A new government-backed report prepared by the University of Queensland for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has revealed that Australia’s Indian community has grown nearly fourfold since 2006, reaching close to one million people. The Understanding Australia’s Indian Communities: A Statistical Snapshot, released in 2025, details how the diaspora has become one of the country’s most dynamic migrant groups, reshaping labour markets, business, and cultural life.
According to the 2021 Census, there were 988,270 people of Indian background in Australia, a 3.7-fold increase since 2006. First-generation arrivals now number 673,352, with nearly half entering as students. Retention rates are high, with 77 per cent of Indian international students still in the country after seven years, compared to just over half of international students overall.
This growth is young and highly educated. Most arrivals are aged between 25 and 44, and 68 per cent hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, far above the national average. Yet the report notes that many remain underrepresented in managerial roles despite their qualifications. While the labour force participation rate for Indian-born migrants stands at 85 per cent, higher than that of Australian-born residents, graduates are more likely to be found in professional or low-skilled jobs than in leadership positions.
Behind the numbers are personal stories that capture the broader experience. Priya, an academic whose journey is detailed in the report, moved to Australia with her family on a permanent visa. Facing cultural adjustment and financial pressure, she found strength in community support. “The support from friends and the community has been incredible. They have helped me navigate personal and professional challenges,” she says. After completing her PhD, she secured work in higher education and co-founded Green Humans, an organisation running environmental education programs in Indian schools. Her experience reflects how international students adapt, build careers, and contribute to civic life. “Australia is a beautiful country to live in. I feel like this is my home now,” she says.
From Priya’s research career to Esha Oberoi’s healthcare enterprise, the lived experiences behind the data show how Australia’s Indian diaspora is contributing across sectors while building new forms of connection between two nations
Entrepreneurship is another key marker of the diaspora’s role. The number of Indian-owned businesses has grown from 30,000 in 2016 to over 50,000 in 2021. The report links each one per cent increase in the Indian-born population with the creation of 123 medium and six large enterprises. Esha Oberoi’s story illustrates this trajectory. Migrating from India as a child, she left school in Year 11 before entering the aged care sector. In 2008 she launched her own venture, Leora Healthcare, which now provides aged care, disability, and mental health services across Australia and New Zealand. The company has been repeatedly recognised as one of the AFR’s Best Places to Work, with a model that emphasises staff wellbeing and psychological safety. Oberoi’s path from disengagement to entrepreneurship mirrors the resilience and innovation the report highlights across the diaspora.
Geographically, Indian migration remains concentrated in Melbourne at 34 per cent and Sydney at 29 per cent, but regional areas are seeing rapid growth. Tasmania and regional Victoria have recorded more than 200 per cent increases in Indian-born residents since 2016. Communities tend to settle where job opportunities and co-ethnic networks exist, though high living costs continue to shape long-term retention.
The report also underlines political influence. By 2021, 52 per cent of Indian-born residents had taken up citizenship, enabling them to vote and participate more fully in public life. Researchers found high levels of civic engagement, with many showing flexible political affiliations rather than strict party loyalties.
Projections suggest the Indian-born population in Australia will rise from 0.7 million in 2021 to 1.7 million by 2041, surpassing one million as soon as 2026. As this growth continues, the report argues, the challenge will be ensuring pathways to permanent residency, improving access to managerial roles, and addressing settlement pressures in cities and regions alike.
The snapshot paints a picture of a community that is not only reshaping demographics but also driving business creation, strengthening bilateral trade, and enriching cultural and civic life. From Priya’s research career to Esha Oberoi’s healthcare enterprise, the lived experiences behind the data show how Australia’s Indian diaspora is contributing across sectors while building new forms of connection between two nations.
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