Australians say Indians out! But immigrants call Aussies 'welcoming'

Anti-immigration Rally in Australia: Anti-migrant rallies unsettle Indian community in Australia, but many still see safety, stability and opportunity

In the last two weeks, rallies were staged across Australian cities under the branding “March for Australia”. Protestors demanded an end to mass migration, echoing anti-migrant demonstrations recently seen in the UK.

 

“Mass migration has torn at the bonds that held our communities together,” the organisers said, calling for immigrants, particularly Indians, to leave.

 

Yet for many Indian migrants, Australia remains a country of opportunity and acceptance, even as unease about protests seeps in.

 

Australia Anti-immigration Rally: Everyday fears of migrants

 

In response to Business Standard’s query, several migrants shared how the protests have unsettled them, though experiences varied.

 

 

Farah, an Indian immigrant who is now an Australian citizen, said she left India because she did not feel safe as a woman. “I feel very welcomed here and have never faced any sort of discrimination,” she said.

 

Another woman, who has lived in Melbourne for 12 years and works in the technology sector, described the difficulty of advancing in her career: “It is very difficult to climb up when you are brown and female.” She added that her citizenship gave her a sense of stability, but acknowledged: “Safety has started to be a concern.”

 

For a six-year resident working in technology for a major bank, the protests barely registered until friends advised her to avoid central Melbourne on the protest day. “Nothing really changed for me,” she said. “As a woman I feel much safer in Australia. That’s why I’ll stay here long term.”

 

By contrast, a young Indian on a work visa admitted: “Yes, I worry, as you don’t know if someone will attack you on the way home.” A Nepali worker who moved in 2023 expressed similar unease: “A little, as it may affect my path to permanent residency.”

 

Others, however, downplayed the rallies. A seven-year resident, now a citizen, said: “Nothing has changed for me. If I have to face anything, I’ll face it when the time comes.” Another respondent added: “It didn’t affect me personally. I love the lifestyle I have built here.”

 

What they want Australians to know

 

Many respondents spoke directly to Australians.

 

One long-time resident urged locals to understand “the role that Indians play in the Australian economy.” Another said: “We too are trying to start a life and family here. We are respectful and hardworking. It is very unfair to paint us otherwise.”

 

Others were more critical of their own community. A citizen who came for higher education said: “Stop random protests to get permanent residence, stop imposing Indian culture and stop thinking every country can be made like India. Obey the rules and the values of the country you immigrate to. If that’s too hard maybe leaving India wasn’t the right choice.”

 

A Melbourne professional pointed to everyday behaviour: “Sometimes Indians may not care for social etiquettes and may inconvenience others in public places.”

 

One respondent, who described being active in his church community, said his experience had been overwhelmingly positive. “I’ve always felt welcome in most communities I’ve been part of. At the end of the day, we’re all the same and neither have a greater claim on the land compared to the Aboriginals.”

 

Meanwhile, the government has moved quickly to distance itself from the rallies. Home affairs minister Tony Burke said: “There is no place in our country for people who seek to divide and undermine our social cohesion. We stand with modern Australia against these rallies – nothing could be less Australian.”

 

Strong roots, official response

 

For decades, Australia has drawn Indian students, working professionals and families. Indians are now one of the largest migrant groups in the country, with strong representation in technology, health care, education and business. In the first half of 2025 alone, more than 26,000 Indians received temporary skilled worker visas, making India the top source country for this visa category.

 

Not ‘flooding’, but contributing

 

Jordan Tew, a Melbourne-based immigration attorney and partner at Hannan Tew Lawyers, told Business Standard that the protests reflected broader anxieties around cost of living, rental and housing pressures, and rapid change. “There can also be a racial element to some of the protests, but it is important not to lose sight of the underlying facts. Indian migrants can be singled out in Australia’s migration debates, simply because they are the largest and most visible group across several visa categories,” said Tew.

 

He noted that India was the top source country in Australia’s permanent migration programme in 2023-24, with nearly 50,000 places. “In the skilled stream in particular, Indian nationals accounted for almost 30 per cent of all skilled visa grants—the highest share of any country,” he said.

 

“Indians also make up 17 per cent of international students, the second largest cohort, and around 18 per cent of temporary skilled visa grants to June 30, 2025. These figures show scale, but not ‘flooding’. The permanent visa programme is capped at 190,000 places, while temporary skilled visas respond to genuine labour shortages, and overall student numbers actually fell in late 2024.”

 

According to Tew, Indian migrants are “central” to the system, not straining it. “They are working as nurses, doctors, teachers and IT professionals, and supporting universities and their communities across the country. The narrative of blame misses the bigger truth—Indian students and workers are not overwhelming Australia, they are helping it to thrive.”