Record migration drives Australian population growth
Net overseas migration drove 83 per cent of the annual population growth, while natural increase accounted for the remaining 17 per cent.
CANBERRA, - Australia's migrant intake has hit a record-high, driving a spike in population growth.
According to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Thursday, 765,900 migrants arrived in Australia in the 12 months to the end of September 2023, an increase of 33.9 percent from the previous 12 months.
In the same period, there were 217,100 migrant departures, resulting in net overseas migration of 548,800, the highest figure on record for a 12-month period.
"Net overseas migration grew by 60 per cent compared with the previous year," Beidar Cho, head of demography at the ABS, said in a media release.
In the three months to the end of September, net overseas migration added 145,200 people to the Australian population, a 16 per cent increase from the previous three months.
Overall Australia's population grew by 659,800 people over the 12 months to the end of September to 26.82 million.
"Net overseas migration drove 83 per cent of the annual population growth, while natural increase accounted for the remaining 17 per cent," Cho said.
There were 295,000 births and 183,900 deaths registered in Australia in the 12-month period, resulting in a natural population increase of 111,000 people, down 3.9 percent from the previous 12 months.
Western Australia had the highest population growth of any of Australia's eight states and territories at 3.3 percent and the island state Tasmania the lowest at 0.3 percent. - XINHUA
