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Covid travel restrictions caused an 85,000-person decline in population in 2020–21
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Australia’s first net migration decline since the Second World War
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The country 473,000 potential immigrants due to Covid
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Net inward migration is currently on course to return to pre-pandemic levels of 235,000 persons per year
Australia lost 473,000 potential immigrants due to Covid, but a Centre for Population study has discovered that net inward migration is currently on course to return to pre-pandemic levels of 235,000 persons per year, reported nriaffairs.com.
According to the study, Covid travel restrictions caused an 85,000-person decline in population in 2020–21, Australia’s first net migration decline since the Second World War.
A “sharp increase in migrant arrivals” following the reopening of borders in late 2021 led to a net inflow of 150,000 migrants in 2021–2022 according to the report. This is expected to rise to the pre-pandemic trend level of 235,000 in 2022–2023 on schedule. According to the report, cumulative nett overseas migration was projected to be 473,000 more people from 2019 to 20 to 2025–26 “had the pandemic not occurred”.
Pre-flight Covid testing was reinstated by the Australian government on December 1 for passengers travelling from China, which sparked concerns that trade, migration, and the arrival of foreign students might be disrupted once more. However, most business and education groups, with the exception of the Business Council of Australia, expressed cautious support for the measure.
Vicki Thomson, the chief executive of the Group of Eight universities, said that although it may “impact students returning to study,” the decision was made “in the best interests of our students and the broader Australian community”.
According to the report, the increase in migration last year was primarily due to returning international students. There were 122,000 more people in Australia in October 2022 than there were in December 2021, including 36,000 more Chinese students, an increase of 90%. Between January and September 2022, awards for offshore student visas were the highest ever, while those for working holiday visas were higher than in 2019.
The Albanese government has raised the permanent migration ceiling from 160,000 to 195,000 during the jobs and skills summit in September 2022; according to the study, this “further strengthened” the return of skilled visa arrivals and family reunions.
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