Gender, mobility and migration into New Zealand: a case study of Asian migration.
Badkar, Juthika ; Callister, Paul ; Krishnan, Vasantha 等
Abstract
Skilled migration flows into New Zealand are important to the
Department of Labour's goal of building New Zealand's
workforce and attracting (and retaining) talent to contribute to the
nation's economic transformation. Globally, female migrants
constitute nearly half of all migrants in developed and developing
countries. This global presence of women in migration is also reflected
in the increase of women using what have previously been male-dominated
migration streams. This research paper focuses on the migration of Asian
women into New Zealand for two reasons. Firstly, Asian migrants are a
significant and increasing source of skilled labour, which New Zealand
is in competition for; and secondly, the 2006 Census shows that in key
working-age groups there are significantly more Asian women than men
living in New Zealand. The Department of Labour's databases were
analysed to calculate trends and gender ratios in migrants entering New
Zealand through the Skilled/ Business stream and Temporary categories
from 1997/98 to 2005/06 as principal applicants. Our results show that
although men dominate the overall Skilled/Business stream and Temporary
categories, there is large diversity by nationality and women from some
Asian countries are critical players in the migration process. Census
data, which represent the net result of inflows and outflows, suggest
that there have been more Asian women than men migrating to New Zealand.
Department of Labour immigration data do not fully support this overall
gendered migration from Asia, but consideration of gender, age, country
of origin and migration stream uncovers much complexity within these
overall flows.
INTRODUCTION
New Zealand has a long history of gendered migration, and this has
affected the overall gender balance in the population. (2,3) Apart from
brief periods in World War 1, the 1918 influenza pandemic and World War
2, official records show that from the time of European colonisation
through to 1968 there were more men than women in the total New Zealand
population. However, since 1968 there have, at each census, been more
women than men living in New Zealand. This partly relates to the ageing
of the population, with more women, due to gender differences in
mortality rates, in the older age groups. However, the census data also
show that in the prime working-age groups there has been an increasing
imbalance between women and men; for example, the 2006 Census indicated
that there were over 57,000 more women than men in the broad 25-49 years
age group. Differences in mortality cannot explain this, and while
undercount is a factor, a key driver has to be gendered migration
(Callister et al. 2005).
Research by Callister and colleagues has shown that when ethnicity is considered, 2001 Census data indicate that the overall imbalance
between Asian women and men living in New Zealand was especially
pronounced, with 26% more Asian women than men in the broad 25-49 years
age group, and 37% more in the 30-34 years age group. (4) Their research
also indicates that inward migration has been a component of this
imbalance, with the strongest imbalance in flows in the 25-29 years age
group. In this age group in the 1995-2004 period there was a net
Permanent Long Term (PLT) gain of 9,824 Asian men as against 14,064
Asian women.
There have been people of Asian ethnicity living in New Zealand
from the early days of European settlement, but initially the numbers
were very small and heavily weighted towards males. However, in the
1980s and 1990s the number of people of Asian ethnicity grew rapidly.
This growth is not surprising given that Asia is home to nearly 60% of
the world's population, and China is the world's largest
country with a population of 1.3 billion people in 2006 (Hugo 2006,
2007). (5) Due to its size, but also its recent liberalisation of
movement of people, China is an increasingly important source of global
migrants (Hugo 2007). It is therefore to be expected that Asia will be
an important source of migrants to all high-income countries. Given that
New Zealand wants to identify, attract and target skilled migrants, Asia
is therefore an obvious source of such migrants. As will be shown, Asia,
and particularly China, has also become an important source of
international students.
Despite the growing significance of the global feminisation of
migration, including the feminisation of labour-market-related
migration, this area has received little research or policy attention in
New Zealand. Patterns of gendered migration from Asian economies have
received even less attention, despite the recent growth in migration
from these countries. Hugo (2006) notes two important issues that need
to be considered when undertaking research and policy development in
this area. The first is the difficulty of generalising given the
enormous diversity within the Asian region in terms of size, resources,
economic development and cultural, ethnic, political and religious
orientation. Secondly, the increase in migration from Asia has not been
matched by an analysis of the composition of these flows (Hugo 2006).
This paper attempts to provide a starting point for discussions about
gender and migration by using Asian migration as a case study.
BACKGROUND
Chapple (2000) claims that prior to colonisation, differences in
mortality meant that there were more Maori men than Maori women. In
addition, gendered migration meant that in the early period of European
migration to New Zealand Pakeha men vastly outnumbered Pakeha women
(Arnold 1982). This was a pattern also seen in major migration flows
from Europe to the main settler countries of Canada, the United States,
Australia and South Africa. As an example of early New Zealand
migration, Dalmatians came during the latter years of the nineteenth
century to escape the depressed economic conditions of their homeland.
Of the original 5,468 settlers between 1897 and 1919, only 177 were
women (Stoffel 1982). Another example was the early migration by
Chinese. Although most men were married, their wives remained in China,
so the sex ratio of the community was extremely unbalanced. For example,
there were only nine women to 4,995 men in 1881 (Ip 2007).
A number of factors--most not unique to New Zealand--drove this
strongly male migration. Migration policy had an effect on some of these
flows, such as restricting the migration of Chinese women in 1925, but
the nature of the economy has always been a strong driver (6) (Ip 2007,
Fraser and Pickles 2002). Initially, most of the jobs were in the
primary sector, with gold mining, timber extraction and farming being
key employers. Later the manufacturing sector emerged, but again
primarily attracted skilled males in areas such as the trades. In these
early periods, the women who migrated to New Zealand came either as
wives of migrants, as potential wives, or as a source of domestic labour
(Fraser and Pickles 2002, Hastings 2006). Thus marriage markets and
labour markets have long been a driver of female migration.
Although there has always been some female component to migration
flows, over the last 20 years the gender balance of international
migration flows has changed considerably in response to a number of
factors, including gender-selective demand for foreign labour, economic
development, and subsequent changes in gender relations in countries of
origin and countries of destination. According to an International
Labour Organization (2003) report, female migrants constitute nearly 51%
of all migrants into developed countries and about 46% of all migrants
into developing countries. In most developing regions females are
increasingly migrating independently, not just as dependants or family
members (Sorensen 2004). Castles and Miller (2003) have described the
consequences of all these trends as an "increasing feminisation of
migration at a global level".
In part, the size of the various streams of migration influences
the overall gender composition of migration. Researchers and
policymakers have tended to divide migration into two groups: permanent
and (historically of lesser importance in New Zealand) temporary
migration. Although these two categories are now not entirely separable,
they nevertheless provide an initial analytical framework in which to
consider gendered migration.
Permanent Migration
In the New Zealand Residence Programme, 60% of the places are
allocated to the Skilled/Business stream, followed by 30% to the Family
Sponsored and 10% to the International / Humanitarian streams.
Most countries endeavour to attract skilled workers, and skilled
migration is currently the most important source of new migrants for New
Zealand. Historically, skilled migrants have tended to be male, but
women are increasingly participating in tertiary education at high
levels (and now higher than men in all the main developed countries).
This delays marriage and childbearing, making women increasingly mobile
(Dumont et al. 2007). Also, some well-educated women may want to migrate
to escape restrictive cultures. Women today increasingly migrate
independently and/or for work purposes (Carling 2005). Even when women
migrate to join family and spouses, given that marriage markets tend to
bring together similarly qualified people, female partners of skilled
migrants are likely to be skilled and want to work in the destination
country.
One area in New Zealand where skilled migrants are a very important
part of the workforce is the health sector. For instance, an estimated
41% of doctors working in New Zealand hospitals were trained overseas,
with a significant number coming from Asia (Chisholm 2007). Stilwell et
al. (2004) note that African and Asian nurses fill the gaps in the
health sectors in countries such as the UK and USA, and suggest that
this will continue in the near future. The United Nations Research
Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) also note that recourse to
foreign nurses in response to the crisis in nursing has constituted a
truly global labour market, especially in the UK and Ireland, as well as
in Canada and the USA. Above all, it is the Philippines that supply the
overwhelming number of nurses (UNRISD 2005). It is important to note
here that nursing is a female-dominated sector, with women comprising
90% or more of the nursing workforce (Buchan and Calman 2004).
In the late 1990s one million women from the Philippines, 500,000
Indonesian women and 40,000 Thai women were working outside their
countries (International Organization for Migration 2005). The
Philippines is the largest exporter of migrant labour throughout the
world (Jolly and Reeves 2005). In the Philippines, Indonesia and Sri
Lanka, female migrants account for 60-80% of their labour migrants
(Jolly and Reeves 2005). While many of these women are lower-skilled
domestic workers, and often temporary workers, the Philippines places a
premium on the training and education of its emigrants--particularly
nurses, but also domestic workers and seamen--as part of its proactive
labour exporting policy (International Organization for Migration 2005).
As a result, the Philippines is able to achieve higher wage levels for
its migrants in destination countries (Orozco and Fedewa 2005).
As well as health, skilled women have tended to be attracted into
welfare and social professions, such as education and social work, both
of which are traditionally female jobs. An analysis of UK work permit
data for 2000 showed that sectors with high proportions of female staff
constituted some of the fastest growing sectors of migrant employment.
Currently, in New Zealand, both nurses and teachers are on Occupational
Shortages Lists. (7) This partially explains the growth in nurses and
teachers coming into New Zealand as skilled migrants.
Although migration may be "permanent", short-term movements by these migrants may lead to gender imbalances in the New
Zealand resident population. This could be because of so-called "astronaut" and "cosmonaut" family patterns, where
migrants, after taking up residence, spend lengthy periods out of New
Zealand. Typically, "astronauts" return to their country of
origin to work or do business, leaving their spouses and children in New
Zealand. "Cosmonaut" migration refers to childless married
migrants who engage in astronaut-like practices. In a Department of
Labour (NZIS 2000) study, 57% of cosmonauts had spent time apart, where
one member of the couple was in New Zealand and the other overseas. Of
two-parent migrant families, 16% of the principal applicants had spent
over 60% of their time out of New Zealand since taking up residence.
This study did not look at gender differences in these practices.
Another migration stream is through partnership. (8) The demand for
residence through the Family Sponsored stream remains high, especially
though the partnership and parent categories. This policy allows family
members of New Zealand residents and citizens to be granted residence.
Currently in New Zealand women dominate this stream. Hugo (2005) shows
that marriage across borders is an increasingly important part of
migration in many areas of the world. In part this is a result of
increased travel allowing the mixing of people from different countries.
If it is mainly men who leave New Zealand for work and travel, this
could lead to a gender imbalance in favour of women coming in as
foreign-born partners (provided the men come home). Overseas-born
partners are able to apply for residence through the Family Sponsored
stream. If the overseas-born partner has existing children, these
children also need to apply for residence though the Family Sponsored
stream. (9)
The organised migration of women for marriage (often labelled
"mail-order brides") can be another source of permanent
migrants. The practice is often portrayed in countries such as the US or
New Zealand as primarily European males marrying Asian women (or perhaps
Russian women). Although it is not known how the partnerships came
about, New Zealand research does show up some gendered patterns of
intermarriage with Asian women, and particularly Thai and Filipino
women, far more likely to have a European partner than the reverse
situation (Callister et al. 2005).
In New Zealand, men dominate the International/Humanitarian stream.
(10) New Zealand is a signatory to the 1951 United Nations Convention
and the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees. Under these
policies, New Zealand accepts an annual quota of 750 refugees. Quota
refugees come through under three main categories: Protection, Women at
risk and Medical/Disabled (Department of Labour 2004). (11) British
research shows that refugees and asylum seekers are primarily male
(Vertovec 2006). However, subsequent flows connected to this initial
migration can be highly gendered if it is mainly female partners who
arrive through family migration schemes.
Research shows that policies on skilled immigration can change the
gender balance of migrants. As an example, Inglis (2003) suggests that a
shift away from family reunification to a skills-based approach appears
to have boosted female migration in Australia. Recognising that
migration policy may have a different impact on women and men, Canada
has begun testing all new immigration policies for their potential
gender impact. (12)
Temporary Migration
In New Zealand 1.5 million people were granted either a temporary
visitor, student or work permit on arrival in 2005/06. Temporary
migrants (workers and students) generate significant benefits for New
Zealand's labour market as they possess skills and experience
needed by New Zealand employers (Merwood 2006).
International students also contribute to New Zealand through
foreign exchange earnings and by promoting international links. At the
end of their studies, international students are able to participate in
the labour force because they can offer employers New Zealand
qualifications (Merwood 2006). In Canada, the contribution of
international students to science and engineering is commended as
advancing Canada's knowledge-based economy (Boyd 2006). The number
of fee-paying international students in New Zealand has increased
strongly, from just under 6,000 in the mid-1990s to reach a peak of just
over 50,000 in 2004. (13)
In most high-income countries, the increasing employment of
well-educated women and the ageing of the population have seen an
increasing demand for service workers, including low-skill care workers.
Globally it is primarily women who migrate to undertake domestic or care
work. This flow of labour is often from developing and/or newly emerging
economies to developed Western economies, and can be characterised as a
"global transfer of domestic services". As already noted, the
Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand are important sources of such
labour. In an earlier phase of their development, many Western countries
extracted natural resources and agricultural products--rubber, metals
and sugar, for example--from these colonised regions. Now, the transfers
include a less tangible form of exchange, that of "care"
(Ehrenreich and Hochschild 2002). Remittances home from these workers
are very important for some countries. For example, in 2002 remittances
from Sri Lanka's migrant workers contributed to 27% of that
country's foreign exchange earnings (Siddiqui and Hossainul Haque
2005).
There is also an increasing demand for temporary workers in areas
such as harvesting. New Zealand's Minister for Immigration
introduced a temporary seasonal work programme in 2005 to cover the
summer harvesting period 2005/06, and this was extended to run through
to the end of September 2006 (Bedford 2007). In October 2006, at the
Pacific Forum meeting in Fiji, New Zealand's Prime Minister, Helen
Clark, advised delegates that there would be a new seasonal labour
migration scheme. This scheme was introduced in April 2007 and it allows
for up to 5,000 temporary workers to be employed in any one season.
Depending on the nature of the job, women may be preferred to men (or
vice versa).
New Zealand has a visa-free policy with 54 countries. Australian citizens, for example, do not require a permit to enter New Zealand, and
in 2005/06 almost 700,000 Australian citizens travelled to New Zealand
(Merwood 2006). People who do require a visitor visa need to demonstrate
that they meet the standards and obtain it prior to travelling to New
Zealand. People who do not need a visa to enter New Zealand are issued
with a visitor permit on arrival in New Zealand.
In New Zealand a growing proportion of temporary workers and
students make the transition to permanent residence: about 30% of work
permit holders and 20% of student permit holders gain permanent
residence within five years of being issued their first work and student
permits (Merwood 2006). Temporary visitors can also make the transition
via the nature of their relationships with New Zealand citizens and
permanent residents (Bedford 2007).
Irregular Migrants
Boyd (2006: 5-6) notes that there are three main types of irregular
migrants:
* those who enter a country legally with valid documentation, but
who violate the terms of their admission (e.g. those on visitors'
visas)
* those who enter a country legally but with fraudulent documentation
* those who enter a country illegally (i.e. without undergoing
formal admission).
She notes that the "irregular population" in the USA, a
group that is the subject of much debate in recent years, is estimated
at about 10 million people, representing a little over one-quarter of
all foreign-born people in that country. Boyd notes that women are
estimated to comprise about 41% of irregular migrants in the United
States.
At times, illegal immigrants such as overstayers can make the
transition to permanent residency. Bedford (2007) notes the 2000
Transitional Policy, which allowed well-established overstayers in New
Zealand to legalise their residence via a temporary work permit if they
did not have appropriate work when they registered as overstayers. This
was one of the most important routes to residence in New Zealand for
Pacific citizens between July 2002 and June 2006, accounting for 13% of
the 31,521 residence approvals for citizens of Pacific countries.
Stilwell et al. (2004) note that some Asian governments have
attempted to control female migration in order to protect their citizens
from abuse abroad, but suggest that these policies have driven migrants
urgently needing an income into more risky, clandestine forms of
migration. Boyd (2006) notes that the trafficking of persons is a
gendered aspect of illegal migration. She suggests that this
"modern form of slavery" includes begging, forced labour
(especially in sweatshop manufacturing or farms), and prostitution and
other forms of sexual exploitation. Although men and children are part
of the trafficked population, women and young children predominate,
often working in the sex trade.
Labour Market Outcomes of Female Migrants
Although women are increasingly migrating for employment, a policy
concern for many Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries is the differential labour market outcomes for migrant
women. Certain groups of immigrants face specific difficulties
integrating into the labour market in certain OECD countries, but the
difficulties for migrant women can be compounded. This is particularly
the case for highly qualified migrant women from non-OECD countries. In
Germany, the employment rate of this group is 43% (compared to 60% for
all highly qualified immigrant women, and 81% for native-born women with
the same level of education). In New Zealand, although Chinese and
Indian immigrant women are more likely to have a 6th form certificate
(or higher) than the national average, they have higher levels of
unemployment and lower incomes (14) (Ministry of Health 2006).
Similar results are found in most receiving countries in the OECD,
where foreign-born women have lower employment rates than their
native-born counterparts. For example, in 2004 (with the exception of
Norway, Portugal and Switzerland), less than 60% of immigrant women aged
15 to 64 had a job (OECD 2007). This gap in outcomes is partly
attributable to the problems of recognising foreign qualifications, and
their training generally, but also to factors such as the effect of
attitudes and behaviours "imported" from the country of
origin, and language problems (SOPEMI 2006). One of these attitudes
relates to gender roles in the home, with British research showing that
mothers born in South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa are more
likely to not be in paid work when their children are young (Vertovec
2006).
However, sometimes, women integrate more quickly into society and
paid work than men. Research in the US has shown that many
first-generation immigrant men from South America face downward social
mobility by being forced to accept lower-skilled jobs and lower social
status due to racism. However, their wives often experience upward
social mobility because of their involvement in paid work and, along
with this, increasing independence. In addition, as mothers they
potentially connect more with local authorities (kindergarten, school,
social services) and thus engage with the country of destination in a
way that can foster faster integration. This is also reflected in the
data that show women are more likely than men to become US citizens
(Jones-Correa 1998). Perhaps linked with this, women tend to politically
integrate faster than men. In the US it has been found that men tend to
be active in ethnic organisations whose orientation is towards politics
back home, whereas women engage in political activism that deals with
issues in the destination area (Hardy-Fanta 1993).
When employed, immigrant women are more likely to be
"over-qualified" for the job they do (i.e. there is a high
proportion of women who, according to their education level, should be
exercising a more skilled profession). This over-qualification is
particularly pronounced for immigrant women from non-OECD countries
(SOPEMI 2006). Similarly, the Longitudinal Study of Immigrants in Canada
found that only 40% of skilled principal applicants who arrived in
2000/01 were working in the occupation or profession in which they were
trained, and many immigrants with university degrees were working in
jobs that usually required a high school education or less (Banting et
al. 2007).
Although such obstacles are not necessarily restricted to immigrant
women, the impact on immigrant women may be greater given the fields of
work they tend to be concentrated in. Highly qualified immigrant women
are over-represented relative to immigrant men in the fields of
education, medicine, the arts and humanities. As Iredale (2004) notes,
skilled migration is heterogeneous in its gender divisions, occupations
and conditions of work. Men predominate among those moving within
transnational corporations and in the Information Technology and
Scientific sectors (OECD 2002). There are also gender implications for
the accreditation and recognition of skills.
It can be a gendered demand structure that explains the dominance
of a certain sex in specific migration streams. For example, 88% of the
Green Card permits in Germany in 2000 were taken up by men (SOPEMI
2001); the vast majority were scientists from Eastern Europe, where
there are almost as many women in the same profession (thus the gender
imbalance does not necessarily already exist in the sending countries).
According to a study carried out by the Equal Employment Opportunity
(EEO) Trust in New Zealand, skilled female migrants have been reported
to be subject to ethnic/racial discrimination when seeking employment
(Basnayake 1999).
Transitions Between Types of Migration
Migration is no longer seen as a one-off temporary or permanent
movement. In 2005/06, 87% of migrants approved for residence had
previously been in New Zealand on either a visitor, study or work permit
(Merwood 2006). The linking of temporary immigration policy with
residency policy can be beneficial to both migrants and New Zealand.
Research by the Department of Labour has shown that migrants who have
worked in New Zealand prior to gaining residence have positive
employment outcomes after gaining residence (Dunstan et al. 2004). In
fact, over 90% of skilled migrants (approved for residence onshore) had
previously held either a work or student permit prior to gaining
residence (Badkar 2006).
Equally, "permanent" migrants may not stay long term in
New Zealand. While not considered in this paper, departures of permanent
migrants will influence the gender balance of the stock of remaining
migrants. Australian research suggests that gender may be important in
these flows, with Hugo (2007) showing that between 1997/98 and 2005/06
males outnumber females with only 92 China-born females for every 100
China-born males departing.
METHODS
A number of data sources were utilised in this study. First, to set
the scene, some data from the 2006 Census are presented, followed by a
brief comment about census undercount issues. The main part of the paper
uses data from the Department of Labour's immigration
administrative database, (15,16) showing overall migration trends from
1997/98 to 2005/06 through the following streams: Skilled/Business,
Family Sponsored and International/Humanitarian, as well as the
shorter-term migration flows of students and temporary workers.
In terms of skilled migration, the research examines the number of
female and male migrants who were principal applicants entering New
Zealand from source countries that had the biggest number of migrants
from the Skilled/Business streams as at 2005/06. These countries are
Great Britain, South Africa, China, India, South Korea and the USA.
Based on the sex ratios of overseas-born New Zealand residents (where
the female-to-male ratio is markedly high), trends in female and male
migrants from three more Asian nations (Thailand, the Philippines and
Japan) are examined.
Following on from the trend results, the study also looked at
differences in gender ratios by age groups (20-29 years, 30-39 years and
40-49 years) for the countries mentioned above. Some occupational and
industry data are analysed at a broad level. This paper also examines
the proportion of female and male migrants (principal applicants) who
came into New Zealand as solo migrants (principal applicants) and with
dependants (secondary applicants, which includes a partner and
children).
In terms of temporary migration, the research looks at trends in
the number of female and male migrants entering New Zealand as
international students and as temporary workers from 2001/02 to 2005/06.
We examine the same source countries as for the Skilled / Business
stream.
RESULTS
Table 1 draws on 2006 Census data to show the overall sex ratios of
New Zealand residents, as well as the ratios for the main level 1 ethnic
groups. (17) It shows that overall the ratios favour women in all
five-year age groups from 20 to 49. However, Table 1 also shows that the
ratio is highest among the Asian group in the over-30 age group. In
particular, in the 35-39 age group, these census data indicate 37% more
Asian women than men living in New Zealand. Comparing 2001 and 2006
Census data shows that the Asian population in the 20-49 age group grew
by around 59%, or just over 70,000, in this five-year period. This
increase is primarily due to migration, and therefore the data suggest a
strongly gendered migration flow in some age groups.
The extreme ratios for Asians seen in the 30-34 and 35-39 age
groups are primarily driven by overseas-born Asians. For example, in the
35-39 age group, the data show that 92% of Asians living in New Zealand
were born overseas. Of the relatively small numbers born in New Zealand,
the data show there were 11% more Asian women than men in 2006, but for
those born overseas and in New Zealand less than five years there are
29% more Asian women, rising to 50% more women for those Asians born
overseas but living in New Zealand more than five years.
Tables 2 and 3 are also based on 2006 Census data, but switch from
ethnicity to country of birth data. (18) Table 2 shows ratios for those
born overseas and living in New Zealand for less than five years for the
main Asian source countries. This table gives some indication of the
recent net migration flows from the various countries. (19) Table 3
shows the stocks of those who arrived in earlier migrations.
These tables mask a considerable amount of complexity, however. For
instance, in terms of the age structure of the data in Table 2, 48% of
those from China are in the 20-24 age group with only 10% in the 35-39
age group. In contrast, only 9% of those from the Philippines are in the
20-24 age group, but 24% are in the 35-39 group. As will be shown in the
migration data, this primarily reflects differing streams of migration.
Also, for Asian women there are some major differences in educational
levels by country of origin. For example, in the 30-34 age group, of
those women born in Thailand 28% had no formal qualifications whereas
only 4% of women from the Philippines, 7% from China and 5% from Japan
had no formal qualifications. (20) In terms of degrees or higher
qualifications in this age group, half of those women born in the
Philippines held such qualifications, while the figure was only 26% for
those women born in Japan. This compares with an overall figure of 29%
of New Zealand women in this age group holding such qualifications. The
high level of degrees among women from the Philippines is one indication
that these women are generally not in New Zealand to undertake
low-skilled domestic work.
However, despite this complexity, some broad patterns can be
discerned. First, for those born overseas who have been in New Zealand
less than five years, as well as those who have been in New Zealand more
than five years, the main countries of origin from Asia are the same,
India and China, particularly for the recent migrants. For those here
longer than five years, places such as Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Cambodia
and Vietnam are also important. This reflects changes in both push and
pull factors for migration, such as the transfer of Hong Kong to Chinese
control in 1997 and the strong outward migration at that time.
More directly related to the central focus of this paper, the
ratios of women to men in the two groups of migrants have some
similarities. In most age groups, for those who have come from the
Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Japan there are
significantly more women than men. For several of the other countries
there are more women than men in many age groups. India and Pakistan
stand out in most (but not all) age groups in having more men than women
living in New Zealand.
Undercount may help explain a small part of the gender differences
within the Asian New Zealand census population. After each census a Post
Enumeration Survey (PES) is carried out which helps to estimate the
undercount. The 2006 PES found that the 2006 Census missed more males
than females, as was also the case in the two previous surveys, with a
net undercount of 2.1% for males and 1.8% for females. The net
undercount was 1.4% for the European population, 3.1% for Maori, 5.2%
for the Asian population, and 2.3% for Pacific peoples. While higher for
Asians, this is nowhere near high enough to explain the census
differences, hence the interest in migration.
Permanent Migration
Overall patterns of migration in New Zealand are characterised by
strongly increasing Skilled/Business migration, with smaller growth in
Family Sponsored and International/Humanitarian migration (Badkar et al.
2006, Merwood 2006).
Overall Gender Ratios
The overall gender ratios differ by residence stream. For the
Skilled/Business stream it is not surprising that men outnumber women.
Figure 1 shows that the female-to-male ratio is 1:2 throughout the
1997/98 to 2005/06 period. This ratio is consistent with the responses
received from the Settlement Experiences Feedback Survey, where 37% of
the principal applicants were women and 67% were men (Badkar 2006). This
pattern is similar when all Asian nationalities are considered, as shown
in Figure 2. The main difference is that the gap between Asian women and
men is closer post-2003/04, which can be attributed to the changes in
policy. (21)
Conversely, the female-to-male ratio for the Family Sponsored
stream remains high (1.2:1 in 1997/98 and 1.5:1 in 2005/06). In
contrast, in the International/Humanitarian stream, male principal
applicants outnumber female (0.6:1 in 1997/98 and 0.7:1 in 2002/03).
However when all applicants are considered (this includes secondary
applicants), the gender ratio is close to 1:1.
Although the proportion of female to male migrants for the
Skilled/Business stream is low (1:2) throughout the 1997/98 to 2005/06
period, it is interesting to see how this trend varies by all Asian
countries and specific Asian migrant source country.
[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]
[FIGURE 2 OMITTED]
Skilled Permanent Migration
In this section we look at trends in migration for women and men
entering New Zealand through the Skilled/Business streams. The six
biggest migrant source countries as at 2005/06 were Great Britain, South
Africa, China, India, South Korea and the USA. (22) Although there can
be strong year-to-year fluctuations, overall there has been a strong
increase in principal applicant approvals between 1997/98 and 2005/06 in
Skilled/ Business migration from Great Britain, South Korea and the
United States. There has been little overall change in migration from
South Africa. Apart from a large increase of migrants from India in the
middle period (2000/01 to 2002/03), overall there was relatively little
change. In all these countries there have been more men than women
entering New Zealand (as principal applicants) through the
Skilled/Business stream.
The number of men and women from China increased exponentially from
1997/98 to 2001/02. The number of men gradually decreased in 2002/03 and
more so in 2003/04, but increased again from 2004/05 to 2005/06. Their
female counterparts increased slightly in 2002/03, decreased in 2003/04
and 2004/05 and then increased again in 2005/06. This pattern of Chinese
migration flows is similar to that of the total Business Stream migrant
population (see Figures 1 and 2). Although there were slightly more
Chinese men than women, their overall female-to-male ratio is close to
1:1, suggesting a relatively equal number of Chinese women and men
entering New Zealand during the 1997/98 to 2005/06 period. Reasons for
the fluctuations include immigration policy changes in November 2002,
which had a big impact on business migration (mainly affecting Chinese),
and changes to the General Skills Category and Skilled Migrant Category.
With the exception of China, which provided relatively equal
numbers of women and men migrants, all the other main source countries
were dominated by men. Therefore, two additional Asian source countries
(with higher female to male ratios) are examined. (A third country,
Japan, has a similar pattern to China.) Among skilled migrants from the
Philippines, females outnumber males for the 1997/98 to 2005/06 period
by a ratio of 1.6:1. From 1997/98 to 2001/02 there was a considerable
increase in female and male migrants from the Philippines. This declined
between 2002/03 to 2003/04 and increased again during 2004/05 to 2005/06
(Badkar et al. 2006). Similarly, women from Thailand outnumbered men,
and the average female-to-male ratio for the 1997/98 to 2005/06 period
was 1.3:1. The number of female and male migrants from Thailand
increased from 1997/98 to 2001/02, but dropped between 2002/03 and
2004/05. It is important to note the small numbers in the Thai group.
Age Groups
For the Asian countries with female-dominated flows, the imbalances
can be found in all three of the 10-year age groups between 20 and 49.
However, for the countries where the gender flows are nearly equal
(Japan and China), the balance is more in favour of men in the older age
bands but women in the younger age groups. It is possible that people
migrating in the younger and older age groups are coming for different
reasons, and may also have different attachment to family units. For the
Asian countries which have had male-dominated flows (India and South
Korea), again there is some complexity. For example, while numbers are
small, there have been periods when more young Korean women have
migrated to New Zealand than young Korean men (Badkar et al. 2006).
Principal Applicants Entering New Zealand: Solo and with Secondary
Applicants
For Asian countries with female-dominated flows (the Philippines
and Thailand), discrepancies can be seen in the proportion who migrate
without secondary applicants (partner and/or children). For example, in
1999/2000 there were 138 women (principal applicants) from the
Philippines. Of these, 57.2% were solo applicants and 42.8% had
secondary applicants. Men from the Philippines were more likely to have
secondary applicants as part of their residence application. While not a
direct outcome of this stream of migration, but possibly earlier
gendered migration, 2001 Census data show that in New Zealand, when
partnered, a male from the Philippines is highly likely to have an Asian
partner, whereas a partnered woman from the Philippines is far more
likely to have a non-Asian partner (Callister et al. 2006). In contrast,
the proportion of men and women from China with and without dependants
was similar throughout the 1997/98 to 2005/06 period (Badkar et al.
2006). (23)
Occupations by Gender: Skilled Principal Applicants
Gendered migration may be more connected with the type of
occupation the migrant is coming to New Zealand to work in rather than
with the source country. For example, if skilled trade workers are being
sought, this migration flow is likely to be male no matter what country
they come from. Equally, for nurses, given that this is such a gendered
occupation in all countries, most nurses migrating to New Zealand are
likely to be female. However, there may be some differences within
specific occupations by source country. For example, it may be that in
some source countries there are a similar number of men and women
qualifying as doctors, whereas in other countries medical training may
still be male dominated.
Occupations in this analysis were classified according to the New
Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (NZSCO). Throughout the
2003/04 to 2005/06 period women dominated the Clerks and Technicians and
Associate Professionals categories. Although men outnumbered women in
the Professional category, the number of women in the Professional
category increased by 64% between 2003/04 to 2005/06. Interestingly,
results from the Settlement Experiences Feedback Survey show that women
skilled migrants were more likely than men to be classified as
Professional (40% and 28%, respectively). (24) It is also important to
note that within the Professional category, the number of women in the
NZSCO major group of Life Science and Health Professional category
significantly outnumbered men. When investigated further, women
outnumbered men in the NZSCO minor group, with the majority of women in
the Nursing and Midwifery professions (Badkar et al. 2006). (25)
In terms of Health Professionals (NZSCO minor group), there are
some differences in the gender balance by country of origin. In the
period 2003/04 to 2005/06 the highest ratio of female to male health
professional migrants was from Great Britain (48% female), while lower
ratios within country-specific sources were seen from South Africa (34%
female), the United States (32% female) and India (19% female).
Differences in skills flow through to differences in occupations
when country of birth is considered. For example, for those employed
women aged 25 or older, 33% born in the Philippines were classified as
professionals in 2006 as against just 9% from Thailand. For Filipino
women this is higher than the overall 26% of employed women in this age
group in New Zealand in professional occupations. A more detailed
investigation of occupational group within Professionals shows some
clustering within particular occupations. For example, 49% of these
Filipino women were working as nurses--a much higher figure than for
women from the other main Asian countries and higher than the overall
15% of New Zealand women professionals who worked as nurses. When
specific occupations of Thai migrants are considered, areas that stand
out are non-professional occupations, including those related to the
food hospitality industry (cafe managers, chefs, waiters and kitchen
hands) as well as sewing machinists and commercial cleaners. These
census data indicate some heterogeneity in migration flows from within
Asia.
Temporary Migration
Although men outnumbered women as international students and as
temporary workers during 2001/02 to 2005/06 (Figure 3), the increase in
the number of women on a temporary work permit was greater than for men,
such that women increased by 79% and men by 60%. The decline in the
number of international student permits was similar for both women and
men (5% and 6%).
[FIGURE 3 OMITTED]
For those on student permits, the overall ratio is in favour of men
(see Table 4), but there still are some important age differences within
this broad age band. The 20-29 age group has by far the greatest number
of students, and in this group the balance is strongly in favour of men.
(26) In contrast, in older age groups the ratio of students is in favour
of women, but in these age groups the total numbers are relatively
small. When compared with domestic students, the ratio for the local
students is in favour of women in all age groups but, like the
international students, with a much higher ratio of women to men in the
older age groups.
The recent decline in the number of international students is
mainly due to the drop in students from China (see Table 5). China,
however, still remains New Zealand's main source of international
students (41,598 in 2002/03 to 26,661 in 2005/06) (Merwood 2006). There
could be several reasons for this drop, the main ones being uncertainty
over immigration policy changes, increased competition from Canada,
Australia and the UK, high exchange rates making it more expensive to
study in New Zealand, negative media reports, and issues of safety and
student protection (Ho et al. 2007).
Table 6 shows the main countries (including the main non-Asian
countries) that students came from in the 20-29 age group between 2001
and 2006. As already noted, by far the largest source of students in
this age group over this period was China, followed by South Korea.
Table 6 shows that while the overall ratio of students was in favour of
men, there are some quite major differences by country. In fact, when
the whole period is considered, the higher numbers of males is primarily
driven by students from China and India. Although the numbers are small
in some countries, the ratio is in favour of women in all the other
Asian countries that are shown.
Table 7 shows the gender ratios of those on temporary worker
permits. The overall number of temporary workers and students over the
whole period 2001 to 2006 is similar, at 381,595 workers and 394,372
students. (27) But there are some differences in gender, country
patterns and growth in each permit category. Table 7 shows that the
overall ratio is again in favour of men, but unlike students, the bias
in favour of men is strongest in the older age groups. In the 20-29 age
group, the ratio is slightly in favour of women.
When numbers of workers are considered in each age group, Table 8
shows that, like students, the largest numbers are in the younger age
groups, but unlike students there are significant numbers in the 30-39
years age group. In contrast with student numbers, which grew to a peak
in 2003/04, temporary workers have grown strongly over the whole period.
When countries of origin of temporary workers are considered for
the largest age group, 20-29 years, there is again some diversity (see
Table 9). However, in the Asian countries shown, with the exception of
India there are more women than men in the migration flows. This
includes China, which is in contrast to the flows of students, which
favour men. In terms of both numbers and ratio, the flows of women from
Japan have been particularly strong. This can be attributed to the
working holiday scheme between New Zealand and Japan, which seems to
attract twice as many women as men. (28)
CONCLUSION
Gender has long been an important factor in both international
migration and migration into New Zealand. Despite this, in recent
decades gender has not been a key issue when considering migration
research or the development of policy making in New Zealand.
Historically, men have dominated flows into New Zealand, but a
range of international studies suggests that, for a variety of reasons,
women have now become critical players in the migration process, and a
range of data sources indicate that women are a significant component of
some migration flows into New Zealand. In particular, census data
indicate an imbalance in the Asian ethnic group within the 25-49 age
group that strongly favours women. Although previous research has shown
that the gendered nature of recent migration from Asia is only a small
contributing factor to the overall sex ratio differential within the New
Zealand population, census data point to gendered migration being a key
factor in the gender imbalances within the Asian population. Yet, when
Department of Labour inward migration data is examined it is hard to
reconcile the overall flows into New Zealand with the resulting strong
imbalances between women and men. More research, including a better
understanding of outward migration, is needed to determine the reasons
for the census-based imbalances.
When gender, age, country of origin and migration stream are
considered, much complexity within these overall flows is uncovered and
instances of both male- and female-dominated flows become evident. For
example, when skilled migration is considered, the flows from the
Philippines, Thailand and to a lesser degree China and Japan are
different to those of other migrant groups. When just Chinese temporary
migration is considered, we find that student permits for young adults
are strongly male dominated, but when temporary work visas are
considered they become female dominated.
Although our preliminary research indicates some reasons behind
female-dominated migration from particular countries (e.g. why female
nurses migrating from the Philippines help create a strongly gendered
flow from that country), little is still known about the general drivers
of gendered migration to New Zealand, although it is clear these will
include social and economic conditions in the country of origin as well
as social and economic circumstances in New Zealand. We also know little
about issues such as:
* How do gender inequalities in both the country of origin and in
New Zealand affect the experiences of migrant men and women?
* To what extent, and in what ways, does migration benefit or
disadvantage men and women?
* What, if any, steps need to be taken to ensure equal
opportunities and outcomes for migrant men and women?
* How do international marriage markets influence gendered
migration?
Some of these issues will be explored in a FRST-funded research
project that commences in 2007, but there is wide scope for additional
research. (29)
Finally, the data we have examined suggest that the gender, age and
country of origin differentials in the short and long term will continue
to be dynamic. Such flows will influence the size and composition of New
Zealand's population, as well as debates about diversity, social
cohesion and New Zealand's national identity.
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(1) Acknowledgements
Early versions of this research were presented at the Labour,
Employment and Work, Social Policy Research and Education, and
Population Association of New Zealand conferences. We are grateful for
feedback from those presentations.
Correspondence Juthika Badkar, Department of Labour, P.O. Box 3705,
Wellington. Email: Juthika.Badkar@dol.govt.nz, Tel: 04 915 4337.
(2) Following the lead of Boyd (2006), we use "gender"
rather than "sex", as gender refers to the norms, behaviours,
and expectations associated with being female or male.
(3) The early section of the paper draws heavily on Callister et
al. 2005, 2006.
(4) As a comparison, in the peak age group of difference, 30-34,
there were 11% more European women than men, 16% more Maori women and
14% more Pacific women in 2001.
(5) While not directly focused on in this paper, the two largest
countries in Asia, China and India, both have strong sex ratio
imbalances in favour of men in the age groups we consider in this paper.
(6) In 1921 there was a quota of 100 entry permits to New Zealand a
year for Chinese, negotiated by the Chinese consul. In 1925 Chinese
women were excluded from quota permits for Chinese entry.
(7) Teachers include early childhood educators, secondary school
teachers and university lecturers.
(8) This includes legal marriage, de facto relationships and
same-sex partnerships.
(9) If the partner is skilled, they can apply through the Skilled /
Business stream.
(10) The International/Humanitarian stream includes a Pacific
access category and a Samoan quota.
(11) Protection: these are high-priority refugees who need
protection from an emergency situation. They may also include refugees
with immediate family in New Zealand who entered under a previous quota.
Women at risk: these are women refugees alone and at risk in a refugee
camp. They may or may not have dependent children. Medical/Disabled:
these are refugees who either have a medical condition that cannot be
treated in the country of origin and can be treated or helped in New
Zealand, or have a disability that requires support.
(12) http://www.web.net/~ccr/GBAresearch.pdf.
(13) Students in formal tertiary education 1965-2005,
http://educationcounts.edcentre.govt.nz/statistics/downloads/
Provider-based-enrolments.xls.
(14) 2001 Census data show that 75.5% of Chinese and 68.3% of
Indian female migrants (non-New Zealand born) had a 6th form
qualification or higher, compared to the national average of 48.1%.
However, their unemployment rate was higher (6.0% and 7.6% respectively)
than the national average (4.7%), and the proportion on an income of
$20,000 or less was higher (68.7% and 58.1% respectively) than the
national average (55.2%). Chinese and Indian immigrant men had similar
outcomes to women.
(15) Data from the census refers to ethnicity data; immigration
data from the Department of Labour refers to nationality. Immigration
data do not collect ethnicity.
(16) In New Zealand it is not possible to directly link census data
with immigration data. In contrast, in Australia it is now possible to
link 2006 Census data with migration data (Hugo 2007).
(17) Many of the foreign students may be captured in the census,
and the students may also apply for permanent residence when they have
completed their studies.
(18) There is some overlap between Asian country of birth and Asian
ethnicity, but not all of those from Asian countries record Asian
ethnicity.
(19) Note that someone may have migrated earlier to New Zealand but
spent some period overseas and returned within the five-year period
before the 2006 Census.
(20) Overall, 2006 Census data show that overseas-born women in the
age groups of interest are better educated than New Zealand-born women.
(21) The Skilled Migrant Category was introduced in December 2003.
(22) For more detail on gender and skilled permanent migration, see
Badkar et al. 2006,
(23) In some other male-dominated migration sources, such as South
Africa, a significant proportion of those migrating have dependants.
This means that the overall gender balance of those migrating from this
country is more even than in some countries where it is mainly single
people migrating.
(24) Ninety-four percent of both women and men were employed
(working for pay or profit) at the time of the survey.
(25) These occupations are on the Long Term Skill Shortage List
(LTSSL), so it is easier to get enough points through the Skilled
Migrant Category.
(26) The under-20-year-olds are not counted in this analysis.
However, it is recognised that there are a significant number of
fee-paying students under 20 years of age.
(27) This includes those under 20.
(28) New Zealand also has a working holiday scheme with Taiwan and
Thailand.
(29) The Foundation for Research, Science and Technology
(FRST)-funded project Missing Men will explore some of these issues
between 2007 and 2010.
Juthika Badkar (1)
Workforce Research & Evaluation
Department of Labour
Paul Callister
Institute of Policy Studies
Victoria University of Wellington
Vasantha Krishnan
Workforce Research & Evaluation
Department of Labour
Robert Didham
Statistics New Zealand
Richard Bedford
Population Studies Centre
Waikato University
Table 1 Ratio of Women to Men in Each Age and Ethnic Group, and
Total Ethnic Counts, 2006
ETHNIC GROUP
Age European Maori Pasifika Asian
Ratio
20-24 1.05 1.10 1.07 1.01
25-29 1.11 1.17 1.12 1.10
30-34 1.16 1.18 1.09 1.29
35-39 1.14 1.17 1.11 1.37
40-44 1.11 1.15 1.08 1.25
45-49 1.07 1.13 1.07 1.19
Number
20-24 154,194 42,771 20,721 45,621
25-29 140,481 38,106 18,918 32,232
30-34 169,521 39,459 18,129 27,882
35-39 186,630 38,598 18,075 29,160
40-44 195,753 37,272 16,089 30,744
45-49 188,004 31,908 12,687 24,870
ETHNIC GROUP
Age MELAA (1) Other Total (2)
Ratio
20-24 0.91 0.84 1.01
25-29 1.03 0.89 1.07
30-34 0.98 0.89 1.11
35-39 0.83 0.89 1.11
40-44 0.89 0.93 1.08
45-49 0.87 0.92 1.05
Number
20-24 3,372 20,388 270,978
25-29 3,258 23,079 242,442
30-34 3,309 31,680 276,561
35-39 3,192 36,060 301,554
40-44 2,700 38,742 313,698
45-49 2,055 38,664 293,421
(1) Middle Eastern, Latin American and African ethnic groups.
(2) Includes those whose ethnicity is not stated.
Table 2 Ratio of Women to Men, by Main Country of Birth, for Those
Born Overseas and in New Zealand Less than Five Years, 2006
Age Groups
Country 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39
India 0.92 0.98 0.87 0.87
Pakistan 1.00 1.17 0.74 0.63
Sri Lanka 1.07 1.31 1.25 1.19
Cambodia 1.53 0.75 0.85 0.71
Thailand 1.46 2.10 3.39 3.12
Vietnam 1.13 1.36 1.11 1.91
Indonesia 1.54 2.12 1.76 2.00
Malaysia 1.23 1.24 1.60 1.37
Philippines 1.20 1.84 1.83 1.51
Singapore 1.57 1.20 1.46 1.41
China 0.95 1.07 1.54 1.34
Hong Kong 1.04 1.80 1.50 2.00
Japan 1.71 2.49 2.63 2.41
Korea 1.40 1.20 1.93 2.40
Taiwan 1.32 1.95 1.85 2.78
Age Groups
Total men a
Country 40-44 45-49 women 20-49
India 0.93 0.76 16,101
Pakistan 0.69 0.60 651
Sri Lanka 0.97 0.91 1,257
Cambodia 1.22 1.40 852
Thailand 2.69 3.38 1,260
Vietnam 1.36 1.71 891
Indonesia 1.56 1.07 951
Malaysia 1.67 1.27 2,709
Philippines 1.21 1.29 3,900
Singapore 1.26 1.16 642
China 1.29 1.12 31,218
Hong Kong 1.25 1.15 459
Japan 2.09 2.00 3,144
Korea 1.89 0.96 7,350
Taiwan 2.79 1.19 957
Table 3 Ratio of Women to Men, by Main Country of Birth, for those
Born Overseas and in New Zealand More than Five Years, 2006
Age Groups
Country 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39
India 0.85 1.18 1.36 0.95
Pakistan 1.10 0.82 0.68 0.52
Sri Lanka 0.86 0.66 0.87 1.01
Cambodia 0.90 1.28 1.16 1.10
Thailand 1.11 1.90 2.83 3.39
Vietnam 1.09 1.15 1.03 0.92
Indonesia 1.25 1.30 1.27 1.29
Malaysia 0.91 1.06 1.10 1.21
Philippines 1.04 1.24 2.31 2.57
Singapore 1.00 1.07 1.00 1.46
China 0.96 1.01 1.48 1.72
Hong Kong 0.96 0.93 0.89 1.16
Japan 0.95 1.96 2.51 3.38
Korea 0.96 0.90 1.19 1.94
Taiwan 0.94 0.77 1.45 2.43
Age Groups
Total men a
Country 40-44 45-49 women 20-49
India 0.85 0.80 9,588
Pakistan 0.44 0.71 522
Sri Lanka 1.17 1.24 2,514
Cambodia 0.97 1.34 2,634
Thailand 3.74 4.68 2,622
Vietnam 0.83 1.04 2,214
Indonesia 1.41 1.32 1,389
Malaysia 1.32 1.17 5,994
Philippines 2.80 3.36 5,511
Singapore 2.07 1.92 2,025
China 1.09 1.03 19,926
Hong Kong 1.67 1.91 3,483
Japan 3.06 2.55 2,934
Korea 1.48 1.30 7,197
Taiwan 2.65 2.29 4,737
Table 4 Ratio of Female to Male International Students in the 20 Years
and Older Age Groups, 2001-2006
Age Groups
Year 20-29 30-39 40-44 45-49 50+ Total 20+
2001/02 0.89 1.32 1.84 1.93 1.33 0.92
2002/03 0.87 1.39 2.12 1.78 1.21 0.91
2003/04 0.87 1.27 1.46 1.68 1.40 0.92
2004/05 0.88 1.09 0.93 2.06 1.55 0.93
2005/06 0.88 1.05 0.99 1.51 1.30 0.93
Table 5 Number of International Students in the 20 Years and
Older Age Groups, 2001-2006
Age Groups
Year 20-29 30-39 40-44 45-49 50+ Total 20+ *
2001/02 31,484 2,972 471 199 156 35,282
2002/03 41,954 3,330 617 281 245 46,427
2003/04 46,443 3,373 640 300 295 51,051
2004/05 43,040 2,676 396 239 263 46,614
2005/06 37,389 2,630 405 286 269 40,979
* There are a significant number of foreign students under 20
that are not shown in this table.
Table 6 Ratio of Female to Male International Students Using Student
Study Permits in the 20-29 Age Group, by Country of Origin, 2001-2006
Year
Country 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04
China 0.86 0.82 0.83
India 0.13 0.16 0.19
UK 1.53 0.85 1.03
Philippines 2.08 1.92 0.85
Japan 1.48 1.61 1.52
South Africa 1.00 1.19 1.00
USA 1.19 1.29 1.31
South Korea 1.00 1.10 1.07
Taiwan 1.82 1.75 1.47
Canada 1.38 1.79 1.90
Thailand 1.24 1.05 1.17
Year
Country 2004/05 2005/06 Total
2001-2006
China 0.83 0.82 121,294
India 0.22 0.27 6,995
UK 1.22 0.93 1,053
Philippines 1.44 2.14 195
Japan 1.53 1.48 7,915
South Africa 3.00 1.00 157
USA 1.32 1.38 8,158
South Korea 1.13 1.10 16,032
Taiwan 1.51 1.54 3,640
Canada 2.18 2.32 1,364
Thailand 1.31 1.27 157
Table 7 Ratio of Female to Male Temporary Workers in the 20 Years and
Older Age Groups, 2001-2006
Year
Country 20-29 30-39 40-44 45-49 50+ Total 20
2001/02 0.97 0.69 0.60 0.51 0.43 0.80
2002/03 1.00 0.73 0.60 0.56 0.44 0.84
2003/04 1.10 0.80 0.64 0.61 0.51 0.91
2004/05 1.08 0.79 0.68 0.62 0.54 0.91
2005/06 1.03 0.77 0.67 0.61 0.50 0.89
Table 8 Number of Temporary Workers in the 20 Years and Older Age
Groups, 2001-2006 *
Age Group
Year 20-29 30-39 40-44 45-49 50+ Total 20+
2001/02 30,021 16,832 4,472 2,758 2,649 56,732
2002/03 34,872 18,480 4,889 2,953 2,963 64,157
2003/04 38,192 19,864 5,466 3,284 3,519 70,325
2004/05 42,098 22,447 6,593 3,845 3,996 78,979
2005/06 55,891 23,664 6,762 4,138 4,666 95,121
* There is a small number of temporary workers under 20 that are not
shown in this table.
Table 9 Ratio of Female to Male Temporary Workers in the 20-29 Age
Group, by Country of Origin, 2001-2006
Year
Country 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04
China 1.11 1.14 0.91
India 0.29 0.50 0.40
UK 1.00 0.96 0.84
Philippines 1.13 1.36 1.16
Japan 1.79 1.51 1.28
South Africa 0.84 0.87 0.76
USA 0.97 1.08 0.63
South Korea 1.30 1.55 1.17
Taiwan 1.53 1.36 0.75
Canada 1.14 1.42 1.18
Ireland 1.21 1.13 1.06
Thailand 1.52 1.64 1.39
Year
Total
Country 2004/05 2005/06 2001-2006
China 1.37 1.17 17,091
India 0.79 0.79 10,860
UK 0.98 0.95 49,503
Philippines 1.36 1.34 1,529
Japan 2.13 2.01 20,547
South Africa 0.90 0.99 4,484
USA 1.17 1.11 9,945
South Korea 1.42 1.29 5,754
Taiwan 2.22 2.80 1,389
Canada 1.46 1.39 7,383
Ireland 0.91 0.90 9,804
Thailand 1.50 2.07 1,427