CASE STUDY: MIGRANTS FROM CHINA*

For the first time, China* was the main source country of new migrants to Australia under the Migration Programme in 2010-11, representing 18% of places under this programme. Whilst a large number of migrants were from the United Kingdom, their numbers have continued to steadily decline over time, dropping from a high of 22% of the total number of migrants under the Migrant Programme in 2005-06 to 14.2% in 2010-11. The third highest source country of migrants was India, whose number of migrants also declined in 2010-11 to represent 13% of the total Migration Programme (DIAC, 2011).

According to the 2010-11 PITMID, there were 98,525 taxpayers who were born in China*, an increase of 12% from 2009-10. The majority held Skilled visas (69%), while one-quarter held Family visas. China* is unique in that migrants born in China* ranked among the top ten countries of birth for each of the four visa streams.

The chart below shows the proportion of Chinese-born migrants who reported personal income in 2010-11, by visa stream.



Migrants born in China* received $3.0 billion (7.4%) of total Employee income, $156.3 million (6.8%) of total Own unincorporated business income, $99.2 million (7.8%) of total Investment income and $10.8 million (2.7%) of total Other income in 2010-11.

Of the $3.3 billion in Total income reported by Chines-born migrants in 2010-11, 92% was Employee income. Skilled stream migrants born in China* earned most of this Employee income and received $2.6 billion (78%) of the Total income reported by Chinese-born migrants in 2010-11. These Skilled Chinese migrants recorded a median Employee income of $35,161 whilst those with a Humanitarian or Provisional visa had very similar median Employee incomes, $15,600 and $15,027 respectively.

Graph 14 below shows the proportion of income and the proportion of migrants born in China* by type of income and visa stream in 2010-11. For example, 70% of migrants who were born in China* who reported Employee income were in the Skilled stream. These Skilled stream migrants received 80% of the total Employee income reported by those born in China* in 2010-11.



In real terms, the median Employee income of Chinese migrants increased by 9.4% from 2009-10. Whilst a significant increase, it was slightly lower than the increase in median Employee income for those born in India (12%) and South Korea (11%). The increase in median Employee income for Chinese born Skilled migrants was higher than South Korea (9.3% compared with 7.3%). For Chinese-born Family migrants, the increase in median Employee income was 9.4%, higher than that experienced by migrants from India (8.1%) and Japan (5.7%).

The median Own unincorporated business income for Humanitarian migrants from China* was $18,555, almost two and a half times that of the Provisional migrants ($7,687) and Skilled migrants ($6,947) from China*, and one-third higher than migrants with a Family visa ($12,481). This resulted in a higher median Total income for Humanitarian migrants from China* than Family migrants.

The following Graph presents the median income of migrants born in China* in 2010-11 by the source of income and visa stream.



Comparison of employment rates from the 2011 ACMID (ABS, 2014) with those reporting Employee income in 2010-11 PITMID reveals a similar result. The average employment rate for all migrants born in China* according to ACMID was 89.4%, while those who reported Employee income on the PITMID was 89.2%.

Notes

Changes in income from 2009-10 to 2010-11 are in 2010-11 dollars, adjusted using changes in the Consumer Price Index.

*China excludes Special Administrative Regions (SARs) which comprise Hong Kong and Macau (SARs of China) and Taiwan.

Other income (excluding Government pensions and allowances) includes transfer or trust income; foreign investment fund and/or foreign life insurance assurance policy income (in 2009-10 only); controlled foreign company income; foreign salary/pension income; other net foreign source income; and other (including superannuation and annuity income). Data for superannuation and annuities are understated. See Explanatory Notes for more information.


REFERENCES

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 2014, Microdata: Australian Census and Migrants Integrated Dataset, 2011 (cat. no. 3417.0.55.001), Canberra. Viewed at
<https://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/034497B57BFD10A6CA257C7E000FC8F5?OpenDocument>

Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), 2011, 2010-11 Annual Report, Canberra. Viewed at
<https://www.border.gov.au/ReportsandPublications/Documents/annual-reports/2010-11-diac-annual-report.pdf>