Why UK and Irish cops are flocking to Australia

After becoming disillusioned and overworked in the UK police force, John and his family found a better home in Australia.

A British policeman moved his entire family to Australia for work after learning about the higher wage and better lifestyle, as hundreds of UK cops flock Down Under.

John MacDonald, 35, previously worked for Staffordshire Police for nine years and was earning the equivalent of $100k including overtime.

After relocating to Western Australia, he now rakes in $115k just for his ordinary hours.

“I absolutely loved my job in the UK and I never wanted to do anything else from the age of 16,” Mr MacDonald said, as reported by HampshireLive.

What caused him to lose faith in the profession was the staff shortages, the constant overtime, working alone and missing out on family events and milestones.

“UK policing has been gradually hit by cuts over the years – less staff meant I was working alone and did lots of overtime,” he said.

“Not only is it tiring but it affects your family life – I was missing things at home that I shouldn’t have because I was at work.”

The MacDonald family. Picture: John MacDonald/SWNS

His station was so understaffed that he pulled a 19.5 hour shift to cover the staff shortages, something that not only was a “lonely experience” but was “potentially dangerous”.

Wanting a better work-life balance and change, Mr MacDonald and his wife hoped an opportunity to move to either Australia or New Zealand would come up, and thankfully their prayers were answered.

WA police has offered up the chance for UK officers to transfer to the state under a Labour Agreement signed between the state and federal government.

This agreement allows skilled officers from both the UK and the Republic of Ireland to be granted entry and put on the pathway to citizenship under the Employer Nominated Scheme (subclass 186) visa.

And the move isn’t something he or his family regrets as the whole family is thriving in their new home, Redcliffe WA.

WA has been on the hunt for foreign cops. Photographer: Carla Gottgens/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Not long after starting his new position with the WA police last month, the difference in the work environment and culture solidified their decision.

“Staffing here is double what it is in the UK so there are less long shifts and more people to share the workload,” he said.

When comparing the two police forces, Mr MacDonald described the UK’s as a “bit demoralised” and that he can “see that UK policing needs a total overhaul”.

Over in the UK, debates over policing is currently circulating around two key issues: the increase in violence in urban areas and the declining effectiveness of the force.

Since 2010, central government funding for policing has been reduced by 20 per cent, which has resulted in many police stations in England closing down.