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Country profile – People’s Republic of China

​​​​Population

At the end of June 2023, 655,790 Chinese-born people were living in Australia. This is 51.7% more than the number (432,400) at 30 June 2013. This makes the Chinese-born population the third largest migrant community in Australia after the United Kingdom and India. This is equivalent to:

  • 8.0% of Australia's overseas-born population
  • 2.5% of Australia's total population.

For Australia's Chinese-born migrants:

  • The median age of 39.4 years was 1.1 years above that of the general population.
  • Females outnumbered males—55.5% compared with 44.5%.

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

Permanent migration

Australia's permanent Migration Program incorporates economic and family migration and is the main pathway to permanent residence. It includes the Skill stream, Family stream and Special Eligibility visas. The only other way to obtain permanent residence is on humanitarian grounds.

Skill stream visas

The Skill stream is designed for workers who have the skills, qualifications and entrepreneurship most needed in the Australian economy. There are seven components:

  1. Business Innovation and Investment
  2. Distinguished Talent
  3. Employer Sponsored
  4. Global Talent (Independent)
  5. Regional
  6. Skilled Independent
  7. State/Territory Nominated. 

Family and Child stream visas

The Family stream allows the permanent migration of close family members, of Australian citizens, permanent residents, and eligible New Zealand citizens. It focuses on partners and parents, but also provides the opportunity for additional family members, such as aged dependent relatives, carers, remaining relatives and orphan relatives, to join their family in Australia.

Child visas allow the permanent migration of children, of Australian citizens, permanent residents, and eligible New Zealand citizens. The Child visa comprises two categories, namely Child and Adoption visas.

Special Eligibility visas

Special Eligibility visas allow former residents and certain people who served in the Australian Defence Force to live in Australia as permanent residents.

This table shows the size of permanent migration from the People’s Republic of China (China) by migration category.

Table 1: Permanent migrant places granted, 2020–21 to 2023–24

Migration category

2020–21

2021–22

2022–23

2023–24

Business Innovation and Investment

5,157

4,070

2,519

1,049

Employer Sponsored

1,369

1,407

1,676

2,367

Skilled Independent

941

381

2,351

2,769

State/Territory Nominated

2,207

2,443

4,324

3,179

Regional 1

764

950

2,106

1,380

Global Talent (Independent) 2

969

1,011

544

761

Partner

7,765

5,078

4,728

3,802

All other categories

3,035

2,900

5,688

6,499

Total places granted

22,207

18,240

23,936

21,806

Source: Department of Home Affairs

1The Regional migration category commenced 1 July 2019.
2Global Talent (Independent) category commenced 4 November 2019.

Temporary migration

People can come to Australia for a temporary stay for a range of purposes, for example, visiting Australia for tourism or attending a conference, or for more specific purposes, such as medical treatment, study, skilled work, working holidays or other specialist activities. There are six main categories of temporary residents, which can cover stays of more than three months in Australia.

Note: Not all categories apply to migrants from each country.

Visitor visas

Visitor visas are mostly used by people visiting Australia for holidays, tourism and recreation, or to see family and friends. People may also use Visitor visas for certain short-term business activities that do not entail working in Australia.

Working Holiday Maker Program

The Working Holiday Maker Program allows young adults to have an extended holiday and engage in short-term work and study.

Student visa

The Student visa program enables international students to come to Australia to study full-time in a registered course.

Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) visa

Allows a business to sponsor a skilled overseas worker if they cannot find an appropriately skilled Australian citizen or permanent resident to fill a skilled position.

Other temporary visas

Other temporary visas include visas that allow people to undertake short-term, non-ongoing highly specialised work, enrich social and cultural development, strengthen international relations or provide training opportunities of benefit to Australia.

New Zealand citizens

Under the 1973 Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement, New Zealand citizens can enter and leave Australia freely and live in Australia indefinitely on grant of a Special Category visa (subclass 444).

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, 2020–21 to 2023–24

Temporary visa category

2020–21

2021–22

2022–23

2023–24

Visitor

38,844

44,348

271,550

583,183

Student

55,157

53,629

98,506

90,573

Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment)

1,435

1,831

3,293

4,069

Working Holiday Maker

1,661

1,186

5,766

2,015

Other temporary visa grants 1

9,170

10,518

33,999

29,007

Total temporary visa grants

106,267

111,512

413,114

708,847

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, 2020–21 to 2023–24

Period

Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) visas

No. of migrants

Skill stream migration

No. of migrants

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

ICT business and systems analysts

892

Software and applications programmers

134

Auditors, company secretaries and corporate treasurers

889

General managers

72

Primary school teachers

614

ICT business and systems analysts

52

Special education teachers

434

University lecturers and tutors

49

Database and systems administrators, and ICT security specialists

399

Advertising and marketing professionals

43

Electrical engineers

312

Advertising, public relations and sales managers

42

Agricultural and forestry scientists

221

Civil engineering professionals

38

Multimedia specialists and web developers

138

Chief executives and managing directors

37

Surveyors and spatial scientists

123

Industrial, mechanical and production engineers

30

Welfare, recreation and community arts 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

2020–21


Software and applications programmers

93

Accountants

497

Accountants

92

Software and applications programmers

433

Industrial, mechanical and production engineers

36

Civil engineering professionals

271

Electrical engineers

35

Registered nurses

204

University lecturers and tutors

28

Other engineering professionals

180

General managers

26

ICT business and systems analysts

137

Finance managers

24

Social workers

93

Advertising and marketing professionals

21

Auditors, company secretaries and corporate treasurers

84

Engineering managers

20

Industrial, mechanical and production engineers

82

Chief executives and managing directors

17

Electrical engineers

65

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 the geographic distribution of migrants by state and territory, based on permanent additions for the Skill and Family streams, international student visa grants, and Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) visa grants.

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 - 2023–24 (%)

Skill stream

28

35

12

10

5

5

1

4

Family and Child stream

44

34

10

4

5

1

0

2

Temporary visa grants - 2023–24 (%)

International student visa grants

47

28

11

5

4

0

0

4

Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) visa (primary) grants

40

26

20

2

9

0

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, 2020–21 to 2023–24

Ranked position of migrants

2020–21

2021–22

2022–23

2023–24

Population in Australia 1

3

3

3

3

Regional

4

5

4

5

Employer Sponsored

4

5

5

4

Total Skill stream

2

2

2

2

Total Family and Child stream

1

1

1

1

International students

1

1

2

1

Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) visa

8

6

6

7

Visitors

1

5

4

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 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.


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