Migration - Economic Outcomes

On 30 August 2010, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) published another in its series of Perspectives on Migration entitled "Economic Outcomes of Skilled Program Migrants".

The report (click here for full version) finds that the unemployment rate for skilled migrants is 30% higher then the national average. This is an interesting finding as this program is often promoted as a solution to the skills shortage. Apparently it's not. The report also explores some of the reasons for this outcome.

It's also no wonder when faced with research like this that government policy is clearly focused on the employer sponsored visa classes. The migrants under that program have 100% employment.

There was also an article about this ABS report in The Sydney Morning Herald on 1 September 2010.

Creative commons acknowledgment for photograph.