Overseas migration contributed a net gain of 171,000 to Australia’s population in the year ending 30 June 2022, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
In contrast, the 2020-21 financial year had seen a net loss of 85,000 people which represented the lowest level of net overseas migration since World War 1.
Jenny Dobak, ABS head of migration statistics, said: “Prior to the pandemic, more people would migrate to Australia, than would migrate away each year.
“While this pattern was interrupted in 2020-21 due to the impact of COVID-19 travel restrictions, we are seeing a return to this pre-pandemic migration pattern in 2021-22.”
³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ly, migrant arrivals rose 171 per cent when compared with last year (395,000 from 146,000), while migrant departures fell 3 per cent (224,000 from 231,000).
| Net overseas migration (‘000) | zero line (‘000) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1861 | -5.96 | 0 |
| 1862 | 8.30 | 0 |
| 1863 | 22.32 | 0 |
| 1864 | 31.55 | 0 |
| 1865 | 30.26 | 0 |
| 1866 | 23.95 | 0 |
| 1867 | 7.55 | 0 |
| 1868 | 17.96 | 0 |
| 1869 | 15.04 | 0 |
| 1870 | 15.92 | 0 |
| 1871 | 11.68 | 0 |
| 1872 | 3.04 | 0 |
| 1873 | 11.37 | 0 |
| 1874 | 17.12 | 0 |
| 1875 | 18.45 | 0 |
| 1876 | 25.08 | 0 |
| 1877 | 34.38 | 0 |
| 1878 | 21.60 | 0 |
| 1879 | 25.30 | 0 |
| 1880 | 23.77 | 0 |
| 1881 | 28.53 | 0 |
| 1882 | 37.86 | 0 |
| 1883 | 69.87 | 0 |
| 1884 | 51.07 | 0 |
| 1885 | 36.72 | 0 |
| 1886 | 38.70 | 0 |
| 1887 | 33.82 | 0 |
| 1888 | 38.93 | 0 |
| 1889 | 22.61 | 0 |
| 1890 | 24.64 | 0 |
| 1891 | 26.87 | 0 |
| 1892 | -3.12 | 0 |
| 1893 | -7.38 | 0 |
| 1894 | 3.16 | 0 |
| 1895 | 2.86 | 0 |
| 1896 | 6.55 | 0 |
| 1897 | 7.00 | 0 |
| 1898 | -0.51 | 0 |
| 1899 | -1.74 | 0 |
| 1900 | -8.81 | 0 |
| 1901 | 2.96 | 0 |
| 1902 | -4.29 | 0 |
| 1903 | -9.88 | 0 |
| 1904 | -2.98 | 0 |
| 1905 | -2.60 | 0 |
| 1906 | -5.05 | 0 |
| 1907 | 5.20 | 0 |
| 1908 | 5.44 | 0 |
| 1909 | 21.78 | 0 |
| 1910 | 29.91 | 0 |
| 1911 | 74.38 | 0 |
| 1912 | 91.89 | 0 |
| 1913 | 63.28 | 0 |
| 1914 | -8.23 | 0 |
| 1915 | -84.41 | 0 |
| 1916 | -128.74 | 0 |
| 1917 | -17.82 | 0 |
| 1918 | 23.36 | 0 |
| 1919 | 166.30 | 0 |
| 1920 | 27.61 | 0 |
| 1921 | 17.53 | 0 |
| 1922 | 40.16 | 0 |
| 1923 | 39.71 | 0 |
| 1924 | 46.07 | 0 |
| 1925 | 39.76 | 0 |
| 1926 | 42.28 | 0 |
| 1927 | 49.40 | 0 |
| 1928 | 28.86 | 0 |
| 1929 | 10.09 | 0 |
| 1930 | -9.83 | 0 |
| 1931 | -12.12 | 0 |
| 1932 | -4.61 | 0 |
| 1933 | -1.36 | 0 |
| 1934 | -0.39 | 0 |
| 1935 | 1.25 | 0 |
| 1936 | 1.28 | 0 |
| 1937 | 5.08 | 0 |
| 1938 | 8.15 | 0 |
| 1939 | 12.53 | 0 |
| 1940 | 10.68 | 0 |
| 1941 | 5.14 | 0 |
| 1942 | 8.54 | 0 |
| 1943 | 1.59 | 0 |
| 1944 | -1.76 | 0 |
| 1945 | -3.27 | 0 |
| 1946 | -11.59 | 0 |
| 1947 | 12.19 | 0 |
| 1948 | 48.47 | 0 |
| 1949 | 149.27 | 0 |
| 1950 | 153.69 | 0 |
| 1951 | 110.36 | 0 |
| 1952 | 97.45 | 0 |
| 1953 | 42.88 | 0 |
| 1954 | 68.57 | 0 |
| 1955 | 95.32 | 0 |
| 1956 | 102.11 | 0 |
| 1957 | 77.62 | 0 |
| 1958 | 64.88 | 0 |
| 1959 | 83.58 | 0 |
| 1960 | 92.78 | 0 |
| 1961 | 65.44 | 0 |
| 1962 | 64.64 | 0 |
| 1963 | 76.84 | 0 |
| 1964 | 104.00 | 0 |
| 1965 | 111.61 | 0 |
| 1966 | 95.93 | 0 |
| 1967 | 96.56 | 0 |
| 1968 | 123.45 | 0 |
| 1969 | 140.33 | 0 |
| 1970 | 138.38 | 0 |
| 1971 | 103.55 | 0 |
| 1972 | 75.67 | 0 |
| 1973 | 56.56 | 0 |
| 1974 | 82.93 | 0 |
| 1975 | 44.68 | 0 |
| 1976 | 21.24 | 0 |
| 1977 | 57.90 | 0 |
| 1978 | 62.72 | 0 |
| 1979 | 55.14 | 0 |
| 1980 | 75.94 | 0 |
| 1981 | 119.18 | 0 |
| 1982 | 128.12 | 0 |
| 1983 | 73.30 | 0 |
| 1984 | 49.10 | 0 |
| 1985 | 73.71 | 0 |
| 1986 | 100.36 | 0 |
| 1987 | 125.73 | 0 |
| 1988 | 149.34 | 0 |
| 1989 | 157.44 | 0 |
| 1990 | 124.65 | 0 |
| 1991 | 86.43 | 0 |
| 1992 | 68.58 | 0 |
| 1993 | 30.04 | 0 |
| 1994 | 46.55 | 0 |
| 1995 | 80.13 | 0 |
| 1996 | 104.14 | 0 |
| 1997 | 87.08 | 0 |
| 1998 | 79.16 | 0 |
| 1999 | 96.48 | 0 |
| 2000 | 107.28 | 0 |
| 2001 | 135.67 | 0 |
| 2002 | 110.56 | 0 |
| 2003 | 116.50 | 0 |
| 2004 | 99.97 | 0 |
| 2005 | 123.76 | 0 |
| 2006 | 146.75 | 0 |
| 2007 | 232.80 | 0 |
| 2008 | 277.34 | 0 |
| 2009 | 299.87 | 0 |
| 2010 | 196.06 | 0 |
| 2011 | 180.37 | 0 |
| 2012 | 231.95 | 0 |
| 2013 | 230.33 | 0 |
| 2014 | 187.78 | 0 |
| 2015 | 184.03 | 0 |
| 2016 | 206.23 | 0 |
| 2017 | 263.35 | 0 |
| 2018 | 238.22 | 0 |
| 2019 | 241.34 | 0 |
| 2020 | 192.70 | 0 |
| 2021 | -84.94 | 0 |
| 2022 | 170.92 | 0 |
- WWI
- Great Depression
- WWII
- Start of post-war migration program
- COVID-19 pandemic
- Estimates from 1972 onwards are year ending June, prior to 1972 they are year ending December.
- Estimates for 2021-22 are preliminary.
Each state and territory recorded an increase in population from migration in 2021-22. This marks a notable change from 2020-21 when each state and territory saw a population loss from negative net migration.
- NSW 62,210
- Vic. 55,630
- Qld 23,430
- SA 12,080
- WA 9,500
- ACT 3,120
- Tas. 2,740
- NT 2,130.
Migrant arrivals on temporary visas saw a large increase in 2021-22 when compared with 2020-21 (239,900 from 29,600). This increase has been largely driven by student visa holders. The number of people migrating to Australia on permanent visas also saw an increase in 2021-22 compared with 2020-21 (67,900 from 37,000).
| 2018-19 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | Annual change 2020-21 to 2021-22 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visa groupings(b) | ‘000 | ‘000 | ‘000 | ‘000 | |
| Permanent visas | |||||
| Family | 24.3 | 15.7 | 24.8 | 9.1 | |
| Skilled (permanent) | 38.2 | 14.6 | 27.2 | 12.6 | |
| Special eligibility & humanitarian | 15.3 | 0.6 | 7.3 | 6.8 | |
| Other (permanent) | 7.5 | 6.1 | 8.5 | 2.4 | |
| Total permanent visas | 85.4 | 37.0 | 67.9 | 30.9 | |
| Temporary visas | |||||
| Student – vocational education and training | 22.6 | 0.1 | 20.0 | 19.8 | |
| Student – higher education | 111.3 | 0.7 | 96.9 | 96.2 | |
| Student – other | 30.4 | 0.7 | 20.1 | 19.5 | |
| Skilled (temporary) | 32.6 | 9.0 | 22.5 | 13.5 | |
| Working holiday | 49.1 | 1.0 | 13.5 | 12.5 | |
| Visitors | 91.2 | 7.7 | 39.0 | 31.3 | |
| Other (temporary) | 13.4 | 10.4 | 28.0 | 17.6 | |
| Total temporary visas | 350.7 | 29.6 | 239.9 | 210.3 | |
| New Zealand citizens (subclass 444)(c) | 30.5 | 17.0 | 23.2 | 6.3 | |
| Australian citizens (no visa required) | 78.9 | 61.4 | 61.2 | -0.2 | |
| Total(d) | 550.4 | 146.0 | 395.0 | 249.0 | |
- Estimates for 2021-22 are preliminary.
- The visa at time of traveller’s overseas migration arrival date. The number of visas here should not be confused with information on visas granted by the Department of ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Affairs as visas can be granted onshore.
- Visa subclass 444 is granted to New Zealand citizens upon arrival in Australia if they have not already been granted another visa.
- Includes unknown visas.
