Indians in Australia
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Migration
During the 19th century, most Indian immigration to Australia consisted of labourers that accompanied British subjects from India. Many worked as hawkers and agricultural labourers. The introduction of the White Australia Policy at the turn of the 20th century significantly restricted Indian immigration, except British colonials from India. There was an increased number of British citizens born in India migrating to Australia alongside Anglo-Indians after India gained independence from Britain in 1947. Once Australia relaxed the White Australia Policy, a broader range of Indians began arriving, including many professionals such as doctors, engineers and those with technical and computer skills.
Today, Indian community is one of the fastest growing in Australia, ranking within the top five migrant populations. In 2023, those born in India made up the second largest migrant group in Australia.1 This growth has been consistent, with 31.2% of people born in India arriving in the period between 2001 to 2010, 21.0% arriving between 2011 to 2015, and 34.8% arriving between 2016 to 2021.2 As of 2023, there are over 846,000 people born in India living in Australia.1
The most common pathways for Indians to gain permanent Australian residency are through skilled migration, sponsored employment or partner visas. Many Indians with a background in software and programming have gained temporary work or skilled migration visas due to the demand for their skills in Australia. International students from India studying in Australia also contribute to the Indian community. According to the Department of Education, those born in India make up the second largest cohort of international students in 2024 at approximately 139,038 students.3
Demographic in Australia
The demographic of Indians in Australia reflects the fact that most have arrived as young professionals or workers. In the 2021 census, the median age was 35, with 61.7% between the ages of 25 to 44 years old.2 The rate of qualifications among Indians is notably high — 64.3% of those born in India aged 15 years and over hold a bachelors degree or higher, compared to the average 37.5% of those born overseas and 22.7% of those born in Australia.2 Among those aged 15 years and older, 79.1% participate in the labour force with 7.4% employed in computer system design and related services, 6.0% employed in hospitals, and 4.4% employed in aged care residential services.2
The Indian community in Australia is incredibly diverse. People have come from many parts of India and belong to various religious, linguistic and cultural groups. The vibrant and diverse cultures of India are maintained through a range of organisations, events and festivals throughout the country. Such organisations and activities provide a support network for the Indian community.
The cultural diversity of those born in India is reflected in the languages spoken at home where it is common for people to speak their native language, such as Punjabi (26.4%), Hindi (18.8%), Malayalam (8.7%), Gujarati (8.5%), Telugu (7.4%), Tamil (6.0%), Marathi (2.8%), Urdu (2.2%), Kannada (1.8%) and Bengali (1.1%).4 The India-born population is also religiously diverse, contributing to Australia’s religious landscape through the construction of Hindu and Sikh places of worship. As of 2021, 51.0% of those born in India identified as Hindu, 22.1% identified as Sikh, 10.6% identified as Catholic and 4.2% identified as Muslim.2