Can Australia Afford To Take In More Refugees?
Stevenson, Rob (2005). Refugees and economic contributions”, Hopes fulfilled, or dreams shattered? From resettlement to settlement – Responding to the needs of new and emerging refugee communities’ conference. University of New South Wales, Sydney
This article refutes the myth that asylum seekers and refugees are an economic burden to the Australian society through Medicare and welfare whilst taking away jobs meant for locals. Stevenson claims that refugees are making contributions to the economy in many respects. Refugees arrive with skills and qualifications and offer a large, mobile, wiling yet underutilized workforce. However, many are prevented from making contributions through prejudice and ignorance hinged on untrue assumptions.
The author has cited extensive sources of references to support his claim. The cited sources are relevant, credible and current. The article is unbiased as it discusses both sides of the debate before drawing a conclusion. This can be a vital source to use in understanding the economic contributions of refugees in Australia.
Carrington, K., McIntosh, A. & Walmsley, J. (Eds) (2007). The social costs and benefits of migration into Australia. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia,
This article claims that the social benefits of migration exceed the social costs, particularly in the long run. Drawing from a vast quantity of evidence such as empirical materials obtained from community studies and synthesis of varied data sets, the authors found that migrants coming to Australia make significant contributions to the stock of social and human capital. Most migrants come to Australia to work, fill skill shortages and to produce.
This can be a vital source to use in my research project as it contributes to the understanding of the impact migrants have towards the Australian society.
Teicher, J., Shah, C., & Griffin, G. (2002). Australian immigration: the triumph of economics over prejudice? International Journal of Manpower 23, 209-36.
This article explains Australian immigration in the 20th century revolving around industrial relations and labor market. The authors argue that the immigration policy framework has been changing starting with the initial one based on exclusion to the latest that is based in domestic labor market. These policies have transformed Australia to a multicultural society. The authors cite a number of sources to substantiate their premises.
This can be valuable source that reflects how immigrants are affected by industrial relations and market labor market in Australia. This is definitely a relevant source to use in the research project as it explains why immigrants have poor outcomes in the labor market.
Menz, G. (2006). Useful Gastarbeiter, burdensome asylum seekers, and the second wave of welfare retrenchment: Exploring the nexus between migration and the welfare state, pp.393-418 in C. A.Parsons and T. M. Schmeeding (Eds.) Immigration and the Transformation of Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Menz highlights the problem in the social constructions of refugees and migrants in terms of the welfare state. Refugees are framed as burdensome because they do not quickly integrate into labor market whilst allegedly drain the welfare system. On the other hand, migrants are seen as useful because they make contributions in form of taxes and labor market. As a result, refugees are dispersed to regional locations to spread the burden and by so doing; some skills levels among refugees go unrecognized. This can be useful source to use in my research project as it highlights the problem with framing refugees as burden and thus eliminating them from the labor market in the host country.
Parsons, Richard (2013). Assessing the economic contribution of refugees in Australia. Brisbane: Multicultural Development Association. Retrieved on August 27, 2016 from: https://mdaltd.org.au/building-connections/assessing-the-economic-contribution-of-refugees-in-australia/.
This article answers the question: Do refugees present a burden or economic gain to the host society. It also seeks to reach clearer understanding of the economic contributions of refugees in Australia. Parsons conducted meta-review of the available literature on the refugees’ economic impact. The study also sought to understand how impact assessment methods influence findings. Parsons concludes that in spite of the numerous challenges the refugees face during resettlement and adjustment, no evidence shows that refugees present a net economic burden to the society in the long term.
This article can be vital source in understanding the economic benefits and costs of refugees.
Hartley, L. & Fleay, C. (2016). FactCheck Q&A: Do Refugees Cost Australia $100m a year in welfare, with unemployment rate of 97%? The Conversation. Retrieved on August 27, 2016 from: http://theconversation.com/factcheck-qanda-do-refugees-cost-australia-100m-a-year-in-welfare-with-an-unemployment-rate-of-97-54395
This article probes the claims that refugees cost Australia significantly in terms of welfare system. The authors conclude that many claims exaggerate the cost and other claims cannot be substantiated. They advice that if Australia is to make very informed judgment, then any consideration of economic effect of refugees need to factor in the definitions and assumptions employed to produce findings. The authors reviewed various studies and the claims made therein.
This article can be a vital source for use to write my research paper as it helps to differentiate between substantiated and unsubstantiated claims of economic impacts of refugees.
Hugo, Graeme (2011). Economic, social and civic contributions of first and second generation humanitarian entrants. Report for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
This article investigates the economic impact of 1st and 2nd generation refugees in Australia. Hugo observes that refugees do contribute economically but their contributions are lower in comparison with other migrants. Hugo also contends it takes time for these contributions to eventuate. This is because refugees experience lower workforce participation, higher unemployment, low levels of education, language barrier, and face serious barriers to employment during early stages of settlement. These barriers, refugees make positive contribution to the host country.
This article can be valuable source to use as it sheds light in some of the challenges refugees face in host countries that prevent them from contributing to the economy.
Brima, (2013). How refugees stimulate the economy. Retrieved on August 27, 2016 from: http://www.latrobe.edu.au/news/articles/2013/opinion/how-refugees-stimulate-the-economy.
While immediate cost is involved during resettlement and adjustment, refugees can make considerable economic, social and cultural contributions to the host country if given opportunities and support. Theory open new markets, increase consumer markets for domestic goods, fill unoccupied employment positions, pay taxes, provide employment, as well as bring in innovation and new skills. Brima found that refugees and asylum seekers are more ready to relocate to get employment and will take jobs than most Australians dislike. Refugees have also high rates of retention with employers.
I will not use this source to write my research project as it fails to substantiate many of its claims despite presenting balanced argument.
Refugee Council of Australia. (2010). Economic, civic and social contributions of refugees and humanitarian entrants: A literature review. Report for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia.
This article explores the benefits of refugees in Australia, labor force, as well as economic outcomes. RCOA reports positive economic impacts of refugees and lists a number of ways refugees contribute economically: open new market, foster innovation, fill empty employment niches, expand consumer markers for domestic goods, bring in new skills, stimulate labor markets and create employment opportunities. RCOA reviewed literature on economic, social and civic contributions of refugees in Australia.
Although this article may be biased, it highlights some of the benefits of refugees and can be help in supporting the need to accept more refugees into the country. RCOA is the agency that defends the rights of refugees and thus more likely to be biased in favor of refugees.
Betts, A., Bloom, L., Kaplan, J., & Omata, N. (2014). Refugee economies: Rethinking popular assumptions. Humanitarian Innovation Project, University of Oxford.
This report focuses on the refugees’ economic life and challenges existing framework of refugee aid. The report shows that apart from being dependent, asylum seekers and refugees are part and parcel of vibrant and complex economic systems. Many are entrepreneurial people and given the chance can help not only themselves but also their communities and contribute to the economy of the host country. The report uses data to challenge common myths concerning economic lives of refugees.
This article can be a relevant source to use in understanding the economic lives of refugees and associated myths. I will use this source to form the argument in support for taking in more refugees.
References
Australian Government Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) (2016.) “Fact sheet – Australia’s Refugee and Humanitarian programme. Retrieved on August 27, 2016 from: https://www.border.gov.au/about/corporate/information/fact-sheets/60refugee.
Betts, A., Bloom, L., Kaplan, J., & Omata, N. (2014). Refugee economies: Rethinking popular assumptions. Humanitarian Innovation Project, University of Oxford.
Brima, (2013). How refugees stimulate the economy. Retrieved on August 27, 2016 from: http://www.latrobe.edu.au/news/articles/2013/opinion/how-refugees-stimulate-the-economy.
Cameron, R. (2011). Responding to Australia’s Regional Skill Shortages Through Regional Skilled Migration. Journal of Economic and Social Policy, 14(3), Article 4.
Carrington, K., McIntosh, A. & Walmsley, J. (Eds) (2007). The social costs and benefits of migration into Australia. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia,
Casimiro, S., Hancock, P. & Northcote, J. (2007). Isolation and insecurity: Resettlement issues among Muslim refugee women in Perth, Western Australia. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 42(1), 55-69
Colic-Peisker, V. & Tilbury, F. (2006). Employment niches for recent refugees: segmented labour market in twenty-first century Australia. Journal of Refugee Studies, 19(2), 203-229.
Colic-Peisker, V. (2009). The visibly different refugees in the Australian labour market: Settlement policies and employment realities’, in McKay, S. (ed), Refugees, recent migrants and employment: Challenging barriers and exploring pathways (pp.67-83). Oxford: Routledge, Abingdon.
Connor, P. (2010). Explaining the refugee gap: Economic outcomes of refugees and other immigrants. Journal of Refugee Studies, 23, 377-397.
Croucher, G., & Dutertre, S. (2007). The right to work for all asylum-seekers: Why depriving asylum-seekers of work rights is Australia’s loss. The International Journal of Diversity in Organisations Communities and Nations, 7(4), 241-247
Cully, Mark (2012). More than additions to population: The economic and fiscal impact of immigration, Intergen +10: 10th Anniversary of the Treasury’s Intergenerational Report, Melbourne Institute, 11th May. Retrieved on August 27, 2016 from:https://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/research/_pdf/economic-fiscal-impact-of-immigration.pdf.
Fleay, C., Hartley, L. & Kenny, M. (2013). Refugees and asylum seekers living in the Australian community: The importance of work rights and employment support. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 48(4), 473-493
Hartley, L. & Fleay, C. (2012). Released but Not Yet Free: Refugees and Asylum Seekers in the Community after Long-term Detention. Australian Policy Online. Retrieved on August 27, 2016 from: http://apo.org.au/research/released-not-yet-free-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-community-after-long-term-detention
Hartley, L. & Fleay, C. (2016). FactCheck Q&A: Do Refugees Cost Australia $100m a year in welfare, with unemployment rate of 97%? The Conversation. Retrieved on August 27, 2016 from: http://theconversation.com/factcheck-qanda-do-refugees-cost-australia-100m-a-year-in-welfare-with-an-unemployment-rate-of-97-54395
Hawthorne, L. (2005). Picking Winners: The Recent Transformation of Australia’s Skilled Migration Policy. The International Migration Review 39: 663-96.
Hugo, Graeme (2011). Economic, social and civic contributions of first and second generation humanitarian entrants. Report for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
Liebig, Thomas (2006). The labour market integration of immigrants in Australia. OECD social, employment and migration working papers, no. 49. Retrieved on August 27, 2016 from: https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/social-issues-migration-health/the-labour-market-integration-of-immigrants-in-australia_235260166224.
Menz, G. (2006). Useful Gastarbeiter, burdensome asylum seekers, and the second wave of welfare retrenchment: Exploring the nexus between migration and the welfare state, pp.393-418 in C. A.Parsons and T. M. Schmeeding (Eds.) Immigration and the Transformation of Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Morton, Rick (2013, 22nd January). “Being a burden on society doesn’t work for Amir”, The Australian, pp. 1-2.
Nadadur, Ramanujan (2009). “Illegal Immigration: A positive economic contribution to the United States. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 35(6), 1037-1052.
Parsons, Richard (2013). Assessing the economic contribution of refugees in Australia. Brisbane: Multicultural Development Association. Retrieved on August 27, 2016 from: https://mdaltd.org.au/building-connections/assessing-the-economic-contribution-of-refugees-in-australia/.
Pedersen, A., & Hartley, L.K. (2015). Can we make a difference? Prejudice towards asylum seekers in Australia and the effectiveness of antiprejudice interventions. Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology, 9, 1-14.
Pedersen, A., Watt, S., & Hansen, S. (2006). The role of false beliefs in the community’s and the federal government’s attitudes toward Australian asylum seekers. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 41(1), 105-124.
Phillimore J. & Goodson, L. (2006). Problem or opportunity? Asylum seekers, refugees, employment and social exclusion in deprived urban areas. Urban Studies, 43(10), 1715–1736.
Refugee Council of Australia. (2010). Economic, civic and social contributions of refugees and humanitarian entrants: A literature review. Report for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia.
Robinson, V., R. Andersson and S. Musterd (2003). Spreading the ‘Burden’. A review of policies to disperse asylum seekers and refugees. Bristol: Policy Press.
Stevenson, Rob (2005). Refugees and economic contributions”, Hopes fulfilled, or dreams shattered? From resettlement to settlement – Responding to the needs of new and emerging refugee communities’ conference. University of New South Wales, Sydney
Sulaiman-Hill, C.M.R, Thompson, S.C., Afsar, R., & Hodliffe, T.L. (2011). Changing images of refugees: A comparative analysis of Australian and New Zealand print media 1998-2008. Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies, 9,345-366
Teicher, J., Shah, C., & Griffin, G. (2002). Australian immigration: the triumph of economics over prejudice? International Journal of Manpower 23, 209-36.
Thapa, P. (2004). On the risk of unemployment: A comparative assessment of the labor market success of migrants in Australia, Australian Journal of Labor Economics, 7, 199-229
Zetter, Roger (2012,). Are refugees an economic burden or benefit?” Forced Migration Review, 41. Retrieved on August 27, 2016 from:https://www.fmreview.org/preventing/zetter.html.
