DIMA Annual Report 1996-97
Sub-program 1.2: Migration Program
Objective
To assist the Government in the formulation of the Migration Program and management of planning levels, according to its policy priorities.
Description
The sub-program covers management of the Government's Migration Program.
This includes: its formulation, close monitoring and reporting of trends and evaluation in terms of Government objectives; supporting and developing Government initiatives to encourage skilled migration to regional Australia and the lesser populated States and Territories; and monitoring and advising the Minister on developments and emerging issues in immigration and population policies and practices both in Australia and overseas.
The Migration and Temporary Entry Branch coordinates the overall program management strategy, in conjunction with Protection and Family Residence Branch, which monitors and controls the onshore component of the program and has policy control of the Family stream.
The Department's network of overseas posts and its regional offices in Australia are responsible for delivery of the Migration Program.
Financial and staffing resources summary
|
1996-97 |
1996-97 |
1995-96 |
|
|
Budgetary (cash) basis |
|||
|
Components of appropriations |
|||
|
Annual appropriations |
|||
|
Running costs |
20 498 |
19 968 |
18 823 |
|
Other program costs |
910 |
894 |
824 |
|
Total appropriations |
21 408 |
20 862 |
19 647 |
|
Less adjustments |
230 |
238 |
223 |
|
Total outlays |
21 178 |
20 624 |
19 424 |
|
Total revenue |
73 850 |
67 268 |
61 850 |
|
Staffing |
|||
|
Staff years (actual) |
246 |
243 |
266 |
Performance information
Outcomes are measured by the extent to which:
- the Migration Program is delivered on target;
- Minister's community consultations on the Migration Program are effectively managed;
- regional migration initiatives are developed and successfully implemented; and
- the Minister and Executive are satisfied with the advice received on immigration and population trends.
Performance outcomes
The Migration Program was set at 74 000 places in 1996-97 with some 38 per cent of places allocated to the Skilled stream; 61 per cent allocated to the broader Family stream (which for 1996-97 included the points tested Concessional Family category); and the remainder allocated to the Special Eligibility category.
(i) Migration Program delivered on target
The Migration Program outcome for 1996-97 was 73 900 visa grants against an overall planning level of 74 000. Table 1 gives a breakdown of the outcome:
|
Migration categories |
Visas granted 1995-96 |
Planning levels 1996-97 |
Visas granted |
Increase/ |
|
Spouse |
27 790 |
21 000 |
22 130 |
-20 |
|
Fiancé |
5 760 |
3 000 |
3 000 |
-48 |
|
Child |
2 540 |
2 300 |
1 900 |
-25 |
|
Adopted child |
290 |
300 |
300 |
+3 |
|
Parent |
8 890 |
7 800 |
7 580 |
-15 |
|
Preferential Family |
2 800 |
2 000 |
1 930 |
-31 |
|
Interdependent |
650 |
400 |
400 |
-38 |
|
Total preferential |
48 700 |
36 700 |
37 240 |
-24 |
|
Concessional/Regional family |
8 000 |
8 000 |
7 340 |
-8 |
|
Sub-total Family |
56 700 |
44 700 |
44 580 |
-21 |
|
Skilled stream |
||||
|
ENS/Labour Agreements/ RSMS |
4 640 |
5 100 |
5 560 |
+19 |
|
Business Skills |
4 900 |
7 100 |
5 820 |
+18 |
|
Independent |
10 600 |
15 000 |
15 000 |
+42 |
|
Distinguished Talent |
200 |
200 |
190 |
-6 |
|
1 November onshore |
3 800 |
600 |
980 |
-75 |
|
Sub-total Skilled |
24 100 |
28 000 |
27 550 |
+14 |
|
Special eligibility |
1 700 |
1 300 |
1 730 |
+2 |
|
Program totals |
82 500 |
74 000 |
73 900 |
-10 |
The Minister and the Executive were provided with monthly reports on the delivery of the program. The program management strategy was adjusted and fine tuned throughout the year to deliver the required outcome.
Management of the 1996-97 program involved, for the first time, active management of the numbers under the Family stream, which in previous years had been basically demand driven.
Several categories in the Family stream were capped under the 'cap and queue' powers of Section 85 of the Migration Act 1958.
This means that when the number set for the cap has been reached, no more visas may be granted in the relevant category for the rest of the financial year. Applications continue to be processed, but are 'queued' until the following financial year.
The caps were reached progressively, with the first cap being reached in February 1997. Management of capped categories involved close and ongoing interaction with posts to ensure that the number of visa grants did not exceed the cap.
In light of this development and the need to manage program outcomes, a system was introduced in December 1996 to prioritise applications in the Family stream, in line with the Government's program priorities.
The program achieved the Government's objective of shifting the balance of the program from the Family to the Skill stream, as reflected in Table 1. This change in focus is expected to:
- improve labour market outcomes;
- enhance the economic benefits of the Migration Program; and
- instil a higher degree of community confidence in the Migration Program.
(ii) Community consultation
The consultative process for the 1997-98 Migration Program was both comprehensive and wide-ranging. Some 2 000 organisations and individuals were invited to submit written submissions and some 240 submissions were received.
In February and March 1997, the Minister had face-to-face meetings on the Migration and Humanitarian Programs in all State and Territory capital cities and in three regional centres.
To facilitate informed debate on the issues all participants were sent copies of the Department's publication Population Flows: Immigration Aspects. Feedback to date suggests that the comprehensive nature of this consultative process was well recognised in the community.
Population Flows: Immigration Aspects is produced by the Department for use by the Minister in these community consultations.
As part of a review of Population Flows, all recipients were requested to provide feedback regarding its content and format. The 253 responses (16 individuals and 237 organisations), showed that nearly 90 per cent were 'satisfied' or 'very satisfied' with its content and format.
(iii) Regional migration
A number of initiatives were put in place to provide State and Territory governments with greater opportunity to influence the level of skilled and business migration to their areas. These included:
- expansion and promotion of the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme (RSMS);
- introduction, on 1 November 1996, of the Skill Matching scheme to complement the RSMS and other initiatives;
- introduction, on 1 November 1996, of the new Regional Family category; and
- introduction, on 1 July 1997, of the Regional Established Business in Australia (REBA) category.
Further initiatives are being developed for implementation in 1997-98.
(iv) Quality of advice
Because of the major challenge involved in delivering the 1996-97 Migration Program, the Minister was provided with monthly progress reports on various aspects of the program, including application rates and visa grant rates.
These enabled him to review the level and timing of the application of caps on various visa classes.
Early in 1997, the Minister made a major speech on population issues affecting Australia, using advice provided by this sub-program.
The sub-program consults closely with the Australian Bureau of Statistics on population projections which are updated against the background of recent Government decisions.
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