This article examines the role of a number of factors, including migration category, birthplace, period of arrival, age, gender, educational background and employment status, in explaining immigrants’ dependence on government pensions and benefits. Significant differences in welfare dependency were observed by birthplace and migration category even after controlling for age, education and employment status. Immigrants from Vietnam, Lebanon and Turkey were more likely than others to be dependent on welfare. Refugees were also more likely than other immigrants to be dependent on welfare; however the effect of refugee status on welfare dependency diminished with duration of residence in Australia.
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