original Ten Pound Poms, it was the promise of a new life on the other side of the world. For today’s generation, it might start with something much less permanent: a working holiday, a job opportunity or simply the feeling that now is the time to try something different.
The question is how many will eventually decide to stay.
Thinking about moving to Australia from the UK?
If you’re considering moving to Australia, whether you’re heading out for work, joining family or turning a temporary Australian adventure into a permanent home, planning the move properly can make an enormous difference.
John Mason International has been helping people move overseas since 1884 and has generations of experience in international removals to Australia. We can help with everything from smaller shipments for people establishing their first Australian home to full household moves for families relocating permanently.
Because sometimes the biggest decision isn’t deciding to go to Australia. It’s deciding you’re not coming back.