Two-step migration: A comparison of Australia's and New Zealand's policy development between 1998 and 2010

Since the late 1990s, the competition for the best and the brightest' has shaped many developed countries' policy approaches toward international students seeking permanent skilled migration in their countries. Australia and New Zealand are among those that established innovative immigration policies to facilitate the skilled migration of international students after successful completion of their studies. Using Considine's policy system framework, this paper reviewed each country's policy setting linking education and migration between 1998 and 2010 and compared policy developments by their constituent policy institutions, policy actors, political economy and policy culture. The similarities and differences between the two countries are identified and used to understand how international education and skilled migration policies had changed in each setting.