This paper is concerned with the international mobility of New
Zealanders who migrate to Australia. One in ten New Zealand citizens
lives in Australia and their settlement and subsequent mobility is
important from demographic, socio-economic and policy perspectives in
both countries. Using a unique longitudinal dataset on New Zealand
citizens arriving for a stay of 12 months or longer between 1 August
1999 and 31 July 2002, we track all subsequent moves of these migrants
out of and back into Australia, up to July 2005. This allows us to
assess the impact of the removal of labour market-related social
security eligibility and some other policy changes affecting New Zealand
migrants to Australia, implemented between February and June 2001.
United Kingdom migrants to Australia, who were not affected by the
policy changes, provide a ‘control group’.
Using hazard models, we find that the policy changes increased the
probability of remigration from Australia among those who had intended
to settle permanently. Competing risk models suggested no difference
between the impact of the policy changes on onward or return moves.
Settlers arriving after the policy changes spend less time in Australia
and make more trips away than earlier migrants.
Presented by:
Jacques Poot (Population Studies Centre, University of Waikato, New Zealand) Co-author: Lynda Sanderson
Date & time:
February 5, 2009 4:00 pm - February 5, 2009 12:00 am
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