Associate Professor Anna Boucher
Associate Professor Anna Boucher is a global migration expert as it intersects with public policy, comparative politics and legal studies. Her research covers immigration, gender and racial diversity, inequality and labour market and regulatory change as well as the skill selection of migrants. She has written three books on migration that cover skilled immigration, gender diversity and workplace exploitation. The first, Gender, Migration and the Global Race for Talent (Manchester University Press) creates diversity indicators that have been used by international agencies. Her second book with Professor Justin Gest, Crossroads: Immigration Regimes in an Age of Demographic Change (Cambridge University Press, New York) compares immigration regimes across 30 countries and has won multiple awards and nomination for the Stein Rokkan Prize in Comparative Politics, considered the second most prestigious prizes globally in political science. Her third book Patterns of Exploitation: Migrant Worker Rights in Advanced Democracies came out in early 2023 with Oxford University Press (New York) and analyses labour market exploitation of migrants in four countries, building on a database of 1,912 migrants in 907 court cases that she constructed with a team of lawyers. She has a new book on the Holocaust and Jewish migration coming out with Manchester Press in 2025 and co-authored with Joseph Toltz.
- Comparative Politics
- Public Policy
- Australian Politics
- Immigration policy and politics
- Welfare state policy
- Gender and politics
- Population politics
- Ethnic relations
- Human Rights
- Public Law
- Research Methods
- Australian, Canadian and German politics
- Economic migration
- Comparative migration in democratic and non-democratic countries
- GOVT2111: Human Rights and Australian Politics
- GOVT6358: Comparative Migration Policy
Selected publications
Publications
Books
- Toltz, J., Boucher, A. (2024). Out of the Depths: The First Collection of Holocaust Songbook. Manchester: Manchester University Press. [More Information]
- Boucher, A. (2023). Patterns of exploitation Understanding migrant worker rights in advanced democracies. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. [More Information]
- Boucher, A., Gest, J. (2018). Crossroads: Comparative Immigration Regimes in a World of Demographic Change. New York: Cambridge University Press. [More Information]
Book Chapters
- Boucher, A. (2023). Access to justice for migrant workers. In Edward Shizha (Eds.), Intersectionality and Transnationalism: Critical Issues and Approaches in International Migration. UK: Oxford University Press.
- Boucher, A. (2023). Access to Labor Market Justice for Migrant Workers in Australia. In Edward Shizha and Edward Makwarimba (Eds.), Immigrant Lives Intersectionality, Transnationality, and Global Perspectives, (pp. 460-473). USA: Oxford University Press. [More Information]
- Boucher, A. (2021). Gender Bias in Skills Definition, Labour Market Dynamics and Skills Recognition. In Claudia Mora, Nicola Piper (Eds.), The Palgrave Handbook of Gender and Migration, (pp. 187-201). Cham: Palgrave. [More Information]
Journals
- Boucher, A. (2025). Assessing immigration policy success in Australia. Australian Journal of Public Administration. [More Information]
- Paquet, M., Boucher, A. (2025). Beyond the Queue: The Sources and Politics of Migration Backlogs in Canada and Australia. Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, , 1-14. [More Information]
- Boucher, A. (2024). Migrant sexual precarity through the lens of workplace litigation. Gender, Work and Organization. [More Information]
Conferences
- Boucher, A., Caponio, T., Pietsch, J., Santero, A., Carney, T., Krayem, G. (2023). Engendering Migrants' Access to Family Benefits in Australia and Italy - Panel: Inclusion, exclusion, and migrants' social protection. 20th IMISCOE Annual Conference, Warsaw and online: Panellist.
- Boucher, A. (2023). Future directions in research around gender-based violence and sexual abuse in migration contexts. Migration and inequalities. In search of answers and solutions, IMISCOE Conference, online: Centre of Migration Research.
- Boucher, A. (2023). Key findings from Patterns of Exploitation: Understanding Migrant Worker Rights in Advanced Democracies. Australian Population Association, online: Australian Population Association.
Magazine / Newspaper Articles
- Boucher, A. (2020). COVID-19: A Crisis of Borders. APSA Comparative Politics: Volume XXX Issue 2 Fall 2020.
- Boucher, A., Crock, M. (2011). Asylum: first ask the right questions. The Canberra Times.
Report
- Perry, S., Boucher, A., Harrison Brennan, K., McCormack, B. (2024). Reforming the Carer Visa Community-Centred Policy Options, Sydney Policy Lab. [More Information]
- Boucher, A., Chaudhuri, U. (2021). The Future of Enforcement for Migrant Workers in Australia.
- Balasubramanian, M., Boucher, A., Short, S., Stears, M., Soutphommasane, T., King, D. (2020). Migration and COVID-19.
Other
- Boucher, A. (2023), Visa exploitation review urges tougher penalties and a ban on temporary migrants in sex work: Paul Ramsey Foundation.
- Boucher, A. (2022), How immigration policy can help solve Australia's underpayment of migrant workers.
- Boucher, A., Choi, E. (2021), COVID-19 Report. Commissioned by Sydney Policy Lab, April 2021..
Research Reports
- Asante, D., Boucher, A. (2024). BILLION DOLLAR BENEFIT Fixing the Skills and Qualifications Recognition System, Australia: Settlement Services International Limited.
- Boucher, A. (2023). How immigration policy can help solve Australia’s underpayment of migrant workers., Australia: PROCRAM.
- Boucher, A., Chaudhuri, U., Hall, J. (2020). Inquiry into Unlawful Underpayment of Employees' Renumeration, Senate Economic Reference Committee, Australia: Parliament of Australia.
2025
- Boucher, A. (2025). Assessing immigration policy success in Australia. Australian Journal of Public Administration. [More Information]
- Paquet, M., Boucher, A. (2025). Beyond the Queue: The Sources and Politics of Migration Backlogs in Canada and Australia. Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, , 1-14. [More Information]
2024
- Asante, D., Boucher, A. (2024). BILLION DOLLAR BENEFIT Fixing the Skills and Qualifications Recognition System, Australia: Settlement Services International Limited.
- Boucher, A. (2024). Migrant sexual precarity through the lens of workplace litigation. Gender, Work and Organization. [More Information]
- Toltz, J., Boucher, A. (2024). Out of the Depths: The First Collection of Holocaust Songbook. Manchester: Manchester University Press. [More Information]
2023
- Boucher, A. (2023). Access to justice for migrant workers. In Edward Shizha (Eds.), Intersectionality and Transnationalism: Critical Issues and Approaches in International Migration. UK: Oxford University Press.
- Boucher, A. (2023). Access to Labor Market Justice for Migrant Workers in Australia. In Edward Shizha and Edward Makwarimba (Eds.), Immigrant Lives Intersectionality, Transnationality, and Global Perspectives, (pp. 460-473). USA: Oxford University Press. [More Information]
- Boucher, A., Caponio, T., Pietsch, J., Santero, A., Carney, T., Krayem, G. (2023). Engendering Migrants' Access to Family Benefits in Australia and Italy - Panel: Inclusion, exclusion, and migrants' social protection. 20th IMISCOE Annual Conference, Warsaw and online: Panellist.
2022
- Boucher, A. (2022). A member of the family? Gender, domestic work and violations. Invited Speech in the Department of Sociology, Montreal: McGill University.
- Boucher, A., Breunig, R., Karmel, C. (2022). A Preliminary Literature Review on the Effect of Immigration On Australian Domestic Employment and Wages. Australian Economic Review. [More Information]
- Carney, T., Boucher, A. (2022). Australian Social Law and Migrant Flux. Zeitschrift fur auslandisches und Internationales Arbeits und Sozialrecht (ZIAS).
2021
- Gest, J., Boucher, A. (2021). A Segmented Theory of Immigration Regime Development. Polity, 53(3), 439-468. [More Information]
- Boucher, A. (2021). Adapting the points test to contemporary notions of skill: Elite policy design. American Political Science Association General Meeting., Online: APSA.
- Boucher, A., Choi, E. (2021), COVID-19 Report. Commissioned by Sydney Policy Lab, April 2021..
2020
- Boucher, A. (2020). COVID-19: A Crisis of Borders. APSA Comparative Politics: Volume XXX Issue 2 Fall 2020.
- Boucher, A. (2020). How 'skill' definition affects the diversity of skilled immigration policies. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 46(12), 2533-2550. [More Information]
- Boucher, A., Chaudhuri, U., Hall, J. (2020). Inquiry into Unlawful Underpayment of Employees' Renumeration, Senate Economic Reference Committee, Australia: Parliament of Australia.
2019
- Boucher, A., Gest, J. (2019). Author meets Critic: Crossroads. American Political Science Association General Meeting, USA: American Political Science Association.
- Boucher, A. (2019). Global labour markets for high and low skilled workers. Migration Studies, the Voice of Women Scholars, International Studies Association, Toronto: International Studies Association.
- Boucher, A. (2019). Measuring migrant worker rights violations in practice: The example of temporary skilled visas in Australia. Journal of Industrial Relations, 61(2), 277-301. [More Information]
2018
- Boucher, A., Gest, J. (2018). Crossroads: Comparative Immigration Regimes in a World of Demographic Change. New York: Cambridge University Press. [More Information]
- Boucher, A. (2018). Female High-Skilled Migration: The Role of Policies. In Mathias Czaika (Eds.), High-Skilled Migration, Drivers and Policies, (pp. 65-86). Oxford: Oxford University Press. [More Information]
- Boucher, A. (2018). Jewish Post-Holocaust Migration and Musical Migration. International Conference of Europeanists, Chicago: International Conference of Europeanists.
2017
- Boucher, A., Ghezelbash, D. (2017), As Trump ups the ante, executive powers should worry Australians too? The Conversation.. [More Information]
- Boucher, A. (2017). Boundary spanning regimes and public policy change: the convergence of welfare and immigration policies. Australian Journal of Political Science, 52(1), 19-36. [More Information]
- Boucher, A. (2017). Defining "skill" in global skilled immigration debates. Race, Gender, and Class in the Politics of Migration: Empiricist and Normative Approaches, Berlin, Germany: WZB Berlin Social Science Research Center.
2016
- Boucher, A. (2016). "Policies on temporary migrants" in Academics Stand Against Poverty (ASAP Oceania), 2016 Australian Poverty Audit, 13-16..
- Beine, M., Boucher, A., Burgoon, B., Crock, M., Gest, J., Hiscox, M., McGovern, P., Rapoport, H., Schaper, J., Thielemann, E. (2016). Comparing Immigration Policies: An Overview from the IMPALA Database. International Migration Review, 50(4), 827-863. [More Information]
- Boucher, A., Gest, J. (2016). Crossroads: A Data-Driven Typology and Comparative Analysis of Migration Regimes in Europe. Council of European Studies, Philadelphia: Council of European Studies.
2015
- Boucher, A. (2015). Harnessing Knowledge on the Migration of Highly Skilled Women.
- Boucher, A., Chester, L. (2015). Lecture Capture and Student Learning, Two-year study, University of Sydney, April 2015.
- Boucher, A. (2015). Marketisation of immigrant skills assessment in Australia. In Gabrielle Meagher, Susan Goodwin (Eds.), Markets, Rights and Power in Australian Social Policy, (pp. 293-321). Sydney: Sydney University Press.
2014
- Boucher, A. (2014), "Teaching the International.. Domestically. Visually." Teacher's Corner for the American Political Science Association Migration and Citizenship Newsletter, Winter 2014 (with Justin Gest)..
- Boucher, A. (2014). Boundary spanning, advocacy coalitions and public policy: The convergence of welfare and immigration policies. Public Policy Network Conference, University of Canberra.
- Boucher, A., Cerna, L. (2014). Current trends in skilled immigration policy. International Migration, 52(3), 21-25. [More Information]
2013
- Boucher, A. (2013). Australian Political Party Poverty Audit August 2013: Migration Policy, August 2013, (pp. 29 - 31). Sydney, Australia: Academics Stand Against Poverty.
- Boucher, A. (2013). Bureaucratic control and policy change: A comparative venue shopping approach to skilled immigration policies in Australia and Canada. Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis, 15(4), 349-367. [More Information]
- Boucher, A. (2013). Crossroads of Migration: Policy outcomes in historical perspective. International Studies Association Conference 2013, San Francisco: International Studies Association.
2012
- Boucher, A. (2012). Book Review: Barry Edmonston and Eric Fong The Changing Canadian Population (McGill-Queen's University Press, Montreal and Kingston/London/Ithaca, 2011) viii + 371pp. Paper. ISBN. 978-0-7735-3794-1. Canadian journal of sociology, 36(3), 256-256.
- Boucher, A., Castles, S., Elder, C. (2012), Immigration and settlement policy in Australia, presentation to the Norwegian Delegation of the Norwegian Ambassador and Parliamentary Standing Committee, February 2012.
- Boucher, A., Gest, J., Helbling, M. (2012), Immigration in a globalised world, presentation for grant funding to the Volkswagen Foundation, Stockholm, June 2012.
2011
- Boucher, A., Crock, M. (2011). Asylum: first ask the right questions. The Canberra Times.
- Boucher, A. (2011), Australia and Canada Compared: The Social Rights of Recently Arrived Immigrants, Migration Institute of Australia Annual Conference, Keynote address, Surfers Paradise, September 2011..
- Boucher, A. (2011). Comparing migration, naturalisation and asylum policies: The International Migration Law and Policy Analysis Database (IMPALA). ECPR General Conference 2011, Reykjavik, Iceland: European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR).
2010
- Boucher, A. (2010). A venue-setting approach to migrant welfare policy in Australia and Canada. Zeit Bucerius Foundation Meeting for Migration Studies 2010.
- Boucher, A. (2010). Challenges and Opportunities for Comparative Migration Research. London School of Economics and Political Science Methods Workshop, London: Migration Studies Unit, London School of Economics and Political Science.
- Boucher, A. (2010). Gender and elite interviewing: Assessments from the field. Australian Political Studies Association Conference 2010 - Connected Globe: Conflicting Worlds, Melbourne: Australian Political Studies Association.
2009
- Boucher, A. (2009). 'Picking the best and the brightest': Gendering skilled immigration selection policy. 1st European Conference on Politics and Gender ECPG 2009, United Kingdom: European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR).
- Boucher, A. (2009). Gendering the Canadian Federal Skilled Immigrant points test. Zeit Bucerius Foundation Meeting for Migration Studies 2009.
- Carney, T., Boucher, A. (2009). Social Security and Immigration: An agenda for future research? Zeitschrift fur auslandisches und Internationales Arbeits und Sozialrecht (ZIAS), 23(1), 35-56.
2008
- Boucher, A. (2008). The Political Participation of Berlin's Turkish Migrants in the Dual Citizenship and Headscarf Debates: A Multi-Level Comparison. In Wendy Ann Pojmann (Eds.), Migration and Activism in Europe since 1945, (pp. 209-231). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Boucher, A. (2008). The political participation of Berlin's Turkish migrants in the dual citizenship and headscarf debates: A multi-level comparison. Migration Studies Unit Working Papers, 2008, 2008/02-1-2008/02-40.
2007
- Boucher, A. (2007). Skill, Migration and Gender in Australia and Canada: The Case of Gender-based Analysis. Australian Journal of Political Science, 42(3), 383-401. [More Information]
2005
- Boucher, A. (2005). Berlin's Turks and the Nationality Act (2000): Political participation, political opportunity structures and federal politics. CERC Postgraduate Conference 2005 - Politics of Belonging: Citizenship, Migration and Ethnic Conflict in Europe, Australia: Contemporary Europe Research Centre, University of Melbourne.
- Boucher, A. (2005). Eine Bill of Rights als Losung fur Verletzungen der Menschrechte von Fluchtlingen? Ein Vergleich zwischen Australien und den USA. MenschenRechtsMagazin (Human Rights Magazine), 1(N/A), 49-58.
- Boucher, A. (2005). Skill, migration and gender in Australia: a comparison with Canada. 9th Australian Social Policy Conference ASPC 2005, Australia: Social Policy Research Centre: University of NSW.
Selected Grants
2021
- Migrant Citizenship for Inclusive Societies, Money J, Chin G, Boucher A, University of California - Davis (USA)/Research Grant
2018
- SOAR Fellowship, Boucher A, DVC Research/SOAR Fellowships
Other Grants
2024
Rapid International Policy Review of skills and qualifications recognition systems Boucher, A.Settlement Services International
2022
Humanities and Social Sciences Grant Bogachenki, T; Boucher, A and others Curtain University to support a Linkage application.
Rapid International Policy Review of skills and qualifications recognition systems |