Leslie Massey
The Vietnam War ended in 1975 with the fall of Saigon to the North Vietnamese, causing millions to try and escape the new communist regime. Many fled in small, overcrowded boats, with some making it as far as northern Australia, while others spent years in refugee camps. In the decade following the war, more than 80,000 Vietnamese people moved to Australia, with close to 60,000 arriving as refugees. In 1976, the first 400 Vietnamese refugees were selected by Australia for resettlement from camps in Guam, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Vietnamese Australians in 2021 census | 334,781 |
| Percentage of Australian population in 2021 | 1.3% |
| Number of Australian residents born in Vietnam in 2021 | 268,170 |
| Number of Vietnamese-born Australians in 2011 census | >200,000 |
| Number of Vietnamese-born Australians in 1971 census | <700 |
| Number of Vietnamese-born Australians in 1986 census | 80,000 |
| Number of Vietnamese Australians in 2001 census | 174,236 |
| Percentage of Vietnamese Australians who are Buddhist | 44.7% |
| Percentage of Vietnamese Australians who are Christian | 23.5% |
| Number of Vietnamese refugees accepted by Australia in seven years ending in 1982 | 60,000 |
| Number of Vietnamese refugees who came to Australia by boat in seven years after the fall of Saigon | 2,000 |
| Number of Vietnamese refugees who came to Australia by boat between 1976 and 1986 | 2,000 |
| Number of Vietnamese refugees who settled in Australia between 1976 and 1986 | 94,000 |
| Number of Vietnamese refugees resettled in Australia over two decades | >100,000 |
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What You'll Learn
Vietnamese migration to Australia after the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War ended in 1975 with the fall of Saigon to North Vietnamese forces, resulting in a mass exodus of refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. The communist victory in Vietnam caused around 2 million people to flee the country, often in small, overcrowded boats sailing into the South China Sea. Many of these refugees were targeted by pirates, and their vessels were frequently unseaworthy, resulting in many drownings.
The migration of Vietnamese people to Australia was spurred by the Vietnam War. In the decade following the war, more than 80,000 Vietnamese people moved to Australia, many as refugees. By 1982, Australia had accepted close to 60,000 Vietnamese refugees, most of whom arrived by plane. A smaller proportion, around 2,000, arrived by boat.
The initial intake of refugees in the late 1970s was followed by a second immigration peak in 1983-84, likely due to the Orderly Departure Program, which allowed relatives of Vietnamese Australians to migrate to Australia. A third peak occurred in the late 1980s, mainly due to Australia's family reunion scheme. Over two decades, from 1976 onwards, Australia resettled more than 100,000 Vietnamese refugees from various Asian countries.
The transition to Australian life was challenging for Vietnamese refugees, with language and cultural barriers making it difficult to find work. Despite these challenges, the Vietnamese community in Australia has thrived, with significant populations in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra, and Perth. As of the 2021 census, 334,781 people stated that they had Vietnamese ancestry, representing 1.3% of the Australian population. The Vietnamese language is now the fourth most widely spoken language in Australia, with 320,760 people speaking it at home.
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Refugee resettlement programs in Australia
Australia has been generously resettling some of the world's most vulnerable refugees for decades. The country has a Refugee and Humanitarian Program, which includes four types of visas available for refugees to resettle in Australia. The Refugee Visa (subclass 200) is for those who meet the refugee definition in the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. This definition stipulates that an individual must be outside their home country due to a fear of persecution. Applicants who obtain this visa benefit from government assistance with travel costs and medical examinations. Additionally, their immediate family members can be proposed for entry to Australia through the offshore humanitarian program.
The Special Humanitarian Program visa (subclass 202) is for those who are subject to substantial discrimination and human rights abuses in their home country. Other visas are available for those who are victims of armed conflict or human rights violations and for whom resettlement is the most appropriate solution. Over ten years from 1976, 94,000 refugees from Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam settled in Australia, with many more arriving later as part of family reunion schemes.
The resettlement process in Australia involves providing assistance to refugees in finding accommodation and familiarising them with essential services such as healthcare, education, and public transport. Australia also offers permanent residency to refugee visa holders, allowing them to live and work in the country permanently.
In recent years, there has been a push for additional humanitarian visas to be provided to refugees from Afghanistan, and a new model of community sponsorship has been introduced. Australia's refugee resettlement programs have had their challenges, but they have also achieved successes, providing a new start for thousands of refugees each year.
Vietnamese migration to Australia was significantly influenced by the Vietnam War, with many arriving as refugees after the war's conclusion in 1975. Some came as the wives of Australian servicemen or as war orphans. Vietnamese Australians have made notable contributions to various fields, including politics, literature, and media. In the 2021 Census, 334,785 Australians identified as having Vietnamese ancestry, making Vietnamese Australians the fourth-largest Asian Australian ancestry group.
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Vietnamese Australians in Melbourne and Sydney
The Vietnam War ended in 1975 with the fall of South Vietnam, leading to millions of people attempting to flee the country. Many Vietnamese people arrived in Australia as refugees after the war, with the country taking in about 70,000 Vietnamese refugees. In the years following the initial refugee intake in the late 1970s, there were further immigration peaks in 1983-84 and the late 1980s, resulting in a significant Vietnamese Australian population in the country. According to the 2021 census, 334,781 people in Australia stated that they had Vietnamese ancestry, representing 1.3% of the Australian population.
Melbourne and Sydney are two Australian cities with notable Vietnamese Australian communities. In Melbourne, the suburbs of Richmond, Footscray, Springvale, Sunshine, and St Albans have significant Vietnamese Australian populations. Victoria Street in Richmond is known for its abundance of Vietnamese restaurants and businesses with both English and Vietnamese signs. Melbourne's Vietnamese community has made the city known for its popular Vietnamese cuisine, including pho and banh mi.
In Sydney, the southwestern suburb of Cabramatta is often referred to as "Vietnamatta," reflecting its strong Vietnamese cultural influence. Other Sydney suburbs with significant Vietnamese Australian populations include Cabramatta West, Canley Vale, Canley Heights, Bankstown, St Johns Park, and Fairfield.
The integration of Vietnamese Australians into the social and economic fabric of Australia has not been without its challenges. In the 1990s, there were debates about social cohesion and the emergence of an "underclass" among the Vietnamese community in Sydney. However, over time, Vietnamese Australians have made significant strides. According to the 2021 census, Australian-born Vietnamese Australians are well-represented in higher education and various professions, including information technology, healthcare, and engineering.
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Vietnamese Australians and their religious beliefs
The Vietnam War spurred Vietnamese migration to Australia, with many Vietnamese people arriving as refugees after the war ended in 1975. Others came as the wives of Australian servicemen or as war orphans. Over ten years from 1976, 94,000 refugees from Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam settled in Australia, with about 2,000 arriving by boat. In the years since, Vietnamese migration to Australia has continued, with people seeking education and employment opportunities. In 2021, the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated that there were 268,170 Australian residents born in Vietnam, and 334,781 people stated that they had Vietnamese ancestry (whether alone or in combination with another ancestry).
In terms of religious beliefs, Vietnamese Australians represent a mix of faiths and secular orientations. According to the 2021 census, 44.7% of Vietnamese Australians identify as Buddhist, 29.2% as unaffiliated, 23.5% as Christian (with 19.8% Catholic), 0.7% as followers of other religions, and 2.5% did not state their religious affiliation. The Vietnamese language was spoken at home by 320,760 people in Australia in 2021, making it the fourth most widely spoken language after English, Mandarin, and Arabic.
The religious beliefs of Vietnamese Australians have been a topic of some discussion in the Australian media context. In October 2003, the government-owned SBS TV began airing a Vietnamese news program called 'Thoi Su' ('News'). The program was intended to cater to Australia's Vietnamese population, but it was received poorly by a significant portion of the older generation of the Vietnamese community, who had fled after the fall of South Vietnam and still held resentments towards the ruling government and its institutions.
Vietnamese Australians have experienced significant social and economic mobility in Australia. In 2023, there were approximately 23,939 Vietnamese international students in Australia, reflecting the value placed on Australian education by Vietnamese families. Earlier generations of Vietnamese refugees reported experiencing overt racism and public and systemic discrimination, especially during the 1980s and 1990s. Despite these challenges, Vietnamese Australians have made significant contributions to Australian society, including in politics, literature, and media.
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Vietnamese Australians in politics
The Vietnam War spurred Vietnamese migration to Australia, with many Vietnamese people arriving as refugees after the war ended in 1975. In the ten years from 1976, 94,000 refugees from Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam settled in Australia.
Vietnamese Australians have made notable contributions to Australian politics, with several politicians of Vietnamese descent serving at various levels of government. Dai Le, a Liberal Party-turned independent politician, made history as the first refugee and Vietnamese Australian to be elected to federal parliament. Other Vietnamese Australians in federal politics include ALP politician Phuong Ngo, a member of the Fairfield Council in New South Wales, and Thang Ngo, who served as a Fairfield councillor from 1999 to 2008.
At the state and local levels, Vietnamese Australians have also been elected to office. Hieu Van Le served as the 35th Governor of South Australia and Chairman of the South Australian Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission (SAMEAC). In addition, several Vietnamese Australians have served as councillors in cities across Australia, including Fairfield in New South Wales and Darra and Inala in Brisbane.
The political involvement of Vietnamese Australians extends beyond elected office. Vietnamese temples have become sites of political engagement, with senior politicians attending events like Buddha's birthday. The Vietnamese Australian community has also advocated for issues important to them, such as opposing state-controlled media and seeking more comprehensive news coverage of Vietnam.
The presence and participation of Vietnamese Australians in the country's political landscape have contributed to social change and cultural interaction in Australia. Their engagement in politics, whether as elected officials or community advocates, has played a role in shaping Australia's multiculturalism and its relations with diverse communities.
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Frequently asked questions
Over ten years starting from 1976, 94,000 refugees from Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam settled in Australia. About 2,000 arrived by boat. In the seven years ending in 1982, Australia accepted close to 60,000 Vietnamese refugees, most of whom arrived by plane. Over the next two decades, Australia resettled more than 100,000 Vietnamese refugees from various Asian countries.
The influx of Vietnamese refugees to Australia changed the country's demographics, making it less homogeneous. It also led to the development of Vietnamese communities in major cities like Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and Perth. Vietnamese is now the fourth most widely spoken language in Australia.
Many Vietnamese refugees faced significant dangers on their journey to Australia, including pirates, storms and unsafe boats. Many lost their lives at sea. Those who made it to Australia often found the transition to Australian life difficult, particularly when it came to finding work due to language and cultural barriers.
