Personal Income of Migrants, Australia

In 2016-17 there were 1.1 million skilled migrants, representing 61% of all migrant taxpayers.

Skill stream migrant taxpayers generated $81 billion in total income. Of these skilled migrants:

• 55% were males who reported $52 billion (65%) of total skilled migrant income
• 45% were females who reported $29 billion (35%) of total skilled migrant income
• 52% held a skilled visa that was granted offshore
• 71% were aged 25 to 44 years of age
   

Skilled migrant taxpayers mainly held the following visas:

• 23.9% held Regional Skilled Independent and Skilled Independent visas (Subclasses 136 and 189)
• 22.8% held Skilled Employer Nomination and Employer Nomination visas (Subclasses 186 and 856)
   

Skill stream migrants were most commonly born in the following countries:

• India (20%)
• United Kingdom (15%)
• China (13%)
   

Skilled migrants born in the United Kingdom reported the highest proportion of total skilled migrant total income at 20% ($16 billion), followed by China with 19% ($15 billion).

In 2016-17, skilled migrant taxpayers:

• earned $75 billion in employee income
• reported $48 billion (65%) by male employees and $26 billion (35%) by female employees
• who were born in the United Kingdom reported $14 billion (19%) of skilled employee income
   

In 2016-17, skilled migrant taxpayers:

• had median employee income of $59,304
• aged 45 years to 54 years of age had the highest median employee income of skilled migrants at $73,863
• born in Ireland recorded the highest median employee income with $82,865, consistent with 32% being Professionals
   

For all age groups, skilled male migrant taxpayers generally had higher median employee incomes than skilled females.

In 2016-17:

• skilled males aged 45 to 54 years had the highest median employee income of migrant taxpayers at $88,530
• skilled females aged 45 to 54 years had the highest median employee income of skilled females at $57,350
• skilled females aged 15 to 17 years had the second lowest median employee income at $4,848
   

Note: Many inter-related factors are known to influence and explain the observed differences in earnings between males and females. These factors include differing rates of labour market participation, variations in hours worked, occupations, forms of employment and working arrangements. (ABS 2014).

Skilled migrants were most commonly employed in the following broad occupation groups:

• 35% Professionals (19% males, 16% females)
• 13% Managers (8.4% of males, 4.7% females)
• 11% Technicians and Trades Workers (9.5% males, 1.9% females)
• 10% Clerical and Administrative Workers (3.2% males, 6.7% females)
   

The most commonly held more detailed occupations of skilled employees were:

• Business and Systems Analysts, and Programmers (5.1% of skilled employees) reporting $5.1 billion in employee income
• Midwifery and Nursing Professionals (5.1% of skilled employees) reporting $4.6 billion in employee income
• Accountants, Auditors and Company Secretaries (4.4% of skilled employees) reporting $3.6 billion in employee income
• Engineering Professionals (3.7% of skilled employees) reporting $4.2 billion in employee income
   

Highest median employee incomes of skilled migrant taxpayers were for the following more detailed occupations:

• Medical practitioners ($148,357)
• ICT Managers ($117,502)
• Stationary Plant Operators ($106,659)
• Construction, Distribution and Production Managers ($105,501)
   

Skilled migrant taxpayers represented 56% of migrant taxpayers who reported own unincorporated business income in 2016-17.

These skilled migrants:

• reported $3,9 billion (63%) of the total business income of migrant taxpayers
• aged 35 to 44 years reported the highest proportion of business income of skilled migrant taxpayers at 42% ($1.7 billion)
• were more commonly males who reported $2.8 billion (72%) of skilled business income
• had a median own unincorporated business income of $10,256
   

Skilled migrants employed in the following industries contributed the most to skilled own unincorporated business income:

• Health Care and Social Assistance industry (40% or $1.6 billion)
• Professional, Scientific and Technical Services industry (13% or $522 million)
• Construction (9.6% or $377 million)
   

Skilled migrant taxpayers represented 66% of migrant taxpayers who reported investment income In 2016-17.

These skilled migrant investors:

• reported $1.9 billion (61%) of the total investment income reported by migrant taxpayers
• were more commonly aged 25 to 34 years (38% of skilled migrant investors)
• had a median investment income of $87
   

Males reported $969 million (51%) and females $919 million (49%) of skilled investment income. Of these:

• females aged 55 years and over reported the highest median investment income of $597
• males aged 55 years and over reported the second highest median investment income of $302
   

In 2016-17 there were about 534,000 family migrants, representing 28% of all migrant taxpayers.

Family migrant taxpayers generated $25 billion in total income. Of these:

• 40% were males and 60% were females who both reported $13 billion (50%) of total family migrants' income respectively
• 63% held a family visa that was granted offshore
• 39% were aged 25 to 34 years of age
   

Family migrant taxpayers mainly held the following visas:

• 88% held a spouse or fiancée visa
• 6.0% held a parent visa
• 3.1% held an other family visa
• 2.7% held a child visa
   

Family stream migrants were most commonly born in the following countries:

• United Kingdom (13%)
• China (12%)
• India 8.4%
   

Family migrants from the United Kingdom reported the highest proportion of family migrant total income at 20% ($5.0 billion), followed by China with 8.0% ($2.0 billion).

In 2016-17, family migrant taxpayers:

• earned $22 billion in employee income
• reported $11 billion (50%) in employee income for both males and females
• who were born in the United Kingdom recorded the highest proportion of family employee income with $4.3 billion (20%)
   

• family migrant taxpayers had median employee income of $40,747
• family migrants aged 35 to 44 years had the highest median family employee income of all age groups at $49,229
• male family migrants aged 35 to 44 years had higher median income at $65,811 than their female counterparts ($39,731)
• family migrants who were born in the United Kingdom recorded the highest median employee income by country of birth at $61,116, consistent with 25% being Professionals
   

Note: Many inter-related factors are known to influence and explain the observed differences in earnings between males and females. These factors include differing rates of labour market participation, variations in hours worked, occupations, forms of employment and working arrangements. (ABS 2014).

Family migrant taxpayers were most commonly employed in the following broad occupation groups, with a higher proportion of females than males:

• 17% were Professionals (11% females, 6.4% males)
• 15% were Community and Personal Service Workers (12% females, 3.3% males)
• 14% were Labourers (7.9% females, 6.4% males)
• 12% were Clerical and Administrative Workers (9.9% females, 2.5% males)
   

By contrast:

• more males than females were employed as Technicians and Trades Workers (males 6.1%, females 2.3%)
• similar proportions of females and males were employed in managerial positions (5.5% females, 5.4% males)
   

The most commonly held more detailed occupations of family stream employees were:

• Personal Carers and Assistants (4.2% of family employees) reporting $792 million in employee income
• Sales Assistants and Salespersons (4.0% of family employees) reporting $564 million in employee income
• Hospitality Workers (17,962 people or 4.0% of family employees) reporting $507 million in employee income
• Cleaners and Laundry Workers (4.0% of family employees) reporting $544 million in employee income
   

Highest median employee incomes of family stream employees were for the following more detailed occupations:

• Medical practitioners ($127,708)
• ICT Managers ($112,870)
• Stationary Plant Operators ($88,401)
• Engineering Professionals ($88,058)
   

Family migrant taxpayers represented 30% of migrant taxpayers who reported own unincorporated business income in 2016-17.

Family migrant taxpayers:

• reported $1.7 billion (27%) of the total business income of migrant taxpayers
• aged 35 to 44 years reported the highest proportion of business income of family migrant taxpayers at 39% ($676 million)
• who were male reported $1.0 billion (59%) of family business income compared with $698 million (41%) reported by females
• had a median own unincorporated business income of $14,039
   

Family migrants employed in the following industries contributed the most to family own unincorporated business income:

• Health Care and Social Assistance (21% or $362 million)
• Construction (19% or $330 million)
• Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (11% or $192 million)
   

Family migrant taxpayers represented 26% of migrant taxpayers who reported investment income in 2016-17.

These family migrant investors:

• reported $1.1 billion (37%) of the total investment income reported by migrant taxpayers
• were most commonly aged 25 to 34 years (38% of family migrant investors)
• had a median investment income of $87
   

Female family migrants:

• reported 67% ($768 million) of family migrants' investment income, more than double that of males who reported 33% ($381 million)
• aged 35 to 44 years reported 25% ($284 million) of family migrants' investment income
• aged 55 years and over reported the highest median investment income of family migrant taxpayers by age group at $1,104
   

In 2016-17 there were 96,500 humanitarian migrants, representing 5.1% of all migrant taxpayers.

Humanitarian migrant taxpayers generated $3.4 billion (3.0%) in total income and had a median total income of $30,365.

Of these humanitarian migrants:

• 67% were males who reported $2.4 billion (71%) of total humanitarian migrant income
• 33% were females who reported $984 million (28.9%) of total humanitarian migrant income
• Over two-thirds (68.7%) of these humanitarian migrant visas were granted offshore
• 34% were aged 25 to 34 years of age
• Sri Lankan born taxpayers had the highest median total income by country of birth at $45,107
   

Humanitarian migrant taxpayers mainly held the following visas:

• 32% Refugee visas (Subclass 200)
• 31% Global Special Humanitarian (Subclass 202)
   

Humanitarian migrants were most commonly born in the following countries:

• 15% were born in Afghanistan
• 13% were born in the Sudan
• 12% were born in Iraq
   

Humanitarian migrants born in Afghanistan reported the highest proportion of humanitarian migrant total income at 14% ($486 million), followed by the Sudan with 13% ($445 million).

In 2016-17, humanitarian migrant taxpayers:

• earned $2.9 billion in employee income
• reported $2.0 billion (70%) by male employees and $865 million (30%) by female employees
• who were born in the Sudan reported $401.2 million (14%) of humanitarian employee income, the highest proportion by country of birth
   

Humanitarian females generally had lower median incomes than males, except for those aged 55 years and over ($37,061 for females, $36,478 for males):

• Humanitarian migrant taxpayers had a median employee income of $32,792
• Males aged 35 to 44 years had the highest humanitarian median employee income at $43,056
• Humanitarian migrants who were born in Sri Lanka recorded the highest humanitarian median employee income by country of birth at $47,742
   

Humanitarian migrant taxpayers were most commonly employed in the following broad occupation groups:

• 27% Labourers (20% males, 6.8% females)
• 14% Community and Personal Service Workers (8.1% females, 5.8% males)
• 11% Technicians and Trades Workers (9.8% males, 1.0% females)
• 9.4% Professionals (4.7% females, 4.7% males)
   

The most commonly held more detailed occupations of humanitarian employees were:

• Cleaners and Laundry Workers (6.1% of humanitarian employees) who earned $151.6 million in employee income
• Personal Carers and Assistants (5.7% of humanitarian employees) who earned $209.7 million in employee income
• Food Process Workers (5.2% of humanitarian employees) who earned $158.3 million in employee income
• Sales Assistants and Salespersons (3.2% of humanitarian employees) who earned $70.4 million in employee income
   

The highest median employee incomes of humanitarian migrant taxpayers were for the following more detailed occupations:

• Medical Practitioners ($111,873)
• ICT Managers ($92,229)
• Defence force members, fire fighters and police ($75,267)
• Business and Systems Analysts, and Programmers ($67,352)
   

Humanitarian migrant taxpayers represented 8.0% of migrant taxpayers who reported own unincorporated business income in 2016-17.

Humanitarian migrant taxpayers:

• reported $452 million was reported (7.2%) of the total business income of migrant taxpayers
• aged 25 to 34 years reported the highest proportion of humanitarian business income by age with 33% ($150 million)
• who were male reported $357 million (79%) of humanitarian business income compared with $95.3 million (21%) reported by females
• had the highest median business income at $16,852, compared with migrant taxpayers from the other visa streams
   

Humanitarian migrants employed in the following industries contributed the most to humanitarian own unincorporated business income:

• Construction (44% or $ 200 million)
• Health Care and Social Assistance (20% or $91 million)
• Transport, Postal and Warehousing (12% or $54 million)
   

Humanitarian migrant taxpayers represented 3% of migrant taxpayers who reported investment income in 2016-17.

These humanitarian migrant investors:

• reported $39 million (1.3%) of the total investment income of migrant taxpayers
• who were males reported 53% ($21 million) of humanitarian investment income, compared with 45% ($18 million) reported by females
• had a median investment income of $40
   

Of these humanitarian migrants by age group:

• females aged 18 to 24 years reported the highest proportion of humanitarian investment income at 23% ($9.1 million)
• males aged 45 to 54 years reported the second highest proportion of humanitarian investment income at 18% ($7.3 million)
• females aged 55 years and over reported the highest median humanitarian investment income at $107, followed by their male counterparts with $72
   

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2014), Australian Labour Market Statistics, July 2014 (cat. no. 6105.0), Understanding Earnings in Australia Using ABS Statistics, Canberra. Viewed at https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/6105.0Feature%20Article55July%202014?opendocument&tabname=Summary∏no=6105.0&issue=July%202014νm=&view=

• A migrant taxpayer is a person aged 15 years and over, who migrated to Australia under a permanent or provisional visa after 1 January 2000 and submitted a tax return for the 2016-17 financial year.
• Business income refers to own unincorporated business income. See the glossary for further details.
• Income amounts for the 2015-16 financial year are noted in real terms (in 2016-17 dollars) and adjusted using changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
   

10/02/2020 - Corrections have been made to the medians in Table 12 of the 2016-17 data cube.