Glossary


12/12 month rule

A method for measuring an overseas traveller's duration of stay or absence in which the 12 month usual residence criterion in population estimates is measured across a 12 month period. Under a 12/12 month rule, overseas travellers must be resident in Australia for a continuous 12 month period or more to be included in the estimated resident population. Similarly, Australian residents travelling overseas must be absent from Australia for a continuous 12 month period or more to be removed from the estimated resident population.

12/16 month rule

A method for measuring an overseas traveller's duration of stay or absence which takes an approach to measure usual residence that does not have to be continuous, as opposed to the continuous approach used under a 12/12 month rule. Under a 12/16 month rule, overseas travellers must have been resident in Australia for a total period of 12 months or more, during the 16 month follow-up period to be included in the estimated resident population.

The 12/16 month rule therefore takes account of those persons who may have left Australia briefly and returned, while still being resident for 12 months out of 16. Similarly, it takes account of Australians who live most of the time overseas but periodically return to Australia for short periods.

Australian resident

For estimated resident population statistics, the Census year population estimates classify a person as an Australian resident if the person has (in the most recent Census) reported a usual address in Australia where the person has lived or intends to live for six months or more in the Census year. The post-censal estimates, while based on the Census data, are updated with international migration data that have a criterion of one year or more of intended stay in or departure from Australia.

Category of movement

Category of movement is of particular relevance to the overseas arrivals and departures (OAD) collection. OAD are classified according to length of stay (in Australia or overseas), as recorded by travellers on passenger cards or derived with reference to previous border crossings. There are three main categories of movement and 10 sub-categories:

• permanent movement:
  • permanent arrival (PA);
  • permanent departure (PD);
• long-term movement — has a duration of stay (or absence) of one year or more:
  • long-term resident returning (LTRR);
  • long-term visitor arrival (LTVA);
  • long-term resident departure (LTRD);
  • long-term visitor departure (LTVD);
• short-term movement — has a duration of stay (or absence) of less than one year:
  • short-term resident returning (STRR);
  • short-term visitor arrival (STVA);
  • short-term resident departure (STRD); and
  • short-term visitor departure (STVD).

• For Australian residents, it is the country they spent/intend to spend most time abroad (i.e. their country of stay)
• For overseas visitors to Australia, it is their country of residence, recorded on their passenger card or visa.
  

• Travellers who have any permanent or long-term movement (one year or more) recorded during the reference quarter have their last permanent/ long-term movement assigned as their initial category of travel;
• Travellers who only have a history of short-term movements (less than one year) recorded during the reference quarter have their first movement assigned as their initial category of travel.

• permanent traveller:
  • permanent arrival (PA);
  • permanent departure (PD);
• long-term traveller — has a duration of stay (or absence) of one year or more:
  • long-term resident returning (LTRR);
  • long-term visitor arrival (LTVA);
  • long-term resident departure (LTRD);
  • long-term visitor departure (LTVD);
• short-term traveller — has a duration of stay (or absence) of less than one year:
  • short-term resident returning (STRR);
  • short-term visitor arrival (STVA);
  • short-term resident departure (STRD); and
  • short-term visitor departure (STVD).

• overseas visitors who state that they intend to stay in Australia for 12 months or more (but not permanently)
• Australian residents returning after an absence of 12 months or more overseas

• Australian residents who state that they intend to stay abroad for 12 months or more (but not permanently)
• overseas visitors departing who stayed 12 months or more in Australia.

• convention/conference;
• business;
• visiting friends/relatives;
• holiday;
• employment;
• education; and
• other.

• based on an international traveller's duration of stay being in or out of Australia for 12 months or more over a 16 month period;
• the difference between:
• the number of incoming international travellers who stay in Australia for 12 months or more over a 16 month period, who are not currently counted within the population, and are then added to the population (NOM arrivals); and
• the number of outgoing international travellers (Australian residents and long-term visitors to Australia) who leave Australia for 12 months or more over a 16 month period, who are currently counted within the population, and are then subtracted from the population (NOM departures).
  

Overseas arrivals and departures (OAD)

Overseas arrivals and departures (OAD) refer to the recorded arrival or departure of persons through Australian air or sea ports (excluding operational air and ships' crew). Statistics on OAD relate to the number of movements of travellers rather than the number of travellers (i.e. the multiple movements of individual persons during a given reference period are all counted).

Overseas migration

See Net overseas migration (NOM).

Overseas migration adjustment

See Migration adjustment.

Passenger Card

Passenger cards are completed by nearly all passengers arriving in, or departing from, Australia. Information including occupation, nationality, intended length of stay, main reason for journey, and state or territory of intended stay/residence is collected. An example of the current Australian passenger card is always provided with the monthly Overseas Arrivals and Departures (cat. no. 3401.0) publication under the Explanatory Notes tab.

Permanent arrivals

Permanent arrivals (settlers) comprise:

• travellers who hold migrant visas (regardless of stated intended period of stay);
• New Zealand citizens who indicate an intention to migrate permanently; and
• those who are otherwise eligible to settle (e.g. overseas-born children of Australian citizens).

• overseas visitors who intend to stay in Australia for less than 12 months
• Australian residents returning after a stay of less than 12 months overseas.

• Australian residents who intend to stay abroad for less than 12 months
• overseas visitors departing after a stay of less than 12 months in Australia.