GLOSSARY

Australian resident

An Australian resident is self-defined as reported by travellers when completing an incoming or outgoing passenger card.

Category of movement

Category of movement is of particular relevance to the overseas arrivals and departures (OAD) collection. OAD are classified according to length of stay (in Australia or overseas), as recorded by travellers on passenger cards or derived with reference to previous border crossings. There are three main categories of movement and 10 sub-categories:

• permanent movement;
  • permanent arrival (PA)
  • permanent departure (PD)
• long-term movement - has a duration of stay (or absence) of one year or more;
  • long-term resident returning (LTRR)
  • long-term visitor arrival (LTVA)
  • long-term resident departure (LTRD)
  • long-term visitor departure (LTVD)
• short-term movement - has a duration of stay (or absence) of less than one year;
  • short-term resident returning (STRR)
  • short-term visitor arrival (STVA)
  • short-term resident departure (STRD)
  • short-term visitor departure (STVD).

A significant number of travellers (i.e. overseas visitors to Australia on arrival and Australian residents going abroad) state exactly 12 months or one year as their intended period of stay. Many of them stay for less than that period and on their departure from, or return to, Australia are therefore classified as short-term. Accordingly, in an attempt to maintain consistency between arrivals and departures, movements of travellers who report their actual or intended period of stay as being one year exactly are randomly allocated to long-term or short-term in proportion to the number of movements of travellers who report their actual length of stay as up to one month more, or one month less, than one year.

Country of residence

Country of residence refers to the country in which travellers regard themselves as living or as last having lived.

Intended length of stay

On arrival in Australia, all overseas visitors are asked to state their ‘intended length of stay in Australia’. On departure from Australia, all Australian residents are asked to state their ‘intended length of stay abroad’.

Long-term arrivals

Long-term arrivals comprise:

• overseas migrants (comprising visitors and temporary entrants) who intend to stay in Australia for 12 months or more (but not permanently); and
• Australian residents returning from overseas after an absence of 12 months or more.

Long-term departures

Long-term departures comprise:

• Australian residents who intend to stay abroad for 12 months or more (but not permanently); and
• overseas migrants departing who stayed 12 months or more in Australia.

Main destination

Australian residents travelling overseas are asked on departure for the name of the country in which they intend to spend most time.

Main reason for journey

Overseas visitors/temporary entrants arriving in Australia and Australian residents departing temporarily from Australia are asked to state their main reason for journey. From September 1994, all statistics relating to main reason for journey have been published using the following categories:

• convention/conference
• business
• visiting friends/relatives
• holiday
• employment
• education
• other.

In tabulations of data collected before September 1994, the 'other' category included 'in transit' and the 'holiday' category included both 'student vacation' and 'accompanying business visitor'.

Overseas arrivals and departures

Overseas arrivals and departures (OAD) refer to the recorded arrival or departure of persons through Australian air or sea ports (excluding operational air and ships' crew). Statistics on OAD relate to the number of movements of travellers rather than the number of travellers (i.e. the multiple movements of individual persons during a given reference period are all counted).

Permanent arrivals

Permanent arrivals (settlers) comprise:

• travellers who hold migrant visas (regardless of stated intended period of stay);
• New Zealand citizens who indicate an intention to migrate permanently; and
• those who are otherwise eligible to settle (e.g. overseas born children of Australian citizens).

Permanent departures

Permanent departures are:

• Australian residents (including former settlers) who on departure state that they are departing permanently.

Short-term arrivals

Short-term arrivals comprise:

• overseas visitors/migrants who intend to stay in Australia for less than 12 months; and
• Australian residents returning from overseas after an absence of less than 12 months.

Short-term departures

Short-term departures comprise:

• Australian residents who intend to stay abroad for less than 12 months; and
• overseas visitors/migrants departing after a stay of less than 12 months in Australia.

State where spent most time

Overseas visitors are asked on departure for the name of the state or territory in which they spent the most time. This differs from 'state or territory of clearance' which is available on request.