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No one wants to come here .... or a lack of student visas has resulted in the plunge? The article cites the Indian media beat up from last year as a potential reason..
Does anything think this is a problem, or a slowdown a good thing/bad thing?!
Perhaps cost of living issues are also a factor. I'm sure our overpriced houses are well known now, especially to potential migrants who check things like that out online. Add to that, our high dollar making their money not go as far when they get here.
I believe the Skills List was shortened and the Student Visa route tightened up.
I don't think it's a necessarily bad thing. Most seem to head to Sydney and Melbourne where the infrastructure can't keep up.
I has more to do with a change in policy from the government regarding the skilled migration intake than anything else.
Gone are the days when Chefs and Hairdressers were on the skills shortage list, and the Rudd governments "Big Australia Policy" was in place.
In terms of sheer numbers I remember reading that our 2008 intake of around 320,000 people was the second highest in the developed world after the USA (if the USA was to adopt the same % intake as Australia did that year, it would amount to almost 5 million legal immigrants going to the USA in one year). Quite simply immigration at that level is not sustainable. Its not as though australia is exactly alone doing this either, the UK recently announced it was capping its non EU immigration at only 20,700 people.
Students are tempory visa holders and are not included in Australias official migration intake, unless they get a job and transfer to a pernament visa. Combine the GFC, high aussie dollar, and stricter criteria (again a Juliar Policy) its not really surprising student numbers are down.
Im all for skilled migration, and are a bit dissapointed to see it dropping. Its a difficual balancing act however, we cant have a lot of unemployed migrants living in the streets.
Last edited by danielsa1775; 06-23-2011 at 08:27 PM..
I has more to do with a change in policy from the government regarding the skilled migration intake than anything else.
Gone are the days when Chefs and Hairdressers were on the skills shortage list, and the Rudd governments "Big Australia Policy" was in place.
In terms of sheer numbers I remember reading that our 2008 intake of around 320,000 people was the second highest in the developed world after the USA (if the USA was to adopt the same % intake as Australia did that year, it would amount to almost 5 million legal immigrants going to the USA in one year). Quite simply immigration at that level is not sustainable. Its not as though australia is exactly alone doing this either, the UK recently announced it was capping its non EU immigration at only 20,700 people.
Students are tempory visa holders and are not included in Australias official migration intake, unless they get a job and transfer to a pernament visa. Combine the GFC, high aussie dollar, and stricter criteria (again a Juliar Policy) its not really surprising student numbers are down.
Im all for skilled migration, and are a bit dissapointed to see it dropping. Its a difficual balancing act however, we cant have a lot of unemployed migrants living in the streets.
Should correct myslelf, the 320k was the Nett Migration figure, and nett movements in temp visa holders which intend to stay more than one year are included in official migration numbers.
Well there is always good ol' NZers to help keep those immigration numbers up! I heard on the news the other day that the 'brain-drain' - educated NZers leaving NZ - is on the rise and has exceeded the peak of the late 1970's. Of course, many could be Cantabrians leaving the quake stricken city however there is that perception here at the moment that the grass is definitely greener on the other side of the Tasman.
I think it's good that Australia is slowing down it's immigration intake before a financial catastrophe happens and all of a sudden you have hundreds of thousands or more unemployed that otherwise wouldn't have been an issue. Plus, there's also that pesky water issue to consider. Australia is a huge landmass but when you cut out all the land that doesn't get adequate, reliable yearly rainfall, you're left with an outline of the country with bits of the west outline missing
Well there is always good ol' NZers to help keep those immigration numbers up! I heard on the news the other day that the 'brain-drain' - educated NZers leaving NZ - is on the rise and has exceeded the peak of the late 1970's. Of course, many could be Cantabrians leaving the quake stricken city however there is that perception here at the moment that the grass is definitely greener on the other side of the Tasman.
There is a danger that the brain drain will leave only people like my self here. I don't even know who the Polish president is, and I can't spell hospitel correctly either.We need these people to stay here.
There is a danger that the brain drain will leave only people like my self here. I don't even know who the Polish president is, and I can't spell hospitel correctly either.We need these people to stay here.
No one wants to come here .... or a lack of student visas has resulted in the plunge? The article cites the Indian media beat up from last year as a potential reason..
Does anything think this is a problem, or a slowdown a good thing/bad thing?!
I would love to "come on down", but do you have any idea how hard it is to do so?
Just to come there on a vacation would require visits to special doctors, that are 80 miles from our home, for the enitre family to get check ups and shots. Then there are the visa's to contend with. It is more hassle that getting into almost any country in the world.
I have always wanted to visit / live in Australia, but probably will never make it because of all the red tape and hoops to jump through just to come for a visit.
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