Immigration Policy and the Australian Labour Market

The Biggest Loser: Education and Skilled Immigration in Australia

“…Hence, given the former government's stated focus on skilled immigrants, the recent expansion of skilled-visa entrants might be simply understood as typical expansion in terms of numbers. This does not necessarily contradict Birrell's (2003) interest-group theory but may help in understanding the direction of the changes in total migrant flows over the last decade.…”

“…An alternative view of the skilled migrant expansion, expressed recently by Birrell (2003), is that it is a response to lobby groups that favour immigration, particularly real estate, property development and construction sectors. According to Betts and Gilding (2006) these groups did increase their lobbying activities during the lull in the late 1990s, and they suggest that the increase in immigration was then a direct response to this lobbying.…”

Provincial Nominee Programs: A Note on Policy Implications and Future Research Needs

“…However, the recent policy changes in Canada and some other countries of immigration suggest that the approach to selection of economic immigrants is changing. While the symbolism of nation building continues to inform overall immigration policy, selection of economic immigrants becomes more strongly motivated by concrete objectives of efficiency, international competitiveness, and improvement of immigrants' labor market outcomes (Freeman and Birrell 2001;Birrell 2003;Schachar 2006). In Canada, the evidence of this trend can be found in CIC statements (2008a; 2010a, b) on the modernization of the immigration program PNPs fit well into this trend due to their perceived ability to promote efficiency through more locally attuned selection and to stimulate pluralism and experimentalism in public policy.…”

“…Traditionally, immigration law is considered to have a strong link to national identity and the mythology of nation building (Dauvergne 2005;Birrell 2003;CIC 2009). Such an approach may motivate a more centralized system where selection requirements tend to reflect general ideas of who is considered beneficial for the nation as a whole rather than be closely focused on regional peculiarities and needs.…”

Two-step migration: A comparison of Australia's and New Zealand's policy development between 1998 and 2010

“…Moreover, students with Australian qualifications could receive higher recognition and bonus points under the skilled migration program. Meanwhile, former international students were not asked to meet the required IELTS score and/or to satisfy the two years’ work experience if they applied within six months of graduation (Birrell, 2003; Birrell and Healy, 2008b). While waiting for their applications to be processed, they would have unrestricted work rights so could directly enter, or remain in, the labor market without disruption.…”