Australia Faces Tough Immigration Issues

In Australia, migration issues are often important topics that have been discussed time and time again by policy makers. Being a country with a long history of immigration, this one is not really surprising. However, with the recent changes in immigration policies and its looming effect on the country, it has become an even more urgent matter to consider.

As one might have recalled, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) began implementing major changes in their policies. The biggest of these is the total revamp of the skilled migration program, which aims to get more highly skilled professionals into the country, of which it is currently in a shortage of. Afterward, the DIAC also announced that they will be implementing stricter regulations on the entry of immigrants, including issuing biometric passports to people coming from countries considered as high risk areas.

And this one is seemingly not over just yet, as officials announce plans to cut down the number of immigrants to be allowed into the country. This, according to proponents, is the ease up the growing population of the country, as well as to alleviate competition with local workers. This one actually came as a surprise a few weeks after Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said that the country needs to increase immigration in order to sustain its development.

Indeed, as some experts have pointed out, Australia does need to get a lot of immigrants. The country has one of the largest economies in the world today, and is expected to still grow more in the future. However, its small population cannot provide enough labor force to sustain its development, which is why it needs to get a lot of immigrants.

However, there is a catch on this one. There is actually a limit on how many people the country can really take in, and observers fear that the current number is nearing that one. If indeed does go overboard, the consequences will definitely not be good for the country or the people living here.

And while the country is still in a bind and is trying to sort out its immigration issues, it is set to face yet another challenge. Competition coming from other countries seems to be bent on taking Australia out of the top spot for many immigrants' choice of a place to move into. Singapore, in particular has announced renewed efforts to attract more foreigners into its land. On the other hand, colleges and universities in the United States are also bent to get a bigger share of the international student market, something which Australia holds the biggest part of.

These new competitions will likely put pressure on Australia's immigration stance. However, the country is expected to come up with a sure solution soon.