Twice the number of skilled migrants arriving in Australia with a tertiary qualification are finding employment in their field of expertise compared to 15 years ago, according to the latest research from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
The ABS figures show that since 2010, nearly 40 per cent of migrants with a tertiary qualification are working in their field, compared with 20 per cent of those who arrived before 2001. They also show there is now a much higher proportion of skilled migrants in Australia, with seven in 10 migrants who arrived since 2010 holding tertiary qualifications, in comparison to four out of ten degree-qualified migrants who arrived before 2001.
Internationally recognised migration expert from the University of Melbourne, Lesleyanne Hawthorne said the success rate reflected recent policy changes focused on boosting the scale of skilled migration and enhanced English-language testing.
Ms Hawthorne said, “If you compare Canada and Australia in terms of skilled migration 15 years ago about 60 per cent [of skilled migrants] were employed in six months.
“With Australia’s policy changes we’ve moved to 83 per cent within six months. Canada’s stayed pretty much the same.”
The findings are encouraging for those with a degree who are exploring their Australian work visa options, however Ms Hawthorne also emphasised the fact that job prospects for skilled migrants can vary depending on the chosen field of study.
Read recent research about the fields in which skilled migrants are most likely to find relevant employment or learn more about Australian skilled work visas.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald