Skip to the content
- This agreement stipulated that the costs of the passage from the Netherlands to Australia would be paid for the migrants by both governments, provided they stayed in Australia for a minimum of 2 years and worked in a job offered by the Australian government. After arrival the migrants would be offered initial accommodation in reception centers and had to learn English.
- The text of the agreement is instructive for all people interested in historical (family) research, because it is very specific in how the pre selection and final selection was organized by both governments, including the medical examination and which application forms had to be filled in to be eligible. These application files in many cases still can be found in the National Archives Australia.
- The 1956 NAMA treaty text has in particular changed with regard to the distribution of the passage costs. Not only both governments, but als the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration and the migrants themselves had to pay a certain amount of the costs.
- In June 1965 NAMA takes on a reciprocal character (nationals of either party are allowed to settle permanently in the territory of the other party) and becomes, in part, a cultural treaty. It became known as the Migration and Settlement Agreement between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Commonwealth of Australia and stayed into force till 1994.
