Skilled Migration Benefits Australia, Says Immigration Minister

03 Jan 2014

Scott Morrison, the Immigration Minister of Australia says prioritization of skilled immigration by the government is correct as new research of the parliament shows the family stream is gradually becoming a small component of the migration program.

A new analysis of family migration stream’s trends, which is created to reunite immediate family members of Australian Permanent Residents or Citizens, shows that as a proportion of the country’s yearly migrant intake, it has reduced to around half of the intake in 1987-88, having been overshadowed by a solid growth in skilled migration.

The planned migration program has been fixed at 190,000 places in the 2013-14 financial year, out of which over 128,550 places are set for skilled migrants and some of them have family ties in Australia. Around 60,885 places have been allocated for family migrants, out of which, 78 per cent are for foreign spouses of Australians.

Though the research paper informs that both family and skilled migration deliver a net benefit to the economy, the government's move to set aside over two-thirds of the migration for skilled people is supported by Mr. Morrison. He told The Australian that the skilled migrants’ contribution to the economy exceeds all other forms of migration.

Mr. Morrison added that skilled migrants have the strongest English skills and least unemployment rate, both of which are key drivers of successful integration into Australian society.