An Overview of Immigration to Australia

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Diploma of International Business                2050011703

BSBCMN405A—Analyse and Present Research Information        Masayo Kuroyanagi

Assignment 3

An Overview of Immigration to Australia

  1. INTRODUCTION

  1. Aim

This overview of immigration to Australia explains immigration movements in terms of its numbers, origins, and the backgrounds.  This report will be a basic fact for the next final report in which a survey will be discussed and compared to the results.

  1. Authorisation

Requested by Ms. Ronda MacLeod, Analyse & Present Research Information teacher for reporting the 3rd assignment by Wednesday 21 May, 2003.

  1. Acknowledgement

        To Mr. Ian Marquis for his assistance with my written English.


  1. Sources of Information

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics (2000) Migration, 1998-99, Cat. no. 3412.0, Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Australian Bureau of Statistics (2003) Australian Demographic Statistics, September Quarter 2002, Cat. no. 3101.0, Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics                                        
  • Australian Bureau of Statistics (2003) Overseas Arrivals and Departures, February 2003, Cat. no. 3401.0, Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics                                                                
  • Department of Immigration & Multicultural & Indigenous Affairs, (2003)                                         
  • Healey, J. (ed.) (2000) Issues in Society—Multiculturalism, vol. 126, NSW: The Spinney Press                                                
  • Healey, J. (ed.) (2002) Issues in Society—Australia’s Immigration Debate, vol. 171, NSW: The Spinney Press                                
  • Healey, K. (ed.) (1995) Issues for the Nineties—Global Migration, vol. 47, NSW: The Spinney Press

  1. FINDINGS

        The main topics are how many people immigrate to Australia, and their countries of origin.  The following sources discuss immigration.  The relevant information will be summarised here.  In this report, long-term or short-term movements are ignored.

  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2000) Migration, 1998-99, Cat. no. 3412.0, Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics
  1. Immigration arrivals to Australia

Appendix 1 shows overseas migration gain to Australia between 1979 and 1999.  In 1979, permanent arrivals were 67,192, and the numbers varied over the next 20 years.  There are two peaks: 1981-1982, and 1987-1992, where there were more than 100,000.  The most during these periods are 145,316 in 1989, while the number in 1999 was only 84,143.

  1. Geographical overseas migration to Australia

Appendix 2 shows overseas migration by states and territories from 1979 to 1999.  The whole migration to Australia increased by 1.7 times in 1999 compared to that of 1979.  In 1979, overseas migration to NSW was about 40%, Vic 25%, Qld 13%, SA 6%, WA 11%, Tas 1%, NT 1%, and ACT 3%.  After 20 years in 1999, they changed to around 44.4%, 22.4%, 15.4%, 3.5%, 11.5%, 0.5%, 0.8%, and 1.5%.  Migration to NSW, Qld, and WA increased about double in this period.  NSW had the most overseas migration throughout these 20 years (over 40%).  

  1. Permanent arrivals to Australia

Appendix 3 shows permanent and long-term movement: category of movement year ended 30 June 1999.  The most male permanent arrivals are in the age group 30-34 (5,895), followed by 25-29 (5,588), and 35-39 (4,544).  However, the most female permanent arrivals are in the age group 25-29 (7,116), followed by 30-34 (6,292), and 20-24 (4,632).  Consequently, the total persons are 25-29 (12,704), 30-34 (12,187), and 35-39 (8,890) in this order.  All males, females, and total permanent arrivals are in young age groups up to 39 of age.  Then, the older, the less number of immigration.

  1. Immigration to Australia by country of residence

Appendix 4 illustrates permanent and long-term movement: category of movement and country of residence or main destination, Australia, year ended 30 June 1999.  New Zealand permanent arrivals to Australia are ranked No. 1 (24,315), followed by United Kingdom (7,211), and South Africa (5,078).  As for areas, Oceania & Antarctica is #1 (26,232), Europe & the Former USSR is #2 (16,996), and South-East Asia #3 (11,953) out of the total 84,143.

  1. Settler arrivals to Australia by visa category

Department of Immigration and Multicultural affairs shows in Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) that in 1998-99, the settler arrivals to Australia were in four main categories depending on their visa.  21,500 people (26%) for the Family Migration Stream, 27,900 (33%) the Skill Migration Stream, 8,800 (10%) the Humanitarian Program, and 25,700 (31%) Non-program immigration.  The Non-program migrants includes both New Zealand citizens arriving Australia under the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement and not being required to hold an Australian visa, and children who were born overseas to Australian citizens.  (ABS 2000, Cat. no. 3412.0:23)

  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2003) Australian Demographic Statistics, September Quarter 2002, Cat. no. 3101.0, Canberra: Australian Bureau of Statistics

  1. Estimated resident population by country of birth

Appendix 5 shows estimated country of birth of the resident population in Australia based on 1996 Census data.  Estimated major groups are Oceania and Antarctica (14,633,532), Europe and the former USSR (2,430,329), Southeast Asia (510,681), Northeast Asia (274,266), Middle East and North Africa (213,956), Southern Asia (170,270), the Americas (167,679), and Africa (123,442) in order in 1997.  As for countries, main countries of birth are Australia (14,212,498), United Kingdom (1,173,031), New Zealand (327,323), Italy (254,379), and Former Yugoslav Republics (198,080) in order in the same year.  

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In 2000, all except the number of people who were born in Europe and the former USSR increased compared to those in 1997.  In 2000, the outstanding increases over 1997 of Australian residents born in New Zealand and China were about 47,000 and 33,000 respectively.

  1. Components of overseas migration

        Appendix 6 shows overseas migration from 1996 to 2002.  The permanent arrivals in 1996 were 92,502 and increased by about 8,000 to 100,888 in 2001.  

  1. Permanent (settler) arrivals by country of birth

        Appendix 7 shows Australian permanent (settler) arrivals by country of ...

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