Population
At the end of June 2024, 916,300 Indian-born people were living in Australia. This is more than twice the number (411,240) at 30 June 2014. After the United Kingdom, the Indian-born population is the second largest migrant community in Australia. This is equivalent to:
- 10.7% of Australia's overseas-born population
- 3.4% of Australia's total population.
For Australia's Indian-born migrants:
- The median age of 35.8 years was 2.5 years below that of the general population.
- Males outnumbered females—53.8% compared with 46.2%.
(Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australia’s Population by Country of Birth)
Permanent migration
Australia's permanent Migration Program comprises economic and family migration and is the main pathway to permanent residence. The only other way to obtain permanent residence is on humanitarian grounds.
Find out more about
permanent migration.
This table shows the size of permanent migration from India by migration category.
Table 1: Permanent migrant places granted, 2021–22 to 2024–25
Migration category |
2021–22 |
2022–23 |
2023–24 |
2024–25 |
Business Innovation and Investment 1 | 316 | 112 | 42 | 8 |
Employer Sponsored | 5,845 | 8,187 | 10,966 | 12,762 |
Skilled Independent | 699 | 5,074 | 9,631 | 5,058 |
State/Territory Nominated | 5,386 | 9,740 | 11,064 | 11,355 |
Regional | 5,931 | 12,192 | 12,953 | 13,193 |
Global Talent (Independent) 2 | 1,398 | 931 | 1,155 | 1,244 |
National Innovation 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0 |
Partner | 3,954 | 3,815 | 3,289 | 3,848 |
All other categories | 795 | 1,094 | 748 | 858 |
Total places granted |
24,324 |
41,145 |
49,848 |
48,326 |
Source: Department of Home Affairs
1We closed the Business Innovation and Investment Program to new applications on 31 July 2024.
2We closed the Global Talent visa to new applications on 6 December 2024. We replaced this with the National Innovation visa.
3The National Innovation visa came into effect on 7 December 2024.
Temporary migration
People can come to Australia for a temporary stay for a range of purposes that may include tourism, study and short-term work.
Find out more about temporary migration.
This table shows the number of visa grants from India, for Visitor, Student, Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) and Working Holiday Maker visas.
Table 2: Temporary visas granted by selected categories, 2021–22 to 2024–25
Temporary visa category |
2021–22 |
2022–23 |
2023–24 |
2024–25 |
Visitor | 200,325 | 357,038 | 287,259 | 302,758 |
Student | 42,627 | 102,696 | 50,516 | 48,536 |
Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) | 18,717 | 27,402 | 18,397 | 26,875 |
Working Holiday Maker | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1,000 |
Other temporary visa grants 1 | 30,980 | 97,351 | 56,990 | 51,398 |
Total temporary visa grants |
292,649 |
584,487 |
413,162 |
430,567 |
Source: Department of Home Affairs
1Excludes Transit visa (subclass 771), Border visa (subclass 773) and Maritime Crew visa (subclass 988).
Main occupations
The following table shows the main occupations for nationals of India, based on Skill stream migration outcomes and Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) visa grants.
Table 3: Main occupations, 2021–22 to 2024–25
Period |
Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) visas |
No. of migrants |
Skill stream migration |
No. of migrants |
2024–25 | Software and applications programmers | 2,216 | Software and applications programmers | 2,328 |
Registered nurses | 1,291 | Registered nurses | 2,173 |
Chefs | 1,239 | ICT business and systems analysts | 1,235 |
ICT support and test engineers | 1,211 | Chefs | 1,216 |
ICT business and systems analysts | 947 | Industrial, mechanical and production engineers | 964 |
Motor mechanics | 638 | Accountants | 859 |
ICT managers | 327 | Civil engineering professionals | 753 |
Database and systems administrators, and ICT security specialists | 246 | Motor mechanics | 661 |
Nursing support and personal care workers | 205 | Painting trades workers | 539 |
Cooks | 191 | Carpenters and joiners | 535 |
2023–24 | Software and applications programmers | 2,075 | Registered nurses | 3,401 |
ICT business and systems analysts | 689 | Software and applications programmers | 2,504 |
Registered nurses | 686 | Chefs | 1,545 |
ICT support and test engineers | 638 | Industrial, mechanical and production engineers | 1,408 |
ICT managers | 237 | ICT business and systems analysts | 1,318 |
Chefs | 219 | Accountants | 1,305 |
Database and systems administrators, and ICT security specialists | 198 | Civil engineering professionals | 871 |
Industrial, mechanical and production engineers | 137 | Other engineering professionals | 708 |
General practitioners and resident medical officers | 132 | Motor mechanics | 648 |
Computer network professionals | 117 | Computer network professionals | 639 |
2022–23 | Software and applications programmers | 3,949 | Registered nurses | 2,452 |
ICT business and systems analysts | 1,687 | Software and applications programmers | 1,923 |
ICT support and test engineers | 1,100 | Chefs | 1,229 |
Registered nurses | 475 | Accountants | 1,218 |
ICT managers | 399 | ICT business and systems analysts | 919 |
Chefs | 364 | Industrial, mechanical and production engineers | 905 |
Database and systems administrators, and ICT security specialists | 357 | Civil engineering professionals | 553 |
Computer network professionals | 273 | Motor mechanics | 515 |
Accountants | 224 | Other engineering professionals | 484 |
Management and organisation analysts | 200 | Enrolled and mothercraft nurses | 386 |
2021–22 | Software and applications programmers | 4,124 | Software and applications programmers | 1,925 |
ICT business and systems analysts | 971 | Registered nurses | 1,093 |
ICT support and test engineers | 628 | ICT business and systems analysts | 811 |
Chefs | 388 | Accountants | 510 |
ICT managers | 228 | Chefs | 464 |
Database and systems administrators, and ICT security specialists | 228 | Industrial, mechanical and production engineers | 441 |
Accountants | 213 | Computer network professionals | 298 |
Registered nurses | 194 | Enrolled and mothercraft nurses | 253 |
Computer network professionals | 166 | Civil engineering professionals | 234 |
Management and organisation analysts | 106 | Database and systems administrators, and ICT security specialists | 224 |
Source: Department of Home Affairs
Note: Occupation level information is available for primary applicants only. It is based on Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations at the unit level.
Geographic distribution
This table shows where migrants reside by state and territory, based on:
- 2021 Census
- permanent additions, for the Skill and Family streams
- visa grants for:
- international students
- Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) visa primary applicants.
Table 4: Geographic distribution, by state and territory
Population |
NSW |
Vic |
Qld |
SA |
WA |
Tas |
NT |
ACT |
Census 2021 (%) |
Of all persons | 32 | 26 | 20 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Of Indian-born | 31 | 38 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Permanent additions - 2024–25 (%) |
Skill stream | 26 | 30 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 5 |
Family stream | 26 | 43 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Temporary visa grants - 2024–25 (%) |
International student visa grants | 25 | 37 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) visa (primary) grants | 42 | 32 | 11 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics and Department of Home Affairs
Note: Permanent additions consist of 2 components:
- people who, while already in Australia on a temporary basis, are granted permanent residence status
- people who have subsequently arrived from overseas during the reporting period and are entitled to stay permanently in Australia.
Country ranking
This table uses rankings to show the significance of Indian migration for the past 4 financial years.
Table 5: Country ranking, 2021–22 to 2024–25
Ranked position of migrants |
2021–22 |
2022–23 |
2023–24 |
2024–25 |
Population in Australia 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Regional | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Employer Sponsored | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Total Skill stream | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Total Family and Child stream | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
International students | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) visa | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Visitors | 1 | 3 | 6 | 6 |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics and Department of Home Affairs
1Population level data is by country of birth and lags one year behind the financial year specified. Data based on the estimated residential population at 30 June; 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
