https://www.noticer.news/australia-immigration-statistics-2023-record/Australia allowed in a record 751,500 immigrants in 2023, new official figures show
Australia allowed in a record 751,500 new immigrants in the 2023 calendar year, while the total population grew by 2.5% to 26.97 million, official statistics show.
New figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday showed that net overseas migration was 547,300 in 2023, including 252,000 in the first half of the current financial year – meaning that Labor’s May budget forecast of 395,000 migrants in the 2023-24 financial year will prove to be too low.
The 751,500 immigrant arrivals figure is the largest in Australian history, and is an increase of 98,000 (15.0%) over 2022 when 619,600 people immigrated to Australia, also a record at that time.
The latest figure is also higher than the 737,000 arrivals in the last financial year, indicating that immigration is still increasing, rather than falling as promised by the government.
ABS head of demography Beidar Cho said: “Net overseas migration drove 84% of [the 2023] population growth, while natural increase accounted for the other 16%.”
Natural increase in 2023 was 103,900 people, 6.4% less than in 2022.
“This is made up of 287,100 births and 183,100 deaths registered in Australia,” the ABS said.
“Western Australia had the fastest growing population, up 3.3% from 2022. This was followed by Victoria, which grew by 2.8%, and Queensland, which grew by 2.6%. Tasmania saw the lowest growth, at 0.4%.”
Former Department of Immigration Deputy Secretary Abul Rizvi told ABC News there was “little to no chance” of Labor’s forecasts being correct, and predicted the actual number will be “well over 400,000”.
The figures come a day after the ABS released overseas arrivals statistics for April this year, showing 12,370 arrivals of permanent residents and 55,070 long-term overseas arrivals (those intending to stay for 12 months or more) – amounting to 16,840 a week, or 2,248 a day.