Calling Australia home - Page 2
From Griffith REVIEW Edition 6: Our Global Face
© Copyright Griffith University & the author.
Written by Graeme Hugo
PUBLIC DEBATE ABOUT EMIGRATION UNFORTUNATELY SEEMS POLARISED between exaggerated and often hysterical fears of "brain drain" and oversimplified macro-presentations of aggregate immigration and emigration statistics, which suggest Australia's "brain gain". The emigration story is much more complex and nuanced than this. "Brain drains" are an important element in the globalising world and need to be addressed, as can be seen from the significant proportion of highly skilled emigrants. There is, however, evidence that diasporas are not only growing but the potential impact on the homeland is not unambiguously economically harmful.
Recognising that 5 per cent of the Australian population lives abroad raises the fundamental question: who is an Australian? In-depth research with the diaspora indicates a strong identification with Australia even among those who have no intentions of returning to live in their homeland. One survey of more than 2000 expatriates found that 79.3 per cent still called Australia home. One respondent captured this sentiment:
I have my husband and family now here in the USA, but all the rest of my immediate family is in Australia – it will always be "home" but I also have a home here. I will never give up my Australian citizenship.
This strong identification with Australia raises the issue of whether expatriates should be included more into the mainstream life of the nation. In recent years they have established a range of networks, usually facilitated by the internet, which have lobbied strongly on issues of concern to expatriates. These groups were instrumental in the repeal of Section 17 of the 1948 Australian citizenship act in 2002, so that, for the first time, Australian citizens were allowed to take out dual citizenship. The depth of feeling about this issue is reflected in the words of two respondents:
In order to work in Canada as a teacher I was forced to take out Canadian citizenship and Australia removed my birthright.
The anguish that existed over whether or not we could keep our Australian nationality is/was a real psychological difficulty. I feel profoundly Australian but needed to take up French nationality to become part of the country that I have been living in so long.
Southern Cross and other expatriate lobby groups then lobbied to allow those who had previously given up their Australian citizenship to reclaim dual nationality and this was achieved in July 2004. The voting rights of Australian citizens living overseas are now an issue of concern.
A second area of policy interest relates to the possible return of expatriates. The survey found that about half had intentions of returning to Australia. Again, some quotations from respondents are illustrative ...
I love Australia and want to return and hopefully make a contribution although I will need to compromise my career to do so.
We live in Silicon Valley, California, as do numerous other Australians (thousands). Of the hundreds that I've met, the majority intends to return to Australia, most commonly within a 10-year span.
OBVIOUSLY, THERE CAN BE SIGNIFICANT DIVIDENDS to the home country if expatriates return, especially when they are highly skilled in areas in demand, they have extended their knowledge and experience while overseas and return with a network of international contacts. The survey showed that many Australians currently overseas wish to return when they have children. Others see Australia as the place to retire. There is scope to introduce programs that facilitate and encourage the return of Australian expatriates whose skills and experience are considered to be of national importance.
As lifestyle, cost of living and family are the factors most likely to draw Australians home, the development of data bases which "match" Australians overseas with job opportunities may encourage the pre-existing desire to return. There may be scope for government assistance to institutions and businesses that can make strong cases for "bringing home" outstanding Australian scientists, innovators etc. This should not be subsidisation of normal headhunting activity but reserved for truly outstanding individuals who will make a major contribution to the economy and society.
There is a need to investigate the "transaction costs" of a return to Australia. Several respondents were concerned that, on return, their superannuation and accumulated wealth would attract taxation as income. Overcoming this concern would not only assist return migration but also contribute a gain of foreign exchange.
Australia provides potential and intending settlers with detailed and relevant information and it would be appropriate to expand this to potential Australian returnees. Redirecting part of the national immigration program to attracting back Australian expatriates would send important psychological messages to Australians residing overseas – that their experience and skills are valued.
It is useful to remember that much of Ireland's economic boom was built by Irish returnees who had emigrated in the 1980s. Returnees bring with them the greater breadth and depth of experience that working overseas gives them. Moreover, they return with extensive international networks that can assist employers develop contacts with overseas markets. In many cases, they will be more valuable as returnees than they would have been if they had remained in Australia.
A third area of policy interest is engagement of the diaspora in economic, social, political and cultural development. There is a growing interest among development economists that the diaspora can make an important contribution to the economy of the home country:
- It has been established that foreign currency remitted to their home countries by people living outside of their countries of birth/origin now accounts for $US100 billion annually. Hence, for several nations, their largest export earnings are derived from their citizens moving and working in foreign nations.
- The diaspora can be both a direct source of foreign direct investment (FDI) and be effective "middlemen" to channel FDI towards the home country.* China and Taiwan are cases par excellence. Their spectacular economic growth of recent years has been heavily influenced by investment from a diaspora of perhaps 30 million overseas Chinese.
- The diaspora can be a bridgehead into expansion of the economic linkages of the home nation. Korean Americans were crucial to the successful penetration of the US market by Korean car, electronics and whitegoods manufacturers. Australians in Asian countries may be an effective way of embedding the Australian economy in Asia. Canadian studies have shown that doubling skilled migration from Asia resulted in a 74 per cent increase of Asian imports to Canada.
- Diaspora networks have become important in transmitting information both in formal and informal ways. R.E.B. Lucas has shown how professionals in origin and destination countries have maintained strong linkages so that ideas flow freely in both directions. To what extent do Australian scientists and engineers in the diaspora interact with their counterparts back in Australia? Certainly, the potential for such interaction to accelerate diffusion of new ideas, products, processes etc. is there.
Australia has a substantial diaspora in comparative global terms and its position in the world economy suggests that it will grow rapidly. It is in Australia's interests, both in terms of its duty to its national citizens and its economic, social and cultural development to have policies that encourage brain circulation rather than brain drain among Australia's young people. Policies relating to emigration and the diaspora can address the needs of expatriates living abroad on a permanent or long-term basis, encourage expatriates to return and keep talented Australians in Australia.
The recent Senate Inquiry into Australian Expatriates was an important step in developing such an Australian expatriate policy. ♦