Immigrant families build foundations of an Aussie life

Gurpreet Sidhu has some advice for new arrivals to Australia: ‘The more you integrate, the fewer problems you have’.

Gurpreet and Gagandeer Sidhu, with children Harnoor, 11, and Birfateh, 4, at Canning Vale, Perth, yesterday. Picture: Colin Murty

Gurpreet Sidhu has some advice for new arrivals to Australia. “The more you integrate, the fewer problems you have,” the first-generation migrant says. “Whatever you give is what you’ll get back.”

Mr Sidhu, originally from the Indian state of Punjab, trained as a civil engineer and got a permanent visa to Australia before seeing the country; he and his family arrived in 2013.

“Initially, it was very tough. But slowly we have come to understand Australian culture and values, and now we are finding it much better,” says the father of two who this year completed construction of the family’s first Australian home.

Data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics this week showed more than half of permanent migrants had bought or were buying property.

Anwar Karimi with Shakila, 10, and Hadi, 9, at their new home in Sydney last night. Picture: James Croucher

Mary Patetsos, chairwoman of the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia, called the statistic a “wonderful demonstration of the Australian migrant experience and the success of multicultural Australia”.

“This new data, showing that 54 per cent of permanent migrants own or are buying a home, illustrates the commitment of migrants to their new land and their determination to be an integral part of Australian society,” she said. “It’s an illustration of how migrants’ hard work and ambition delivers economic growth, nation-building and social cohesion to our country.”

Mr Sidhu updated his qualifications from India with an Australian diploma and now works as a construction manager in his hometown of Perth. His wife is employed in real estate, and their children attend a public school.

“Everybody feels proud when they build their first home, and it’s the same for me,” he says. “It makes me feel part of Australia.”

Anwar Karimi came to Australia from Afghanistan by boat in 2010. Back in his homeland, he was a truck driver; now he is a painter and recently bought a property in Sydney’s south. “I feel good — I feel happy,” Mr Karimi says. “Without a house, it’s very difficult to live here.”

Befekir Kebede came to Australia 21 years ago, settling in Victoria under a family reunification program. Then aged 18, he spoke no English but has since worked himself up, through university, and now has a good job in a hospital. His siblings have succeeded, too.

“We used the opportunities that Australia gave us,” Mr Kebede says. He too now owns a home and plans to get married next year.