A new study of Maori in Australia shows that Maori migrants find it harder to become permanent residents than any other nationality.
The report from of the National Institute of Demographic and Economic Analysis, looks at Maori outcomes in Australia's 2011 census data.
There are more than 128,000 Maori living in Australia, with a third of them being born there.
A senior research fellow Tahu Kukutai said Maori migrants tend to have lower levels of education than others and work in labouring jobs such as construction and mining.
While Maori migrants have easy access to Australia, she said many don't realise they have to pass the same criteria as other migrants to obtain permanent residency.
Ms Kukutai said a common way to gain residency is through a Skilled Workers Visa, which is difficult for Maori migrants to obtain because they're in low-skilled jobs and have lower levels of education.
Ms Kukutai said that, coupled with their inability to gain social security, puts Maori in a vulnerable position.
