The ABS will be closed from 12.00pm, 24 December 2024 and will reopen at 9.00am, 2 January 2025. During this time there will be no statistical releases and our support functions will be unavailable. The ABS wishes you a safe and happy Christmas.

Overseas Travel Statistics, Provisional

This release has ceased

Provisional statistics on international travel based on initial border crossings, arriving in and departing from Australia, including tourism trips

Cite
Print
Reference period
June 2021

Key statistics

Provisional estimates of overseas trips in June 2021 show:

  • A total of 103,500 arrivals
  • 40,500 Australian citizens arrivals (39%), 9,100 permanent visa holders (9%), 43,800 New Zealand citizens (42%) and 10,900 temporary visa holders (11%)
  • A total of 99,500 departures

Notice: Ceasing future releases

This temporary product was introduced in response to COVID-19 and the heightened interest in traveller data. In line with the ABS work program changes announced on 20 April 2021, this is the final release of this product.

For further information, see "Changes to the ABS statistical work program".

Provisional travel data for total overseas arrivals and total overseas departures will be added to the monthly Overseas Arrivals and Departures publication from the June issue scheduled for release on the 17 August 2021. 

Travel restrictions

These statistics are compiled using information from the Department of Home Affairs.

With the introduction of the New Zealand quarantine free travel bubble on 18 April 2021, there have been some recent increases in arrivals and departures. Travel numbers remain historically low compared with pre-COVID levels.

For information on travel restrictions see the Department of Home Affairs website.

Migration Statistics

This release presents statistics on, provisional monthly estimates of overseas travel, which is not the same as migration statistics.

If you are looking for migration statistics, please refer to:

Arrivals

Provisional statistics on international travel movements of persons arriving in Australia. It is the number of international border crossings rather than the number of people.

Key findings

All overseas arrivals to Australia in June 2021 (provisional estimates):

  • 103,500 estimated arrivals, a decrease of 12,200 compared with the previous month
  • June 2021 arrivals decreased 93.4 per cent when compared to pre-COVID levels in June 2019
  • 40,500 Australian citizens arrivals (39%), 9,100 permanent visa holders (9%), 43,800 New Zealand citizens (42%) and 10,900 temporary visa holders (11%).

All arrivals - by citizenship

The five largest countries of citizenship (excluding Australian) for all arrivals to Australia in June 2021 were:

  • New Zealand (43,800)
  • UK (2,200)
  • China (1,900)
  • India (1,800)
  • USA (1,300).
1.3 All arrivals - Top 10 Countries of citizenship - provisional estimates(a)
Country of citizenshipJun-19Jun-20May-21Jun-21Jun-19 to Jun-21
% change
New Zealand144,9702,74052,28043,780-69.8%
UK(b)50,6408002,4402,150-95.7%
China(c)107,0301,1901,9201,880-98.2%
India53,8001,3701,4001,820-96.6%
USA62,0004601,0801,290-97.9%
Philippines20,480290870870-95.8%
Vanuatu8100600770-4.5%
Samoa5700200530-7.2%
France14,740110330410-97.2%
South Africa5,870330460370-93.6%

(a) To confidentialise, estimates have been rounded to the nearest 10.
(b) Includes the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.
(c) Excludes SARs & Taiwan.
 

All arrivals - by visa group

The three largest visa groups arriving in Australia in June 2021 were:

  • Temporary other visas (5,400) 
  • Permanent skilled visas (3,600) 
  • Temporary visitor visas (3,400).
1.4 All arrivals - Visa groups - provisional estimates(a)
Visa GroupJun-19Jun-20May-21Jun-21Jun-19 to Jun-21
% change
Permanent Family Visas23,0201,5403,1602,800-87.8%
Permanent Other Visas52,3401,7802,9402,730-94.8%
Permanent Skilled Visas40,2102,1903,8303,610-91.0%
Temporary Other Visas29,3602,0704,6505,420-81.6%
Temporary Skilled Visas19,7501901,4801,320-93.3%
Temporary Student Visas47,72060400470-99.0%
Temporary Visitor Visas449,1501,1603,3303,440-99.2%
Temporary Work Visas19,00040210270-98.6%

(a) To confidentialise, estimates have been rounded to the nearest 10.
 

All arrivals - by state or territory of clearance

All international travellers must be processed and cleared by Australia's Border Force via specific seaports or airports around the country. This information provides the state or territory of clearance for each traveller.

For June 2021, the states receiving the largest number of arrivals were:

  • NSW (40,600)
  • Qld (38,700)
  • Vic. (10,800).
1.5 All arrivals - State or Territory of clearance - provisional estimates(a)
State of clearanceJun-19Jun-20May-21Jun-21Jun-19 to Jun-21
% change
NSW609,70011,67042,33040,610-93.3%
Vic.431,3906,36026,64010,790-97.5%
Qld299,0704,50035,08038,730-87.1%
SA41,2902903,0903,520-91.5%
WA164,7901,7605,8307,220-95.6%
Tas.00490690n.a.
NT13,1308902,1401,870-85.8%
ACT3,6203002030-99.1%

(a) To confidentialise, estimates have been rounded to the nearest 10.
n.a The percentage change could not be calculated because the denominator is zero
 

Departures

Provisional statistics on international travel movements of persons departing Australia. It is the number of international border crossings rather than the number of people.

Key findings

All overseas departures from Australia in June 2021 (provisional estimates):

  • 99,500 estimated departures, a decrease of 8,800 compared with the previous month
  • June 2021 departures decreased 94.5 per cent when compared with pre-COVID levels in June 2019
  • 40,100 Australian citizens departures (40%), 5,900 permanent visa holders (6%), 39,700 New Zealand citizens (40%) and 15,300 temporary visa holders (15%).

All departures - by citizenship

The five largest countries of citizenship (excluding Australian) for all departures from Australia in June 2021 were:

  • New Zealand (39,700)
  • China (4,200)
  • UK (2,700)
  • USA (1,700)
  • India (960).
2.3 All departures - Top 10 Countries of citizenship - provisional estimates(a)
Country of citizenshipJun-19Jun-20May-21Jun-21Jun-19 to Jun-21
% change
New Zealand147,9403,62048,54039,670-73.2%
China(b)143,6304,1604,0704,160-97.1%
UK(c)54,6302,8202,4702,660-95.1%
USA62,7701,3201,4101,660-97.4%
India50,2802,010980960-98.1%
France17,0101,230490640-96.3%
Philippines20,540460590530-97.4%
South Korea24,0001,290500520-97.8%
Germany14,520990380480-96.7%
Ireland7,480420330460-93.8%

(a) To confidentialise, estimates have been rounded to the nearest 10.
(b) Excludes SARs & Taiwan.
(c) Includes the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.
 

All departures - by visa group

The three largest visa groups departing from Australia in June 2021 were:

  • Temporary other visas (7,300) 
  • Temporary student visas (3,100) 
  • Temporary visitor visas (2,800).
2.4 All departures - Visa groups - provisional estimates(a)
Visa GroupJun-19Jun-20May-21Jun-21Jun-19 to Jun-21
% change
Permanent Family Visas22,0204301,2401,270-94.2%
Permanent Other Visas56,0809302,5702,270-96.0%
Permanent Skilled Visas44,6006602,1902,320-94.8%
Temporary Other Visas38,7108,8907,5707,320-81.1%
Temporary Skilled Visas21,4701,1201,2601,470-93.1%
Temporary Student Visas118,8307,4501,8303,140-97.4%
Temporary Visitor Visas430,7306,0103,0002,760-99.4%
Temporary Work Visas21,9403,800540610-97.2%

(a) To confidentialise, estimates have been rounded to the nearest 10.
 

All departures - by state and territory of clearance

All international travellers must be processed and cleared by Australia's Border Force via specific seaports or airports around the country. This information provides the state or territory of clearance for each traveller.

For June 2021, the states receiving the largest number of departures were:

  • NSW (41,100)
  • Qld (34,000)
  • Vic. (14,800).
2.5 All departures - State or Territory of clearance - provisional estimates(a)
State of clearanceJun-19Jun-20May-21Jun-21Jun-19 to Jun-21
% change
NSW698,49022,38043,32041,110-94.1%
Vic.513,1909,31025,39014,820-97.1%
Qld330,2205,47030,41034,000-89.7%
SA48,120501,5201,680-96.5%
WA194,3702,5106,7906,640-96.6%
Tas.00570700n.a.
NT15,700330250510-96.7%
ACT4,81020200-100.0%

(a) To confidentialise, estimates have been rounded to the nearest 10.
n.a The percentage change could not be calculated because the denominator is zero
 

Data downloads

1. Total movement, arrivals and departures - country of citizenship

Data files
Download xlsx [172.34 KB]

2. Total movement, arrivals and departures - visa group

Data files
Download xlsx [51.89 KB]

3. Total movement, arrivals and departures - state of clearance

Data files
Download xlsx [53.48 KB]

All data cubes

Data files
Download zip [254.46 KB]

Notes

This is a temporary monthly publication in response to COVID-19 and the heightened interest in traveller data. It provides information 4 weeks earlier than the regular monthly Overseas Arrivals and Departures (OAD)(cat. no. 3401.0) publication.

This publication contains provisional arrivals and departures information for the reference month based on initial border crossings into and out of Australia using the Department of Home Affairs Travel and Immigration Processing System (TRIPS). It contains early information on arrivals and departures, country of citizenship, major visa groups, and state or territory of clearance. Like Overseas Arrivals and Departures, it is the number of international border crossings rather than the number of people. Individuals who travel multiple times in a year are counted each time they cross Australia's borders.

More detailed information including important variables such as state of residence, duration of stay, country of residence and main reason for journey (which can only be sourced later from the passenger card) will be available in the subsequent release of Overseas Arrivals and Departures scheduled for release 6 weeks after the reference month.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) commenced daily situation reports of the COVID-19 outbreak on 21 January 2020 and identified it as an international health emergency on 30 January. This was less than a month after suspected cases were reported in Wuhan, China. The Australian Government placed travel restrictions on those travelling to Australia initially from mainland China commencing 1 February. Other restrictions from other countries soon followed as the crisis worsened around the globe. Currently, all overseas travel is banned, with few exceptions. For more information, see the Smartraveller page from the Australian government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website or the News and Media page at the Australian government Department of Home Affairs website.

This temporary product was introduced to provide more timely travel data in response to COVID-19. In line with ABS work program changes announced on 20 April 2021, this is the final release of this product.

For further information see "Changes to the ABS statistical work program".

Provisional travel data for total overseas arrivals and total overseas departures will be added to the monthly Overseas Arrivals and Departures publication from the June issue scheduled for release on the 17 August 2021. 

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 3401.0.55.004.

Methodology

Overseas Travel Statistics, Provisional methodology, June 2021