Indian Students in Melbourne: Challenges to Multiculturalism

Abstract

The migration experiences of Indian students challenge traditional frameworks of multiculturalism in Australia. First, unlike earlier groups of migrants, Indian students pay to study hoping to become migrants. Indian families contributed AU$2.9 billion in educational fees, living expenses and tourism in December 2010 and generated 28,975 full-time equivalent jobs. Second, the students’ narratives are largely centred on mobility and acquiring greater options rather than settlement. Third, Indian students come from a country that is an important trading partner for Australia. And last, like other migrants, the students live in transnational families that go beyond the traditional national framework of multiculturalism. This study draws on 35 open-ended individual and group interviews with Indians who arrived on student or spouse visas in 2005 or later and 12 persons who occupy leading positions in Indian community organisations, media and local government.