Australia debates who should be called a migrant
Australia is continuing a debate over who exactly should be considered a migrant and how a person's legal status affects their rights and perception in society. An ABC News Australia article notes that the country has no single concept that describes migrants in the same way in statistics, the tax system, migration law and everyday life.
In public and political debates, migrants may include visa holders, refugees, asylum seekers, permanent residents, short-term visitors and even Australian citizens who are perceived as outsiders because of their accent, appearance or ethnic background. The author of the article points out that this approach conflates legal status, demographic characteristics and social identity.
Different statuses and rights
The same person may be classified differently depending on the government system. The census takes into account country of birth or foreign citizenship, the tax system uses Australian or foreign tax resident status, and the migration system uses visa-holder status.
Australia's migration system is structured in tiers that depend on the length of stay, the right to work and the possibility of obtaining permanent residency. The transition from a temporary visa to permanent residency and then to citizenship can take years and includes, among other things, an English-language test and criminal record checks in several countries.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Permanent residents may face separate requirements and waiting periods to access certain Centrelink services and the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Temporary residents, including international students and participants in working holiday programs, have different labour rights and generally face greater restrictions on social assistance and Medicare. Non-naturalized citizens also do not have the right to vote in federal elections.
Political generalizations
According to the author's assessment, the so-called migrant community is not a homogeneous group with identical interests. Families may seek reunification, students and workers on visas may seek better protection from labour exploitation and wage theft, while refugees and asylum seekers may seek humanitarian support.
The author also argues that political forces may present different groups of migrants as a single category in discussions about housing, employment, security and social cohesion. The article mentions that more than 50 years ago, the Whitlam government removed racial discrimination from immigration legislation and completed the dismantling of the White Australia policy. At the same time, subjective ideas about who should be considered a “real Australian” have persisted, in the author's view.
The government's Migration Strategy recognizes the importance of integration, but the experience of non-citizens and some first-generation Australians, the article concludes, indicates gaps in the system.
