In March 2008, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship released Population Flows: Immigration Aspects. This report provides an array of information about Australian migration in the 2006-07 fiscal year.
Australia’s population is now over 21 million. In 2006-07, Australia’s net overseas migration was estimated to have been 177,600. Migration is important to Australia’s economy. Migration accounted for 56 percent of Australia’s population increase and is a key method of addressing Australia’s aging workforce and ensuring that Australia has the necessary skilled workers.
During the 2006-07 fiscal year, there were a number of changes to citizenship legislation. The new Australian Citizenship Act 2007 came into force on 1 July 2007. Among other things, it introduced changes to the residence requirement for Australian citizenship, removed the age limit for citizenship by descent and resumption, prohibited the approval of citizenship where a person is a threat to national security, and strengthened the provisions for revocation of citizenship.
As a result of further changes in October 2007, most permanent residents must successfully complete a citizenship test before applying for Australian citizenship, demonstrating that they have a basic knowledge of English, and an adequate knowledge of Australia and the responsibilities and privileges of Australian citizenship.
Australia has separate migration and temporary entry programs. The temporary entry program allows people to come to Australia on a temporary basis for a specific purpose resulting in benefit to Australia. Among other things, this latter category includes over 3.2 million tourists, 228,590 overseas students, and 134,610 working holiday makers. The top three countries for visitor visa grants were the U.K., Japan and the United States. The main source countries for overseas students were India, China and South Korea. In addition, the U.K., South Korea and Germany together accounted for over half of the working holiday makers.
The migration program is divided into two main streams: a skill stream targeting skills required by the Australian economy, and a family stream. For the 2007-08 fiscal year, the government announced that the migration program would have 142,800 to 158,800 places, including 108,500 places in the skill stream. The balance between skilled migration and family migration has changed dramatically. In 1995-96, almost 68.7 percent of migrants were part of the family stream while in 2006-07, 66.1 percent were part of the skilled stream.
Australia’s general skilled migration program is intended to attract immigrants with skills in particular listed occupations that are needed in Australia. There are 85 occupations on the list, including both trades and professions. Applicants are assessed on a points test which rates the applicant's potential contribution to Australia based on skill, age, English language proficiency and work experience.
On 1 September 2007, major changes to the general skilled migration program came into effect. For all applications lodged after 1 September 2007, there will only be four skilled migration visa categories instead of 11. English language requirements for professional, technical or managerial occupations were also heightened. The changes also reward applicants who have completed skilled work experience or a recognised professional year in Australia.
A range of onshore general skilled migration visa categories are available to enable international students to apply for permanent residence following the completion of their studies without the need to leave Australia. Following the legislative changes in September 2007, international students who are unable to meet the new requirements for a permanent skilled visa at the time they complete their studies will have an opportunity to apply for a graduate visa to improve their English skills and gain work experience. In 2006-07, 22,858 visas were granted to former overseas students.
Migrants are an important part of the fabric of Australian society. In 2006, 23.9 percent of Australia’s population was born overseas. This percentage is already higher than in New Zealand, Canada, the United States and the U.K. and is increasing. The largest overseas-born group continues to be from the U.K., followed by New Zealand and China.
In 2006-07, a total of 136,256 people were granted Australian citizenship. Three-quarters of eligible permanent residents have chosen to take up Australian citizenship. More than half the eligible permanent residents who have not taken up citizenship come from either the U.K. or New Zealand, and these two groups account for the vast majority of the overseas-born who depart Australia permanently.