Demographic and socio-economic analysis of Muslim migrants in Austrasia

Using a demographic approach, this paper focuses particularly on Muslim migrants in Australasia. The paper highlights the dimensions, determinants and differentials associated with the socio-economic status and cultural settlement of this particular group of migrants from a comparative perspective. Further, the present analysis uses a crucial and serious issue (that is, market employment), which is identified both as the most important determinant of standard of living and as a key indication of migrants' settlement and success in the host country (e.g. Collins 1988; Vanden Heuvel and Wooden 1996; Alba and Nee 2003; Pichler 2011). The multiethnic and multicultural contexts of Australia and New Zealand hold a substantial proportion of migrants with varying ethnic and religious backgrounds from throughout the world. Accordingly, this provides the good opportunity for the present study to examine the status of Muslim migrants both in terms of their ethnic origins, and in comparison with those with other religious and ethnic backgrounds