Immigration, especially from Asia, is down and tourism and business trips (both into and out of Australia) are up, according to figures for the September quarter issued by the Australian Bureau of Statistics yesterday.
The immigration decrease continues a downward trend since 1988, accelerating in the last six months. The number of permanent departures has increased from 1986 to 1990 and then started to fall. Permanent departures in September 92, at 6580, were 9 per cent down on September 91.
Permanent settler arrivals fell 26 per cent to 23,310 from the September 91 quarter to the September 92 quarter. The main decreases were from people born in Malaysia (58 per cent), Vietnam (50 per cent), Taiwan (49 per cent), Hong Kong (41 per cent), India (35 per cent), Philippines (34 per cent) and Britain (33 per cent). New Zealand settler arrivals were up 9 per cent. The former Soviet Union and Iraq increased, too.
Tourism and business trips are up. September 92 short-term departures at 632,700 were 13 per cent up on September 91. The US and New Zealand (both 14 per cent), Britain (12 per cent) and Indonesia (9 per cent) were the main destinations.
Business and tourist arrivals were slightly up on September 91. Japan accounted for 26 per cent of them, New Zealand 21 per cent and others less that 10 per cent each. Japanese short-term visitors were up 14 per cent on September 91. The number of US visitors dropped 32 per cent and New Zealander 16 per cent. Visitors from Britain increased 21 per cent.