A record 77,880 skilled migrants arrived in Australia last financial year, according to Immigration Minister, Senator Amanda Vanstone.
A record 77,880 skilled migrants arrived in Australia last financial year, according to Immigration Minister, Senator Amanda Vanstone.
This accounted for about 65 per cent of the total migrant intake.
“At 120,060, the overall migration non-humanitarian migration 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.”
The focus on skilled migrants has resulted in a 294 per cent increase over the previous year’s numbers of doctors, nurses (40 per cent), accountants (48 per cent) and mechanical, electrical, construction and automotive trades persons (38 per cent).
The number of migrants sponsored by employers and by state and territory governments was the largest ever, while the number of skilled migrants opting to live and work in Australia’s regional areas had also reached an all-time high.
Because Canberra’s migration numbers do not include New Zealand citizens the actual intake is likely to be marginally higher than indicated.
About 18,700 visas were granted under the State Specific and Regional Migration (SSRM) mechanisms in 2004-05, an increase of almost 50 per cent on 2003-04.
WA’s intake under the SSRM program last year was 1,790, up by 84.5 per cent on the previous year’s 970.
“But figures don’t really tell the whole story,” Senator Vanstone 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.
“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.”
In April, Senator Vanstone announced the 2005-06 Migration, non-Humanitarian, Program would be between 130,000 and 140,000, with a Skill Stream of around 97,500 – exceeding the 2004-05 record by some 20,000.