Record high net overseas migration driven by temporary visa holders in 2022-23

Media Release
Released
15/12/2023

Overseas migration added 518,000 people to Australia's population in the 2022-23 financial year, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Jenny Dobak, ABS head of migration statistics, said: “Although overseas migration was a record high in 2022-23, the cycle of migration has not returned to the pattern seen prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

"Many potential migrants didn't come to Australia in 2020 and 2021 because of border closures and other pandemic impacts. During this time temporary visa holders recorded the largest declines in arrivals. In 2022-23 the number of migrants arriving on temporary visas has gone up but the number departing has reduced slightly."

“Migrant arrivals went up by 73 per cent compared to a year ago. Migrant departures, on the other hand, fell by 2 per cent and are at the lowest level since 2006-07."

a. Estimates from September quarter 2022 onwards are preliminary. See revision status on the methodology page.
b. Net overseas migration is calculated by the number of migrant arrivals minus the number of migrant departures.

In 2022-23, 737,000 migrants arrived in Australia. Three out of every four arrivals were on temporary visas (554,000). More than half of the temporary visa holders were international students (283,000), the most common group.

a. Estimates from September quarter 2022 onwards are preliminary. See revision status on the methodology page.
b. Does not include unknown visas.
c. Temporary visas - Other, includes temporary skilled, working holiday maker, visitor and bridging visas.  

The number of migrant departures in 2022-23, dropped to 219,000 people, down from 223,000 the year before.

"Due to the impact of travel restrictions during the pandemic, many temporary migrants currently living in Australia have only arrived relatively recently and are not yet required to leave. This has resulted in the smaller number of migrant departures in 2022-23.

Before the pandemic there was a constant flow of temporary migrants arriving and departing. This cycle hasn't returned to a regular pattern and has had an upward impact on net overseas migration in 2022-23," said Ms Dobak.

Many of those now arriving on temporary visas, such as international students, may start to leave as they finish their studies in the coming years. This would have a downward impact on net overseas migration in the future. 

a. Estimates from September quarter 2022 onwards are preliminary. See revision status on the methodology page.
b. Does not include unknown visas.
c. Temporary visas - Other, includes temporary skilled, working holiday maker, visitor and bridging visas.  

The top five countries of birth contributing to net overseas migration in 2022-23, were India, China, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and Australia. 

In 2022-23, the median age of migrant arrivals was 27 and for migrant departures it was 33.

 

For more information see the ABS publication Overseas Migration 2022-23.

For the latest quarterly overseas migration estimates, see the ABS publication National, state and territory population.

For Australia's regional overseas migration estimates, see the ABS publication Regional population.

Media notes

  • Net overseas migration is calculated by the number of migrant arrivals minus the number of migrant departures.
  • Consistent with international definitions, a person is regarded by the ABS as a migrant to Australia if they have been, or are expected to be, residing in Australia for 12 months or more, regardless of their citizenship, type of visa, or legal status. That means these statistics will differ from information on the numbers of visas granted by the Department of Home Affairs.
  • When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
  • For media requests and interviews, contact the ABS Media Team via media@abs.gov.au (8.30am-5pm Mon-Fri).
  • Subscribe to our media release notification service to get notified of ABS media releases or publications upon their release.
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