Skilled migrants boost Victorian population growth
Thursday, 27 March 2008
A new publication shows that increasing arrivals of skilled workers helped migration become the leading factor in Victoria's population growth last year, the Minister for Immigration and citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, said today.
‘Overall, skilled migrants accounted for 54.8 per cent of overseas permanent additions to Victoria in 2006-07,’ the Minister said.
‘The top occupations in this stream were accountants, computing professionals, registered nurses, building and engineering professionals, and managers and administrators.’
The 2008 edition of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship book Population Flows: Immigration Aspects shows that overseas skilled workers have increased their share of Victoria's migrant intake since the turn of the century.
The report shows that net migration – the number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants – made up 56 per cent of national population growth in 2006-07.
Victoria gained 31 947 people through natural increase in 2006-07 and lost 2194 people through net interstate migration.
‘Victoria's population grew 1.5 per cent with net overseas migration adding 47 153 people,’ Senator Evans said.
‘The United Kingdom remains the leading birthplace of Victoria's overseas migrants with 17.5 per cent of overseas-born,’ Senator Evans said.
‘People born in Italy, New Zealand, Vietnam and China are the next largest birthplace groups.’
Senator Evans said family stream permanent additions were 26.4 per cent of the 2006-07 intake, New Zealand citizens 10.6 per cent, and humanitarian program arrivals 7.5 per cent.
More than 65 per cent (8620 people) of Victoria's family stream permanent additions in 2006-07 entered on spouse visas. The state also received 1887 people engaged to be married, and 1043 parents.
Victoria's 3641 humanitarian entrants in 2006-07 included 2030 arrivals under Australia's special humanitarian program and 1281 refugees. The leading birthplaces of the state's humanitarian entrants include Sudan (21.1 per cent), Burma (16.8), Afghanistan (15.4), Iraq (14.9) and Thailand (5.4).
Victoria also attracted 600 000 overseas visitors in 2006-07 – 4.8 per cent more than the previous year.
Population Flows: Immigration Aspects is available online.
See: www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/statistics
URL: http://www.minister.immi.gov.au
/media/media-releases/2008/ce08029-7.htm
Last update: 13 August 2008 at 17:14 AEST