DOL11642.2 MAY 11 FULL REPORT Trends INNewZealand andAustrali Competing forSkills:Migr ation Policiesd 2011 Prepared for the Department of Labour by
Professor Lesleyanne Hawthorne University of Melbourne
This research received funding from the Australian Government/Department of Immigration and Citizenship
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ii Competing for Skills: Migration policies and trends in New Zealand and Australia CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... VIII
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... XI
INTRODUCTION ...... 1
1 SKILLED MIGRATION TRENDS 2004–2009 – NEW ZEALAND COMPARED WITH AUSTRALIA...... 8 1.1 Permanent skilled migration to Australia, 2004–2009 ...... 8 1.2 Permanent skilled migration to New Zealand, 2004–2009 ...... 26 1.3 Temporary skilled migration to Australia, 2004–2009 ...... 41 1.4 Temporary skilled migration to New Zealand, 2004–2009 ...... 46
2 COMPARATIVE OUTCOMES FROM NEW ZEALAND’S AND AUSTRALIA’S SKILLED MIGRATION PROGRAMMES IN 2006 AND 2007 ...... 50 2.1 Skilled migration policy in Australia at the time of data collection...... 50 2.2 Skilled migration policy in New Zealand at the time of data collection ...... 55 2.3 Context of the longitudinal survey administration...... 59 2.4 Evaluating skilled migration policy outcomes – Data from the Australian and New Zealand longitudinal surveys ...... 67 2.5 Comparing outcomes from Australia and New Zealand’s skilled migration programmes 2004–06...... 68 2.6 Multivariate analysis – employment outcomes for skilled migrants ....90 2.7 Employment outcomes for degree qualified migrants across all immigration categories to Australia (2006) ...... 98 2.8 Employment outcomes for Skilled Migrant Category skilled secondary applicants (New Zealand) ...... 104
3 SKILLED MIGRATION POLICY DEVELOPMENTS 2007–2010: AUSTRALIA COMPARED WITH NEW ZEALAND...... 107 3.1 Introduction ...... 107 3.2 Australian policy trends 2007–2010 – fine tuning the study– migration pathway ...... 108 3.3 Australian policy trends 2007–2010 – the shift to sponsored entry.. 122 3.4 Evolution of New Zealand’s skilled migration policy 2007–2010 – demographic context...... 130 3.5 Evolution of New Zealand’s skilled migration policy 2007–2010 – study–migration pathway...... 133 3.6 Evolution of New Zealand’s skilled migration policy 2006–2008 – final years of the Clark Labour government ...... 137 3.7 Evolution of New Zealand’s skilled migration policy 2008–2010– first years of the Key National government ...... 146
Competing for Skills: Migration policies and trends in New Zealand and Australia iii 4 CONCLUSION ...... 152 4.1 Changing characteristics of skilled migrants ...... 152 4.2 Evolution of two step migration ...... 154 4.3 Likely influence of employe