Nepalis in Australia
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While Nepalis started arriving in Australia around the 1980s, the numbers were relatively low until recent years. According to the 2021 census, the majority (60%) of Nepal-born people in Australia have arrived since 2015.1 This has seen the Nepali community become one of the fastest-growing immigrant populations in Australia, growing from just over 24,600 people in 2011 to more than 122,500 in 2021.2
The vast majority of Nepali migrants arrive in Australia on temporary visas. From 2023 to 2024, 89% of all visas granted to Nepal nationals were temporary (89,743), mostly student and visitor visas.3 Of the 11,506 permanent visas granted to Nepali nationals, roughly 95% were skilled migrant visas.3 Student and skilled migration from Nepal has largely consisted of men, commonly bringing their female spouses and other immediate family members with them as dependents on their visa. However, recent shifts have seen an increase in women entering as the primary visa holder, either unaccompanied or accompanied.4
Migration opportunities are often inaccessible to individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds or those residing in isolated rural areas in Nepal. Therefore, the majority of Nepalis who migrate to Australia tend to come from urban areas and have relatively high levels of education. Among the Nepal-born population in Australia, 28.3% have attained a tertiary-level education (including vocational training or university degrees), and 52.1% of those aged 15 and over hold a bachelor’s degree or higher.5
Despite their professional skillsets, many Nepali migrants face significant settlement challenges that disrupt their socioeconomic status. Not all qualifications obtained in Nepal are recognised in Australia, which may compel individuals to accept work that does not reflect their training or professional experience. This can be particularly damaging to some Nepalis’ sense of pride and self-worth, as certain occupations are culturally associated with lower-caste groups and carry stigma. For instance, a person with a degree in engineering may find themselves working in service-based roles such as hotel cleaning or taxi driving. This situation is particularly common among the spouses of skilled migrant visa holders, who often take on lower-level interim jobs while their partners work in professional or managerial roles.