Migrants generally more skilled than the average Australian

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has published some interesting statistics that migrants in general are more skilled than the average Australian.

MIGRANTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

In this section the term 'adult migrants' refers to people born outside Australia who were at least 15

years of age when they migrated to Australia.

In 2015, 73% of adult migrants aged 15–64 years had a non-school qualication compared with 58% of those born in Australia (Table 1 and 14).

The proportion of adult migrants who had a Bachelor degree or higher on arrival had increased from

23% for those who migrated before 2001 to 45% for those who migrated after 2010. The proportion of adult migrants who held a non-school qualication on arrival to Australia increased from 39% for those who arrived before 2001, to 62% for those arriving after 2010. This increase is most notable in female adult migrants, with 32% having a non-school qualication on arrival before 2001 compared with 61% for those arriving after 2010.

More than one third of adult migrants (37%) attained a non-school qualication after arrival in Australia.

A similar proportion of male (36%) and female (37%) adult migrants had gained a non-school

qualication since arriving in Australia.

In 2015, 79% of employed adult migrants aged 15–64 years had a non-school qualication compared

with 65% of employed people born in Australia and 63% of employed migrants who arrived as children (aged less than 15 years).

Amongst employed adult migrants, 40% were working in a eld relevant to their highest non-school

qualication attained before arrival. One in three (33%) employed adult migrants had gained a

qualication after arrival and were working in a eld relevant to their highest qualication attained after

arrival.

Of employed adult migrants who held a non-school qualication on arrival to Australia, just over half

(55% of males and 50% of females) were working in the same eld as their highest qualication. A

higher proportion (65% of male and 69% of female) who attained a non-school qualication after arrival were working in the eld of their highest qualication gained after arrival.

(Source: ABS)