MIGRATION AND POPULATION GROWTH

Each year Australia's population increases as a result of both natural increase and NOM. While natural increase has remained relatively stable, NOM has been far more volatile and in recent years has accounted for over half of the population growth at the national level (figure 2.1).

At 30 June 2010, the Australian population (ERP) was 22.3 million people. Over the preceding 12 months, the population increased by 377,100 persons, representing a growth rate of 1.7% (table 2.2). In 2009-10, the preliminary estimate of NOM was 215,600 persons, representing 57% of Australia's population growth for the year. The remainder (43%) of this growth was due to natural increase.

Over the last 20 financial years, natural increase has generally contributed more to Australia's annual population growth than NOM. However during the past five years, NOM has increased to become the major contributor to population growth (figure 2.1). The contribution of NOM to population growth reached a high of 66% in 2008-09 and a low of 17% in 1992-93. The low coincided with an economic downturn in Australia in the early 1990s.

The year ended 30 June 2010 showed a continuation of trends in population growth observed over the past two decades, with relatively stable natural increase and fluctuating NOM. These fluctuations were largely the result of changes in the Australian Government's immigration targets, movement of New Zealand citizens to and from Australia, movement of temporary migrants, continuing demand for skilled migrants and an increase in international students studying in Australia. For a more in depth analysis of NOM see Chapter 3.




1 United Nations Population Division, World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision. Accessed 17 May 2011. <back

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