3412.0 - Migration, Australia, 1996-97  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 11/02/1998   
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  • Migration down but Kiwis top the list in coming to Australia (Media Release)

MEDIA RELEASE

February 11, 1998
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
13/98
Migration down but Kiwis top the list in coming to Australia

Net overseas migration in 1996-97 was down 8 per cent on the previous year to 95,800 people, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

For the second year in a row New Zealanders were the largest group (15 per cent) of arrivals, being the only major birthplace group to increase in numbers. The next largest group of arrivals came from United Kingdom (11 per cent) and China (9 per cent). However the 85,800 new permanent arrivals to Australia has dropped by 14 per cent on the previous year.

Visitors intending to stay over a year but not permanently (i.e. long-term visitors) increased by 13 per cent. Over half of these visitors came over for education coming from a wide variety of countries such as United Kingdom, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, the United States of America, Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea and New Zealand.

A higher proportion (29 per cent) of Western Australia's population were born overseas, than Victoria and New South Wales (25 per cent each), the Australian Capital Territory (24 per cent), South Australia (22 per cent), Queensland (18 per cent), Northern Territory (17 per cent), and Tasmania (11 per cent) at 30 June 1996.

Other details from the publication Migration, Australia 1996-97 include:
  • Of the two main components of net overseas migration; net permanent migration (55,900 people) fell by 21 per cent, while net long term migration (38,500 people) fell by 2 per cent since 1995-96.
  • There were 29,900 permanent departures an increase of 4 per cent since 1995-96.
  • Of the long term departures, the 73,800 Australian residents who left went for employment (33 per cent) and holiday (21 per cent) reasons. The main destinations were the United Kingdom (28 per cent) the United States of America (11 per cent) and Hong Kong (7 per cent).
  • People from the United Kingdom make up the bulk of our migrants with 1.2 million Australians (or 7 per cent of Australia's population) born in the United Kingdom. New Zealanders were the next largest migrants with 325,500 or (2 per cent of Australia's population) followed by Italians with 256,700 migrants (or 1.4 per cent) and then Vietnamese with 165,400 (or 0.9 per cent).
  • In terms of major regions most overseas born residents came from Europe and the former USSR making up 13 per cent of Australia's population. Those born in Southeast Asia made up 2.8 per cent of Australia's population, Northeast Asia, 1.6 per cent, and Southern Asia, 0.9 per cent.


Migration, Australia 1996-97 is available in ABS bookshops.