Migration has returned as source of population growth in Australia, new data shows.

Australia saw a net gain of 170,900 people in the last financial year through overseas migration as the COVID-induced border restrictions ended.

New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows that migrant arrivals to Australia increased 171 per cent to 395,000 from 146,000 arrivals a year ago while migrant departures decreased 3 per cent to 224,000 from 230,900 departures in the previous year.

The ABS data shows net overseas migration in every state and territory increased in 2021-22 when compared with 2020-21.

The 2020-21 figures show a net loss of 85,000 people.

Historically, more people migrate to Australia than migrate away each year, meaning overseas migration has been a significant source of population gain for Australia rather than loss.

The ABS says the COVID-19 pandemic and international travel restrictions added had an impact on Australia’s usually steady population growth.

“The easing of COVID-19 international travel restrictions in 2021 has driven this increase in migrant arrivals, however there were still fewer migrant arrivals than prior to the pandemic,” the ABS said.

“From 2015-16 to 2019-20, the average number of migrant arrivals was 523,000 per year, with 61 per cent of these arriving on temporary visas. In 2020-21, this proportion dropped to 20 per cent, however it returned to 61 per cent in 2021-22.

“There was an 84 per cent increase in migrant arrivals for permanent visas holders in 2021-22 compared with 2020-21.

“The number of migrant departures in 2021-22 decreased to 224,000 departures, down from 231,000 the year before. This is a decrease of 3 per cent on the previous year.

“From 2015-16 to 2019-20, the average number of migrant departures was 294,000 per year with 52 per cent of these departing on temporary visas. In 2020-21, this proportion increased to 63 per cent however in 2021-22 it decreased to 46 per cent,” the ABS said.

The ABS also released data on population and the labour market

The data shows Australia’s population was 25,978,935 people at 30 June 2022.

Queensland had the highest population growth rate with 2 per cent while Tasmania and the Northern Territory had the smallest growth rates with .6 per cent.

The ABS said natural increase was the major contributor to population change in Western Australia while net interstate migration was the major contributor to population change in Queensland, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory.

Net overseas migration was the major contributor to change in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania.

The ABS data also showed the number of people living in Australia’s capital cities more than doubled in the last 50 years.

Melbourne and Sydney had the largest growth, Darwin and Canberra grew the fastest.

Sydney and Melbourne had their first population decline in 2020-21, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The population of Australia’s capital cities more than doubled in the past 50 years, increasing by 8.7 million people. In 1971, 8.6 million Australians lived in a capital city. By 2021, this number had increased to 17.3 million people,” the ABS said. 

Between 1971 and 2021: Melbourne had the largest population growth (up by 2.4 million people), followed by Sydney (2.2 million)

Hobart (93,900) and Darwin (109,800) had the smallest population growth. Darwin (up by 282 per cent) was the fastest growing capital, followed by Canberra (200 (per cent) and Perth (194 per cent)

Australia’s jobless rate remained steady in November even as the economy added about 2,000 jobs a day, underscoring the tight conditions in the labour market.

The unemployment rate last month was 3.4 per cent with employers taking on 64,000 extra positions

A record number of workers – nearly 900,000 – are working two or more jobs as younger Australians in low-paid jobs scramble to keep up with the cost of living.

And the days also shows that in the 12 months to September, the number of workers with multiple jobs rose to nearly 900,000, and a record high of 6.5 per cent of all workers hold more than one job.

“That shows us that people are now more likely than ever before to be working more than one job, although it’s only still slightly above where it was,” the ABS said.

Almost one in ten of those earning less than $1000 a week in their main job (8.9 per cent) were picking up extra jobs, while only one in 20 workers earning more than $1000 a week (4.5 per cent) took on extra work.

There are 895,900 people with multiple jobs in Australia. More than 13.8 million people are employed across the country.

See more data here: Overseas Migration, 2021-22 financial year | Australian Bureau of Statistics (abs.gov.au)