The Australian diaspora are those Australians living outside of Australia. It includes approximately 598,765 Australian-born people living outside of Australia,[1] people who are Australian citizens and live outside Australia, and people with Australian ancestry who live outside of Australia.
In 2020, 2.34% of the Australian population lived overseas, which is lower than most OECD countries, except the USA (0.89%) and Japan (0.64%).[1]
The diaspora was reported on in a 2003 Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) research report, "Australia's Diaspora: Its Size, Nature and Policy Implications".[13] The report argued for an Australian government policy of maintaining active contact with the diaspora.
In contrast to many countries which experience a "brain drain" due to emigration, the 2003 CEDA report argued that emigration was a net positive for Australia, with the country seeing "brain circulation" as Australians added to their skills and expertise, and a "brain gain", as these skilled expatriates tended to return to Australia and new skilled immigrants arrive.[13] Between 1999 and 2003, there were seven highly educated migrants to Australia for every one highly educated Australian who was living elsewhere in countries within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).[15] Levels of skilled immigration to Australia reflect Government policies to "practise a selective immigration policy based on human capital criteria".[16]
In 2021, 165,000 Australian-born people lived in the United Kingdom.[2] The 2011 UK Census recorded 113,592 residents born in Australia in England, 2,695 in Wales,[17] 8,279 in Scotland,[18] and 1,750 in Northern Ireland.[19]
In 2019, there were 98,619 Australian-born people living in the United States.[3] In 2001, the major places of residence were: 25,000 living in Los Angeles; 17,000 in San Francisco; 17,000 in Washington, D.C.; and 15,000 in New York.[20]
In 2018, there were 75,696 Australian-born people living in New Zealand.[4] The Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement enables Australians and New Zealanders to migrate between Australia and New Zealand without complying with usual immigration requirements.
In 2021 there were 26,000 Australian-born people living in Germany.[21] In recent years,[when?] the number of Australians living abroad in Germany has increased.
Comparison with the expatriate populations of other countries[edit]
In 2020, 2.34% of the Australian population lived overseas, which is lower than most OECD countries, except the USA (0.89%) and Japan (0.64%).
Education levels of Australian expatriates were high: 44% of Australian expatriates in other OECD countries had a high level of education.[22] Japanese expatriates had the highest proportion, with 50% having a high level of education. 49% of expatriates from the USA had a high education as did 45% of expatriates from New Zealand.[15]
^Dumont, Jean-Christophe Dumont; Georges Lemaître (2005). "Counting immigrants and expatriates in OECD countries: a new perspective"(pdf (34 pages)). Paris: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development: Directorate for Employment Labour and Social Affairs, DELSA. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
^Notes on education levels from the ABS: (c) High level includes ISCED5A: Academic tertiary, ISCED5B: Vocational tertiary, ISCED 6: Advanced research. (d) Overall, 3% of OECD expatriates in the OECD had no information on educational attainment. These have been excluded from the total in calculating the proportion. (e) The migrant to expatriate ratio for people with a high level of education for a particular country is: the ratio of the number of migrants from other OECD countries with a high level of education living in that country, to the number of that country's expatriates with a high level of education.
Graeme Hugo (13 February 2006). "An Australian Diaspora?". International Migration. 44 (1). International Organization for Migration: 105–133. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2435.2006.00357.x.
Graeme Hugo (2006). "Australian experience in skilled migration". In Christiane Kuptsch; Pang Eng Fong; Eng Fong Pang (eds.). Competing for Global Talent. International Labour Organization. pp. 143–145. ISBN978-92-9014-776-3.