New Migrants Achieving Good Outcomes
A new study comparing the labour market success of Australian and Canadian migrants is a strong endorsement of Australia’s Migration Program, the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, Senator Amanda Vanstone, said today.
The report by Professor Sue Richardson, A Comparison of Australian and Canadian Immigration Policies and Labour Market Outcomes, shows that recent migrants to Australia are doing significantly better in the labour market than recent migrants to Canada.
‘For instance, six months after arrival the unemployment rate for migrants to Canada was 26 per cent, while the unemployment rate for Australian migrants at the same stage was only 10 per cent,’ Senator Vanstone said.
‘The study found that the better outcomes for recent Australian migrants were largely because of key features of Australia’s selection criteria for migrants,’ she said.
‘These include a more rigorous points test that places greater emphasis on skills, relevant work-experience and English ability, the requirement for formal assessment of qualifications before an applicant can apply for skilled migration, and a higher percentage of migrants in the 25 – 44 year group.’
‘The Australian Government has a high integrity Migration Program that takes the best people from around the world, and these migrants are achieving good outcomes within a short timeframe’ Senator Vanstone said.
The Minister said the report discounts the commonly held belief that different economic conditions in Canada and Australia could account for Australia’s better results.
