9.5 Overseas migration
The final movement trends discussed here relate to Australians moving away from the country.
International holidays or short-term trips have become increasingly affordable. However, the major shift has been in the numbers of people now seeking to leave the country to work internationally. The ABS figures show that for 1991–2003, around three in every 100 Australian-born people aged 15 or over were living in another Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) country. The consequences are described by the ABS as follows.
International migration has increased markedly as a result of the rise of the global labour market, more affordable international transport and sophisticated communication technologies. The movement of Australians overseas is an important issue not only because of its impact on the size of the Australian resident population, but also through its impact on the labour force and the economy.
Generally, expatriate Australians have high educational levels, as do the expatriate populations from other OECD countries, including those who seek to come to Australia.
