Asian Studies

Canada and Australia are well known for having maintained strict immigration policies for a long time in their individual histories. For instance, both countries are known to have at one time imposed a total ban on all immigrants of Asian origin. On its part, Australians had maintained a White-Australia policy whose main aim was to restrict any non-white immigration to the country between 1901 and 1973. This White Australian policy had an objective of minimizing the number of illegal immigrants (Tavan, 2005). However, the act faced stiff objection from the British government who feared that, the act wound offend their British subjects who were in India. This led to readjustment of the Australian white policy in 1960.

There have been some existing differences over how refugees or asylum seekers are treated in both countries as a result of individual country reforms in policies. These are some of the policies that this paper intends to look at with and the progress made in readjustment of these policies.

Past migration policies in Canada
Prior to 1945, the immigration policies in Canada did not limit the number of immigrants into the country. The main reasons for this were that, the immigrants were needed to provide the much needed labor force in the expansive Prairies. The Canadian Immigration policy was however biased since it restricted some of the immigrants who were thought to be less suited to the Canadian climate. The act only allowed immigrants from Britain, America and West Europe. However, a number of the large scale farming and business members were opposed to this restriction as they saw as a way of denying them the much needed cheap labor. To minimize the immigrants from the minority groups, a number of measures were employed. This included the imposition of head taxes on Chinese, continuous journey regulation on Indians, health regulations were on blacks and the Gentlemen Agreement was imposed on Japanese. However, the immigration policies were readjusted in after 1945 in Canada and after 1960 in Australia. This is when Canada and Australia scrapped the discriminatory immigration restrictions

Reasons for Changes in the policies
Changes in economic needs within Canada increased the demand for new skills which would easily be obtained from the immigrants. Most of the immigrants were linked to the technological revolution which was evident in Canada. As a result, there was need to deregulate the immigration policies in a manner that Canada would take advantage of the high skilled and cheap labor which could easily be obtained from the immigrants. Also, the unprecedented economic growth and the improved standards of living contributed to the change in the immigration policies. This came after the Canadian authorities realized that the immigrants were offering little or no competition to its citizens in search of jobs. Canada also made remarkable improvement in the literacy levels (Knowles, 2007). Consequently, the Canadians were able to travel and interact with the rest of the world. As a result of the travelling, they were able to open up to other cultures and accommodate them.

Another factor that contributed to the removal of discriminatory practices was the increased organization of the minority groups. The immigrants formed groups within which they would fight against prejudice. The post war period was also dominated by an increase in the standards of living across Europe. This had a negative impact on the number of immigrants that were willing to travel room Europe to Canada. This resulted to a decline in the availability of labor considering that the birth rate was rapidly declining. Canadian authorities were left with no option other than source for labor from other countries. Similar sentiments were shared by the then prime minister who categorically stated that Canada must populate or else it would perish. This was after he observed that, the Canadian population would reach 40 million if only a vigorous immigration policy was pursued. As a result, there was a change in the immigration policies so as to accommodate the immigrants from the non-preferred countries.

The scrapping of the discriminatory policies was also aimed at putting to an end the bureaucratic interpretations which kept off good citizens from Canada. Also, there was the need to control the influx of unskilled immigrants from Italy. This came after realizing that Canada was relying on close relatives of earlier immigrants who were unskilled. To correct the situation there was need to review the immigration policies. Still, there was the problem of immigrants moving to their country of origin or to United States. Statistics indicate that over 25 percent of professional and the business community moved over to the United States. This did not go down well with the Canadian authorities and they were left with no option other than to scrap the discriminatory policies.

Changes in migration policies in Australia
In another aspect, the reasons for scrapping of the immigration discriminatory policies in Australia though most of the above reasons are applicable. This came after the end of World War II when the slogan populate or perish was in top gear. Precisely, the end of the White Australian policy occurred in 1975.This came after the Australian authorities realized that there was dire need of skilled labor in the market. This led to the announcement that application for application would be accepted from qualified and suitable applicants. The relaxation of the immigration restrictions saw the upgrading of the temporary resident Europeans to a permanent residential status. Japanese war brides were also allowed to enter into Australia. Australia realized that there was need to market itself to other countries and this would save them a great deal economically. The end of the white Australian policy was also aimed at opening up the country to other cultures. Precisely, it was a way of opening up to the Muslim community who were constantly referred to as terrorists.

Current policies
Currently, the immigration policies of both Canada and Australia are similar especially when it comes to selecting their type of migrants. However, the two countries differ in the manner in which they treat their refugeesasylees. The next part will seek to pinpoint these differences and make a distinction between an asylee and a refugee. Legally, both an asylee and a refugee have the same definition. In that, they have been persecuted in the parts or an in possession of fear of future persecution due to their race, religion, nationality or political affiliation. However, difference arises where an asylee is already physically present in his or her country of choice. Precisely, an asylee does his application when in the preferred asylum country but a refugee does his application when he or she is in his home country. Eventually, the way asylees and refuges are treated within Canada and Australia differs.

In Australia, we have the Border Protection Act which is an immigration protection act aimed at limiting the number of asylum seekers. The formation of the Border protection act saw all the asylum seekers who arrived in Australia by boat being detained before their refugee status is approved. This was also the case in 2000 when over 4,000 refugees were sent to mandatory detention camps on arrival to the Australian territory. Harsh treatment of the refugees and asylum seekers was also evident during the Tampa crisis. The crisis is remarkable since over 433 Afghans of the persecuted Hazara minority were directed to the Indonesian waters even after they escaped the danger of drowning. Operation Relex cannot be forgotten since it was used by the Australian Defense Forces to repulse all the asylum seekers who attempted to reach the Australians Indian Ocean territories. Following the harsh treatment to both the asylum seekers and refugees, Australia has built a reputation of being a country that transports asylum seekers to desert hell holes and grants temporary visas even to the deserving (Tavan, 2005). The response to refugees and asylum seekers has led to the classification of the Australian immigration policy as racist. However, the Australian authorities have distanced themselves from the prejudice claims.

The treatment for the asylum seekers and refugees is normally different in Canada from that of Australia. In the first place, they are given an opportunity for them express their claim and determine whether they are eligible. This normally based on the travel documents, previous immigration and their family background. This is contrary to the practices in Australia where the Asylees are not given chance to express their case. Another significant difference is about the mandatory detention of asylum seekers which is practical in Australia. To the Canadian, this is normally an exceptional measure. Canada has created a safe haven for asylum seekers and the refugees (Knowles, 2007). Worth noting is the American soldiers who are asylum seekers in Canada. In contrast, there is no room for them because the Australian authorities can even use military force to send the asylum seekers and refugees away even when it is uncalled.

Concisely, the discriminatory policies in both Canada and Australia were scrapped due to various reasons among them demand for skilled and cheap labor, organization of the minority groups, increased standards of living across Europe, decrease in birth rate in these host countries and the need to interact with other cultures. Even though the scrapping of discriminatory policies was applied in both countries, asylum seekers and refugees found a safe haven in Canada than in Australia.