The shift from family migration towards skilled migrants changed settlement patterns in the first two decades of this century. But these skilled migrants still get paid less than non-migrants.
Currently, when a visa applicant or their child has a health condition or disability likely to incur ‘a significant cost to the Australian community’ they can be deported.
Migrant women come to Australia with high hopes but their husbands’ careers often take precedence. Farjana Mahbuba spoke to Bangladeshi Muslim women, finding stories of isolation and under employment.
A fast-growing population – 50% bigger than it was in 1990 – is causing, directly or indirectly, all of Australia’s serious environmental problems. These impacts must be central to decision-making.
Australia’s debates about migration tend to focus too much on numbers, and not enough on who we choose. Accepting 30,000 more skilled permanent workers is a good move – but there’s more to be done.
Defining skill shortage by lists of occupations is inflexible for a rapidly changing labour market. Australia needs a different approach to organise its temporary skilled migration programs.
Having international students in Australia gives us a head start in the global race to attract skilled migrants. COVID border closures that halved their numbers could have very long-term costs.
Adam Graycar, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University and George Tan, Charles Darwin University
Australia has traditionally only offered permanent residence to skilled migrants. That might have to change, as countries like Japan are already showing.
While skilled migration can help fill short-term gaps, Australia needs a more sustainable, long-term approach to skills matching and development to make the most of the people who are already here.
Anna Boucher, University of Sydney and Robert Breunig, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Australia’s population growth is expected to be stagnant over the next two years, due largely to decreased immigration. This won’t lead to a quick economic recovery.
Australia will extend the time students, graduates and skilled workers from Hong Kong can stay in the country. But it is not clear what “pathways to permanent residency” really means.
Capital city populations are growing twice as fast as the rest of Australia, because of the employment and business opportunities and lifestyle on offer to both new migrants and long-term residents.
Australian governments are faced with a choice: make the difficult decisions to fix planning systems so more houses can be built, or tap the brakes on Australia’s migrant intake.