Chinese business migrants in Australia: Middle-class transnationalism and ‘dual embeddedness’

Abstract

Over the past two decades, four-fifths of the business immigration to Australia originated from China. Australian business migrants are required to undertake a two-step migration pathway: first they demonstrate a certain level of assets and business success to qualify for temporary entry and then, through successful business activity, they qualify for permanent residency (PR). Using in-depth interview narratives and survey data, this article explores migration motives and experiences of Chinese business migrants in Melbourne, Australia and situates them within the conceptual framework of middle-class transnationalism and ‘dual embeddedness’. We found that our respondents were primarily driven by motives other than the likelihood of business success in Australia, such as the prospects of good education for their children and a cleaner environment. Gaining Australian PR emerged as the key milestone in the migration process, allowing migrants to move freely between home and host countries and live as ‘dually embedded’ transnationals.