For the first time, Indians have overtaken the British as the largest migrant group in Australia, with 971,020 Indian-born individuals, representing 5.2% of the total population. This shift comes as the number of English-born residents has declined from over 1 million in 2013 to 970,950. The third-largest group consists of individuals born in China, numbering 732,000, followed by 638,000 from New Zealand. Immigration has historically played a vital role in Australia's economic growth, enabling the nation to sidestep recession since the early 1990s, except for a brief downturn during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite a population dip in 2021 due to border closures, the proportion of overseas-born residents has risen annually, reaching 32% in 2025 from 29.5% in 2022. However, immigration has become a divisive political issue, particularly as Australia faces its most severe housing shortage in a generation. This situation has bolstered support for the populist One Nation party, led by Pauline Hanson, who has long campaigned against immigration.