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This paper investigates the impact of the relative growth of skilled migration on the structure of Australian wages. Unlike conventional approaches, the present study uses macro data to examine the response of wages to immigration flows. We use instrumental variable techniques to control for the potential endogeneity of immigration. The results, using alternative estimation strategies, are consistent with the dominant findings from existing empirical work. There is no robust evidence that a relative increase in skilled immigrants exerts any discernible adverse consequences on the wage structure in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The balancing item in the Australian balance of payments has been increasing in magnitude and volatility, violating with increasing frequency internationally agreed acceptability criteria of smallness. This investigation examines the temporal evolution of the balancing item, identifying structural breaks that are plausible a priori. It also explores alternative data-driven and structural approaches to the diagnosis of the errors and omissions in the statistical record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]