India Set to Overtake UK as Australia’s Biggest Migrant Group

Key Facts

  • Australia’s population is super diverse: Over 8.6 million people (31.5% of the population) were born overseas. That’s like 1 in every 3 people!
  • Top migrant groups:
    • 🇬🇧 UK: 963,560
    • 🇮🇳 India: 916,330 (expected to pass the UK this year)
    • 🇨🇳 China: 700,120
    • 🇳🇿 New Zealand: 617,960
    • 🇵🇭 Philippines: 394,380

Why India’s Numbers Are Rising

  • Education & jobs: India’s large, skilled workforce and students flock to Australia for universities and job opportunities.
  • Big drop in European migrants: Fewer people are coming from the UK, Italy, and Greece. Many older European migrants (average age 60+) reflect post-World War II trends.

Where Migrants Settle

  • New South Wales (Sydney): Mostly Chinese, then British and Indian.
  • Victoria (Melbourne): Indian migrants outnumber Chinese by ~90,000.
  • Queensland: New Zealanders and British dominate.
  • Western Australia & Tasmania: British migrants are the largest group.

Why This Matters

  • Housing crunch: Rapid population growth (340,000 new migrants in 2023–24) has fueled debates about housing shortages and affordability.
  • Political fight:
    • Opposition: Wants to cut annual migration from 185,000 to 140,000, blaming the government for “overshooting” targets.
    • Government: Argues migration is already dropping and “rebalanced” to help Australia.