NOM by age and sex
The net of overseas migration by age and sex is the difference between each arrival added to the population by age and sex (NOM arrivals) and each departure subtracted from the population by age and sex (NOM departures). For those travellers contributing to NOM in 2008-09, the sex ratio (the number of males per 100 females) was 107. For those contributing to NOM arrivals it was 106, whereas for those contributing to NOM departures it was 105 males per 100 females.
The main effect of NOM on the age structure of Australia's population is that it results in a larger proportion of persons of early working age (15-34 years) as shown in Figure 3.5. Each year, however, NOM has little effect on the overall age structure of Australia's total population when compared to the far stronger impact that an increase in the birth rate can provide, in particular to that of an ageing population. In addition, the impact temporary migration has on the NOM population age structure is substantial for persons aged 15-34 years (see Figure 3.17). However, once temporary migrants are removed from the age structure, those migrants left in Australia have very little impact on Australia's age structure.
In 2008-09, persons aged 15-34 years comprised 67% of NOM compared to 28% of Australia's total population. Persons aged 0-14 years comprised 16% of NOM and 19% of Australia's population, and persons aged 65 years and over comprised just 0.3% of NOM but 13% of Australia's population (see Figure 3.5).
Just three years earlier in 2005-06, prior to the large increase in temporary arrivals (with data also based on the 12/16 month rule - see Glossary), persons aged 15-34 years comprised 58% of NOM, nine percentage points lower than in 2008-09. The majority of this recent growth is mainly from international students aged in their early 20s.
3.5 Australian and NOM population structures, Age and sex - 2008-09
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