Before we start worrying about the numbers of asylum seekers arriving by boat this year in Australia (nearly 1,500), let’s have a look at all the numbers.
The asylum seekers processed on Christmas Island who are found to have genuine claims to refugee status (and that seems to be nearly 100% so far) will be given visas in the Humanitarian category.
The numbers of visas in this category have hardly changed in the decades since the upper limit was legislated. The upper limit for 2008-09 was 13,500.
This is only 4% of the total migration of people hoping to make a home in Australia.
The numbers for 2007-08 were
Humanitarian (refugees) 13,014
Skilled 108 540
Family (Family reunion) 49 870
New Zealand settlers 34 491
Special (distinguished talent) 220
Skilled Long Stay Temporary Business visas 110,570 (although these are ‘temporary’ many workers take these visas as a pathway to permanency).
That’s a total of 316,705 people.
Let’s keep it in perspective.
Numbers from Permanent Migration to Australia – An Overview by Eligibility Category and
Temporary Migrants in Australia
good work
Comment by thomas vesely — September 26, 2009 @ 1:03 pm |
Why, thank you!!
Comment by nayano — September 26, 2009 @ 5:11 pm |
[...] So, should Australia panic over the number of asylum seekers who have arrived here by boat this year – about 1,300? Nearly 1,500 boat people: should we worry? [...]
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