For the first time in Australia’s history, people born in India have become the country’s largest migrant group, overtaking those born in England, according to newly released population data.
According to Bloomberg News, figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that 971,020 residents in Australia, representing 5.2% of the national population, were born in India. That number narrowly exceeded the 970,950 residents born in England, whose population has steadily declined from more than one million in 2013.
The data also showed that people born in China make up the third-largest overseas-born group in Australia, totaling around 732,000 residents, followed by approximately 638,000 people born in New Zealand.
Immigration has played a major role in Australia’s economic expansion for decades, helping the country avoid recession since the early 1990s except for a brief downturn during the COVID-19 pandemic. While international border closures caused the population to shrink in 2021, overseas migration has since rebounded strongly, as reported by Bloomberg News.
According to the ABS, overseas-born residents now account for 32% of Australia’s population in 2025, up from 29.5% in 2022.
As reported by Bloomberg News, the demographic shift comes as immigration becomes an increasingly divisive political issue across the country. Australia is currently facing its most severe housing shortage in decades, with rising rents and property prices intensifying public debate over migration levels.
The issue has also boosted support for the populist One Nation party, which has gained momentum in opinion polls since last year’s election. Party leader Pauline Hanson has campaigned against high immigration levels for decades, Bloomberg News has reported.