184,800 Sri Lankans Now Call Australia Home

This exclusive report is brought to you by AUS NEWS LANKA.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australia's Population by Country of Birth, June 2025 (released 29 April 2026)

Australia is one of the world's most diverse countries — and it's getting more diverse every year. New figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), released on 29 April 2026, show just how much the country's migrant communities have changed. For Sri Lankans in Australia, the picture is one of real growth, but also of being outpaced by some fast-rising neighbours.

Australia's Population: Now at 27.7 Million

By September 2025, Australia's population had reached 27,724,744 people — up by 423,600 in just one year. Most of that growth came from overseas migration, which added 311,000 people, with the rest from natural increase (births minus deaths).

The ABS country-of-birth snapshot, taken at 30 June 2025, puts the total at 27.6 million, of which 8.8 million — or 32 per cent — were born overseas. That's the highest share since 1893, and it reflects just how central migration has become to Australia's growth story.

India Overtakes England — A Historic First

For the first time ever, India has become the number one overseas birthplace in Australia's population, nudging past England by just 70 people.

At 30 June 2025, there were 971,020 India-born residents in Australia, compared to 970,950 born in England. It's an incredibly tight margin, but a significant milestone. India's community has more than doubled since 2015, adding 522,000 people in a decade. England, on the other hand, has been slowly shrinking since a peak of over one million in 2013 — largely because that post-World War II British migrant generation is now in its 60s and ageing.

The top ten countries of birth in Australia at June 2025 were: India (971,020), England (970,950), China (732,000), New Zealand (638,000), Philippines (413,000), Vietnam (327,000), South Africa (230,000), Nepal (214,000), Sri Lanka (184,800), and Malaysia (184,000).

Nepal's Remarkable Rise — and What It Means for Sri Lanka

While India's story grabbed the headlines, Nepal's growth has been equally astonishing. In 2015, there were only 50,150 Nepali-born people in Australia. By 2025, that number had soared to 213,580 — a four-fold increase in just ten years.

It was last year (2024) that Nepal's population overtook Sri Lanka's for the first time, pushing Sri Lanka down from eighth to ninth place. The Nepali community is very young — average age of just 30 — and made up mostly of international students and skilled workers.

Sri Lanka: Steady Growth, Ninth Place

At 30 June 2025, there were 184,800 Sri Lanka-born residents in Australia, making it the ninth-largest overseas-born community in the country. That's up from 119,700 in 2015 and 142,700 in 2020 — a 54 per cent increase over the decade. Solid growth, even if it doesn't match the pace of India or Nepal.

The Sri Lankan community has a distinct character. The average age is 40.5 years, which reflects a well-established, settled community, many of whom arrived from the 1980s onwards, including those who fled the civil war. The number of men and women is fairly balanced (107 males per 100 females), which is a sign that many Sri Lankans migrate as families rather than solo.

Victoria is home to most Sri Lankan-Australians. According to 2021 Census data — the most recent state-level figures available — 72,100 Sri Lanka-born residents live there more than any other state. Sri Lankans also appear in the top ten communities in the Northern Territory and the ACT.

One stat worth watching: Sri Lanka (184,800) and Malaysia (184,320) are now separated by just 480 people nationally. The two communities could swap places in next year's figures.

The Bigger Picture

The data tells a clear story about Australia's changing identity. The old post-war migration story — built on England, Italy, and Greece — is fading as those communities age. Italy dropped out of Australia's top ten birthplaces in 2024 for the first time since 1901.

In their place, South and South-East Asian communities are driving growth. India leads, but China, the Philippines, Nepal, and Sri Lanka are all part of a new wave reshaping the country.

For Sri Lankan-Australians, the 2025 numbers confirm a community that is established, growing, and deeply woven into Australian life — nearly 185,000 people strong, with families, careers, and roots across the country.

All population figures are ABS Estimated Resident Population as at 30 June 2025 (preliminary), released 29 April 2026. The total Australian population of 27,724,744 is as at 30 September 2025, from ABS National, State and Territory Population.