Migration is widely regarded as one of the most important policy issues on the global agenda. Not only does it have economic implications for states, it also poses certain challenges for the political and social fabric of countries. In particular, what does the act of migration say about the continuing social bond between migrants and their countries of origin, and that between the migrant and the country to which they have migrated? At what point does a migrant become part of the political and social world of their new country, and how should law and policy recognise this?

In his new book, Not Quite Australian, Peter Mares deals with an aspect of this question by examining the increasing use by Australia of temporary migration, including workers on 457 visas, international students, working holidaymakers, and refugees holding temporary protection visas (TPVs).