Migration in Australia -facts and figures

Australia remains a favored migrant destination. The main reasons for migrants to Australia include:

• A tranquil multicultural country
• Being an English speaking country, there is no language barrier to tackle
• High quality of life
• Striking career prospects
• Good climate
• Excellent healthcare system
• Quality of education
• Natural environment

Composition of Australia’s population

Native Australians make up 71 per cent of the population. Asians outnumber Europeans among Australian-residents from overseas countries.

 

According to the Australia Bureau of statisitcs, in 2019, there were over 7.5 million migrants living in Australia. This was 29.7% of the population that were born overseas. One year earlier, in 2018, there were 7.3 million people born overseas.

 

A survey of the population in 2019 revealed that every single country from around the world was represented in Australia's population in 2019. These included people   born in:

• England (986,000) continues to be the largest group of overseas-born living in Australia. However, this has dropped from just over a million recorded between 2012 and 2016
• China (677,000) remained in second place from 2017 with strong growth since 2002
• India (660,000) with strong growth remained in third place with an extra 68,000 people
• Sri Lanka (140,000) continued to increase and is now in tenth place, dropping Scotland (134,000) to eleventh place
• Australian born (17.8 million) increased 186,000 during the year.
   

Australia's population by country of birth - 2019(a)
Country of birth(b)	'000	%(c)
England	986	3.9
China	677	2.7
India	660	2.6
New Zealand	570	2.2
Philippines	294	1.2
Vietnam	263	1.0
South Africa	194	0.8
Italy	183	0.7
Malaysia	176	0.7
Sri Lanka	140	0.6
All overseas-born	7 530	29.7
Australia-born	17 836	70.3

 
Asian countries' relative dominance in the list of Australia's top ten foreign-born residents represents a significant shift in Australia's immigration patterns over the last few decades. Where European-born migrants had previously overshadowed other migrant groups, Australian migration figures now show greater numbers of migrants from neighboring Asian and Pacific countries.

 

Net overseas migration (NOM) arrivals for Australia in 2019 totaled 533,529 people. NOM arrivals in Australia have been steadily increasing over the period between 2011 and 2019, while departures from the NOM remained relatively consistent and below 300,000 before 2019.

 

A survey of the net overseas migration in the past decade shows that there was an increase of 210,662 people in 2019. In 2018, Australia's net overseas migration peaked at over 250,000 migrants over the period 2011-2019.

 

Australia migration plan for 2020-21

Australia has various visa categories and streams through which immigrants can settle down in the country. Each visa stream is given a specific number of paces or visas they can grant which as a total will make up the places targeted for the particular year.

 

According to the Australian government, the 2020-21 visa ceiling will stay at the same levels that were set for the 2019/20 financial year, this indicates a total of 160,000 places, including:

• 108,682 places for the Skill stream.
• 47,732 places for the Family stream.
• 236 places for the Special Eligibility stream.
• 3,350 places for Child visas.

There will be no changes to the immigration targets in spite of the impact of Covid-19 according to the government.