Technology, globalisation, and digitalisation are having a tremendous impact on education, employment, family, and migration globally. Termed the ‘fourth industrial revolution’, the digital revolution consists of developments in information technologies combined with robotisation, automation of tasks, the internet of things, and a host of other advances in diverse areas such as manufacturing, transport, surveillance, and biotechnology. Every year, more and more people are working remotely, on a flexible part-time basis, and for more than one employer. Increasingly, this is without national boundaries, particularly in highly skilled roles and innovative sectors. At the same time, many ‘traditional’ jobs and organisations are likely to become increasingly globalised and fluid as people move from one country to another.
This working paper explores the changing nature of work and what this means for government, employers, and workers. In particular, it focuses on the implications of digitalisation for skilled migration in high-income countries such as Australia.