Family migration to Australia
13 September 2015 by News Desk
Around one third of migrants to Australia are granted permanent residency visas via the Family Migration system.
The Family stream of the Migration Programme facilitates the reunion of Australian citizens, permanent residents or eligible New Zealand citizens with their immediate family members overseas.
Whilst providing the social benefit of family reunification, there are also wider benefits in terms of these family members providing a contribution to the Australian economy through employment and to the Australian population through births. In 2010, migrants with a Family stream visa comprised 33% of all permanent residency visas granted.
In 2010, the 220,768 Family stream migrants generated a total income of $8.4 billion or 22% of total migrant income. Most of the Family migrants were aged 25 to 44 years (71%) with total reported income of $6.5 billion. There were fewer males than females at 44%, but females had considerably lower median incomes.
Family migrants accounted for 27% of all Employee income earners and $7.4 billion (22%) in Employee income. Males aged 35 and 44 years had a much higher median Employee income ($49,475) than females ($28,255) (see Graph 5). Therefore, while the number of Family stream migrants reporting Employee income in this age category was fairly similar for both sexes, males reported almost twice as much Family Employee income ($1.5 billion or 21%) than females.
Almost a third of all migrants who earned Own unincorporated business income were Family stream migrants. In total they received $486.7 million (27%). Males aged 25 to 44 years received the most with $259.5 million compared with females who received $113.4 million.
Females reported far more Investment income than males. Despite making up 58% of Family migrants reporting Investment income, females reported 66% of the total Investment income. Females aged 25 to 44 years reported the most with $142.0 million in Investment income or 41% of that type of income. This exceeded the Investment income of all Family stream males at $119.3 million or 34%.
Family migrants were the highest earners of Other income. They received a total of $167.3 million, with most reported by primary applicants. The majority of this income was reported by Family migrants aged 55 years and over, with males responsible for $84.5 million or 51%.
