CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Starting a new life in Australia might not come with views of the Sydney Opera House or surfing at Sydney's Bondi Beach with the government considering a ban on some immigrants from settling in big cities.
Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population Alan Tudge said Tuesday that his government wants to reduce the number of immigrants moving to Sydney and Melbourne in a bid to reduce congestion in Australia's two biggest cities.
Tudge said placing conditions on visas that force immigrants to stay in less popular centers for several years would increase the likelihood that they would settle there permanently.
He said some categories of immigrants would be exempt from geographic blocks, including those sponsored by employers and those who have married an Australian.
