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."
Nationally, 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 Home 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.
