Australian Migration News

Minister Chris Evans says migrant intake likely to drop

AUSTRALIA is likely to take fewer migrants next year because of the global financial crisis, the Federal Government says.

Immigration Minister Chris Evans said the intake was closely linked to the state of the economy and the demand for labour.

"If there is a drop in demand for skills and labour in the economy, you would expect that you would run a smaller migration program," the minister told a Senate estimates hearing.

"I'd envisage certainly that the migration program for next year would be smaller than this year."

However, Senator Evans said no decision had yet been made by Cabinet, and would not be made until the lead-up to next year's Budget.

With the global meltdown tipped to push up unemployment, the Coalition has called for a cut in this year's intake ahead of the May Budget.

The 2008-09 Migration Program is set at 190,300 places, representing a 19.8 per cent increase on the 2007-08 program. About 70 per cent of those places are for skilled migrants.

The upcoming Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook would give the Government a better handle on what was required, Senator Evans said.

The Government would put Australian jobs first, he said.

"People on temporary work visas in this country are that - temporary, here to fill skills vacancies in the Australian economy that exist."

Senator Evans said he believed Australia would continue to run large migration programs for the next 30 to 40 years.

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