MIGRATION AND HUMANITARIAN PROGRAMMES IN 2010-11: AN OVERVIEW

This section contains a brief overview of the Australian Migration and Humanitarian Programmes in 2010-11, which serves to provide some context to the personal income of migrants data detailed in this release. A review is conducted annually, to maximise the Australian Migration programme's potential to achieve economic and social aims for Australia's future. During 2010-11, significant changes were made to the Australian Migration Programme by the Commonwealth Government as part of the annual review. These reforms introduced a new Skilled Occupation List (SOL) which included 183 occupations identified as being in demand, a new points test to select migrants with a broad range of skills, and jurisdictional migration plans allowing State and Territory governments greater flexibility to address skills needs in their jurisdictions (DIAC, 2011).

The 2010-11 combined Migration Programme and Humanitarian Programme included 182,484 places, slightly higher than in 2009-10 (182,380 places). The Skilled Stream outcome (113,725 places) increased by 5,827 places on 2009-10 to address skill shortages in critical occupations and regions within Australia. The Employer-sponsored programme outcome increased to 39% (44,345 places) of the Skilled stream. For the first time China became the main source country of new migrants to Australia, ahead of the United Kingdom and India, accounting for 18% (29,547 places) of the Migration Programme.

Graph 1 below illustrates the trends in migration levels of the Skilled, Family and Humanitarian streams since 2000. In 2010-11, migrants with a Skilled stream visa comprised 62%, those with a Family visa 30% and Humanitarian migrants 7.6% of all permanent residency visas granted under the Migration and Humanitarian Programmes (DIBP, 2015).


REFERENCES

Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), 2011, 2010-11 Annual Report, Canberra. Viewed at <https://www.border.gov.au/ReportsandPublications/Documents/annual-reports/2010-11-diac-annual-report.pdf>

Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) (2015), Historical Migration Statistics, Table 3.2 and 4.1, Canberra, Viewed at <https://www.border.gov.au/about/reports-publications/research-statistics/statistics/live-in-australia/historical-migration-statistics>