Immigration to Australia: the overseas migration numbers behind population growth

Australia gained 305,570 people from overseas migration in 2024-25, the second consecutive annual fall from the 2022-23 record. The ABS recorded 568,370 migrant arrivals and 262,800 migrant departures in the year ending 30 June 2025¹.

Net overseas migration fell from 538,340 in 2022-23 to 429,160 in 2023-24 and then to 305,570 in 2024-25. This was a fall of 43 per cent over two years, derived from the 2022-23 and 2024-25 figures¹. On the quarterly measure, the decline began earlier. Annual net overseas migration peaked at 556,000 in the year ending September 2023, and the ABS reports seven consecutive quarters of decline in the annual figure since that peak.

Migration accounted for most of Australia's population growth in the 2025 calendar year. In the year ending 31 December 2025, the population grew by 412,500 people to 27,801,023. Net overseas migration contributed 301,000, or 73 per cent, of that growth, derived by dividing the migration gain by the total population increase. Natural increase, which is births minus deaths, contributed the remaining 111,500².

The broader growth picture, including births, deaths and state populations, is covered in the Australian population statistics article.

Migrant departures rose from 232,200 in 2023-24 to 262,800 in 2024-25, an increase of 13 per cent¹.

Australian citizens leaving to live overseas were the largest individual group of departures at 81,510. Temporary visa holders accounted for 147,930 departures, including 48,640 people on student visas and 45,920 in the ABS "other temporary" category. Student-visa departures rose from 32,820 in 2023-24 to 48,640 in 2024-25, a 48 per cent increase¹.

According to the Centre for Population's 2025 Population Statement, migrants on temporary visas are departing at lower rates than before the COVID-19 pandemic. The lower departure rate is attributed partly to Australia's relatively favourable economic conditions, including the low unemployment rate⁴.

New South Wales received the largest net overseas migration gain of any state or territory. The state gained a net 91,570 people in 2024-25, equal to 30 per cent of the national 305,570. Victoria followed at 87,770 and Queensland at 55,740¹.

Every state and territory recorded a smaller net gain than in 2023-24. The largest percentage falls were in Tasmania, where the net gain fell from 4,140 in 2023-24 to 2,720 in 2024-25, and Western Australia, where it fell from 59,270 to 40,410¹.

Net overseas migration is only one source of state population growth. On the broader population measure, which also includes natural increase and interstate migration, Western Australia was the fastest-growing state or territory over the 2025 calendar year at 2.2 per cent, ahead of Victoria at 1.7 per cent².

How these gains translate into demand for homes is covered in the population growth versus housing supply article.

Across the 21 years of the ABS series, net overseas migration averaged about 232,000 people a year, derived by dividing the series total of 4,872,830 by 21¹. From 2004-05 to 2019-20, annual net overseas migration ranged from 142,580 to 299,870.

In 2020-21, with international borders closed, Australia recorded a net migration loss of 84,940 people, the only negative year in the series¹. Borders reopened to most travellers from 21 February 2022, and the ABS describes the subsequent record levels of net overseas migration as consistent with a catch-up in arrivals after almost two years of border restrictions. Net migration reached 538,340 in 2022-23, the highest financial-year figure in the series.

At 305,570, the 2024-25 net gain was higher than any recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic, but 43 per cent below the 2022-23 record. The Centre for Population forecasts of 260,000 in 2025-26 and 225,000 in 2026-27 would place net overseas migration back within the range recorded from 2004-05 to 2019-20¹.