Surge in British, skilled migrants
Nov 21st 2004, 12:11 am
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Surge in British, skilled migrants
Interesting reading...
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Surge in British, skilled migrants
By David Uren
November 22, 2004
FOR the first time since the Howard Government came to power, migrants from Britain and Ireland have outstripped those from Southeast Asia.
Settlers from English-speaking nations accounted for almost half the 111,000 new migrants in Australia last year, compared with just 37 per cent when the Howard Government took office in March 1996.
New Immigration Department figures reveal an extraordinary spike in the total number of migrants from Britain and Ireland settling in Australia in the past two years, with the numbers jumping from 8749 in 2001-02 to 18,272 in 2003-04. The total has grown 90 per cent compared with the Howard Government's first year.
This compared with 16,799 migrants arriving last year from Southeast Asian nations, including Vietnam, The Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. Victoria and Western Australia are absorbing the growth in Australia's permanent settler intake. NSW's share of new settlers has dropped from 45 to 35 per cent in the past eight years.
NSW Premier Bob Carr has often complained that Australia's immigration rate is too high. But NSW still takes more migrants than its 25 per cent share of the Australian population.
Victoria's share has risen from 20 to 25 per cent over the past eight years, while Western Australia, the favoured destination for British migrants, has raised its share from 10 to 14 per cent.
The number of English-speaking skilled migrants has surged as a result of the Howard Government's immigration policies, new research by the Australian National University shows.
Another positive outcome of the Government's policies, according to demographer Deborah Cobb-Clark's research, has been the dramatic cut in the unemployment rate among newly arrived migrants.
The total number of new migrants has soared by 30 per cent in the past eight years, with English-speaking migrants accounting for almost all that growth. Migrant skill levels have also increased dramatically.
Dr Cobb-Clark's research shows more than 42 per cent have university degrees compared with 32 per cent before the balance was changed in 1999.
The changes, implemented under Philip Ruddock's period as immigration minister, reduced the quota for family reunions and refugees, and increased points for skills.
Dr Cobb-Clark says the changes achieved their aim.
"More people are coming in through the skills filtering process, and the filtering process has itself become more effective," she said.
The research conducted by Dr Cobb-Clark showed that since changes were implemented, only 9.9 per cent of new immigrants remained unemployed 18 months after arriving. The unemployment rate was 22.3 per cent before the changes.
Economist and immigration specialist Glenn Withers said skills and connection with Australia were being used to select who comes to Australia under the refugee program, with barely 10 per cent of refugees coming as a result of recommendation from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
The Department of Immigration's annual review of where permanent settlers come from and where they go shows immigration from the main English-speaking countries rising by two-thirds over the past eight years.
Professor Withers said people coming to Australia from Commonwealth countries found it easier to get their professional qualifications recognised.
Most of the growth has come from Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. Professor Withers said Chinese immigration would rise as the number of Chinese students in Australia increased.
Australia's refugee program is continuing to respond to emergencies, with the crisis in the Sudan supplanting the war in the former Yugoslavian states.
The biggest intake of refugees to Australia last year came from Sudan, with 4600 settlers. There has been no flow of refugees from other African war zones, such as Ivory Coast or Congo.
The Australian
By David Uren
November 22, 2004
FOR the first time since the Howard Government came to power, migrants from Britain and Ireland have outstripped those from Southeast Asia.
Settlers from English-speaking nations accounted for almost half the 111,000 new migrants in Australia last year, compared with just 37 per cent when the Howard Government took office in March 1996.
New Immigration Department figures reveal an extraordinary spike in the total number of migrants from Britain and Ireland settling in Australia in the past two years, with the numbers jumping from 8749 in 2001-02 to 18,272 in 2003-04. The total has grown 90 per cent compared with the Howard Government's first year.
This compared with 16,799 migrants arriving last year from Southeast Asian nations, including Vietnam, The Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. Victoria and Western Australia are absorbing the growth in Australia's permanent settler intake. NSW's share of new settlers has dropped from 45 to 35 per cent in the past eight years.
NSW Premier Bob Carr has often complained that Australia's immigration rate is too high. But NSW still takes more migrants than its 25 per cent share of the Australian population.
Victoria's share has risen from 20 to 25 per cent over the past eight years, while Western Australia, the favoured destination for British migrants, has raised its share from 10 to 14 per cent.
The number of English-speaking skilled migrants has surged as a result of the Howard Government's immigration policies, new research by the Australian National University shows.
Another positive outcome of the Government's policies, according to demographer Deborah Cobb-Clark's research, has been the dramatic cut in the unemployment rate among newly arrived migrants.
The total number of new migrants has soared by 30 per cent in the past eight years, with English-speaking migrants accounting for almost all that growth. Migrant skill levels have also increased dramatically.
Dr Cobb-Clark's research shows more than 42 per cent have university degrees compared with 32 per cent before the balance was changed in 1999.
The changes, implemented under Philip Ruddock's period as immigration minister, reduced the quota for family reunions and refugees, and increased points for skills.
Dr Cobb-Clark says the changes achieved their aim.
"More people are coming in through the skills filtering process, and the filtering process has itself become more effective," she said.
The research conducted by Dr Cobb-Clark showed that since changes were implemented, only 9.9 per cent of new immigrants remained unemployed 18 months after arriving. The unemployment rate was 22.3 per cent before the changes.
Economist and immigration specialist Glenn Withers said skills and connection with Australia were being used to select who comes to Australia under the refugee program, with barely 10 per cent of refugees coming as a result of recommendation from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
The Department of Immigration's annual review of where permanent settlers come from and where they go shows immigration from the main English-speaking countries rising by two-thirds over the past eight years.
Professor Withers said people coming to Australia from Commonwealth countries found it easier to get their professional qualifications recognised.
Most of the growth has come from Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. Professor Withers said Chinese immigration would rise as the number of Chinese students in Australia increased.
Australia's refugee program is continuing to respond to emergencies, with the crisis in the Sudan supplanting the war in the former Yugoslavian states.
The biggest intake of refugees to Australia last year came from Sudan, with 4600 settlers. There has been no flow of refugees from other African war zones, such as Ivory Coast or Congo.
The Australian
