由於臺灣經濟安定發展、個人收入增加、政府開放國人出國觀光和政治不安等因素，其移民在近十多年以來快速成長。依移民機關發布之資料作估算，每年約有兩萬至兩萬五千人左右移出，移居國家則以美國、加拿大、紐西蘭、澳洲及南非為主。選擇移居地的主要因素在於申請移民者當事人的意願及本身條件外，亦須取決於移居國的移民政策。 本文主要以澳洲雪梨為研究區，以半結構性的問卷和滾雪球的抽樣方法，深入訪問35位臺灣移民，目的在探討其成長趨勢與分布、受訪者特徵、移民原因、區位因素；就業與生活適應等問題，並從澳洲、雪梨和居住地三個層面，來討論其區位決策因子。小孩教育壓力大、治安壞和政治不安定是他們離開臺灣的主要原因；而澳洲的生活環境（天氣、治安、福利、社會制度都比臺灣好）則是移入澳洲的主要原因。雖然他們有著高學歷的背景，但他們希望找到和當初在臺灣相當的工作時仍會遇到不同的困境。職業地位的向下變動及低度就業，是普遍存在於新近臺灣移民中的一個現象，因此他們必須繼續依賴在臺灣的工作或儲蓄來維持生計；也有小部分人成為「空中飛人」以及回流人口。 以往由臺灣學者針對臺灣國際移民做移地之研究相當少，因此本文之成果不僅能對海外臺灣移民有初步了解，並希望能提供臺灣即將移民者更多資訊做為他們準備移民前的參考，同時引起政府機構在制定政策時，能對移民者有較多的支持。

The number of Taiwanese emigrants has increased greatly in the last ten years, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand being the major destinations. Among the various reasons accounting for this increase, rapid economic growth, political instability, and increase of personal income and the relaxation of restrictions permitting citizens to go abroad as tourists starting in 1989 are foremost. Other important factors are the introduction of economic and business migration policies by various countries targeting skilled and entrepreneurial groups. The objective of this research is to obtain an understanding of the process which underlies the reasons for migration, location decisions and the economic incorporation of Taiwanese migrants into Sydney. Thirty-five migrants were interviewed using a snow-ball sampling method and a semi-structured questionnaire. Education for their children in Australia, a high crime rate in Taiwan and perceived political instability in Taiwan were foremost in their decisions to leave Taiwan. The reasons for moving to Australia, especially Sydney, and the choice of residential location are then discussed. In spite of their high educational levels, Taiwanese migrants face various difficulties of finding employment commensurate with their former business skills. As underemployment and downward mobility is common with this recent group of migrants, they need to depend on other sources of income such as their savings and work in Taiwan. "Astronauts" and return migrants are the outcomes of various migration experiences.