Indians the new Italians in migration

AUSTRALIA has more Indians than Italians. The Indian community in this country has doubled in just six years, becoming our fastest-growing minority, new figures show.

The immigration department estimates in 2007-08 the stock of migrants from India grew more than any other country, even Britain or New Zealand.

It estimates that the Indian-born population has risen from 110,563 in mid-2002 to 239,295 in mid-2008, overtaking the Italians to become our fourth-biggest migrant community.

In 2007-08 alone, the number of Indian-born people living in Australia grew by 39,529. Some were skilled migrants arriving to take up jobs, and some arrived as students, many hoping to stay on as workers.

China was the second-biggest source, the Chinese-born population growing by 32,563. New Zealand (31,248) dropped to third place, while Britain (17,397) was a distant fourth, as arrivals were offset by the deaths or return of settlers.

The Indian population would have risen faster still in 2008-09, when the number of Indians in temporary residence here grew by 40,000 or 40 per cent. But that would have been its peak, with the department estimating that total net migration in 2009-10 would be down by more than 50,000.

In 2008-09, for the seventh year in a row, India was the biggest source of permanent settlers in Victoria. The figures show a net growth of 9004 permanent residents from India, 8034 from China, 5023 from Britain, 4472 from New Zealand and 2569 from Sri Lanka.

The British are still the biggest migrant community, with 1.166 million forming almost 6 per cent of our population. New Zealanders (494,579) were the second-biggest group in mid-2008. The Italian-born population shrank by 3427, mainly due to the deaths of postwar migrants. Italian immigration dried up in the early 1970s, but the 2006 census found 852,000 Australians claim Italian ancestry. Other communities shrinking include the Greeks (down 2835), Lebanese, Poles, Serbs, Dutch, Maltese, Croatians, Hungarians and Cypriots.


NEW GROWTH IN MIGRANT COMMUNITIES 2007-8

GROWTH POPULATION

1 India 39,529 239,295

2 China* 32,563 313,572

3 NZ 31,248 494,579

4 UK 17,397 1,166,515

5 Philippines 10,784 155,124

6 South Africa 9918 136,201

7 South Korea 9118 78,260

8 Malaysia 6684 120,053


...AND THE COMMUNITIES SHRINKING

Italy -3427 221,721

Greece -2835 130,501

Lebanon -1679 89,065

* EXCLUDES HONG KONG AND TAIWAN

SOURCE: DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION AND CITIZENSHIP