The role of Australia’s migration system in supporting economic growth, workforce productivity and social cohesion is a contemporary policy consideration. The recently released Migration Strategy sets out a roadmap for a once in a generation reform of the system, which seeks to raise living standards by boosting productivity, to meet skills shortages, to build stronger Australian communities and to develop a faster, fairer, and more efficient system for migrants and employers. These policy reforms are presented against a backdrop of escalating geopolitical tensions (most recently in Ukraine, Sudan, and Gaza), which are driving an increase in the number of displaced persons internationally and is also driving change in the demographic characteristics and types of need among those who are granted Australian humanitarian visas.
Against this context there is a growing case to systematically research and analyse the socioeconomic value of successful settlement in Australia, and publicly communicate this value. Deloitte Access Economics was engaged by the Settlement Council of Australia to explore the feasibility of such a study, in this report delivered in early 2024.