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Australia : Consistently on top of Human
Development Index
A migration opportunity for Filipinos
By Stirling Henry
Each year the United Nations publishes a Human Development Index (HDI) which ranks countries by quality of life. Australia is consistently ranked in the top three or four countries. The index is based on life expectancy, literacy rates, education enrollment levels and GDP per capita. In 2006 ( the most recent HDI available) Australia was ranked third out of 177 countries behind Norway and Iceland. It is the only non- European country in the top 5 of the index.
The Philippines was ranked 84. The rankings for some other countries in the region were: Singapore 25; Malaysia 67; Indonesia 108. Even the coldest parts of Australia have a much milder winter than Norway, Iceland and Canada so if climate was part of the index there wouldn’t be much doubt that Australia would probably rank the first fairly consistently. It is likely also that Australia has a lower rate of crime than most other countries, In short: a great place to live for quality of life reasons.
According to a recent OECD report on the labor market integration of immigrants in Australia, the Australian economy is strongly dependent on immigrants, and about 25% of the workforces are foreign born. The OECD report also found that there was a large public consensus in Australia on the importance and need for immigration. The OECD report also found that unemployment rates for migrants in Australia among the lowest in the OECD, both in absolute terms and relative to native born Australians. The OECD also found that education and employment outcomes for Australian second generation migrants either surpassed, or are the same as, native born Australians.
The Drive for Migration
Australia’s 2007 / 2008 Migration Program is for a visa planning level of between 142,800 and 152,800 ( in addition to 13,000 visas to be issued under the refugee and humanitarian program) . This translates into about 400 migrants each day arriving in Australia (excluding refugees).
What is driving such numbers? There are several factors at work
 Australians are living longer and spending more time in retirement which results in more pressure on persons in the workforce;
The above will be accentuated by the pending retirement of many “baby boomers”, Australians born in the second half of the 1940’s after World War II when there was a big bulge in population increase;
The birth rate which recently has hovered around replacement levels;
Major skill shortages in certain parts of the economy and within in most trades;
Relative low unemployment. The national rate is currently about 4.3%.
Opportunities for Filipinos
There are significant migration opportunities for Filipinos in their 20’s and 30’s with good English skills, work experience in a skilled occupation and a relevant qualification and/ or training.
In addition to the Migration Program for permanent residents, the Government operates a temporary business visa category for persons sponsored for skilled occupations by Australian employers. At 31 December 2006 there were 83,618 temporary business visa holders present in Australia, including 4,070 who were born in the Philippines. The Philippines ranks fourth. Applicants for 457 visas would need to be sponsored by an Australian employer and sometimes this may require an applicant to visit Australia and make their own enquiries. The 457 visa can sometimes provide a pathway to permanent residence through the Employer Nomination Scheme (ENS).
The future outlook for migration from the Philippines to Australia looks promising. Australia is going to need migrants, especially skilled migrants, for a long time to come. In Australia there is bipartisan political support for the Migration Program. Australia offers an outstanding quality of life as well as employment opportunities. Most migrants from the Philippines have little difficulty making the adjustment.
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