temp v perm -from SMH
Jul 14th 2004, 7:50 pm
#1
small steps long journey
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Jul 14th 2004, 7:52 pm
#2
small steps long journey
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: A river somewhere
Posts: 3,451
full story-
For generations Australia has rejected the idea of bringing in temporary workers in favour of migrants prepared to settle here for the long term.
Now the author of a study of the nation's most recent arrivals suggests many temporary residents are bringing about a big change in the pattern of migration.
In 2001-02, 340,200 foreigners were granted temporary residence.
In that year, official permanent migration levels were capped at 88,900, said Graeme Hugo, professor of geography at the University of Adelaide.
Whereas in five decades of postwar migration Australia had rejected temporary workers in favour of permanent settlers the situation has been reversed with the creation of new visa categories designed to attract temporary residents, Professor Hugo argued in a study for the Bureau of Statistics.
He said: "There had been a total focus on permanent settlement as the way things should be. But that changed after 1996."
The two growth areas have been temporary business migrants - who must be at least semi-professionals, managers or administrators - and students.
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He said a comprehensive public inquiry into migration was needed. "We've experienced a massive change in our migration program, we've had the asylum seeker debate and an increase in Australians leaving. A thorough-going public inquiry into migration would be beneficial.
"We need to link migration more to overall national goals of prosperity, environmental sustainability and security."
Recent migrants have performed much better in the labour market, both finding more jobs and earning more, he said. "It's really striking when you compare the migrants who arrived in the last five years with the migrants who arrived between 1991 and 1996," he said.
"One [reason] is the overall economy has improved, the second reason, and the one the Government would probably stress, is the fact they have tweaked the selection criteria for skilled migrants to give more emphasis to people with English.
"But the third factor is that in 1996 we had very, very little temporary business migration to Australia; now it's a very substantial program."
For generations Australia has rejected the idea of bringing in temporary workers in favour of migrants prepared to settle here for the long term.
Now the author of a study of the nation's most recent arrivals suggests many temporary residents are bringing about a big change in the pattern of migration.
In 2001-02, 340,200 foreigners were granted temporary residence.
In that year, official permanent migration levels were capped at 88,900, said Graeme Hugo, professor of geography at the University of Adelaide.
Whereas in five decades of postwar migration Australia had rejected temporary workers in favour of permanent settlers the situation has been reversed with the creation of new visa categories designed to attract temporary residents, Professor Hugo argued in a study for the Bureau of Statistics.
He said: "There had been a total focus on permanent settlement as the way things should be. But that changed after 1996."
The two growth areas have been temporary business migrants - who must be at least semi-professionals, managers or administrators - and students.
Advertisement Advertisement
He said a comprehensive public inquiry into migration was needed. "We've experienced a massive change in our migration program, we've had the asylum seeker debate and an increase in Australians leaving. A thorough-going public inquiry into migration would be beneficial.
"We need to link migration more to overall national goals of prosperity, environmental sustainability and security."
Recent migrants have performed much better in the labour market, both finding more jobs and earning more, he said. "It's really striking when you compare the migrants who arrived in the last five years with the migrants who arrived between 1991 and 1996," he said.
"One [reason] is the overall economy has improved, the second reason, and the one the Government would probably stress, is the fact they have tweaked the selection criteria for skilled migrants to give more emphasis to people with English.
"But the third factor is that in 1996 we had very, very little temporary business migration to Australia; now it's a very substantial program."
