Interstate migration to Queensland has
been declining: report
A new report says population growth in Queensland's south-east will slow down with a softening in the jobs market.
Research by industry analyst BIS Shrapnel suggests a drop in overseas migration from 45,600 this year, particularly from skilled migrants and foreign students, to just over 28,000 by 2012.
BIS Shrapnel senior economist Jason Anderson says recent rises in unemployment will make it more difficult for skilled migrants to have their visas renewed.
"We know that the interstate migration to Queensland has been declining as well and in part again that's because of the softening in the jobs market," he said.
"It's going to be harder for people to get those visas extended or we'll be looking at a lot of those people now returning to their home country.
"In terms of the overseas students, these are students who are now close to finishing their degrees and again going home."
