The number of migrants to Australia is rising as a result of overstaying visas, backpackers, and overseas students. Policies are changing as a result of population increase exceeding projections.


International students, backpackers, and visa overstayers are the main causes of Australia’s increasing migrant population, which is predicted to surpass forecasts, according to Education Minister Jason Clare. The rapid return of overseas students following the epidemic, the rise in backpackers, and visa overstays are the three main causes of Australia’s current “too high” migration rates, according to Clare.

The population of the country exceeded 27.1 million, according to the most recent figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), with 388,000 foreign immigrants entering in the first nine months of the 2023–24 fiscal year. This increase guarantees that migration will exceed the 395,000 target stated in the most recent budget.

Australia Migration Trends Overview

Statistic	Value
Total Australian Population (2024)	Over 27.1 million
Overseas Migrants (2023-24 FY)	388,000
Projected Migration (2023 Budget)	395,000
Key Contributing Factors	International Students,
_	Backpackers, Visa Overstayers
Net Overseas Migration (March 2024)	509,800
Population Growth (Western Australia)	3.1%
Population Growth (Victoria)	2.7%
Population Growth (Queensland)	2.5%
Population Growth (NSW)	2%
Net Departures from NSW	112,838
Net Departures from Queensland	76,000
Net Departures from Victoria	57,000

Speaking on Sunrise, Mr. Clare underlined the necessity of lowering migration rates and proposed a solution that would cap the number of international students admitted to 270,000 by 2024.

Clare declared, “Immigration is too high, and we must bring it down,” mentioning further factors that have contributed to the surge in migration. “International students, backpackers, and visa overstayers are the main factors driving these numbers.”

Regarding the proposed cap for overseas students, Deputy Liberal Leader Susan Ley stated that the Coalition is now examining the idea. She underlined the importance of having a full conversation about the wider effects on different communities and businesses.

The ABS statistics revealed a noteworthy trend of internal movement in addition to migration, with over 100,000 Australians relocating inside states. Interestingly, there was a significant exodus from New South Wales (NSW), with over 112,000 residents moving to other regions of the nation and over 73,000 going abroad.

Due to both intrastate and foreign migration, there was a net loss in population in Tasmania, New South Wales, South Australia, and the Northern Territory. Queensland welcomed almost 200,000 new residents despite losing 76,000 to neighbouring states and 39,171 to foreign countries. In addition, more than 74,000 people relocated within Victoria, while about 57,000 left for foreign countries.

With a 3.1% annual population growth, Western Australia saw the greatest increase in population, thanks to an intake of 86,443 foreigners and 36,145 interstate migrants. Despite this, Sydney and Melbourne continued to be the most popular places for foreign migrants to settle, with over 440,000 newcomers calling these cities home.

Migration Movements by State

State/Territory	Residents Leaving	Residents Gaining	Net Migration Change
New South Wales (NSW)	112,838	N/A	Negative
Queensland	76,000	200,000	Positive
Victoria	57,000	N/A	Negative
Western Australia	N/A	86,443	Positive
Tasmania	N/A	N/A	Low Growth (0.4%)
Northern Territory	N/A	N/A	Low Growth (0.8%)

Expert in ABS demographics Beidar Cho clarified that net migration outside accounted for 83% of the nation’s population growth, with natural causes like births and deaths accounting for the remaining 17%. The yearly net migration abroad in March 2024 was 509,800, a decrease from the peak of approximately 560,000 in September 2023.

With a 3.1% population rise, Western Australia saw the biggest gain, followed by Victoria (2.7%), Queensland (2.5%), and Western Australia. Tasmania’s 0.4% growth rate was the slowest. South Australia’s population increased by 1.5%, the ACT’s by 1.8%, and NSW’s by 2%. The population of the Northern Territory grew by 0.8%, while Tasmania experienced the least growth, at 0.4%.