Sydney, Oct 31: Australia’s population is undergoing a notable transformation, with the overseas-born population growing significantly in 2022.
According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the number of overseas-born residents in Australia increased by 155,000 people in 2022, reaching a total of 7.7 million, accounting for 29.5 per cent of the nation’s total population.
This marks a 2.1 per cent increase from the previous year.
Western Australia led the way with the highest proportion of overseas-born residents at 34 per cent, while Tasmania had the lowest at 16 per cent in 2021.
Notably, people born in England, India, China, and New Zealand were the largest groups of overseas-born residents in Australia in 2022, collectively representing over one-third of all migrants living in the country.
Specifically, individuals born in England continued to be the largest migrant group at 961,000, followed by those born in India at 754,000.
Over the years, the number of people born in England has been on a gradual decline since it peaked at over a million in 2013.
However, the number of individuals born in India (754,000) and New Zealand (586,000) has reached new highs since their respective previous peaks in 2020 and 2013.
The fastest-growing migrant group in the last decade was people born in India, which increased by 398,000 since 2012.
China followed as the second-fastest growing birthplace group, with 191,000 more individuals and people born in Nepal made up the third-fastest growing group with 120,000 additional residents.
The median age of the Australian-born population reached 35 years in 2022, while the overseas-born population had a median age of 45 years.
However, these figures varied significantly depending on the country of birth.
In 2022, among the top 10 countries of birth for the overseas-born population, the group with the oldest median age came from Italy, at 73 years, while the youngest median age group was from Nepal, at 29 years.
This demographic shift reflects the evolving source countries of Australia’s migrants over many decades.
Shifting our focus to the Australian economy, the transport sector has been a substantial contributor, with transport-related industries and activities making a significant impact.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported that the transport industry, along with in-house transport activities integrated into other industries, contributed a total of $164.4 billion to the Australian economy in 2020-21.
The $164 billion contribution included $86.8 billion from the transport industry, representing 4.2 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
An additional $77.7 billion came from other industries where in-house transport was an integral part of daily business operations, equating to 3.7 percent of GDP.
The construction industry played a crucial role in in-house transport activity, contributing $40.3 billion, while agriculture, forestry, and fishing contributed $17.8 billion, and manufacturing added $15.8 billion.
Employment within the transport and warehousing sector also played a significant role in the economy, with 1.2 million people employed in 2020-21.
The wholesale trade and retail trade industries led in in-house transport and warehousing-related employment, with 111,000 and 103,000 employed individuals, respectively.
The Australian Transport Economic Account provides a comprehensive view of the entire transport activity’s contribution across various industries in the Australian economy, helping policymakers understand the extensive impact of national transport activity on businesses.
In summary, Australia’s demographic landscape is shifting with a growing overseas-born population, and the transport sector continues to be a significant contributor to the nation’s economy.
These factors reflect the evolving dynamics of Australia’s society and economy in the modern age.
For interview requests and press releases, please contact us at editor@dailystraits.com. For advertising inquiries, please email sales@dailystraits.com. Thank you.