The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has for the first time released data on the personal incomes of Australian migrants, highlighting the economic contribution migration makes to Australia’s economy.

Amongst other things, the data reveals that migrants generated $38 billion in total income in 2009-10.

The ABS data also highlights the entrepreneurial nature of humanitarian migrants who, according to the data, “displayed greater entrepreneurial qualities and reported a higher proportion of income from their own unincorporated businesses and this income increased sharply after five years of residency.”

Labor is proud of Australia’s rich diversity and will always defend multiculturalism as a force for cultural, social and economic good.

We know multiculturalism has enhanced Australia’s economic prosperity and improved our social cohesion, but more needs to be done to support our increasingly culturally diverse community and to harness this diversity to build stronger communities and a stronger economy. 

Further information can be found in Personal Income of Migrants, Experimental, Australia, 2009-10 (cat. no. 3418.0), available for download from the ABS website: www.abs.gov.au

TUESDAY, 8 SEPTEMBER 2015