AUSTRALIA’S POLICY TOWARDS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

Dear Sir/Madam,

RE: Critical Evaluation of Australia’s Policy towards Illegal Immigrants

The enclosed final report is about the policy development issues as well as  illegal immigrants in Australia. The report is directed towards the department of immigration and citizenship in Australia. The aim of this report is to help the department to come up with better policies, which will help both the country and the illegal immigrants so that they can improve the well-being of the country as a whole.

The report has been able to summarize the different policies chronologically with how they were started and how they have been implemented. Additionally, the report has been able to summarize the issues, which have been affecting illegal immigration in form of advantages and disadvantages. Lastly, the report has been able to give a critical analysis and suggestions of what needs to be done so that the department can implement certain policies.

I would like to offer my help in the best way possible so that we can solve the issues of illegal immigration, which has been disturbing our country for a very long time. Moreover, I would like to offer to improve the policies of immigration since the department is very important to our country. It is for this reasons that I have offered my assistance to the department.

Yours truly,

(Name)

 

Executive Summary

The subject matter of this report is the evaluation of the policies, which are involved in the policy development in illegal immigration. The aim of the report was to evaluate the policies, which are in place and try to come up with solutions, which can improve the policies of illegal migration. The report has critically analyzed the policies and some of the advantages and disadvantages have been derived from issues of the illegal immigrants. The issues have led to the derivation of the possible suggestions. The methods of analysis, which have been used in the report, are the secondary sources from the government and the different media articles involving the policies about illegal immigration. The findings of the report are that the different immigrants in Australia are very helpful to the country and the country cannot do without them. The problem is that they are in the country illegally. However, if they are not restricted, they can cause harm than good. Therefore, the department of immigration and citizenship should try to implement the policies so that they can restrict the entry of the different illegal immigrants and solve the issue for the greater cause.

 

Table of Content

1.0 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………..4

2.0 Background…………………………………………………………………………………..4

3.0 Policy Development………………………………………………………………………….4

4.0 Issues…………………………………………………………………………………………6

4.1 Advantages of immigration………………………………………………………………………………………6

4.2 Disadvantages of immigration………………………………………………………………………………………8

5.0 Key debates………………………………………………………………………………….10

6.0 The different policies developed because of immigration…………………………………..11

6.1 Immigration restriction act 1901 …………………………………………………………….11

6.2 Migration policy act 1952 …………………………………………………………………..12

6.3 Multiculturalism policy 1989.……………………………………………………………….12

6.4 Migration amended act 1992…………………………………………………………………13

6.5 Migration legislation amendment (immigration detainees) act2001 …………………………13

6.6 Migration amendment (detention arrangements) act 2005 ….………………………………13

7.0 Analysis ……………………………………………………………………………………..13

8.0 Recommendations..…………………………………………………………………………..14

 

 

A Critical Evaluation of Australia’s Policy towards Illegal Immigrants

1.0 Introduction

Immigration can be defined as the act of permanently moving to another country which is not the country of your origin to live their. This is when people moved from their place of origin or their birthplace and they move to another country in which they want to reside their permanently. There are two types of immigration, which are very common to all the countries. The first type of immigration is the legal immigration. This can be defined as when people have migrated to another country having satisfied all the legal requirements. The second type of immigration is the illegal immigration. This can be defined as, when the people move to another country for the purposes of staying there but they have not been legally satisfied by the government of the country in which that person wants to stay. In relation to Australia, several policies have been created in order to cope with the situation, which led to illegal immigration in the region.

2.0 Background

The problem of immigration dates back from the year 1900 before the first policy was developed. When the policies were introduced in Australia, they only wanted the country to be a white nation. The only problem they had, the country was not populated thus they were running out of laborers. Therefore, they had to review their policies again so that they could invite the immigrants to come and work for them. After doing so, the country became multicultural and in the process, it came with some problems. It is because of this, the country needed to evaluate its policies again to cope with the different issues, which have risen. Therefore, the advantages and disadvantages of the illegal immigrants have to be evaluated so that good implementations can be in their regard to help both the illegal immigrants and the country as whole.

3.0 Policy Development

Australia is one of the countries that were colonized by the British. It is one of the developed countries, which is ranked thirteen in the world according to its economy. Most of the people are concentrated in the states. Immigration to Australia started at the end of the Second World War when people were being displaced by the war. At that time, there was a shorted of workers in Australia and it was not populated. Therefore, the government found it necessary to create a policy where it would invite people in the country to reside in it so that it can have a population growth and workers. The government created a policy where it would invite people by having talks with some European countries to let those people who are displaced by the war to come to Australia. At around 1950, more than two thousand people had migrated to Australia due to the availability of employment and land (Department of Immigration and Citizenship, 2005).

Another factor in the policy of immigration, which led to immigration in Australia, was the business environment and a good economy. The country did not have any wars therefore; it was very peaceful to conduct any business. The country also promoted the various investors that were there to encourage more economic growth thus leading to the business opportunities. Additionally, the cost of living was low as compared to other European countries and it has adverse resources. It was because of this policy that made illegal immigrants to migrate from the various places in which they originated to come and live their since it was easy for them to hide their and do business.

Currently these policies, which Australia had created, are not in use due to some issues like the influx of illegal immigrants from all over the world. However, the illegal immigrants helped in the country’s economic growth since they offered labor to the country. It is important to note that at this time, the government was not too keen on the issues of whether the person was an illegal immigrant or not because they required as much laborers as they could get (Parliament of Australia, 2001). All the same, after the country got the immigrants, the illegal immigrants caused certain issues to the country, which can be either advantageous or problematic.

Public opinion

            In the opinion of the different immigrants, they believe that they need the Australian government to help them to get the correct papers because they believe that they have come to work in Australia and not for the ill motives as thought of them. However, they agree that there are few who are bad but most of them come in search of greener pastures. Therefore, they urge the Australian government to come up with new policies that are going to help both them and the Australian government.

4.0 Issues

These different issues ranged from the advantages and disadvantages of the illegal immigrants due to the policy, which was developed.

4.1 Advantages of illegal immigration

One of the advantages of illegal immigration is the country’s population started to rise again. Before the immigration, the country had a low population and this was a great threat to the economy of Australia. This is because the population, which was there in Australia, was not able to support the economy in very many ways. In the labor market, there were no people to work especially in the medical field, where the different staff members were overworked. However, after the illegal immigrants migrated to Australia the country’s economy was not at risk of deteriorating anymore (Department of Immigration and Citizenship, 2010).

Another advantage of these illegal immigrants to Australia was that they provided labor in the very many public sectors. In the medical sector, which was being overworked, the different illegal immigrants from the different regions came and helped to resolve this crisis. Additionally, Australia had a problem with both the skilled and unskilled laborers. Not very many people in Australia had skills to do certain jobs like doctors, engineers, architects and many more. It is because of this, the country lacked in quality services and those who were skilled at that time were being overworked leading to low quality services. On the other hand, they did not have enough unskilled laborers.

In the business community, the illegal immigrants have made the economy of the country grow (Department of Immigration and Citizenship, 2010). For example, some of their top companies in the country are owned and managed by these illegal immigrants turned legal immigrants. Additionally, the illegal immigrants have offered skilled labor to the country leading to high quality in the services being offered. This has made Australia to become a competitive country globally due to its production of high quality goods. Moreover, the unskilled labor that is provided by the illegal immigrants in the country has also led to the high production of units leading to the growth of the country’s economy.

In addition, the illegal immigrants have facilitated globalization due to multiculturalism in the different work places. For example, immigrants who are speaking Spanish can be able to conduct business with Spanish speaking countries on behalf of Australia. Additionally, those immigrants who speak Japanese can be able to conduct business in Asia and those who are Africans can be able to conduct business in Africa on behalf of Australia. It is due to this advantage of multiculturalism that the countries businesses have become global leading to high growth in the economy (Work permit.com, 2008).

Socially the country has been able to gain some of the good cultures from other communities in which the illegal immigration immigrants came with. This means that the country can benefit from the different cultures the different illegal immigrants might have. Some of these cultures are very good for the country’s export markets because the country would be able to have an idea of the global market condition and its prerequisites. This means that the Australia government has an idea of what different people or countries like since the different illegal immigrants in their country has taught them their cultures. Therefore, it is because of this reason that Australia is able to conduct business in any kind of market in the world.

4.2 Disadvantages of illegal immigration

One of the disadvantages of illegal immigrants to Australia is crime. Before the country allowed migration, the rates of crimes were very down. However, after migration the country started to experiences an increase in the level of crime. For instance, it was reported that very many women who are of the Australian decent were being raped by men who are believed to be immigrants. Additionally, the country is becoming overpopulated leading to high rates of unemployment (Live in Australia.com, 2010). Therefore, those immigrants who are not employed must find ways in which they are going to survive. This ways of survival result into crime thus increasing the levels of crime in Australia.

Another disadvantage that the country has experienced due to illegal immigration is overpopulation. Every year the number of illegal immigrants who are entering Australia is increasing. When the country is becoming overpopulated, it means that there will be a competition over the available resources. This competition can lead to collusion between the people themselves. Additionally, it is this collusion, which can lead even to civil war. Moreover, when there is overpopulation, the resources might become exhausted. Some of the resources that might become exhausted are land. Therefore, the Australian government needs to do something to stop this.

Due to the overpopulation, the environment of Australia has been adversely been affected. Since the resources like land are becoming exhausted people are resulting into cutting down of trees in order to create more land for the people to stay. As a result, the country is experiencing climatic changes, which are affecting even some animals that inhabit the ocean like the fish. If this keeps on continuing, the country might be experience draught in future (Live in Australia.com, 2010). Therefore, the Australian government needs to do something before it is too late.

The country is also affected socially where negative cultures are imparted by the immigrants. The modes of dressing some of these illegal immigrants bring to Australia are not good and when they are adopted by the citizens, the country might have a bad name. Additionally, some of these illegal immigrants bring in immorality to Australia for example prostitution. The immigrants who are not able to survive due to lack of employ tend to use other means like prostitution, destroying the cultures of the countries. For this reason, the Australian government needed to analyze the policies and implement them in order to solve some of the problems that were being brought about by the issues. The graph below shows how population growth due to immigrants has affected crime rates and environment degradation

 

5.0 Key debates

It is because of these disadvantages that the Australia government needs to form laws to regulate this problem of immigration. The problem of overpopulation in the future was one of the issues that were debated by the Australian government, in the parliament, on how they would regulate this. They saw that if the problem was not well checked the country would be faced with overpopulation in future leading to very many problems. Additionally, they were arguments if they made to many restrictions it would lead the country lacking skilled and unskilled workers. Therefore, they had to come up with a policy that was going to regulate this so that it would ensure that there was no overpopulation and they were having workers (Ellie, 2003).

Another issue that was debated about illegal immigration by the Australian government was the issue of rise in crime levels. They saw that many of the illegal immigrants came with bad vices, which affected the conducive business environment. These immigrants were committing crimes for purpose of survival and most of whom were illegal immigrants. Therefore, it was impossible for them to get jobs (Live in Australia.com, 2010). The government decided that they would implement this so that it could cater for those without jobs as well as reducing crime levels.

6.0 The different policies developed because of illegal immigration.

6.1 Immigration restriction act 1901

The first policy to be created was in 1901 and it was named the immigration restriction act 1901. In the policy, it stated that one of the main laws for a person to become a legal immigrant in the Australia is that, one must have a valid visa. This visa shows that the person can stay in the country, in the duration in which the visa has specified. In order to have this visa there are several test in which one has to accomplish so that he or she can become a legal immigrant. One of the ways was to apply for the visa indicating your reasons as to why you wanted to stay in Australia (Department of Immigration and Citizenship, 2005). After doing so, the necessary people in the Australian government, in the department of immigration and citizenship, had to confirm that your reason was valid and you did not pose a threat to anybody or the government.

On the other hand, if your visa is rejected or it has expired and you are still living in Australia, you automatically became an illegal alien. Additionally, due to this laws that the Australian government has introduced, it has led to the illegal immigrants having other means to enter the country illegally. Mostly, the illegal immigrants were smuggled in the country by the use of boats and ships to enter. This has led to the increase in the number of the illegal immigrants who are in the country. Therefore, it is because of this that the Australian government has decided to implement the policies and solve the different issues.

This policy required that for any body to become a legal immigrant from an illegal, he or she must have done a language test where the immigration officers had to ask the applicant several question relating to the different European language. The test was called dictation. The tests were formed in order for the people to fail. The immigration officer asked the applicants different questions in relation to the different language and once the illegal immigrant failed, the visa was revoked and the illegal immigrant was deported. However, after the Second World War it was abolished so that it could pave way for immigration since the country was in need of workers and raise the population levels of the country.

6.2 Migration policy act 1952

Another policy was created to implement the immigration restriction policy. This policy was known as the migration act 1952. In this act, the policy where the dictation test was being used as one of the ways to determine the whether an immigrant could be abolished (Department of Immigration and Citizenship, 2005). This was to pave way for the immigrants who wished to come and work in Australia thus solving the problem of labor shortage. Due to this policy, it led to a large number of immigrants, migrating into Australia. However, due to the high numbers of immigrants of different cultures, the Austrian government thought that it would be a better idea if it would introduce a new policy about multiculturalism.

6.3 Multiculturalism policy 1989

In 1989, a new policy was established so that it could solve the problems, which were associated with multiculturalism. It recognized that Australia had become a region of diversity in its ethnicity (Department of Immigration and Citizenship, 2011). This meant that people had to have rules so that they could coexist together. The policies stated that it would recognize the experience of work that the illegal immigrants held while they were at their home of origin and in Australia before they are legal. Additionally, in order to overcome the language barriers the policy started to recognize those languages, which were spoken by the illegal immigrants. Moreover, so that it could have unison in language it resulted to educate the illegal immigrants the English language (Department of Immigration and Citizenship, 2011). On the other hand, the country continued to have an increase in immigration, which later led to overpopulation and many other issues. These issues led to the implementation of the existing policies.

6.4 Migration amended act 1992

It this amendment of the policies, it stated all unlawful non-citizens in Australia had to be arrested so that they could be taken back into their country of origin (Department of Immigration and Citizenship, 2005). This was trying to solve the different problems that were brought about by the different illegal immigrants relating to overpopulation and other social crimes. However, this did not deter the different illegal immigrants from coming in with their boats. Therefore, the policy had to be amended again.

6.5 Migration legislation amendment (immigration detainees) act2001

This policy stated that no detainees who had been detained should be released thus preventing court orders from releasing these detainees. This was done because it was believed that the different detainees were the ones who causing all this troubles once they were released (Department of Immigration and Citizenship, 2005). Therefore, the government thought it would be best if they are not released, and if they were released, they would be deported immediately.

6.6 Migration amendment (detention arrangements) act 2005

Many people argued that the government had become in human. There were mother and children in the detentions who were suffering. Therefore, the government thought it would be better to create centers for this mother and children as they awaited deportation (Department of Immigration and Citizenship, 2005). This was to solve the problem of humanity and at the same time, they were not allowing the release of these detainees.

7.0 Analysis

After a careful study of the policies, I have come up with an analysis with some possible suggestion, which could be used in the implementation of the policies to help the department of multiculturalism and immigration in problems relating to illegal immigration. The problem in Australia is that it needs laborers to work in their different companies. However, they successfully did this by letting the different immigrants to enter into Australia. What they did not do so that the different problems with the immigrants could not arise was that they did not put in some regulations so that they could regulate the kind of immigrants who are coming in Australia.

After the careful analysis, I think that they should first put in some regulations in the visas they are intending to offer to the different immigrants. This are like work permit visas where the different immigrants must have so that it can show the purpose of them being in Australia. This will help solve the problem of laborers and the problem of illegal immigrants. Additionally, those illegal immigrants who have committed different crimes should be deported back to their country. This will help in reducing crimes and solve the problem of overpopulation. Lastly, they should focus on the problems of laborers, how they are going to regulate the entry of these illegal immigrants by inspecting all the ships and boats that are entering Australia.

8.0 Recommendation

            After the different analysis of the problem it best to note that the department of multiculturalism and citizenship should come with policies, which do not oppress or they are not in accordance with humanity instead they should come with those policies that help the country and the illegal immigrant. However, they should not be too soft on the illegal immigrants because they are the ones who come to destroy the country’s good reputation and peace. Therefore, I recommend that the department of multiculturalism and citizenship should try as much as possible to be strict in its borders so that they cannot allow the entrance of illegal immigrants since they have a right to protect their country.

 

References

Department of Immigration and Citizenship, (2010). Fact Sheet 4 – More Than 60 Years of Post-war Migration. Australian Government. Retrieved from http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/04fifty.htm

Department of Immigration and Citizenship, (2011). Multicultural Australia: the Way Forward. Australian Government. Retrieved from http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/multicultural/issues97/macpape3.htm

Department of Immigration and Citizenship, (2005). The detention and removal of asylum seekers. Australian Government. Retrieved from http://www.aph.gov.au/library/intguide/SP/asylum_seekers.htm

Ellie, V. (2003). Australia’s Post-war Immigration: Institutional and Social Science Research. Malmo University. Retrieved from http://195.178.227.4/handle/2043/694

Live in Australia.com, (2010). Skilled Migration Levels to Grow in 2010-11. Live in Australia.com. Retrieved From: http://www.liveinaustralia.com/home/news_article.asp?id=612

National Observer, (2000). Illegal immigration in Australia. National Observer. Retrieved from http://www.nationalobserver.net/2000_summer_ed2.htm

Parliament of Australia, (2001). Boat People, Illegal Migration and Asylum seekers: in Perspective. Common wealth of Australia. Retrieved from http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/cib/1999-2000/2000cib13.htm

Live in Australia.com, (2010). 26900 New Jobs created in Australia. Live in Australia.com. Retrieved from: http://www.liveinaustralia.com/home/news_article.asp?id=616

 

Work permit. Com, (2008). Immigration benefits Australia. Workpermit.com. Retrieved from http://www.workpermit.com/news/2005_04_01/australia/immigration_benefits.htm