Country profiles Permanent migration from the United Kingdom

​​​​​​​Country profile – United Kingdom

Population

At the end of June 2021, almost 1.2 million people who were born in the United Kingdom were living in Australia, 1.9 per cent (23,300) less than at 30 June 2011. This makes it the largest migrant community in Australia, equivalent to 15.6 per cent of Australia's overseas-born population and 4.6 per cent of Australia's total population.

For Australia's United Kingdom-born migrants:

• Their median age of 58.7 years was 20.4 years above that of the general population.
• Males outnumbered females—50.8 per cent compared with 49.2 per cent.¹​​​

¹ 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

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.

The following table shows the size of permanent migration from the United Kingdom by migration category.

Source: Department of Home Affairs

¹ The Skilled Regional category closed to new applications from 1 July 2019.

² The Regional migration category commenced 1 July 2019.

³ ​Global 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).

The following table shows the number of visa grants to migrants from the United Kingdom, for Visitor, Student, Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) and Working Holiday Maker visas.

Source: Department of Home Affairs

¹​Excludes 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 the United Kingdom, based on Skill stream migration outcomes and Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) visa grants.

Source: Department of Home Affairs

Note: Occupation level information is available for primary applicants only, and is based on Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations unit level data.

Geographic distribution

The following table shows the geographic distribution of migrants, based on permanent additions for the Skill and Family streams, international student visa grants, and Temporary Resident (Skilled Employment) visa grants.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics and Department of Home Affairs

Note: Permanent additions consist of two components; those persons who, while already in Australia on a temporary basis, are granted permanent residence status or those persons 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 migration from the United Kingdom for the past four financial years.​

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics and Department of Home Affairs

¹ Population 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; 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.