Australian Bureau of Statistics
Celebrating the International Year of Statistics 2013

Rate the ABS website
ABS Home > Statistics > By Catalogue Number
3412.0 - Migration, Australia, 2010-11 Quality Declaration 
Latest ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 15/08/2012   
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All RSS Feed RSS Bookmark and Share Search this Product  
Contents >> Net Overseas Migration >> Net Overseas Migration

NET OVERSEAS MIGRATION

Net overseas migration (NOM) is the net gain or loss of population through immigration to Australia and emigration from Australia. Data provided by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) is used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to calculate the official NOM estimates each quarter.

In 2010-11, NOM continued to decline since reaching its record high in 2008-09. Preliminary NOM in 2010-11 was estimated at 170,300 persons, which was 13% (25,800 persons) less than in 2009-10.

2.1 Net Overseas Migration (NOM)(a)(b) - Australia
Graph: 2.1 Net Overseas Migration (NOM)(a)(b)—Australia


In 2010-11, NOM contributed the greatest number of people to the most populous states: New South Wales with a net of 50,200 persons, followed by Victoria (45,700), Queensland (31,300) and Western Australia (30,800). The Northern Territory had the lowest with a net of 630 persons (see table 2.2). For the most up-to-date official estimates of NOM by state and territory produced by the ABS see Australian Demographic Statistics Quarterly (cat. no. 3101.0). For the most up-to-date forecasts of NOM produced by DIAC see The Outlook for Net Overseas Migration: March 2012.

2.2 NOM, Selected characteristics - State & territory - 2010-11(a)
NOM
NOM ARRIVALS
NOM DEPARTURES
Overseas arrivals
Median age
Sex ratio(b)
Overseas departures
Median age
Sex ratio(b)
State or territory
no.
%
no.
years
ratio
no.
years
ratio
NSW
50 186
29.5
141 161
27.4
99.4
90 975
28.7
103.5
Vic.
45 744
26.9
105 519
26.6
97.0
59 775
27.5
106.9
Qld
31 266
18.4
82 409
26.5
99.5
51 143
27.9
104.0
SA
8 667
5.1
19 658
26.1
97.8
10 991
27.4
106.1
WA
30 805
18.1
60 084
27.2
107.9
29 279
28.7
113.9
Tas.
995
0.6
3 396
27.5
101.5
2 401
28.7
103.8
NT
630
0.4
4 375
29.1
109.8
3 745
30.5
130.0
ACT
1 981
1.2
7 288
27.4
102.8
5 307
28.9
103.8
Australia(c)
170 279
100.0
423 897
27.0
100.1
253 618
28.2
106.0
(a) Estimates for 2010-11 are preliminary - see Explanatory Notes 9-10.
(b) Males per 100 females.
(c) Includes Other Territories.


An individual's actual travel behaviour and associated characteristics, including visa type, are only available from final NOM data, as these can only be accurately recorded at the end of the 16 month reference period following a traveller's initial border crossing.

The Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) manages and grants visas each year in accordance with relevant legislation, government planning and policy. It is important to note that there is a difference between when and how many visas are granted by DIAC; and when and how they may impact on NOM and therefore Australia's estimated resident population (ERP). For example, for many visas there can be a lag between a visa being granted and the actual use of that visa by the applicant on entering Australia. Also, some travellers who have been granted permanent or long-term temporary visas may end up staying in Australia for a short period of stay or not at all. In addition, travellers may also apply for, and be granted, a different visa whilst in Australia or overseas. However, without an additional border crossing within the reference quarter to capture a traveller's change of visa, the NOM system is unable to incorporate these occurrences.

Table 2.3 shows a breakdown of the types of visa groups which have contributed to final NOM. It shows that temporary visa holders are still the main contributors to NOM in 2009-10.

2.3 NOM, by major groupings and visa(a) - Australia - 2009-10
NOM ARRIVAL
NOM DEPARTURE
NOM
Major groupings and visa
no.
%
no.
%
no.
%
Temporary visas
211 458.0
48.3
104 951
43.4
106 507
54.3
Vocational education and training sector
25 710
5.9
9 880
4.1
15 830
8.1
Higher education sector
56 494
12.9
24 205
10.0
32 289
16.5
Student other
25 039
5.7
8 268
3.4
16 771
8.6
Business long-stay (subclass 457)
26 225
6.0
14 599
6.0
11 626
5.9
Visitor(b)
40 319
9.2
16 241
6.7
24 078
12.3
Working holiday
33 031
7.5
15 034
6.2
17 997
9.2
Other temporary visas
4 640
1.1
16 724
6.9
-12 084
-6.2
Permanent Visas
84 014
19.2
6 388
2.6
77 626
39.6
Family
34 592
7.9
2 531
1.0
32 061
16.4
Skill
39 564
9.0
3 779
1.6
35 785
18.3
Special eligibility and humanitarian
9 858
2.3
78
-
9 780
5.0
New Zealand citizen (subclass 444)
39 586
9.0
18 432
7.6
21 154
10.8
Australian citizen
79 042
18.0
83 339
34.5
-4 297
-2.2
Other(c)
23 828
5.4
28 762
11.9
-4 934
-2.5
Total
437 928
100.0
241 872
100.0
196 056
100.0
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) The visa category information in this table represents the number of visas based on the visa type at the time of a traveller's specific movement. It is this specific movement that has been used to calculate NOM. Therefore, the number of visas in this table should not be confused with information on the number of visas granted by DIAC.
(b) Visitor visas include tourists, business visitors, medical treatment and other.
(c) Includes residents returning (i.e. non Australian citizens who are permanent residents), onshore visas and visa unknown.



Previous PageNext Page


Bookmark and Share. Opens in a new window

© Commonwealth of Australia 2013

Unless otherwise noted, content on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Australia Licence together with any terms, conditions and exclusions as set out in the website Copyright notice. For permission to do anything beyond the scope of this licence and copyright terms contact us.