Overseas Travel Statistics, Provisional

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Provisional statistics on international travel based on initial border crossings, arriving in and departing from Australia, including tourism trips

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Reference period
April 2020
Released
13/05/2020
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Key statistics

  • Of the 21,600 estimated arrival trips, 15,100 were by Australian citizens.
  • Arrival trips show a 98.7% decrease compared to the same month last year.
  • Of the 63,500 estimated departure trips, 3,500 were by Australian citizens.
  • Departure trips show a 96.5% decrease compared to the same month last year.

All arrivals - provisional estimates monthly

Provisional statistics on international travel movements of persons arriving in Australia. It is the number of international border crossings rather than the number of people.

Key statistics

All overseas arrivals to Australia in April 2020 (provisional estimates):

  • 21,600 estimated trips, 15,100 of these are Australian citizens
  • 98.7% decrease compared to the same month last year
  • 5.4% of all arrivals were New Zealand citizens, the largest group apart from Australian citizens returning home
  • 6.7% of all arrivals were those arriving on permanent other visas.
     

All arrivals - by citizenship

The five largest countries of citizenship (excluding Australian) for all arrivals to Australia in April 2020 were:

  • New Zealand (1,200), decreasing 99.3% compared to the same month last year
  • India (990), decreasing 98.2%
  • UK (530), decreasing 99.4%
  • Philippines (360), decreasing 98.4%
  • China (320), decreasing 99.8%.
     

1.3 All arrivals - top 10 countries of citizenship - provisional estimates(a)

Country of citizenshipApr-19Apr-20
New Zealand163,1301,180
India53,450990
UK(b)83,960530
Philippines23,070360
China(c)132,360320
Pakistan 4,780280
Indonesia17,870270
Germany17,900220
Malaysia36,670220
USA63,270200

a. To confidentialise, estimates have been rounded to the nearest 10.
b. Includes the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.
c. Excludes SARs & Taiwan.
 

All arrivals - by visa group

The three largest visa groups arriving in Australia in April 2020 were:

  • Permanent other visas (1,500), decreasing 97.5% compared to the same month last year
  • Permanent skilled visas (1,400), decreasing 97.2%
  • Permanent family visas (990), decreasing 95.9%.
     

1.4 All arrivals - visa groups - provisional estimates(a)

Visa GroupApr-19Apr-20
Permanent Family Visas24,330990
Permanent Other Visas57,5601,450
Permanent Skilled Visas49,1701,380
Temporary Other Visas33,860570
Temporary Skilled Visas22,890160
Temporary Student Visas46,48030
Temporary Visitor Visas490,810850
Temporary Work Visas19,30040

a. To confidentialise, estimates have been rounded to the nearest 10.
 

All arrivals - by state or territory of clearance

All international travellers must be processed and cleared by Australia's Border Force via specific seaports or airports around the country. This information provides the state or territory of clearance for each traveller.

For April 2020 when comparing with the same month of the previous year, decreases were recorded for:

  • ACT (100.0%)
  • Tas. (99.9%)
  • Qld (99.0%)
  • WA (98.9%)
  • NSW (98.8%)
  • Vic. (98.5%)
  • SA (98.3%)
  • NT (98.2%).
     

1.5 All arrivals - state or territory of clearance - provisional estimates(a)

State of clearanceApr-19Apr-20
NSW678,5608,020
Vic.474,7007,280
Qld321,8403,370
SA41,610700
WA177,3701,990
Tas.3,4400
NT13,970250
ACT2,9300

a. To confidentialise, estimates have been rounded to the nearest 10.

All departures - provisional estimates monthly

Provisional statistics on international travel movements of persons departing Australia. It is the number of international border crossings rather than the number of people.

Key statistics

All overseas departures from Australia in April 2020 (provisional estimates):

  • 63,500 estimated trips, 3,500 of these are Australian citizens
  • 96.5% decrease compared to same month last year
  • 15.9% of all departures were UK citizens
  • 35.3% of all departures were those leaving on temporary visitor visas.
     

All departures - by citizenship

The five largest countries of citizenship (excluding Australian) for all departures from Australia in April 2020 were:

  • UK (10,100), decreasing 90.0% compared to the same month last year
  • Germany (7,000), decreasing 70.3%
  • South Korea (6,400), decreasing 73.9%
  • France (4,600), decreasing 75.4%
  • China (3,700), decreasing 97.4%.
     

2.3 All departures - top 10 countries of citizenship - provisional estimates(a)

Country of citizenshipApr-19Apr-20
UK(b)101,42010,120
Germany23,6807,040
South Korea24,3606,360
France18,5904,570
China(c)140,3303,690
Japan29,6902,380
USA77,0801,940
New Zealand164,1501,860
Netherlands7,9101,590
Malaysia37,8901,540

a. To confidentialise, estimates have been rounded to the nearest 10.
b. Includes the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.
c. Excludes SARs & Taiwan.
 

All departures - by visa group

The three largest visa groups departing from Australia in April 2020 were:

  • Temporary visitor visas (22,500), decreasing 95.7% compared to the same month last year
  • Temporary work visas (18,500), decreasing 17.5%
  • Temporary student visas (9,900), decreasing 78.2%.
     

2.4 All departures - visa groups - provisional estimates(a)

Visa GroupApr-19Apr-20
Permanent Family Visas25,290230
Permanent Other Visas60,560510
Permanent Skilled Visas50,970450
Temporary Other Visas42,0205,330
Temporary Skilled Visas22,940900
Temporary Student Visas45,4109,910
Temporary Visitor Visas517,55022,450
Temporary Work Visas22,40018,470

a. To confidentialise, estimates have been rounded to the nearest 10.
 

All departures - by state or territory of clearance

All international travellers must be processed and cleared by Australia's Border Force via specific seaports or airports around the country. This information provides the state or territory of clearance for each traveller.

For April 2020 when comparing to the same month of the previous year, decreases were recorded for:

  • SA (100.0%)
  • ACT (100.0%)
  • Tas. (100.0%)
  • NT (97.8%)
  • Qld (97.5%)
  • Vic. (97.2%)
  • WA (96.9%)
  • NSW (95.3%).
     

2.5 All departures - state or territory of clearance - provisional estimates(a)

State of clearanceApr-19Apr-20
NSW738,75034,990
Vic.502,10013,830
Qld336,4308,390
SA46,8400
WA191,9806,020
Tas.300
NT13,330290
ACT4,3300

a. To confidentialise, estimates have been rounded to the nearest 10.

New publication in response to COVID-19

This is a temporary monthly publication in response to COVID-19 and the heightened interest in traveller data. It provides information 4 weeks earlier than the regular monthly Overseas Arrivals and Departures (OAD)(cat. no. 3401.0) publication. This first issue has information for April 2020.

This publication contains provisional arrivals and departures information for the reference month based on initial border crossings into and out of Australia using the Department of Home Affairs Travel and Immigration Processing System (TRIPS). It contains early information on arrivals and departures, country of citizenship, major visa groups, and state or territory of clearance. Like Overseas Arrivals and Departures, it is the number of international border crossings rather than the number of people. Individuals who travel multiple times in a year are counted each time they cross Australia's borders.

More detailed information including important variables such as state of residence, duration of stay, country of residence and main reason for journey (which can only be sourced later from the passenger card) will be available in the April release of Overseas Arrivals and Departures scheduled for release on 15 June (6 weeks after the reference month).

The World Health Organisation (WHO) commenced daily situation reports of the COVID-19 outbreak on 21 January 2020 and identified it as an international health emergency on 30 January. This was less than a month after suspected cases were reported in Wuhan, China. The Australian Government placed travel restrictions on those travelling to Australia initially from mainland China commencing 1 February. Other restrictions from other countries soon followed as the crisis worsened around the globe. Currently, all overseas travel is banned, with few exceptions. For more information, see the Smartraveller page from the Australian government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website or the News and Media page at the Australian government Department of Home Affairs website.

Data downloads

1. Total movement, arrivals and departures - country of citizenship

Data files
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2. Total movement, arrivals and departures - visa group

Data files
Download xls [64.5 KB]

3. Total movement, arrivals and departures - state of clearance

Data files
Download xls [64.5 KB]

Methodology

Overseas Travel Statistics, Provisional methodology, April 2020

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