As of June 30, 2025, an estimated 971,020 people in Australia were born in India, or 5.2 per cent of the population. The number of England-born residents stood at 970,950. According to the ABS, India saw the largest increase in its overseas-born population since 2015, adding 522,000 people, while the England-born population has been gradually declining from a peak of just over 1 million in 2013.
The change marks the end of a long-standing demographic pattern. Since records began in 1891, England had consistently remained Australia’s largest foreign-born group. Just one year prior, in 2024, England-born residents numbered 963,560, ahead of the Indian-born population at 916,330.
The wider demographic shift across Australia is significant. The country’s total estimated resident population is now 27.6 million, of which 8.8 million people, or 32 per cent, were born overseas. The proportion of overseas-born residents has risen steadily from 24.2 per cent in 2005 to 32.0 per cent in 2025, a rate approaching the country’s all-time high of 32.4 per cent recorded in 1891.
China remains the third-largest overseas-born group in Australia, with 731,540 residents, followed by New Zealand at 637,680. The Philippines, Vietnam, South Africa, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Malaysia are the next largest foreign-born populations.
There is also a noticeable age difference between migrant groups. The median age for Australia’s overseas-born population is 43, compared to 35 for the Australian-born population. Populations born in Italy and England have recorded the steepest declines since 2015, with both groups now having median ages of 60 or over, reflecting the large wave of post-World War II migration that has begun to age. Conversely, migrants from countries like Qatar are among the youngest cohorts.
The rise in migration has placed pressure on housing and infrastructure, making immigration a key political issue. Populist parties, such as One Nation, have gained support in opinion polls campaigning on reducing migration intakes.
Globally, the United States has the largest number of international migrants, with 52.4 million foreign-born residents, accounting for 15 per cent of its population. Australia ranks eighth in the world in terms of its share of foreign-born residents.