Australia has fast overtaken other countries as the destination of choice for students from Commonwealth Countries like South Africa and Canada who want to work and/or study overseas. Ten years ago, it had become the norm for young adults to leave the country for the UK as soon as they had completed their final year at senior high school. There, they would pluck chickens, tend bar or peel potatoes while experiencing life in the UK and Europe.

Living and working in the UK was, and still is, an expensive venture and it is the cost of living, as well as many other areas, where Australia wins the pros versus cons debate each and every time.

The good news for world travelers or students wanting to study in Australia is that there are positions available in many different fields to help fund their stay - including the meat industry. Though this may not be the most attractive option, the meat industry is an excellent way to fund your travels or start a new life in Australia. At present numerous 457 Visa vacancies exist for experienced meat processing employees - across most functional areas in the meat processing industry.

The Australian meat industry is a thriving one, the pay is good and it offers many young visitors the opportunity to financially support their studies and/or lifestyles during their stay in the country.

Australia has exported meat for more than a century and today production is tailored to the packing needs of customers in more than 120 countries worldwide (source: Meat & Livestock Australia). The Australian meat packing industry is the state of the art in beef and lamb dressing and fabrication. Australian packing facilities employ the latest technology to ensure efficient production without loss of quality. The way in which red meat is packed is crucial to the overall quality and shelf life of the product, which ultimately leads to customer satisfaction.

Though the student level job opportunities bear similarities in all countries, Australia offers many other attractions to international visitors.

For one thing, the country has garnered a well-deserved reputation for playing host to many of the world's best educational institutions and thousands of international students choose to study there each year.

Another appealing factor to living in Australia is the environment. With a brilliant range of climates and locations to choose from, Australia has much to offer. From the Outback and the Great Barrier Reef to snow covered mountains and lush rain forests, visitors will have no trouble finding a location that suits them. And, to top it off, the country has still managed to build a broad, diverse array of business focused areas offering many work opportunities to one and all.

Most notably, Australia offers a high standard of living at a competitive price when compared to other first world destinations; so it's not surprising that many people, bitten by the travel bug, make it their destination of choice.

Copyright reserved by Mike Stowe, Oz-LifeStyle.com, 2007. The author provides permission for this article to be republished under condition that no alterations are allowed. Should you wish to make any alterations please contact the author in advance to clear said alterations.