Global Migration to Australia Dashboard
About This Dashboard
This dashboard visualizes Australia's migration landscape, showcasing origins, settlement patterns, and temporal trends based on official data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Global Migration Flow
Visualizing major international migration routes, 2023
Data source: 2023 migration estimates
Insight: In 2023, the largest migration outflows were observed from China, India, and the UK, with Australia being a top destination. The United Kingdom, China, and India emerge as the three largest sources of migrants to Australia, with the UK leading significantly. This geographic diversity highlights Australia's appeal across multiple continents, though Asian and European nations dominate the top contributors.
State Settlement Patterns
Source data: 2023
Insight: New South Wales and Victoria dominate migrant settlement, collectively attracting over 60% of all arrivals. This concentration in Australia's two most populous states reflects the gravitational pull of major cities like Sydney and Melbourne, where employment opportunities, established migrant communities, and urban amenities create strong settlement incentives.
Regional Migration Sources
Source data: 2023
Insight: Asia accounts for the overwhelming majority of migration to Australia, reflecting both geographic proximity and strong historical ties. Europe maintains a significant presence as the second-largest source region, while other continents contribute smaller but notable shares to Australia's diverse migrant population.
Top Source Countries
Source data: 2023
Insight: The top three source countries—United Kingdom, India, and China—collectively represent nearly half of all migration to Australia. The remaining seven countries in the top ten demonstrate the breadth of Australia's migration appeal, spanning from Southeast Asia (Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia) to South Asia (Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan) and Africa (South Africa), illustrating a truly global migration pattern.
Migration Trends Over Time
Source data: 2014–2024
Insight: Australia's migration patterns reveal a dramatic V-shaped recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020-2021 period shows unprecedented disruption, with arrivals plummeting by over 70% and net migration briefly turning negative for the first time in decades. The subsequent rebound in 2022-2023 exceeded pre-pandemic levels, driven by pent-up demand, policy adjustments, and Australia's successful pandemic management reputation. This recovery pattern demonstrates both the resilience of Australia's migration appeal and the significant role of global mobility restrictions in shaping migration flows.
Visa & Citizenship Groups
Source data: 2013–2024
Insight: Temporary visa holders experienced a dramatic surge post-2021, nearly doubling from pre-pandemic levels by 2022-23. This sharp increase reflects Australia's reopening strategy and growing demand for international students and skilled workers, while permanent migration and citizen returns have remained relatively stable, suggesting a structural shift toward temporary migration pathways.
Education Enrollment Rates by Visa Stream and Arrival Period
Source data: 2019
Insight: Humanitarian visa holders show the highest education enrollment rates across all arrival periods, particularly those who arrived before 2010 (10%). This reflects both the younger demographic profile of humanitarian migrants and targeted settlement support programs. Skilled migrants maintain moderate enrollment rates, while family stream migrants show the lowest participation, suggesting different priorities and life stages among visa categories.