Studies in the immigration of the highly skilled

Abstract

Despite the quantity of official and academic studies generated by the postwar immigration program, little publicity has been given to Australia's gain of highly skilled workers. This book has been written to fill out our knowledge in this area. Until recently, Australia experienced shortages of professional man power, and both government and private employers looked abroad for it. But professional skills are not as easily transferred across the globe as are lesser skills. The postwar years have seen conflict between the Australian government, seeking a broad immigration policy, and the professional groups, responsible for maintaining standards within their professions. The author devotes the last part of her book to one of the larger professions, the architects, yet many of her findings apply to the profes sions generally. Most 'professional' immigrants are British by training, if not by birth, and this happy accident has made them automatically acceptable. The 'non-acceptable' must face examination - yet the level of average earnings does not suggest that the non-British trained are inferior as practitioners. Mrs Salter shows that of recent years the trend has been towards an 'internationalisation' of standards by the professional bodies. This book will be read with interest by government officers and professional people, and by all students of Australia's immigrant population.