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5 C o n c l u s i o n 5.1 Introduction The present report represents the first stage of an investigation into the contemporary p a t t e rns, composition, causes and implications of permanent and long-term emigration out of Australia. This stage has involved the analysis of a number of secondary data sources and is intended to provide a clear picture of the scale, spatial patterning and composition of the movement, and clarify some of the major issues and questions about contemporary emigration in Australia. This is a necessary preliminary to undertaking primary data collection among the emigrants themselves and the institutions and gatekeepers who influence their movement and are impacted by it. This second phase of the study is intended to delve more deeply into the underlying causes of emigration from Australia and to assess the impacts of that movement on the emigrants themselves, but more widely on the Australian economy and society. In this final chapter we will attempt to bring together and summarise the findings of the analyses presented here and to draw out some initial ideas on the implications of these findings. In particular, we raise the issue of the possibility of Australia developing a policy or series of policies relating to emigration. There can be little doubt that the last two decades have seen an exponential increase in international population movement. Less frequently observed is the fact that governments have become increasingly involved in attempting to shape and influence that mobility. Table 5.1 shows the results of the regular surveys of nations by the United Nations’ Population Division, which seeks information about government attitudes towards specific population issues and their population policies. The table shows that the number of countries considering that their immigration was too high had increased over the 1976–96 period but then stabilised, perhaps due to the increasing concern in OECD nations about low fertility, ageing and immigrant population decline (Hugo 2001b). There can be little doubt that the last two decades have seen an exponential increase in international population movement. There has been a substantial increase in the number of nations who are concerned about emigration, reflecting an increasing concern with ‘brain drain’. A quite different picture is evident in Table 5.2, which shows the same set of data on government views on emigration. There has been a substantial increase in the number of nations who are concerned about emigration, reflecting an increasing concern with ‘brain drain’. 5.2 Some data-collection issues Emigrants present some unique problems to demographers and other social scientists wishing to study them. These predominantly arise from the fact that the subjects of the study (that is, the emigrants) are by definition outside of the nation from whose perspective they are being studied. Hence, conventional population censuses do not provide any information on the emigrants themselves and studies based in the country of emigration can only survey them before they leave, or in the case of some, after they return. To some extent, the censuses of the countries of destination may be useful in providing some detail on the characteristics of emigrants residing in those countries and the country of emigration may bring together information from censuses in each of the main destinations. Some nations keep close contact with their emigrants through embassies, consulates, and so on, and have regular collections of information from them. One example of this is Japan, which has a substantial population overseas, especially those associated with the activities of Japanese-owned and based multinational companies. For example, in 1999 there were 795 852 Japanese citizens residing overseas of which 515 275 were long-term stayers in the destination countries and 280 557 permanent residents (Iguchi 2001). C E DA – Emigration from Australia: Economic ImplicationsJune 2001 97
There are an estimated 3 million US citizens living abroad and the US government has decided to carry out a special census of its citizens living abroad in 2003. It is recommended that Australia consider undertaking a similar census. Table 5.1 Government views on the level of immigration, 1976, 1986 and 1996 View Year Too Low Satisfactory Too High Total A. Number of Countries 1976 11 128 10 149 1986 6 124 33 163 1996 4 135 40 179 B. Percentage of Countries 1976 7 86 7 100 1986 4 76 20 100 1996 2 75 22 100 Source: United Nations 1998 Table 5.2 Government views on the level of emigration, 1976, 1986 and 1996 View Year Too Low Satisfactory Too High Total A. Number of Countries 1976 6 124 19 149 1986 9 124 30 163 1996 5 129 45 179 B. Percentage of Countries 1976 4 83 13 100 1986 6 76 18 100 1996 3 72 25 100 Source: United Nations 1998 An important innovation has been announced by the US where there has been a growing recognition of the significance of emigration of US citizens. There are an estimated 3 million US citizens living abroad and the US government has decided to carry out a special census of its citizens living abroad in 2003. It is intended that this census would prove a blueprint for extending the 2010 US census to include citizens living abroad (New York Times, CXLIX, 51 334, A18, 21 March 2000). Citizens abroad continue to pay taxes, vote and maintain other linkages with the US. It is perhaps an indicator of growing transnationalism that the US should conceive of its national census covering not only people living within its national boundaries but also its citizens living in other nations. One of the recommendations of the present study is that Australia at the very least needs to closely observe the US experiment and perhaps also consider undertaking a census of Australians overseas along similar lines to the planned US enumeration in 2003. Perhaps, too, there needs to be thought given to new concepts of who should be included in the Australian censuses of population. In a globalising world do we need to include Australian citizens living outside Australia? The present study has used a range of sources relating to emigration. The DIMA Movements Data Base is the most obvious source to analyse out-movement and much 98 C E DA – Emigration from Australia: Economic ImplicationsJune 2001
Page 1 and 2: 4 Emigration of recent university g
Page 3 and 4: In 1991 female graduates overseas o
Page 5 and 6: Within the recent graduate emigrant
Page 7 and 8: Table 4.5 Main fields of study of 1
Page 9 and 10: There were lower proportions of per
Page 11 and 12: Recent graduates working overseas w
Page 13 and 14: In 1996 nearly a quarter of recent
Page 15 and 16: Table 4.12 Income levels of recent
Page 17: A significant proportion of the rec
Page 21 and 22: With the growing emphasis on the ec
Page 23 and 24: Despite increases in Australia-born
Page 25 and 26: Currently there are 61 224 persons
Page 27 and 28: The policy implications of the patt
Page 29 and 30: Australia is experiencing an overal
Page 31 and 32: Skilled labour markets are becoming
Page 33 and 34: G l o s s a r y ABS DETYA DEETYA DI
Page 35 and 36: Department of Education, Training a
Page 37 and 38: McGurn, W., 1996. The Lucky Country
Page 39 and 40: C E DA Office Bearers President J B

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