To date our study of Africans in Australia has compared Humanitarian entrants from Africa with other migrant categories. This presentation seeks comments on the next step which will focus on Humanitarian entrants.

The number of persons born in Sub-Saharan Africa (including Sudan) enumerated in the Australian Census doubled from 146,590 in 2001 to 295,375 in 2011. In an existing online paper we compared sources of skilled migrants (South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Zambia and Nigeria) with selected refugee source countries: Sudan, including South Sudan; Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia); Central Africa Francophone countries (Burundi, Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo); Liberia and Sierra Leone.

According to the 2011 Census, immigrants from refugee source countries are less likely to hold a degree and are more likely to be unemployed compared with migrants from skilled source countries. The educational gap between males and females is also greater among migrants from refugee source countries. Around half of employed skilled country migrants are managers or professionals compared with fewer than 25% of migrants from refugee source countries.

Further analysis within the African Humanitarian category is needed to examine these educational and employment gaps in more detail, and whether they persist over time. For example, consideration could be given to the education and jobs of different age and arrival cohorts from Africa using 2006 and 2011 census data. Regarding residential distribution, are migrants from Africa in low socioeconomic areas doubly disadvantaged because of schooling and job opportunities? Persisting disadvantage would be of concern and have policy implications.

Dr David Lucas, Associate Professor (Adjunct), Australian Demographic & Social Research Institute

Dr Barbara Edgar, Research Fellow (Adjunct), Australian Demographic & Social Research Institute

Painting by Merle Higman.