The Socio-Occupational Background of Migrant Students Entering University

Abstract

First-year students entering Macquarie University in 1971 were sampled according to fathers' birthplace. The distribution of fathers' occupations was compared with the occupational distribution of the Australian male workforce. The upper and middle socio-occupational groups of students were over-represented and the lower socio-occupational group was under-represented for the migrants as well as the Australian-born. Within each of the three major socio-occupational groups, however, the ratio by birthplace for students' fathers did not differ significantly from the ratio by birthplace for the total Australian male workforce.