The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released visitor arrivals and departures data for the month of December, which revealed a slight moderation in net long-term and permanent migration into Australia .
In the 2013 calendar year, there were 675,420 permanent and long-term arrivals into Australia – down slightly from the record 680,200 arrivals set in the year to August – partly offset by 370,860 permanent and long-term departures from Australia (see next chart).
There were 304,560 net permanent and long-term arrivals into Australia in 2013, representing a 53% increase from the January 2011 trough and more than double the long-run average, although the pace has begun to moderate (see next chart).
However, while overall net long-term arrivals continue to boom, it is a different story for permanent migration. In 2013, permanent arrivals fell by 3% to 151,340, whereas permanent departures rose 3% to 92,010 – just off record highs (see next chart).
Net permanent arrivals into Australia fell to the lowest level since January 2012 and are tracking 9% below the long-run average (see next chart).
As noted previously, a superficial look at the the ABS data suggests that much of the recent immigration into Australia has been temporary in nature. However, according to the Department of Immigration, around 30% of workers on temporary 457 visas end up becoming permanent residents, suggesting that actual permanent immigration remains at relatively high levels.
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