Is Australia out of step on temporary migration?
Plus a new DAMA, regional migration views and and the character test in the news.
Hello and happy Friday!
Migration and population news for the week is presented for you below. Please share with friends and associates.
Focus on temporary workforce
A fresh perspective on Australia’s large group of workers on temporary visas emerged this week. Shane Wright covered a new report from the OECD in The Age/SMH.
Only New Zealand has a greater ratio of temporary visas to population than Australia.
Given most of these people enjoy a right to work, the figures raise the issue of the effect of temporary migration on the local labour market.
"While the total flow of migrants is generally too small relative to the total workforce to affect native employment prospects and pay on average, high inflows of migrants into low-skilled jobs might damage the labour market prospects of young unskilled workers.”
- OECD's employment, labour and social affairs director, Stefano Scarpetta
Business Insider also covered the report.
People of Australia
Citizenship Day occurred this week. Introduced in 2001, “it is an opportunity for all Australians to celebrate and value Australian citizenship, the peaceful, prosperous and inclusive society we share and to reflect on the role we play in building our nation and shaping our country's future as proud Australian citizens”, according to the Government.
Ceremonies across the country marked the occasion, but so too did calls to address the citizenship backlog, as well as a move by the Government to force councils ($) to hold ceremonies on Australia Day.
What else happened
Policy
Immigration Minister David Coleman marked the start of the operation of the Far North Queensland Designated Migration Agreement:
"The Morrison government is committed to supporting the skills needs of regional Australia, where we know there are around 60,000 jobs that can't be filled by Australian workers.”
James Pearson from the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry wrote an op-ed after making a submission to the regional migration inquiry currently underway:
“In our submission we suggested ways to bolster these industries, from agritourism, to digital connectivity, skills development and migration programs.”
Adam Boyton, chief economist of the Business Council of Australia, also offered his organisation’s perspective:
“The challenge is in how we attract people to regional centres. Of course, it’s unlikely that simply forcing people to settle in certain areas will work. Rather, a genuine and positive regional development strategy is the answer”.
A snapshot of South Australia’s record attracting and retaining workers was offered by The Australian ($), outlining Premier Steven Marshall’s plan:
Marshall has devised a four-pronged approach to stem the tide. He wants to stop young people leaving SA and to attract back those who have; he wants to win more people from the east; he has secured a deal for overseas students to remain in and work in Adelaide after they graduate; and he has convinced Canberra to give SA a greater share of the annual skilled migrant intake by having the entire state deemed part of regional Australia through the Commonwealth’s Designated Area Migration Agreement.
James Laurenceson from the Australia-China Relations Institute wrote in The Conversation that Australia’s anxiety over China’s influence is hurting Chinese-Australians.
The bill to lower the threshold for visa cancellations under the character test was in the news. There was the committee report, before it passed the lower house. It will now be debated in the Senate, where a brawl ($) is anticipated.
Dionne Niven from hotel booking technology company SiteMinder complained about ($) the visa process in the AFR.
People
Shamsher Kainth from SBS Punjabi spoke to a Belgian couple living in regional Australia frustrated by visa-related obstacles:
“We have done the hard yards and became a part of this country. We are ready to develop further, continue to enjoy Australia and contribute to the nation’s wealth. Instead, we seem to be suspended in a never-ending limbo with not many rights but obligations.”
The Sri Lankan family being held on Christmas Island facing deportation continued to be the subject of media attention. The Federal Court offered another injunction on Wednesday before deciding on Thursday the matter would go to trial.
Languages such as Hindi, Macedonian and Persian will be added to the NSW school curriculum from next year, according to the Sunday Telegraph ($).
Population
The Adelaide Advertiser reported ($) that South Australia’s traditionally sluggish population growth is showing signs of improvement after growing by 14,800 people in the 12 months to March this year, buoyed by overseas migration.
The world
The potential exodus from Hong Kong continues to prompt news around the world, including this story from Reuters.
The New York Times compared how “tough” Western countries’ migration policies are, including Australia’s.
Finally, the right of Australians and Brits to travel between the two countries post-Brexit received coverage in the Independent and The Mirror.
Thanks for reading, see you next week.
Jackson