A decrease in the number of migrants moving to Australia because of the pandemic has resulted in the lowest population growth Australia has seen in more than 100 years.
According to the 2020-21 Migration Program, net overseas migration to Australia will be significantly lower than 2019-20, which will account for the lowest population growth Australia has had in over a century.
Although unfortunate, the depleted population growth is unsurprising, given that the pandemic has forced the entire world to go into lockdown with virtually every country imposing travel restrictions and border closures.
The coronavirus pandemic has also affected Australian immigration, with the Australian Migration Program being on the receiving end of a particularly devastating impact.
Because of travel restrictions and border closures, the number of migrants travelling to Australia has been lower than before, which has created disruptions for Australian businesses as a result of leaving thousands of Australian visa holders – both temporary and permanent – stranded offshore.
Moreover, the global lockdown has been harmful to the Australian tourism and travel industry as well, which in turn has wounded the economy.
However, as Australia comes to grips with the difficulties created by the pandemic, borders will start to reopen, and migration numbers will increase to around 201,000 in 2023-24 – the silver lining promised by Australia’s Migration Program.
