The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) latest overseas migrant statistics, reveal the biggest single-year jump in Australia’s population, adding 518,000 people in the 2023 financial year. Arrivals are up 73 per cent from a year ago.
The ABS has highlighted an annual change increase of 6.9 per cent of skilled (permanent) visas, the highest increase of all permanent visas. Working holiday visas increased by nearly 50 per cent. It shows the top five countries of birth contributing to net overseas migration as India, China, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and Australia.
Flight Centre Corporate (FCM Travel and Corporate Traveller) has seen a large increase in skilled workers and working holiday travellers entering the country, with business travellers from India, China, the Philippines and the United Kingdom having an average increase of travel into Australia of 98.5 per cent in the 2023, compared to the previous year.
Flight Centre Corporate ANZ Managing Director / FCM Global COO Melissa Elf said business travel had grown significantly in 2023, driven by the education, mining, health, construction and government sectors.
“Over the last 12 months we’ve seen large growth in inbound business travel bookings, with travel from the Philippines, New Zealand, South Africa and China at least doubling compared to 2022,” Ms Elf said. “This is closely followed by inbound business travel from countries such as the U.S. which has grown by 93%, and India and the UK by 73% and 72%.”
“Sydney and Melbourne remain the most popular destination points, but as we see an increase in travel in the mining sector, travel into key mining destinations such as Perth, and even Brisbane, has grown.” She said.