NET OVERSEAS MIGRATION

Net overseas migration (NOM) is the net gain or loss of population through immigration to Australia and emigration from Australia. Data provided by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) is used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to calculate the official NOM estimates each quarter.

In 2010-11, NOM continued to decline since reaching its record high in 2008-09. Preliminary NOM in 2010-11 was estimated at 170,300 persons, which was 13% (25,800 persons) less than in 2009-10.

In 2010-11, NOM contributed the greatest number of people to the most populous states: New South Wales with a net of 50,200 persons, followed by Victoria (45,700), Queensland (31,300) and Western Australia (30,800). The Northern Territory had the lowest with a net of 630 persons (see table 2.2). For the most up-to-date official estimates of NOM by state and territory produced by the ABS see Australian Demographic Statistics Quarterly (cat. no. 3101.0). For the most up-to-date forecasts of NOM produced by DIAC see The Outlook for Net Overseas Migration: March 2012.

2.2 NOM, Selected characteristics - State & territory - 2010-11(a)
	NOM		NOM ARRIVALS			NOM DEPARTURES
			Overseas arrivals	Median age	Sex ratio(b)	Overseas departures	Median age	Sex ratio(b)
State or territory	no.	%	no.	years	ratio	no.	years	ratio
NSW	50 186	29.5	141 161	27.4	99.4	90 975	28.7	103.5
Vic.	45 744	26.9	105 519	26.6	97.0	59 775	27.5	106.9
Qld	31 266	18.4	82 409	26.5	99.5	51 143	27.9	104.0
SA	8 667	5.1	19 658	26.1	97.8	10 991	27.4	106.1
WA	30 805	18.1	60 084	27.2	107.9	29 279	28.7	113.9
Tas.	995	0.6	3 396	27.5	101.5	2 401	28.7	103.8
NT	630	0.4	4 375	29.1	109.8	3 745	30.5	130.0
ACT	1 981	1.2	7 288	27.4	102.8	5 307	28.9	103.8
Australia(c)	170 279	100.0	423 897	27.0	100.1	253 618	28.2	106.0
(a) Estimates for 2010-11 are preliminary - see Explanatory Notes 9-10.
(b) Males per 100 females.
(c) Includes Other Territories.

An individual's actual travel behaviour and associated characteristics, including visa type, are only available from final NOM data, as these can only be accurately recorded at the end of the 16 month reference period following a traveller's initial border crossing.

The Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) manages and grants visas each year in accordance with relevant legislation, government planning and policy. It is important to note that there is a difference between when and how many visas are granted by DIAC; and when and how they may impact on NOM and therefore Australia's estimated resident population (ERP). For example, for many visas there can be a lag between a visa being granted and the actual use of that visa by the applicant on entering Australia. Also, some travellers who have been granted permanent or long-term temporary visas may end up staying in Australia for a short period of stay or not at all. In addition, travellers may also apply for, and be granted, a different visa whilst in Australia or overseas. However, without an additional border crossing within the reference quarter to capture a traveller's change of visa, the NOM system is unable to incorporate these occurrences.

Table 2.3 shows a breakdown of the types of visa groups which have contributed to final NOM. It shows that temporary visa holders are still the main contributors to NOM in 2009-10.

2.3 NOM, by major groupings and visa(a) - Australia - 2009-10
		NOM ARRIVAL		NOM DEPARTURE		NOM
Major groupings and visa		no.	%	no.	%	no.	%
Temporary visas		211 458.0	48.3	104 951	43.4	106 507	54.3
	Vocational education and training sector	25 710	5.9	9 880	4.1	15 830	8.1
	Higher education sector	56 494	12.9	24 205	10.0	32 289	16.5
	Student other	25 039	5.7	8 268	3.4	16 771	8.6
	Business long-stay (subclass 457)	26 225	6.0	14 599	6.0	11 626	5.9
	Visitor(b)	40 319	9.2	16 241	6.7	24 078	12.3
	Working holiday	33 031	7.5	15 034	6.2	17 997	9.2
	Other temporary visas	4 640	1.1	16 724	6.9	-12 084	-6.2
Permanent Visas		84 014	19.2	6 388	2.6	77 626	39.6
	Family	34 592	7.9	2 531	1.0	32 061	16.4
	Skill	39 564	9.0	3 779	1.6	35 785	18.3
	Special eligibility and humanitarian	9 858	2.3	78	-	9 780	5.0
New Zealand citizen (subclass 444)		39 586	9.0	18 432	7.6	21 154	10.8
Australian citizen		79 042	18.0	83 339	34.5	-4 297	-2.2
Other(c)		23 828	5.4	28 762	11.9	-4 934	-2.5
Total		437 928	100.0	241 872	100.0	196 056	100.0
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) The visa category information in this table represents the number of visas based on the visa type at the time of a traveller's specific movement. It is this specific movement that has been used to calculate NOM. Therefore, the number of visas in this table should not be confused with information on the number of visas granted by DIAC.
(b) Visitor visas include tourists, business visitors, medical treatment and other.
(c) Includes residents returning (i.e. non Australian citizens who are permanent residents), onshore visas and visa unknown.

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