Key points
- People born in England are the largest group of overseas-born residents in Australia, accounting for just under a million people
- Data for both 2016 and 2020 indicate Greece is not among the 100 largest groups of people living in Australia born overseas
- As of 2020, ABS estimates 30 per cent of the population was born in a country other than Australia
ABS data released this week suggest that as of 2020 over 7.6 million people living in Australia were born overseas.
Those born in England continue to represent the lion’s share, followed by India and China, with approximately 721,000 and 650,000 people respectively.
The ABS graph below shows the 10 largest groups of overseas-born residents in 2020, and compares change over time.
Table of Top 10 countries of birth for overseas-born residents in Australia Source: ABS
Four years before, the list had slight differentiations, with Scotland for instance occupying no.10 instead of Sri Lanka.
In the 2016 table, Greece is listed as no.13 in the ranking of largest groups of countries of birth for overseas-born Australian residents, with a total population born in Greece of roughly 113,000.
The estimated 30 per cent of Australia's resident population born overseas as at June 2020, compares to 28 per cent in 2015 and 27 per cent ten years ago.
"Australia's population encompasses migrants born in nearly every country worldwide, highlighting our culturally diverse society, " ABS Director of Migration Statistics, Jenny Dobak said.
