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Net overseas migration · 12 months to Dec 2025

Net overseas migration to Australia

301,000

That figure covers the 12 months to Dec 2025, the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ latest quarterly release, compared with 330,400 a year earlier. On a financial-year basis, the most recent finalised year, 2023–24, was 429,160, and the ABS’s preliminary 2024–25 estimate is 305,570.

ABS National, state and territory population released 18 June 2026

Net overseas migration by financial year

ABS actuals from 2004–05 to 2023–24. The pandemic year 2020–21 is the only year in this series with a negative net overseas migration (NOM).

20 years shown, 2004–05 to 2023–24. Lowest: 2020–21 at -84,940. Highest: 2022–23 at 538,340. Latest actual: 2023–24 at 429,160. ABS’s preliminary 2024–25 estimate is noted above; this trend is finalised actuals only.

Show data
Net overseas migration by financial year, ABS Table 1.1 actuals.
YearNet overseas migration
2004–05142,580
2005–06171,840
2006–07232,800
2007–08277,340
2008–09299,870
2009–10196,060
2010–11180,370
2011–12231,950
2012–13230,330
2013–14187,780
2014–15184,030
2015–16206,230
2016–17263,350
2017–18238,220
2018–19241,340
2019–20192,700
2020–21-84,940
2021–22207,910
2022–23538,340
2023–24429,160

Net overseas migration by quarter

The ABS publishes a quarterly net overseas migration figure (National, state and territory population) about twelve weeks after each quarter ends, so the current financial year fills in before the annual release. The most recent quarter, Dec 2025, was 56,600. Quarters in the financial year still in progress are shown in a lighter shade. Net overseas migration is strongly seasonal, with the September quarter typically the largest, so a part-year total is not comparable with a full year.

Show data
Quarterly net overseas migration, ABS National, state and territory population (cat. 3101.0), series A2133254C.
QuarterNet overseas migration
Dec 202556,600
Sep 202588,100
Jun 202549,200
Mar 2025107,100
Dec 202464,300
Sep 202481,600
Jun 202455,800
Mar 2024128,700
Dec 202399,500
Sep 2023145,200
Jun 2023120,500
Mar 2023165,500
Dec 2022124,600
Sep 2022127,700
Jun 202278,000
Mar 2022107,500
Dec 202135,400
Sep 2021-13,000
Jun 20211,100
Mar 2021-14,200
Dec 2020-29,300
Sep 2020-42,600
Jun 2020-8,300
Mar 202075,200
Dec 201951,300
Sep 201974,500
Jun 201938,200
Mar 201983,600
Dec 201845,700
Sep 201873,800
Jun 201847,600
Mar 201885,100
Dec 201735,800
Sep 201769,700
Jun 201747,300
Mar 201788,800
Dec 201653,600
Sep 201673,700
Jun 201643,600
Mar 201673,000

Arrivals and departures

Net overseas migration is overseas migrant arrivals minus overseas migrant departures. In 2020–21 departures were larger than arrivals, so NOM was negative. Arrivals and departures are ABS DO004, and net back to the NOM total above subject to ABS rounding.

Show data
Overseas migrant arrivals and departures by financial year, ABS DO004 Table 4.1 actuals. Net overseas migration is arrivals minus departures.
YearArrivalsDeparturesNOM (net)
2004–05341,400198,820142,580
2005–06376,530204,690171,840
2006–07437,440204,640232,800
2007–08501,340224,000277,340
2008–09519,790219,920299,870
2009–10437,930241,870196,060
2010–11431,780251,410180,370
2011–12467,330235,380231,950
2012–13482,090251,760230,330
2013–14464,680276,900187,780
2014–15465,250281,220184,030
2015–16489,280283,040206,240
2016–17540,150276,800263,350
2017–18527,520289,300238,220
2018–19550,400309,060241,340
2019–20506,850314,160192,690
2020–21146,000230,930-84,930
2021–22423,910216,000207,910
2022–23738,410200,070538,340
2023–24661,360232,200429,160

Net overseas migration by state and territory

Net overseas migration for each state and territory, as published by the ABS. Select a jurisdiction to see its series. State figures are independently rounded by the ABS and may not sum exactly to the national total.

Show data
Net overseas migration by state and territory and financial year, ABS DO001 Tables 1.2 to 1.9 actuals.
YearNSWVicQldSAWATasNTACT
2004–0547,44037,62026,7108,55019,1901,2401,010820
2005–0653,61044,98032,73011,87025,5101,3506401,160
2006–0773,57062,54046,15014,63031,3801,4401,1501,940
2007–0887,39073,56053,91015,33041,1801,8401,6202,520
2008–0986,74083,62059,32018,01044,3302,1302,1003,610
2009–1057,15053,68035,82014,54028,8701,6801,2303,090
2010–1151,68044,63034,6309,17036,4309901,1001,740
2011–1257,23056,17046,54012,36050,7801,5203,3304,020
2012–1366,76059,03041,83011,68042,1401,6204,3502,920
2013–1466,99056,91027,22011,64018,7501,8001,7502,720
2014–1570,31060,69020,43011,15014,0701,5202,3503,500
2015–1680,01072,22024,95011,28011,6201,7701,0503,330
2016–17105,50091,24034,08012,18012,0102,3401,8504,150
2017–1890,65086,97027,74012,72011,9802,8007604,600
2018–1984,54085,48031,75015,14017,4803,1909302,810
2019–2057,89060,57027,97014,93025,1703,6402902,240
2020–21-7,330-52,990-12,860-2,830-5,070-320-420-3,150
2021–2270,72066,69030,56014,50015,7203,4402,8503,360
2022–23178,040159,90086,63029,34066,7404,8004,4708,410
2023–24133,120127,88071,73023,35059,2704,1403,7705,860

Top 15 countries of birth

Ranked by the absolute size of net overseas migration. Share is each country’s NOM divided by Australia’s national NOM total for the year. Country labels are as ABS publishes them (e.g. “UK, CIs & IOM” covers the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man).

Over time

Each line is one of the eight largest countries of birth by NOM in 2023–24, traced across every year of the series. The table below shows all 15.

Show data
Net overseas migration by country of birth and financial year for the top eight countries in the latest year, ABS DO001 Table 1.1 actuals.
YearIndiaChinaPhilippinesUK, CIs & IOMNew ZealandVietnamNepalSri Lanka
2004–0516,34019,0905,32022,47016,8702,5404102,810
2005–0621,82019,9706,65027,69018,0903,7409303,800
2006–0737,08027,8809,37031,72022,1005,3604,1305,250
2007–0849,78036,34011,90033,41027,7307,4907,9606,750
2008–0959,96033,59012,11030,03023,1509,15011,2506,570
2009–1024,06028,3409,03020,86015,7806,8002,7404,670
2010–119,23017,6809,62024,82029,0404,7807403,560
2011–1218,76015,51014,55031,43034,5404,7202,0804,580
2012–1323,67022,58014,21025,02024,7407,9903,1805,140
2013–1433,34030,80012,83012,2607,2408,7507,3103,770
2014–1538,40039,07012,4309,4009307,3206,4104,120
2015–1640,86045,48013,0009,1401,4807,8307,9704,200
2016–1749,73050,02013,59010,4601,8508,12014,8805,510
2017–1855,86044,61012,6207,8303,0107,25021,0005,480
2018–1973,19020,17018,4007,4403,3307,88024,0606,980
2019–2059,810-18,59015,35010,670-3607,47013,3406,960
2020–21-10,650-50,2701,080-960-2,150-1,420-2,090-830
2021–2243,57015,10012,9302,7605,3708,31021,0206,000
2022–2395,03059,57043,33019,55015,95018,80028,02013,990
2023–2470,13046,58031,67023,55022,91020,35018,16014,760

By year

Top 15 countries of birth by net overseas migration to Australia in 2023–24, plus an “Other” residual row.
#CountryPeopleShare of NOM
1India70,13016.3%
2China46,58010.9%
3Philippines31,6707.4%
4UK, CIs & IOM23,5505.5%
5New Zealand22,9105.3%
6Vietnam20,3504.7%
7Nepal18,1604.2%
8Sri Lanka14,7603.4%
9Pakistan14,2503.3%
10Indonesia10,8602.5%
11Afghanistan10,3602.4%
12South Africa10,1302.4%
13Bangladesh9,7502.3%
14Bhutan9,5602.2%
15Ireland9,1102.1%
Other107,03024.9%
Total NOM429,160100.0%

“Other” is the residual: every country of birth outside the top 15, net of Australian-born departures. Adding it makes the share column sum to 100% of national NOM (429,160 in 2023–24).

Migration Program, planned and delivered

This is a different measure from the net overseas migration above. The Migration Program is the permanent visa program. Each year the government sets a planning level (a target), and the Department of Home Affairs reports the outcome it delivered against it. The outcome counts visa grants, including grants to people already in Australia, so it is not arrivals and not net overseas migration. The Humanitarian Program is separate and is not included here.

Show data
Permanent Migration Program planning level and delivered outcome by stream and program year, Department of Home Affairs Migration Program Reports.
YearPlanning levelDeliveredSkillFamilySpecial elig.
2018–19190,000160,323109,71347,247115
2019–20160,000140,36695,84341,96181
2020–21160,000160,05279,62077,37254
2021–22160,000143,55689,06351,288199
2022–23195,000195,004142,34452,500160
2023–24190,000190,000137,10052,720180
2024–25185,000185,001132,14852,500353
Data notes
  • 2022–23: The planning level was increased to 195,000 places in September 2022 (from the 160,000 set at the March 2022 Budget). The Child category was moved into the Family stream from this year.
  • Planning levels are ceilings and targets, not forecasts or guarantees. Partner and Child visas are demand-driven, with indicative levels only.
  • The outcome counts visa grants (primary plus secondary applicants), including onshore status changes for people already in Australia. It is not arrivals and not net overseas migration.
  • The Humanitarian Program (about 20,000 places a year) is separate and is not part of the Migration Program total shown here.
  • New Zealand Special Category (subclass 444) visas are excluded from the Migration Program (they do appear in net overseas migration).
  • Before 2022-23 the Child category was demand-driven and sat outside the planning level, but its grants are included in the delivered total, exactly as each report presents it. From 2022-23 the Child category was reported within the Family stream, so Child shows as 0 from that year. The 2022-23 planning level was increased to 195,000 places in September 2022.
  • Stream planning levels are published only for some recent years; earlier reports state the total planning level only, and Skill-stream planning levels are not stated in the reports. Unpublished figures render as a dash.

Skilled visas by occupation

The occupations granted the most places in the Skill stream, as the Department of Home Affairs reports them. These count primary applicants only, the person whose occupation is assessed, so they do not add up to the Skill stream total above, which also counts partners and children.

Top 10 occupations granted in the Skill stream of the permanent Migration Program in 2024–25, primary applicants only, by ANZSCO occupation unit group.
#OccupationPlacesShare of top 10
1Registered NursesANZSCO 25445,00618.5%
2Software and Applications ProgrammersANZSCO 26134,22115.6%
3ChefsANZSCO 35133,43912.7%
4AccountantsANZSCO 22113,25012.0%
5Civil Engineering ProfessionalsANZSCO 23322,6899.9%
6ICT Business and Systems AnalystsANZSCO 26112,1618.0%
7Industrial, Mechanical and Production EngineersANZSCO 23352,0887.7%
8Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) TeachersANZSCO 24111,5075.6%
9Other Engineering ProfessionalsANZSCO 23391,3525.0%
10Motor MechanicsANZSCO 32121,3244.9%
Top 10 total27,037100.0%

Places count primary applicants only, so they do not add up to the Skill stream total above. “Share of top 10” is each occupation’s share of the ten listed here, not of the whole Skill stream.

Data notes
  • Occupation places count primary applicants only (the visa applicant whose occupation is assessed), so they do not add up to the Skill stream total above, which also counts partners and children.
  • Share is each occupation's share of the ten listed here, not of the whole Skill stream.
  • Occupations use the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) unit-group level, as the report publishes them. The report excludes Global Talent Independent grants and unspecified occupations from this table.
  • Occupation history starts at 2023-24: earlier Migration Program Reports do not publish a clean whole-of-Skill-stream occupation table (2020-21 to 2022-23 are not cleanly machine-readable, 2019-20 lists regional occupations only, and 2018-19 has none).

Temporary skilled visas by occupation and nationality

This is a temporary employer-sponsored work visa, the subclass 482. It is a different visa system from the permanent Migration Program above, so these numbers are not comparable to the skilled-visa figures there. The counts are visa grants in the financial year, primary applicants only, by the occupation the visa was nominated for. Select an occupation to see the split by citizenship country.

Loading occupation data...

Data notes
  • This is a temporary employer-sponsored work visa (subclass 482). It is a different visa system from the permanent Migration Program shown above, and the two sets of occupation figures are not comparable.
  • Counts are visa grants in the financial year, primary applicants only (the person whose occupation is nominated), so they do not include partners or children and are not arrivals or the number of visa holders in Australia.
  • Subclass 482 replaced subclass 457 in March 2018; this section starts at 2018-19, the first full 482 year. From late 2024 the 482 Temporary Skill Shortage stream was replaced by the 482 Skills in Demand stream; both are included.
  • To protect privacy, citizenship groups with fewer than 5 grants for an occupation in a year are combined into a 'fewer than 5 each' residual.
  • Occupations use the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) unit-group level, as the department records them.

In the news

Recent Australian news on immigration, visas, and the migration program. Headlines are the outlet's words, not Pollywatch.

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Sources

  • National, state and territory population, December 2025

    Australian Bureau of Statistics · Released 18 June 2026 · CC-BY 4.0

    Quarterly net overseas migration (national, series A2133254C). Powers the rolling-12-month headline and the by-quarter view. A separate, more frequent ABS product than Overseas Migration below.

  • ABS Overseas Migration, 2023–24

    Australian Bureau of Statistics · Released 19 Dec 2025 · CC-BY 4.0

    Table 1.1 (NOM by country of birth, Australia) powers the annual financial-year trend and the top-countries views. Tables 1.2 to 1.9 power NOM by state and territory.

  • ABS Overseas Migration DO004, 2023–24

    Australian Bureau of Statistics · Released 19 Dec 2025 · CC-BY 4.0

    Table 4.1 (overseas migrant arrivals and departures, Australia). Powers the arrivals and departures decomposition; arrivals minus departures equals NOM.

  • Migration Program Report 2024-25

    Department of Home Affairs · Program years 2018-19 to 2024-25 · CC-BY 4.0

    Annual Migration Program Report series. Powers the planned-versus-delivered section (Table 1.1) and the skilled-visas-by-occupation breakdown (Table 2.5, primary applicants). Each year curated by hand from its report.

  • Temporary Work (skilled) visa program

    Department of Home Affairs · Program years 2018-19 to 2024-25 · CC-BY 4.0

    BP0014 grants report. Powers the temporary skilled visas by occupation and nationality section (subclass 482, primary applicants). Citizenship groups under 5 per occupation are combined for privacy.

Refreshed 1 July 2026 · Caveats