Updated Australian Standard Classification of Cultural and Ethnic Groups (ASCCEG) now available

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released an updated version of the Australian Standard Classification of Cultural and Ethnic Groups (ASCCEG).

The following changes have been made to the ASCCEG:

• Three new stand-alone Cultural and ethnic groups were added.
• Label changes for five existing groups.
• Five groups retired and placed into the most appropriate “not elsewhere classified” category within the classification.

These changes resulted from consultations with the public, community groups, individuals and government. 

This version of ASCCEG (2025) will be used in the 2026 Census of Population and Housing to categorise data on ancestry. This update ensures ASCCEG better reflects Australia’s cultural diversity and supports the collection of high-quality data for better analysis and decision making.

You can find full details of the changes in the Data downloads section of the ASCCEG (2025).

The ABS thanks everyone who contributed to the ASCCEG review.

Media Notes

• The ASCCEG is the basis for the collection, dissemination and analysis of data on cultural and ethnic groups, and ancestry in Australia.
• When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
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