Immigration Benefits Australia - Case Study Example

Immigration Benefits Australia Student’s Name Institution Australia, with its rather diversified society and also, a growing economy provides intensive levels of opportunities to all people that have always desired to immigrate and reside there. At the moment, the country has more than 22 million inhabitants while its overall population is said to be on an upward scale for the past few decades (Castles & Miller, 2009). It is important to understand that nearly 25 per cent of the population is made up of non-Australian citizens, which is a visible indication of the country’s immigration rate. Immigration is defined as the immediate movement of persons into a different destination country for which they are never considered to be native, have access to permanent residence or are seen to be natural citizens (Castles & Miller, 2009). Research indicates that there have been intensive benefits attributed to the immediate immigration into Australia; economic advantages brought about by the immediate level of cultural diversity involved and, also the direct benefits that arise out the ability of migrants in creating small businesses and thus, self-employment (Castles & Miller, 2009). This paper argues that immigration has brought about significant amount of benefits to the country as whole and these benefits are discussed in detail. Australia enjoys a significant level of ethnic diversity that has, in turn, led to increased productivity and creativity levels. It is important to argue that regional level of economic growth and development is propelled by creative personnel that always prefer to reside in places that are deemed diversified, tolerant and open to possible new ideas. In fact, ethnic diversification improves the overall odds that a place, like Australia, will attract different forms of creative people that have different skills as well as notable ideas (Khoo, McDonald, Giorgas & Birrell, 2002). Consequently, great and more diversified concentrations of creative amounts of capital will likely result to high degree of innovativeness, high level of technology, business composition, employment generation as well as overall economic growth and development. The fundamental aspect to consider in explaining how diversification would help increase the level of creativity emanates from the presumption that people that come with different social and cultural backgrounds help stimulate proper ideas within each other (Khoo, et al, 2002). It can therefore be noted that innovation, which for most cases involve the immediate interaction of new ideas from different sources, will likely flourish in cases where there is a significant degree of views, as can be seen in a cultural diversified community. For example, in Australia, the period preceding 15 years or so after Second World War resulted to a nation-building evaluation for immigration, which basically means that population expansion was perceived to be a necessity to assist with economic expansion through an established array of enormous unskilled personnel in order to clear-off land, construct huge cities as well as develop a proper level of infrastructure (Khoo, et al, 2002). During this period, economies of scale were proposed that can be linked to the current Australia overall Gross Domestic Product. In fact, it can be argued that the country’s total GDP would have been significant lower today in the absence of immigration process since 1945. Subsequently, earlier researched in New South Wales in 1990 postulated that the level of population growth through activities related to immigration had led to a substantial amount of technological improvements for the entire of Australia( Newville, 1990). It was established that an improved degree of innovation of 0.6 per cent could be direct linked to a growth of 1 per cent in overall output and that this level of growth and development was optimal with entire population growth close to 1.25 per cent on annual basis. Other notable studies have also shown that there is a consistency in per capita economic benefits that have resulted from skilled immigration into the Australian economy (Legrain, 2006). Conversely, it has been argued that with the increased level of cultural diversity amongst the migrants has contributed immensely in eroding the country’s initial way of life that is popularly noted as the Anglo-Celtic background. In fact, it is stated that the entire cultural diversification background in the country has resulted to racial conflicts and discrimination. For example, there has been intensive level of discrimination amongst the Sudanese people that live in Tamworth (Legrain, 2006). Notwithstanding, there has been an extensive amounts of Australian research on matters related to socio-economic statuses of Aboriginal people that relates to their rather deeper and enormous issues of deprivation and inequality of living lifestyles and simple work opportunities in relation to the overall current society (Legrain, 2006). Of particular interest, it has been noted that, at least in the shortest time possible, the ever-growing ethnic diversity of Australia in regards to the migration policies can test the overall adaptability of the entire Australian population. It is alleged that the migrants have thus far failed to extensively assimilate or even incorporate in the country as a whole. But in an overall perspective, it can be noted that the Australian experiences and policies for migrants is indeed a success in comparison to other international immigration-receiving economies (Legrain, 2006). The presumption ascertains the research findings that indicate a most comprehensive multi-cultural policy that vehemently promotes aspect of multiculturalism, reduces possible legal issues on aspect of diversity and, further supports minority groups continue to be more successful (Legrain, 2006). In addition to postulating higher workforce participation as employees, it is noted that the many of the post-war migrants have resulted to being self-employed and, also for developing and fostering small businesses across Australia (Legrain, 2006). A recent survey that was conducted in 2006 avails a significant degree of self-employment in accordance to ancestry birthplace. It is noted that at least 16.6 per cent of the overall population were considered self-employed. In comparing the self-employment by way of ancestry, it is established that at least 15 per cent of the overall population that indicated to be of Australian origin were all self-employed. This can be compared to the 22 per cent of the people with both Western and Southern European ancestry. For example, a recently conducted research postulated that at least 24 per cent of all people that had a Greek background and 25 per cent that scribed to the Middle-Eastern ethnic background and living in Australia as migrants were all self-employed (Markus, 2001). Most notably, in a study of ethnic small businesses in the entire of Australia indicates of a significant number of migrants that had succeeded like Luigi Grollo and Frank Lowry provided enormous level of motivation and inspiration to other potential migrant entrepreneurs (Markus, 2001). It is important to understand that the increased level of small-employment and small businesses has contributed towards wealth and employment generation for all Australians given that at least 29 per cent of all businesses are owned by migrants. These activities also help to generate substantial level of tax revenues for the Australian government (Markus, 2001). The fact that there exist a significant number of many languages, it has become importantly clear that it helps to improve on Australian links relating to business opportunities in overseas economies. On the contrary, the opponents of the immigration policies in relation to their ability to create small businesses and practice self-employment argue that it has continued to drain the overall economy performance given that this group is treated as a special case that are provided with extensive support services (Markus, 2001). Others also note that they have taken extensive job opportunities that should have otherwise offered to the local Australians particularly in NSW and Queensland. It is also argued that the entire activity has resulted to an enormous distortion on the country’s overall balance of payment especially in relation to trade dealings with the international markets (Markus, 2001). To sum up the discussion above, it can be seen that immigration benefits Australia is so many ways including the provision of a multicultural composition that offers the economy with skilled and talented employees that results from their immediate social background. These people have ensured to improve on technology, as well as entrepreneurship; a factor that has propelled the country’s overall economy to greater heights. The paper has also argued that the migrants have made sure to create small businesses and practice self-employment, which has in turn, provided enough tax revenue grounds for the Australian government as a whole. Thus, it is clear to postulate that the assumption immigration benefits Australia in so many ways and thus, enough and stringent strides should be made to ensure it supports a long term approach to allowing immigrants into the country. References Castles, S & Miller, M. (2009) The Age of Migration, 4th edition, Palgrave Macmillan Khoo, S; McDonald, P; Giorgas, D & Birrell, B (2002) ‘Second Generation Australians’, Report for the Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, AGPS, Canberra Legrain, P (2006) Immigrants-Your Country Needs Them, Little, Brown, London Markus, A. (2001) Building a New Community-Immigration and the Victorian Economy, Allen and Unwin Nevile, J. (1990) The Effect of Immigration on Australian Living standards, AGPS Read More