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    Country profile – People’s Republic of China

    ​​​​​​Population

    At the end of June 2024, 700,120 Chinese-born people were living in Australia. This is 50.1% more than the number (466,510) at 30 June 2014. This makes the Chinese-born population the third largest migrant community in Australia after the United Kingdom and India. This is equivalent to:

    • 8.2% of Australia's overseas-born population
    • 2.6% of Australia's total population.

    For Australia's Chinese-born migrants:

    • The median age of 39.5 years was 1.2 years above that of the general population.
    • Females outnumbered males—55.4% compared with 44.6%.

    (Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australia’s Population by Country of Birth)

    Permane​​nt 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.​

    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

    4,070

    2,519

    1,049

    573

    Employer Sponsored

    1,407

    1,676

    2,367

    1,509

    Skilled Independent

    381

    2,351

    2,769

    2,488

    State/Territory Nominated

    2,443

    4,324

    3,179

    3,158

    Regional

    950

    2,106

    1,380

    1,101

    Global Talent (Independent) 2

    1,011

    544

    761

    579

    National Innovation 3

    n/a

    n/a

    n/a

    0

    Partner

    5,078

    4,728

    3,802

    4,461

    All other categories

    2,900

    5,688

    6,499

    6,536

    Total places granted

    18,240

    23,936

    21,806

    20,405

    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.

    Tempora​​ry 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 to migrants from China, 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

    44,348

    271,550

    583,183

    622,839

    Student

    53,629

    98,506

    90,573

    88,014

    Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment)

    1,831

    3,293

    4,069

    5,627

    Working Holiday Maker

    1,186

    5,766

    2,015

    6,906

    Other temporary visa grants 1

    10,518

    33,999

    29,007

    22,918

    Total temporary visa grants

    111,512

    413,114

    708,847

    746,304

    Source: Department of Home Affairs

    1Excludes Transit visa (subclass 771), Border visa (subclass 773) and Maritime Crew visa (subclass 988).

    Main occupa​​tions

    This table shows the main occupations for nationals of China, 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

    239

    Accountants

    540

    Accountants

    164

    Early childhood (pre-primary school) teachers

    533

    Advertising and marketing professionals

    131

    Civil engineering professionals

    483

    Other information and organisation professionals

    80

    Software and applications programmers

    419

    Advertising, public relations and sales managers

    71

    Architects and landscape architects

    331

    Chefs

    68

    Auditors, company secretaries and corporate treasurers

    204

    General managers

    67

    Secondary school teachers

    181

    Cafe and restaurant managers

    66

    Other engineering professionals

    177

    ICT business and systems analysts

    59

    ICT business and systems analysts

    165

    Vehicle body builders and trimmers

    56

    Registered nurses

    159

    2023–24

    Software and applications programmers

    202

    Accountants

    755

    Accountants

    132

    Registered nurses

    582

    University lecturers and tutors

    77

    Early childhood (pre-primary school) teachers

    424

    Advertising and marketing professionals

    71

    Software and applications programmers

    337

    ICT business and systems analysts

    64

    Civil engineering professionals

    314

    General managers

    58

    Secondary school teachers

    221

    Vehicle body builders and trimmers

    53

    Auditors, company secretaries and corporate treasurers

    206

    Advertising, public relations and sales managers

    46

    Other engineering professionals

    193

    Other information and organisation professionals

    40

    ICT business and systems analysts

    152

    Management and organisation analysts

    33

    Solicitors

    125

    2022–23

    Accountants

    209

    Registered nurses

    892

    Software and applications programmers

    134

    Accountants

    889

    General managers

    72

    Early childhood (pre-primary school) teachers

    614

    ICT business and systems analysts

    52

    Secondary school teachers

    434

    University lecturers and tutors

    49

    Software and applications programmers

    399

    Advertising and marketing professionals

    43

    Civil engineering professionals

    312

    Advertising, public relations and sales managers

    42

    Other engineering professionals

    221

    Civil engineering professionals

    38

    ICT business and systems analysts

    138

    Chief executives and managing directors

    37

    Architects and landscape architects

    123

    Industrial, mechanical and production engineers

    30

    Social workers

    121

    2021–22

    Accountants

    255

    Accountants

    429

    Software and applications programmers

    133

    Registered nurses

    361

    ICT business and systems analysts

    41

    Software and applications programmers

    306

    Advertising and marketing professionals

    31

    Civil engineering professionals

    188

    General managers

    28

    Other engineering professionals

    111

    Civil engineering professionals

    27

    ICT business and systems analysts

    110

    Auditors, company secretaries and corporate treasurers

    25

    Social workers

    110

    Advertising, public relations and sales managers

    20

    Early childhood (pre-primary school) teachers

    97

    Registered nurses

    19

    Industrial, mechanical and production engineers

    77

    Mechanical engineering draftspersons and technicians

    19

    Advertising and marketing professionals

    71

    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.

    Geographi​​c 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 Chinese-born

    45

    31

    10

    5

    5

    1

    0

    2

    Permanent additions - 2024–25 (%)

    Skill stream

    29

    33

    12

    8

    7

    5

    1

    5

    Family stream

    44

    34

    10

    4

    5

    1

    0

    2

    Temporary visa grants - 2024–25 (%)

    International student visa grants

    47

    28

    11

    5

    4

    0

    0

    5

    Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) visa (primary) grants

    39

    26

    21

    3

    8

    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.

    Countr​​​y ranking

    This table uses rankings to show the significance of Chinese 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

    3

    3

    3

    3

    Regional

    5

    4

    5

    6

    Employer Sponsored

    5

    5

    4

    6

    Total Skill stream

    2

    2

    2

    2

    Total Family and Child stream

    1

    1

    1

    1

    International students

    1

    2

    1

    1

    Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) visa

    6

    6

    7

    5

    Visitors

    5

    4

    1

    1

    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.

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