Indian migrants have emerged as the top source of temporary skilled migrants to Australia according to the latest figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Skilled Indian migrants not only dominate the temporary work visas but this group also has reported the highest median weekly personal income, the data has revealed.
In 2016, among the temporary residents in Australia, those holding temporary skilled work visas were the third largest group, after New Zealanders living in Australia and international students, on temporary visas.
In this group of temporary migrants on skilled work visas, India has emerged on the top followed by England.
The ABS says 86 per cent of those on temporary skilled work visas were employed and the group had the highest median weekly income.
“This group of temporary residents had the highest median weekly personal income at $1,143 per week. They were most likely to have been born in India (20 per cent) and England (12 per cent),” the ABS said in a .
Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the Diwali festival in Sydney on Sunday. Source: Supplied
Half of all temporary migrants call Sydney and Melbourne home
The latest figures also reveal that in 2016 half of the 1.5 million temporary residents in Australia were living in Sydney (27 per cent) and Melbourne (24 per cent) with a further 14 per cent calling Brisbane home.
“By combining 2016 Census data and temporary visa information from the Department of Home Affairs, we now have a comprehensive picture of where groups of temporary residents live, the countries they come from, what work they do, what they earn and if they are studying,” ABS Director of Migration Statistics, Myles Burleigh, said.
“For example, what we see in this new data is that in 2016, 81 per cent of temporary residents lived in capital cities, compared with 67 per cent of all Australians. Outside capital cities, the most popular areas were regional Queensland with 10 per cent and regional New South Wales with 4 per cent,” he said.
Indians are the biggest source of migrants and new citizens to Australia
Recent data has revealed that India is the biggest source of migrants and new citizens to Australia.
Over 20.5 per cent of the total permanent migration program outcome for 2017-18 came from India. 33,310 places of 162,417 places were granted to Indian citizens.
In 2016-17, 22,006 Indians were granted citizenship by conferral, making them the biggest source of new citizens to Australia.
