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Senator Amanda Vanstone MINISTER FOR IMMIGRATION AND MULTICULTURAL AND INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS

Media Centre

Record Number of Skill Stream Migrants in 2004-05

VPS 092/2005

The Australian Government has responded to Australia’s skill shortage by bringing record numbers of skilled migrants to Australia, the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, Senator Amanda Vanstone, said today.

‘The 77 880 skill stream migrants in 2004-05 account for about 65 per cent of the total program. At 120 060, the overall Migration (non-Humanitarian) Program was the largest since the late 1980s,’ Senator Vanstone said.

‘The Government’s focus on skilled migration continues to benefit Australia’s economy, while it maintained a sizable level of family reunion,’ she said.

Improved targeting in the Skill Stream has resulted in increases over the previous year’s numbers of doctors (294 per cent), nurses (40 per cent), accountants (48 per cent) and tradespersons (38 per cent) such as mechanical, electrical, construction and automotive tradespersons.

Not only was the number of migrants sponsored by employers and by State and Territory Governments the largest ever, the number of skilled migrants choosing to live and work in Australia’s regional areas also reached an all time high.

About 18 700 visas were granted under the State Specific and Regional Migration (SSRM) mechanisms in 2004-05, almost a 50 percent increase on 2003-04.

‘But figures don’t really tell the whole story,’ the Minister said.

‘The story is in the individuals from a female Dutch welder working in Darwin, a Scottish hairdresser now working in South Australia’s Barossa Valley, to an Irish geologist working on the Western Australian goldfields and the South African nurse working in Tasmania. (examples attached)

‘These migrants are playing a vital role in helping to address the critical skill shortages felt by employers in local communities across Australia.

‘The number of overseas students migrating to Australia directly after completing their studies was also the largest ever, with some 16,490 visas granted in 2004-05,’ she said.

In April, Senator Vanstone announced the 2005-06 Migration (non-Humanitarian) Program would be between 130 000 and 140 000, and a Skill Stream of around 97 500 - exceeding the 2004-05 record by around 20 000.

‘To assist employers to benefit from this increase, my department will work in partnership with industry and State/Territory governments to take advantage of employer sponsored and State sponsored migration, particularly in areas of critical skills shortage in Australia such as engineering and the traditional trades,’ she said.

For more details on the Migration Program visit the Department’s website: www.immi/gov.au/migration

27 July 2005

2005-06 MIGRATION (NON-HUMANITARIAN) PROGRAM OUTCOMES FOR 2003-04 AND 2004-05 PLANNING LEVELS FOR 2005-06

CATEGORY 2003-04 OUTCOME 2004-05 OUTCOME 2005-06 PLANNING LEVELS TOP OF THE RANGE

Spouse/Interdependent (1) 27,320 27,620 27,700

Fiance (1) 5,030 5,440 5,600

Child (2) 2,660 2,490 2,500

Preferential/Other Family (3) 2,280 1,690 1,700

Parent (4) 4,930 4,500 4,500

Total Family 42,230 41,740 42,000

Employer Sponsored (5) 10,400 13,020 15,000

Skilled Independent 38,720 41,180 49,200

State/Regional Sponsored (6) 1,630 4,140 10,000

Skilled Australian Sponsored (7) 14,590 14,530 17,700

Distinguished Talent 230 190 200

Business Skills (8) 5,670 4,820 5,400

Total Skill 71,240 77,880 97,500

Skill as per cent of total Program 62.3% 64.9% 69.6 %

Total Special Eligibility 890 450 500

Program Planning Range 114,360 120,060 130,000-140,000

Note: Migration Program numbers do not include New Zealand citizens or holders of Secondary Movement Offshore Entry (Temporary), Secondary Movement Relocation (Temporary) and Temporary Protection Visas. Numbers have been rounded and totals may not be the exact sum of components.

● Net outcome as places taken by provisional visa holders who do not subsequently obtain permanent visas are returned to the Migration

Program in the year that the temporary visas expire. ● Includes child-adoption, child dependent and orphan minor.

● Includes aged dependent, carer, orphan unmarried and remaining relatives.

● Includes Designated, Contributory and non-contributory Parents

● Includes Employer Nomination Scheme, Labour Agreement, Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme.

● Includes State/Territory Nominated Independent Scheme and Skilled Independent Regional.

● Includes brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, non-dependent children, working age parents, grandchildren and first cousins who have been

skill tested. ● Net outcome as cancelled visas are returned to the Migration Program in that year.

MIGRATION PROGRAM OUTCOME

OCCUPATIONAL GROUPINGS OF PRINCIPAL APPLICANTS IN THE SKILL STREAM

2003-04 AND 2004-05

YEAR

OCCUPATIONAL GROUP 2003-04 2004-05 CHANGE (%)

Business & Information Professionals (Computing Professionals) 9,244 8,829 -4.5

Business & Information Professionals (Accountants, Auditors & Corporate Treasurers) 4,588 6,768 47.5 Science, Building and Engineering Professionals 3,318 4,753 43.2

Social, Arts & Miscellaneous Professionals 1,367 1,707 24.9

Health Professionals (Nursing Professionals) 1,167 1,633 39.9

Business & Information Professionals (Miscellaneous Business & Information Professionals) 1,128 1,420 25.9 Specialist Managers 815 1,151 41.2

Mechanical & Fabrication Engineering Tradespersons 719 1,054 46.6

Education Professionals 944 1,052 11.4

Business & Information Professionals (Sales, Marketing & Advertising Professionals) 958 1,017 6.2 Other Tradespersons & Related Workers 611 958 56.8

Business & Administration Associate Professionals 760 797 4.9

Health Professionals (Miscellaneous Health Professionals) 455 756 66.2

Generalist Managers 907 729 -19.6

Food Tradespersons 516 719 39.3

Electrical & Electronics Tradespersons 601 697 16.0

Construction Tradespersons 468 600 28.2

Self Employed 583 472 -19.0

Automotive Tradespersons 329 443 34.7

Managing Supervisors (Sales & Service) 283 425 50.2

Health Professionals (Medical Practioners) 66 260 293.9

Science, Engineering & Related Associate Professionals 187 239 27.8

Other Associate Professionals 67 198 195.5

Skilled Agricultural & Horticultural Workers 62 106 71.0

Health & Welfare Associate Professionals 97 102 5.2

Others 5,082 2,542 -50.0

TOTAL 35,322 39,427 11.6

Migration Program Outcome - State-Specific and Regional Migration

State/Territory 2003-04 2004-05 % Change New South Wales 860 1,300 51.2

Victoria 6,460 7,100 9.9

Queensland 1,480 2,410 62.8

South Australia 2,070 4,950 139.1

Western Australia 970 1,790 84.5

Tasmania 290 460 58.6

Northern Territory 150 160 6.7

Australian Capital Territory 440 530 20.5 Total 12,720 18,700 47.0

Regional Migrant Profiles

WA - Kalgoorlie: James Buchanan (30KB PDF file) Queensland - Mount Isa: John Chalkley (33KB PDF file) SA - Adelaide: David and Ann Leigh-Ewers (30KB PDF file) Tasmania: Jackie Van Den Berg (37KB PDF file) Tasmania - Hobart: Tim Wilson-Haffenden and Soruby Bharathy (37KB PDF file) SA - Adelaide Hills: Richard and Elizabeth Hirstle (30KB PDF file) NT - Darwin: Monique Kamsma (34KB PDF file) Adelaide - South Australia: Gavin Newman (38KB PDF file) SA - Barossa: Lynne Gillie (27KB PDF file)