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When General Skills Are Not Enough: The Influence of Recent Shifts in Australian Skilled Migration Policy on Migrant Employment Outcomes

Author

Listed:
  • Justin van de Ven

    (Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research)

  • Sarah Voitchovsky

    (Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research)

  • Hielke Buddelmeyer

    (Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research)

Abstract

Although many countries are now using skilled migration to offset declining fertility and increased longevity, there is thin empirical evidence concerning the effects of alternative approaches to managing the skilled migrant intake. This study focusses on the effects on migrant labour market outcomes of Australia’s recent shift from a points-based “supply driven” model that favoured independent General Skilled Migrants, to a “hybrid model” that balances supply driven migration against Employer Sponsored “demand driven” migration. We find that the shift to a hybrid model of skilled migration resulted in substantively improved rates of employment amongst skilled migrants without an accompanying deterioration in the average distribution of occupational outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Justin van de Ven & Sarah Voitchovsky & Hielke Buddelmeyer, 2014. "When General Skills Are Not Enough: The Influence of Recent Shifts in Australian Skilled Migration Policy on Migrant Employment Outcomes," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2014n21, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    • Handle: RePEc:iae:iaewps:wp2014n21
    as

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    File URL: http://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/downloads/working_paper_series/wp2014n21.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Deborah Cobb-Clark & Marie Connolly & Christopher Worswick, 2005. "Post-migration investments in education and job search: a family perspective," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 18(4), pages 663-690, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Skilled migration; Australia; migrant employment outcomes; Difference-in-Differences;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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