Indians now Australia’s top migrant group, surpasses UK's population: More details inside

Indians are now the largest migrant group in Australia. The development marks the first time that they have surpassed people from England. The change shows that immigration is becoming a more debated political issue. Around 971,020 people in Australia, or 5.2 per cent of the population, are Indian-born, slightly exceeding the 970,950 born in England, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The England-born population has declined from just over 1 million in 2013.

The third-largest group consists of China-born residents at 732,000, followed by 638,000 from New Zealand. Migration has been a central driver of Australia’s economic growth, helping it avoid recession since the early 1990s, except for a brief downturn during the pandemic. Although the population dipped in 2021 due to border closures, the proportion of overseas-born residents has risen steadily since, reaching 32 per cent in 2025 compared to 29.5 per cent in 2022, the ABS reported.

Meanwhile, immigration has become a political focus as Australia experiences the country's worst housing shortage in a generation. The issue has boosted backing for the populist One Nation party, which has gained ground in opinion polls since last year’s election. Its leader, Pauline Hanson, has long campaigned against immigration.

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