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Feature Article - Spotlight on Country of Birth


This article was published in the October 2003 issue of Australian Labour Market Statistics (cat. no. 6105.0).

INTRODUCTION

This article examines the labour market experience of migrants, and how this has changed over time, using data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The LFS collects data on country of birth and year of arrival in Australia from those respondents born overseas. Summary data is published in table 1.5 of this publication.

Country of birth information is available at a more detailed level from the Census of Population and Housing. The census data are more suitable for detailed analysis, but are only available every five years, while the LFS data provide a more frequent time series.

Country of birth is classified according to the Standard Australian Classification of Countries (SACC) (cat. no. 1269.0). This classification was adopted by the ABS in September 1998, replacing the Australian Standard Classification of Countries for Social Statistics (cat. no. 1269.0). Concordances between the two classifications are available.

SOURCE OF MIGRANTS

In the August 2003 LFS, 27% of the civilian population aged 15 and over were born overseas. Of these, 19% arrived in Australia during the period 1996-2003, and for the purposes of this article are referred to as 'recent arrivals'.

Country of birth(a): Original—August 2003
			Civilian population aged 15 and over		Unemployment rate	Participation rate
Country of birth			'000	%	%	%
Born overseas and arrived recently
	Oceania and Antarctica		113.4	13.9	7.4	75.9
		New Zealand	89.7	11.0	*5.5	79.1
	North-West Europe		113.4	13.9	*3.5	70.9
		UK and Ireland	89.0	10.9	*3.4	75.1
	Southern and Eastern Europe		61.7	7.6	14.1	56.4
	North Africa and the Middle East		50.4	6.2	30.4	38.5
	South-East Asia		142.5	17.5	11.7	48.1
	North-East Asia		161.2	19.8	13.8	35.6
		China (excludes SARs and Taiwan)	89.1	10.9	15.8	37.0
	Southern and Central Asia		80.4	9.8	*7.9	66.4
		India	42.2	5.2	*7.2	69.0
	Sub-Saharan Africa		58.5	7.2	*6.1	75.4
		South Africa	34.5	4.2	*4.4	79.7
	Americas		34.5	4.2	*10.3	58.8
	All recent arrivals(b)		816.1	100.0	9.7	56.9
Born overseas			4,367.0	27.4	5.9	56.8
Born in Australia			11,287.2	70.9	5.5	66.9
Total(c)			15,930.7	100.0	5.6	63.0
* estimate is subject to sampling variability too high for most practical purposes
(a) Classified according to the Standard Australian Classification of Countries (SACC), 1998 (cat. no. 1269.0).
(b) Includes all countries, and persons born at sea.
(c) Includes institutionalised persons, for whom country of birth is not determined.
Source: Labour Force Survey.

In August 2003, 47% of recent arrivals were born in Asia, with 22% born in Europe and 14% born in Oceania and Antarctica. The remaining 18% were born in Sub-Saharan Africa (7%), North Africa and the Middle East (6%), and the Americas (4%). Of the recent arrivals, more were born in New Zealand (11%) than any other individual country.

LABOUR FORCE STATUS

In August 2003, recent arrivals had a higher unemployment rate (9.7%) than all migrants (5.9%) or the Australian-born (5.5%). Participation rates were similar for recent arrivals and all migrants (57%), but lower than that for Australian-born residents (67%).

CHANGING EXPERIENCE OVER TIME

Between August 1988 and August 2003, the labour force participation rate of migrants fell from 61% to 57%, largely because of a decline in the participation rate for migrants aged 15-24 years.

Persons born overseas, Participation rates by age—1988 and 2003

Proportion attending full-time education, Persons aged 15–24