Turkey - Australia bilateral agreement: 50 years on

An agreement on the residence and employment of Turkish citizens in Australia, signed on 5 October 1967 between Australia and Turkey.

Front: Vefa Karatay (left), İmmigration Minister Billy Snedden (right). Back: Dundar Idiz (left), Zubeyir Bensan (middle), unknown Australian officer (right) Source: The Turks in Australia

In 1967, Turkey and Australia signed a bilateral agreement on assisted migration. Under the agreement, Australia offered migration to whole families, as permanent migrants. The program resulted in an increase of the Turkey-born population in Australia from 1,544 at the 1961 Census to 11,589 in 1971. The 2011 Census showed that 66,924 Australian residents claimed Turkish ancestry, with 32,843 having been born in Turkey.