The Social Costs and Benefits of Migration into Australia

Abstract

Australia is one of the most multicultural countries in the world. Statistics indicate that around one quarter of the Australian population were born overseas and almost half (around 40%) have at least one parent born overseas. This is the broad context that frames the importance of comprehending the scale and nature of the social costs and benefits of migration into Australia. Using the four capitals framework for measuring Australia's progress, this study has synthesised a vast amount of evidence relevant to the topic. It has consolidated material from 49 different data sets and a large volume of existing although disparate research. Furthermore, original empirical material has been gathered through four community studies, two in regional Australia and two in metropolitan cities on the East Coast of the continent. The main conclusion to be drawn from this study is that the social benefits of migration far outweigh the costs, especially in the longer term. The evidence that is available overwhelmingly supports the view that migrants to Australia have made and continue to make substantial contributions to Australia's stock of human, social and produced capital.