Australia to cut number of migrants

Australia has accepted nearly 7 million immigrants since the end of World War II and as such is a nation of immigrants. About one in four of Australia's 21 million people were born overseas, and because it has been actively trying to attract skilled workers with immigration fairs targetting university graduates and people with trades in Europe, Britain and India, and a trial programme to bring in thousands of seasonal workers from Pacific island nations (to help farmers pick fruit crops in country areas that have suffered acute labour shortages) the last decade has seen a huge increase in new migrants.

However, Australia will cut its annual immigration intake for the first time in eight years due to the slowing economy and weakening demand for labour, Immigration Minister Chris Evans announced on Monday.

As six of Australia's major trading partners are now in recession, economic growth has stalled, and unemployment has started to rise - with the government expecting unemployment to hit 7.0 percent by mid-2010 from 4.8 percent currently. "I expect the numbers of our programme to drop next year... as a reaction to the economic circumstances," Evans told reporters.

Australia's planned immigration intake has increased every year since 1997 (although the number actually settling in Australia fell by about 20,000 in 2001-02). It set a target for 190,300 immigrants this year, up 20 percent on the 2007-08 financial year and higher than the post world war II record of 185,099 in 1969-70.

Evans said the final number of immigrants that Australia would accept has yet to be determined. The government would decide that in the lead-up to the national budget to be delivered on May 12. But he said the government would continue to target immigrants with skills for sectors where there is continued high demand, including the nursing and health sectors.

"We've been focused very much at the high-skill end over the years, and we will continue to be focused on the skills we need," he said.

Many people who had hoped to migrate to Australia may find their hope dashed with this news, including Irish workers with hopes of starting a new life down under. Up to 30,000 Irish people were tipped to emigrate to Australia this year, with the number of families applying for permanent residency visas rising dramatically.