The massive inflow of almost 300,000 migrants and temporary workers last year was one of the biggest contributors to Australia's superior economic performance during the global recession.
Their spending delivered a stimulus at least as big as the government's first cash splash, and the flexibility of a temporary migrant labour force that now holds about 7.5 per cent of all jobs helped the economy to ride out the downturn with a relatively little rise in unemployment.
The government came under pressure from unions to wind back the migration program, with claims that migrants were taking “local” jobs.
Read the article on “The Australian” website here.
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