Australia immigration: At 971,020, Indians become largest migrant group

ABS data shows Indians overtaking England-born residents in Australia, as migration patterns shift and political debate intensifies

Indians have become the largest migrant group in Australia for the first time, overtaking those born in England, according to new data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Wednesday.

 

The shift comes as immigration remains a charged political issue in the country, with debates around housing and population growth continuing to intensify.

 

Key figures from the latest data

 

• As of June 30, 2025, Australia had 8.8 million overseas-born residents

• People born outside Australia made up 32.0 per cent of the total population

• India, England, China and New Zealand were the top countries of birth

 

• India recorded the largest increase in overseas-born population since 2015

 

Some 971,020 people in Australia — or 5.2 per cent of the population — were born in India, narrowly exceeding the 970,950 born in England.

 

The England-born population has been gradually declining from a peak of just over 1 million in 2013, though it has seen a modest rise over the past two years.

 

China remains the third-largest group, with 732,000 people, followed by New Zealand at 638,000. 

 

Migration trends shaping population growth

 

Australia has long seen more people arriving than leaving, with migration playing a central role in population growth.

 

The overseas-born population has been expanding faster than the Australian-born population for decades. Since 2005, it has grown at an average annual rate of 3.0 per cent, compared with 1.0 per cent for those born in Australia.

 

As a result, the share of overseas-born residents has risen steadily from 24.2 per cent in 2005 to 32.0 per cent in 2025.

 

Changing origins of migrants

 

Migration patterns have shifted over time, with arrivals from Asia now forming a larger share of the population.

 

In 2025, people born in India became the largest overseas-born group for the first time on record, following sustained growth over the past four years.

 

• India added 522,000 people between 2015 and 2025

• China increased by 223,000

• The Philippines rose by 171,000

• Nepal grew by 163,000

 

At the same time, several European-origin populations have declined.

 

• Italy saw a fall of 46,000 people

• England declined by 36,000

• Greece dropped by 29,000

• Germany fell by 18,000

 

These groups also have a higher median age — 60 or above in 2025 — reflecting migration waves that followed the Second World War.

 

Italy dropped out of Australia’s top 10 countries of birth in 2024 for the first time since 1901. 

 

How Australia compares globally

 

Globally, migration continues to rise. The United Nations estimated that 304 million people were living outside their country of birth in 2024, or 3.7 per cent of the world’s population.

 

The United States had the largest number of international migrants at 52.4 million, accounting for 15.2 per cent of its population.

 

Germany followed with 16.8 million (19.8 per cent), while Saudi Arabia had 13.7 million migrants, making up 40.3 per cent of its population.

 

Australia ranked eighth, with around 8.6 million overseas-born residents in 2024, representing 31.5 per cent of its population. 

 

Political pressure builds around migration

 

Migration has supported Australia’s economic expansion for decades, helping the country avoid recession since the early 1990s, apart from a brief contraction during the pandemic.

 

The population dipped in 2021 when international borders were closed, but the share of overseas-born residents has risen each year since, reaching 32 per cent in 2025 from 29.5 per cent in 2022.

 

At the same time, immigration has become a focal point in domestic politics, particularly as Australia faces a severe housing shortage.

 

The issue has contributed to rising support for the One Nation party. Its leader, Pauline Hanson, has campaigned against immigration for decades.