Data attained by Muval indicates that the record migration rate of Australians relocating from the cities to regional and interstate areas won’t slow down in 2022.

ABS migration data has not been updated in six months, and with further updates cancelled until mid-2022, the removalist website has been able to provide insight into nationwide relocation trends.

Following mass exodus throughout the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, Sydney and Melbourne’s net migration is slowly returning to usual levels and taking share from Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane as seen through moving house searches on Muval’s booking platform.

In the year ending 30 November 2021, Melbourne recorded a net migration of -54 percent up from -58 percent in the year ending 31 October 2021. To compare, the garden city recorded a 3 percent positive net migration in January 2020, with more people planning to move in than out pre pandemic. At its worst, the Victorian capital recorded -64 percent in September 2021.

“We have seen record growth as a business this year and there’s no signs of this slowing down. As border restrictions ease and hotel quarantine removed for people moving interstate, we’ll see huge amounts of pent up demand released,” says Muval CEO James Morrell.

“We’re preparing for a second boom in moves early next year by looking for more removalists, hiring additional customer service specialists and innovating our offering to make moving even easier.”

Sydney’s net migration currently sits at -47 percent, up from the -58 percent that was recorded in August 2021. Many Sydneysiders have packed up and headed to smaller cities throughout lockdown, namely Brisbane and Perth.

Brisbane is very much the place to migrate to for Australians, with the river city recording a positive net migration of 78 percent as of 30 November 2021, which is coincidentally down from 94 percent the month previous. Since Melbourne’s reopening, Muval has witnessed a growth in requests for removalists to relocate Victorians to Brisbane.

Muval has already seen a 160 percent increase in people searching for removalists since July compared to last year. The removalist company predicts this number will increase by up to 40 percent over December & January 2022. Morrell attributes the demand to moving into school catchment areas before school returns, as well as the working from home movement allowing people to prioritise lifestyle over proximity to an office and house prices.