'Is Australia a good place for immigrants?','Are immigrants happy or unhappy in Australia?'
The Scanlon Foundation's social-cohesion report 'Australians Today', the largest ever undertaken to examine the issues Australian-born and immigrant Australians experience, found most respondents indicating a good level of happiness in Australia.
Recent arrivals are more optimistic in their outlook than immigrants who have been in Australia for 10 or 15 years.
The survey showed new arrivals from 2001 to 2015 are optimistic, with just 6 per cent indicating they are 'strongly dissatisfied' or 'dissatisfied'. 76 per cent indicate they are 'satisfied' or 'very satisfied'. 62 per cent of newest arrivals say they are happy in Australia.
The survey explored there were different results by visa categories. Immigrants who entered on a business visa indicate the highest level of happiness at 76% followed by Independent skills visa with 70%. And the lowest level of happiness was from asylum seekers.
AUSTRALIANS TODAY by Scanlon Foundation Source: Scanlon Foundation
The survey found there were different results by country of birth as well. Satisfaction from immigrants who were from South Korea was relatively low comparing with migrants from other countries. The survey showed satisfaction was above 85% of those born in Iraq and the United Kingdom, below 70% of those born in China and Hong Kong, 66% New Zealand, and 64% South Korea.
Largest part for the first choice which people like most about Australia was ‘Life style, Australian way of life’ with 19%. Beauty of the country including land and beaches with 17%, standard of living with 13% and education system with 11%.
Largest part for the first choice which people least like about Australia was ‘cost of living (housing)’ with 24%. ‘Racism/discrimination’ 15% and ‘family and friends are not here’ with 11%.
This survey by Scanlon Foundation was undertaken between September 2015 and February 2016 and was completed by more than 10,000 respondents.
How satisfied are you with life in Australia Source: AUSTRALIANS TODAY
AUSTRALIANS TODAY by Scanlon Foundation Source: Scanlon Foundation
AUSTRALIANS TODAY by Scanlon Foundation Source: Scanlon Foundation
The survey was available in 19 languages including Korean besides English. Focus groups were also conducted in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, exploring issues like identity, workplace discrimination and the problems of urban segmentation.
At the 2011 census, almost half of the population was third generation Australian and 20% second generation, 27% first generation who born overseas. In total 47% of the population comprised first or second generation Australians. And, there has been a gradual increase in the proportion overseas‐born.
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