Leslie Massey
Since 1945, Australia has seen a large influx of migrants, with over 7 million people settling in the country. The post-World War II period witnessed a significant shift in Australia's immigration patterns, with a predominantly European wave of immigration contributing to the country's population growth. Hundreds of thousands of displaced Europeans, including over 1 million Britons, migrated to Australia under various schemes, such as the Assisted Passage Migration Scheme. This period also marked the beginning of the end for the White Australia policy, which had restricted the entry of non-European immigrants. By 1973, multiculturalism had largely displaced cultural selectivity in immigration policies, and Australia embraced a more inclusive approach. The proportion of Australia's population born overseas has been steadily increasing, reaching 31.5% in 2024, and the country continues to attract migrants from diverse backgrounds, with Asia becoming the largest source of immigrants in the 21st century.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Total number of people who have migrated to Australia since 1945 | More than 7 million |
| Number of people sponsored by the IRO to migrate to Australia from the end of World War II until 1954 | 182,159 |
| Number of British subjects who migrated to Australia under the Assisted Passage Migration Scheme | 1,000,000+ |
| Number of convicts who entered Australia | 165,000 (by the end of penal transportation in 1868) |
| Number of people who migrated to Australia in 2019-20 | 509,600 (a decrease of 7.4% since 2019) |
| Number of people who migrated away from Australia in 2019-20 | 315,200 (the highest estimate on record and a 2.0% increase since 2019) |
| Net overseas migration in 2022-23 | 536,000 |
| Net overseas migration in 2023-24 | 650,000 (expected) |
| Percentage of Australia's population born overseas in 2020 | 30% |
| Percentage of Australia's population born overseas in 2021 | 29.3% |
| Percentage of Australia's population born overseas in 2022 | 29.5% |
| Percentage of Australia's population born overseas in 2023 | 30% |
| Percentage of Australia's population born overseas in 2024 | 31.5% |
| Number of people who wanted fewer immigrants coming to Australia, according to a 2025 ABC Vote Compass survey | 49% |
| Number of people who wanted more immigrants coming to Australia, according to a 2025 ABC Vote Compass survey | 16% |
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What You'll Learn
- Post-WWII immigration: 1.6 million between October 1945 and June 1960
- Assisted Passage Migration Scheme: 1 million+ British immigrants
- International Refugee Organization: 182,159 refugees sponsored to Australia
- COVID-19 impact: Migration halted in 2019-20, population shrank
- Multiculturalism: Since 1973, Asia is the largest source of immigrants
Post-WWII immigration: 1.6 million between October 1945 and June 1960
Following the end of World War II, Australia launched a large-scale immigration program, with the slogan "populate or perish". This was due to the country's urgent need for a larger population for defence and development purposes. Between October 1945 and June 1960, 1.6 million people migrated to Australia.
During this period, hundreds of thousands of displaced Europeans migrated to Australia, with over 1,000,000 British subjects immigrating under the Assisted Passage Migration Scheme, also known as the Ten Pound Poms scheme. The scheme initially targeted citizens of Commonwealth countries, but it was later extended to other countries, including the Netherlands and Italy. The requirements were simple: migrants needed to be in good health and under the age of 45. There were no initial skill requirements, although the White Australia Policy made it difficult for people of mixed-race backgrounds to take advantage of the scheme.
The post-war wave of immigration to Australia was predominantly from Europe, with many more immigrants arriving from Southern and Eastern Europe than in previous decades. This wave of immigration significantly influenced the diversity of Australia's population. By 1955, the one-millionth post-war immigrant had arrived in Australia, and the population reached 10 million in 1959, up from 7 million in 1945.
In the decades following World War II, the proportion of Australia's population born overseas increased rapidly due to high levels of post-war migration. This trend has continued in recent years, with the proportion of Australia's population born overseas increasing from 23.8% in 2004 to 31.5% in 2024.
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Assisted Passage Migration Scheme: 1 million+ British immigrants
Since 1945, over 7 million people have migrated to Australia, with the country pursuing an official policy of multiculturalism since 1973. This has resulted in a large and continuous wave of immigration from across the globe, with Asia being the largest source of immigrants in the 21st century.
In the post-WWII period, Australia launched a massive immigration program, believing that having narrowly avoided a Japanese invasion, the country must "populate or perish". The Assisted Passage Migration Scheme, introduced in 1945, saw over 1 million British subjects immigrate to Australia. Colloquially, these immigrants became known as "Ten Pound Poms". The scheme initially targeted citizens of all Commonwealth countries, but after the war, it gradually extended to other countries, including the Netherlands and Italy.
The qualifications for the scheme were straightforward: migrants needed to be in good health and under the age of 45. There were no skill restrictions, although the White Australia Policy, in place until 1973, made it difficult for people of mixed-race backgrounds to take advantage of the scheme. Under this policy, Australia maintained a selective immigration policy, favouring migrants from European countries.
The Assisted Passage Migration Scheme was not without its critics. Some feared that the colonies would become a dumping ground for the "dregs" of British society. Despite this, the scheme was very successful, and between 1832 and 1850, around 127,000 assisted migrants came to Australia, making up about 70% of all immigrants during that period. The scheme continued for the rest of the 19th century and was a significant factor in increasing the European population in Australia.
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International Refugee Organization: 182,159 refugees sponsored to Australia
Since 1945, over 7 million people have migrated to Australia. In the post-war years, Australia experienced a large wave of immigration from Europe, with hundreds of thousands of displaced Europeans migrating to the country.
The International Refugee Organization (IRO) was established in April 1946 as a specialised United Nations agency dedicated to assisting and protecting displaced people and refugees. The IRO played a significant role in resettling refugees in Australia, particularly in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
The Australian government signed an agreement with the Preparatory Commission of the International Refugee Organization (PCIRO) on July 21, 1947, in Geneva, Switzerland. This agreement outlined the details of immigrant numbers, their legal status, and their living conditions in Australia. The IRO sponsored over 182,000 people to resettle from Europe to Australia between 1945 and 1954. This number exceeded the total number of convicts transported to Australia in the first 80 years of European settlement.
The Australian government agreed to provide regular employment for all immigrants arriving under the IRO agreement. Immigrants were guaranteed the same living conditions, wages, and treatment as Australian workers, without discrimination. They were also allowed to join trade unions, just like Australian citizens. The IRO agreement contributed significantly to Australia's post-war immigration wave and helped shape the country's diverse population.
In addition to the IRO agreement, Australia had other migration schemes in place, such as the Assisted Passage Migration Scheme, which targeted citizens of Commonwealth countries and later extended to other countries. Financial assistance was a crucial aspect of these post-war immigration programs, with the Australian government providing free or assisted passages for immigrants.
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COVID-19 impact: Migration halted in 2019-20, population shrank
Since 1945, more than 7 million people have migrated to Australia. In the post-World War II era, Australia witnessed a large wave of immigration from across Europe, with the country adopting a ""populate or perish" mentality. This sentiment continued into the 21st century, with Australia experiencing one of the fastest-growing populations in the OECD prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the pandemic significantly impacted migration trends in Australia during 2019-20. International migration slowed worldwide, with countries closing their borders and implementing travel restrictions. Australia was no exception, imposing strict border controls and allowing entry only to returning residents and exempt travellers.
The effect on Australia's migration was profound. Overseas migrant arrivals fell from 158,400 in the March 2020 quarter to just 13,700 in the June 2020 quarter, an 89-91% drop. This was partly due to the decreased ability of expatriates to return to Australia, as well as the reduced number of international students. The annual growth rate of Australia's population decreased to 1.3%, the slowest since quarterly population estimates began in 1981.
The pandemic also affected interstate migration within Australia. There were 368,700 interstate movements in 2019-20, a 9% decrease from the previous year. Queensland gained the most people from net interstate migration in the June 2020 quarter, while New South Wales lost the most.
Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic and associated travel restrictions caused a shrinkage of Australia's population for the first time since World War I. The country experienced negative net migration, with more people departing than arriving. However, the following period of 2021-22 showed a strong recovery in migrant arrivals, indicating the resilience of Australia's migration trends.
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Multiculturalism: Since 1973, Asia is the largest source of immigrants
Since 1945, over 7 million people have settled in Australia, with the country pursuing an official policy of multiculturalism since 1973. The abolition of the White Australia policy in 1973, which had been in place since 1901, meant that people of non-European ethnic origins could finally enter the country. This policy change, along with the introduction of the Migration Act 1958, which phased out the White Australia policy, significantly increased Asian immigration to Australia.
The first major wave of Asian immigration to Australia occurred in the late 19th century, with numbers peaking at around 40,000 during the gold rush period of the 1850s and 1860s. However, existing prejudices and cultural misunderstandings led to conflict between Chinese and European communities, resulting in violent riots and the enactment of anti-Chinese legislation. This, along with the White Australia policy, restricted Asian immigration to Australia for much of the early 20th century.
In the decades following World War II, Australia received a large wave of immigration from across Europe. Hundreds of thousands of displaced Europeans migrated to Australia, with over 1,000,000 British subjects immigrating under the Assisted Passage Migration Scheme. However, since the end of the White Australia policy in 1973, Asia has become the largest source of immigrants to Australia in the 21st century.
In the late 20th century, the percentage of the Australian population born in an Asian country grew significantly, increasing from 5.5% in 1996 to 13.4% in 2016. Indian immigrants have become the largest migrant ethnic group in Melbourne and Adelaide, and Chinese immigrants are predominantly female, concentrated in Melbourne and Sydney's suburbs. Since 2000, China has frequently been Australia's largest source of new immigrants.
In addition to the policy changes, Australia has actively encouraged Asian immigration through initiatives such as the Colombo Plan, which sponsored Asian students to study or train in Australian tertiary institutions. The goal of this plan was to improve relations between Asian countries and Australia and combat communism in Asia. While the plan initially focused on bringing students from developing countries, many chose to stay in Australia after graduation, contributing to the growing Asian population in the country.
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Frequently asked questions
Since 1945, more than 7 million people have settled in Australia.
After World War II, Australia launched a massive immigration program, believing that the country must "populate or perish".
182,159 people were sponsored by the IRO to resettle in Australia from the end of World War II up to 1954.
Starting at independence in 1901, Australia maintained the White Australia Policy for much of the 20th century, which forbade the entrance of people of non-European ethnic origins. The policy was abolished in 1973.
The proportion of Australia's population born overseas was 30% in 2020, increasing to 31.5% in 2024.
