The Last Half Century of Chinese Overseas

17. Astronaut Families and Parachute Children: Hong Kong Immigrants in Australia

17 Astronaut Families and Parachute Children: Hong Kong Immigrants in Australia Rogelia Pe-Pua, Colleen Mitchell, Stephen Castles and Robyn Iredale In recent years, there has been increased migration from Hong Kong to Australia, just as there has been to the USA and Canada . Some of the migrants have subsequently returned to Hong Kong to take up employment or run businesses rhere, often leaving family members in the new country. From this pattern of migration evolved the 'astronaut families and parachute children' phenomenon which is the topic of this paper. A study undcnaken by the Centre for Multicultural Stud ies at the University of Wollongong in 1994-95 1 examined various aspects of the phenomenon from the experience of the fa milies themselves; and looked a t the socio-cu ltu ral, economic and political implications of the phenomenon. The aim of this chapter is to summarize the findings of the study, discuss the insights gained and link them to existing literature. HONG KONG MIGRATION TO AUSTRALIA Migratory panerns concerning Hong Kong are complex. Many of wday's emigrants were originally immigrants from China or elsewhere: two-fifths of Hong Kong's 1986 population was born outside, mostly in China. In 1980 there were an estimated 22 400 people who left Hong Kong for residence overseas. With the impending takeover of Hong Kong by China in July 1997, emigration from Hong Kong has increased considerably to 2S0 Rugelia Pe·/'lIa, Colleell Mitchell, Stephell Castles and RO/)YII Iredale 62000 in 1990 and 66 000 in 1992.2 The increase is due to fears of political instability, especially among highly skilled and professional workers. Wong points out that the actual outflow from Hong Kong 'only constitutes the tip of the iceberg. There exists a large pool of potential migrants who want to leave'. \ Surveys that have been conducted by Wong and others have indicated that many people have adopted a 'wait-and-see' position, making 'the tide of emigration potentially strong and volatile'. The main destina.tions for Hong Kong migrants have been the USA, Canada, Australia and Si ngapore. Hong Kong began to emerge as one of the main source countries for migrants to Australia in the mid-1980s. In 1986-87, Hong Kong was one of the top 10 immigra.nt source countries for Australia with a settler intake of 3400. In 1987-88, the figure increased by 64 percent to 5570. In 1990-91 , Hong Kong became the second largest source of immigrants after the United Kingdom, overtaking countries such as New Zealand, Vietnam, the Philippines, South Africa and Malaysia. In this year the peak occurred with 13 451 arrivals from Hong Kong, representing 11 .1 percent of the total intake. In 1991-92, Hong Kong mainta ined its second place with an intake of 12912 wh ich represented 12 percemof Australia's total immigrant intake.4 ln 1992-93, the number of senlers from Hong Kong declined to 6520 moving Hong Kong to the third position in the list of top 10 source countries of settlers. At the same time there has been an increase in the number of Hong Kong-born leaving Australia permanently, from 130 in 1987-88 to 660 in 1992-93. Most of these were recent migrants to Australia who were young and ski lled (40 percent were in rhe managerladministraror and professional occupational groups). The large majority were returning to Hong Kong. Immigration data indicates that people who return to Hong Kong tend to do so very quickly:> HONG KONG IMMIGRANTS IN AUSTRALIA In 1991 the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census counted 57 5 10 born in Hong Kong (excluding overseas visitors) and a second-generation population of 14 330 (thar is, those born in Australia to one or both parents born in Hong Kong). Of the Hong Kong-born, 55 percent and 24 percent, respectively, were living in New South Wales and Victoria.' The Hong Kong-born are a highly urbanized group with around 93 percent living in Sydney and Melbourne, the capital cities of New South Wales and VictOria. Over half (52 percent) of all the Hong Kong-born Astronaut "-amifies and "arllcllllte Cllildrell; HOllg KOllg Immigrants ill Australia 2K 1 residents of Australia were living in Sydney in 199 L According to Hugo,' their high socio-economic starus has led to some concentration in higher status suburbs, with secondary concenrrarions around tertiary education institutions_ In terms...