Temporary migration: Beyond apple picking and tour guides

On September the 8th, the Australian government announced changes to its Pacific Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme (PSWPS). In broadening and deepening Australia’s primary development-orientated migration scheme, this move demonstrated a commitment to improving the development impact of Australian migration policy. As such, it is in accordance with a large and growing body of literature advocating greater labour mobility as a key way for the developed world to help the developing. Yet the government’s current approach does not take full advantage of migration’s considerable effect on development.

Key Points:

• Australian temporary migration policy is increasingly reflecting a commitment to overseas development
• However, expanding low-skilled migration could have substantially greater impact yet
• Due to the political complexity of migration reform, there is a need to chart alternative reform options
• This brief reviews three such options: Expanding the current 457 visa, introducing a General Low-Skilled Program, or introducing Sector-Specific Programs
• Tentatively, it seems Sector-Specific Programs may be the most promising avenue for development-promoting reform