IN THIS ISSUE

This month's articles focus on South Australia's migrant population from 1986 to 2006 and South Australia's ageing population and the labour force from 1997 to 2007.

The first article in this month's issue is South Australia's Migrant Population, presenting information on people who were born overseas. The proportion of South Australia's population who were born overseas has steadily decreased over the last 20 years. According to data from the Census of Population and Housing, the proportion of South Australian's who were born overseas has reduced from 22.1% in 1986 to 20.3% in 2006.

For the purpose of this article, a migrant is defined as any person born overseas. This article provides an analysis of the reasons for the declining proportion of migrants in South Australia's population. The main findings include:

• the proportion of South Australia's population born overseas has decreased from 22.1% in 1986 to 20.3% in 2006;
• the migrant population in South Australia has a much older age profile compared to Australian born persons;
• in 2006, the median age of South Australian's who were born in Australia was 39 years compared to 52 years for migrants;
• there has been a recent increase in the number of migrants who immigrate to live in South Australia;
• South Australia's share of all settler arrivals in Australia has increased significantly over the last 5 years from 3.0% in 2000-01 to 7.2% in 2006-07; and
• South Australia has a net loss of migrants due to interstate migration, although the size of this loss is decreasing.

The second article, South Australia's Ageing Population and the Labour Force, provides an overview of South Australia's ageing population and its effect on the labour force using data from various sources. Between 1997 and 2007, the South Australian population as a whole aged with the median age of South Australians increasing by three years, from 36 years to 39 years.

South Australia's population is projected to continue to age in the future. If current age and sex specific labour force participation rates remain unchanged in the future, the aggregate labour force participation rate could decrease to about 51% by 2051. Increasing participation rates in groups with low labour force participation rates would be a way of addressing the fall in projected participation rates.

This article provides an overview of South Australia's ageing population and its effect on the labour force. The main findings include:

• the median age of South Australians increased from 36 years to 39 years from 1997 to 2007;
• South Australia's labour force participation rate could decrease to 51% by 2051; and
• a greater proportion of persons aged 55 to 69 were participating in the workforce in 2007 than in 1997.

The figures in South Australia's Ageing Population and the Labour Force exclude overseas visitors.

Other Explanatory Notes are not included in SA Stats in the form found in other ABS publications. Readers are directed to the Explanatory Notes contained in related ABS publications referenced in the feature article.

If you have any comments about this product please contact Liz Finlay on ph: (08) 8237 7417 or alternatively e-mail <sa.statistics@abs.gov.au>.