- Indians now form the largest overseas-born group in Australia, narrowly overtaking England-born residents.
- Migration continues to drive population growth, even as political tensions around housing intensify.
- Asian migration is rising while older European-origin populations are steadily declining.
For the first time on record, people born in India have become the largest migrant group in Australia, overtaking those born in England. The change, confirmed in new data released on June 30, 2025 by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, signals a deeper shift in where Australia’s population growth is now coming from.
At a glance, the difference is marginal. Around 971,020 India-born residents now live in Australia, accounting for 5.2 per cent of the population. That figure edges past the 970,950 people born in England. But the symbolism of the change is harder to ignore. For decades, England held that top position.
A shift decades in the making
Australia’s population story has been moving in this direction for years, just not this visibly. Migration from India has surged steadily, adding about 522,000 people between 2015 and 2025 alone. By comparison, China — the third-largest group — grew by 223,000 over the same period.
This isn’t just about one country overtaking another. It reflects a broader realignment. Migration from Asia is now playing a larger role in shaping Australia’s demographics, while older European-origin communities are shrinking.
England-born residents have been declining gradually from a peak of just over one million in 2013, even though there has been a slight uptick more recently. Other European groups show a clearer downward trend. Italy, Greece and Germany have all seen notable declines, with their populations ageing significantly — median ages now sit at 60 or above.
In fact, Italy dropped out of Australia’s top 10 countries of birth in 2024 for the first time since 1901. That alone hints at how much the migration landscape has changed.
Migration drives growth, but pressure builds at home
Australia remains a country shaped by migration. As of June 30, 2025, around 8.8 million residents were born overseas, making up 32.0 per cent of the total population. That share has risen steadily from 24.2 per cent in 2005, growing much faster than the Australia-born population.
The pattern is consistent: more people are arriving than leaving, and migration continues to underpin economic expansion. It has been one of the reasons Australia has largely avoided recession since the early 1990s, aside from a brief dip during the pandemic when borders were shut.
Globally, the trend is similar. The United Nations estimates that about 304 million people were living outside their country of birth in 2024, or 3.7 per cent of the world’s population. The US leads with 52.4 million migrants, followed by Germany and Saudi Arabia. Australia ranks eighth, with overseas-born residents making up a notably high share of its population.
But the domestic conversation is becoming more complicated. Immigration is now closely tied to concerns about housing shortages and population pressure. The issue has started to influence political sentiment, with growing support for parties like One Nation. Its leader, Pauline Hanson, has long campaigned against high levels of immigration, as quoted in a news report.
The rise of India-born residents to the top spot may look like a statistical milestone, but it points to something larger. Australia’s migration story is no longer centred on its historical ties with Europe. It is being reshaped by newer economic links, education pathways and skilled migration flows from Asia.
At the same time, the political and economic pressures tied to this growth are becoming harder to ignore. The balance between maintaining population growth and managing its impact is likely to remain at the centre of debate in the years ahead.
