Australia's Changing Population

Australia's Changing Population

• Australia's population growth stems from two components:
• Natural increase - birth minus death
• Net overseas migration (NOM) or overseas migration
• Overseas migration is currently playing a large role in Australia's change and growth in population. It has grown so much that overseas migration population has outnumbered natural increase in population.
• EVIDENCE OF THIS CHANGE
• For example, in 2002 natural increase represented 51% of Australia’s population growth and NOM 49%. By 2012, natural increase represented only 40% of Australia’s population growth with NOM at 60%. Interestingly, the increase in NOM in recent years has not been caused by an increase in permanent settlers. Rather, it has been driven by people staying in Australia on long-term temporary visas, such as overseas students and temporary skilled migrants.