INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION
Net long-term migration (the excess of arrivals over departures involving a duration of stay of 12 months or more) dominated in net overseas migration in 1999-2000, exceeding gains from net permanent migration for the first time. Net long-term migration contributed 56,100 people, and net permanent migration 51,200 people, while category jumping amounted to a net loss of 8,200 people. The preliminary estimate of net overseas migration for the year 1999-2000 was 99,100 people, which was the highest gain since 1995-96 and reversed the downward trend of the last few years.
Long-term visitors were most likely to have resided in the United Kingdom (14%), New Zealand (7%) or Indonesia (7%) prior to arrival, with almost half (48%) coming for education reasons. Australian residents who departed long-term travelled mainly to the United Kingdom (33%), the United States of America (12%) or Hong Kong (6%), with around one-third travelling for employment reasons.
Australian-born residents departing permanently reached a record high in 1999-2000 (20,300 people), comprising almost half of all permanent departures. Of the overseas-born permanent departures, almost two-thirds were returning to their country of birth. Permanent arrivals reached almost 92,300 during the 12 months, with settlers most likely to have been born in New Zealand (24%), the United Kingdom (10%) or China (7%).
Further information can be found in Migration, Australia 1999-2000 (Cat. no. 3412.0) released on 15 March 2001. The publication also contains three special articles: Illegal entrants and overstayers; Recent migrants in the labour force; and the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Australia.
Print Page
Print All