This book examines the role of immigration policy, and of economic and social policies involved in promoting the settlement of immigrants to Australia. It is based on research of two groups of recent immigrants who arrived six years apart during the 1990s holding a range of family reunion, skill and humanitarian visas. The contributors consider the immigrants' employment experiences, job search behaviour, language skills, health status and housing situations. This analysis is used to assess whether any differences observed between the two groups can be attributed to changes in immigration policy, social policies and labour market conditions. They conclude that policies do matter and that immigration policy has a greater impact than macroeconomic conditions in influencing immigrant settlement outcomes.

The first comprehensive study of the relative effects of immigrant selection policy and macroeconomic conditions on immigrant settlement outcomes, this book will be of interest to economists, sociologists, demographers, political scientists and students.