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)
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.
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.
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 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 occupations
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.
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 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.
Country 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.
