Evaluation of the General Skilled Migration Categories
by Bob Birrell (Centre for Population and Urban Research, Monash University), Lesleyanne Hawthorne (University of Melbourne) and Sue Richardson (Flinders University), for the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA), March 2006
This report was commissioned by the Hon. Amanda Vanstone, Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs in mid-2005. The authors were requested to examine Australia’s selection processes for skilled migrants. The report reviews the various skilled visa categories within the Australian Government’s General Skilled Migration Program. It examines the numbers, occupations and country of citizenship of the principal applicants visaed in recent years. It also reviews the employment experience of the migrants in question once they gain permanent residence in Australia. Finally, the report recommends reforms to existing selection rules, which focus on enhancing the English language capacity, work experience and specific vocational training of those selected.
Download a copy of the report here.