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Skilled Movement in the New Century: Outcomes for Australia

by Bob Birrell, Ian R. Dobson, Virginia Rapson and T. Fred Smith, Centre for Population and Urban Research, Monash University, for the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA), April 2004

A review of the movement of skilled workers into and out of Australia, over the years, 1997–1998 to 2002–2003. The report extends an earlier analysis titled Skilled Labour: Gains and Losses, prepared by the Centre for Population and Urban Research and published by DIMIA in 2001. This 2004 report concludes that there is a large and increasing ‘brain gain’ to Australia from international movement. The report also examines movements of recently qualified PhD recipients in Australia. It shows that contrary to widely expressed concern about losses to overseas destinations of such persons, few are leaving Australia, in part because of improved employment prospects in Australia.

Download a copy of the report here (pdf).

This report is also available from the Research Publications section of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website at: http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/research/#b