Skilled temporary migration from Asia-Pacific countries to Australia

Migration policy in Australia has always emphasized the permanent settlement of skilled migrants. It is only in the last ten years, since the introduction of the temporary business entry (long-stay) 457 visa in 1996, that skilled temporary migration has become an increasingly important element of international migration to Australia. This paper examines the Asia-Pacific region as a source of skilled temporary migration to Australia. This is based on an examination of trend statistics on visa grants and temporary residents by country of origin published by the Department of Immigration. Following this overview, the paper compares skilled temporary migrants from Asia-Pacific countries with those from non-Asia-Pacific countries to investigate whether the Asia-Pacific migrants are selective of particular demographic or human capital characteristics. This analysis is based on data from a survey of 457 visa holders that was conducted by the authors in 2004. The paper also compares the reasons for migration, employment situation and return migration/permanent residence intentions of migrants from Asia-Pacific countries with those of migrants from non-Asia-Pacific countries. The paper concludes with a discussion of the human resource and policy implications of the findings from these analyses for the Asia-Pacific sending countries and for Australia.Siew-Ean Khoo, Graeme Hugo and Peter McDonal

Which skilled temporary migrants become permanent residents and why?

The definitive version may be found at www.wiley.com While most countries of destination of temporary migrants expect them to return home, it is likely that some temporary migration will become permanent if the migrants decide that they would like to remain longer or indefinitely for various reasons. This paper examines the factors associated with temporary migrants' decision to become or not become permanent residents and the reasons for their decision, using survey data on skilled temporary migrants in Australia. It also looks at whether temporary migration facilitates or substitutes for permanent migration and discusses the likely effectiveness of temporary migration programs that assume temporary migrants will return home. Siew-Ean Khoo, Graeme Hugo and Peter McDonal

Immigrant Settlement Outside of Australia's Capital Cities

Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.The post-war migration programme has added more than 8 million to the Australian population, but the immigrants have overwhelmingly settled in a few metropolitan areas. At each successive census an increasing proportion of the overseas-born resided in capital cities until 2006 when there was a small reduction. The latter shift, while small, may herald a change in immigrant settlement. In 1996 the settler intake was divided into immigrants who could settle anywhere in Australia and those that were directed to designated areas. Predominant in the latter were non-metropolitan communities. This paper analyses how these policy shifts relating to permanent and temporary migration have created a new flow of immigrants into regional Australia. A number of developments in the Australian Immigration Program are taken in turn, and empirical evidence regarding their scale and impact in nonmetropolitan Australia assessed. Firstly, a number of surveys of State Specific and Regional Migration (SSRM) settlers are analysed and show that while there is a high degree of satisfaction among both immigrants and employers, there are some labour issues. In addition, a significant minority intend to leave their area of initial settlement once they had fulfilled their residential qualification. While refugee-humanitarian settlers are not compelled to settle in particular areas, many are channelled into regional areas. There is often a lack of support services for them in these areas, although some regional communities are mobilising to cancel this out. There are also several elements in Australia's new suite of temporary migration programmes which are funnelling migrants into regional areas. The paper examines student migration, the Working Holiday Maker programme and the Regional 457 long-term business migration programme. Most of these represent totally new elements in regional populations. While it is too early to make definitive judgements about the extent of this trend and its impact, immigration is bringing social and economic change to many non-metropolitan communities. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Graeme Hug

Educational Provision for Refugee Youth in Australia: Left to Chance?

This paper investigates how education bureaucracies in Australia are using languages of categorisation and promoting community partnerships to construct and govern the refugee subject. We use a framework of governmentality to analyse education policies and statements emerging from two levels of government - Commonwealth and State. Drawing on web-based materials, policy statements and accounts of parliamentary debates, the paper documents the ways in which refugee education continues to be subsumed within broader education policies and programmes concerned with social justice, multiculturalism, and English language provision. Such categorisations are premised on an undifferentiated ethnoscape that ignores the significantly different learning needs and sociocultural adjustments faced by refugee students compared with migrants and international students. At the same time, educational programmes of inclusion that are concerned with utilising community organisations to deliver services and enhance their participation, point to the emergence of 'government through community partnerships'; a mode of governance increasingly associated with advanced liberal societies

Temporary skilled migration to Australia: Employers' perspectives

The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.comWith the 1996 introduction of a new visa making it easier for employers to sponsor skilled foreign workers, temporary skilled migration has become a significant component of international migration flows to Australia. This paper examines employers' reasons for sponsoring skilled workers from abroad, their modes of recruitment, the occupational skills they require, and their industry profile. We also discuss issues relating to the perception of a shortage of skilled workers, the extent that sponsoring foreign workers substitutes for investing in local training, and the role of networks in recruiting overseas workers. Many employers' now have a global view of labour recruitment. While this is understandable for multinational companies with global operations, many small businesses and public sector institutions are adopting the same strategy to obtain skilled labour which they say is in short supply in Australia. With the internationalization of the Australian economy, there is also an increasing demand for people with specialized skills and knowledge that is not available in Australia's relatively small labour market. An understanding of the demand factors motivating temporary skilled migration is crucial to effectively managing Australia's migration and labour trends.Siew-Ean Khoo, Carmen Voigt-Graf, Peter McDonald, Graeme Hug

The irregular migrant as Homo sacer: Migration and detention in Australia, Malaysia, and Thailand

10.1111/j.0020-7985.2004.00273.xInternational Migration42133-6