Asian immigration to Australia
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Asian immigration to Australia refers to immigration to Australia from part of the continent of Asia, which includes East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia.The first major wave of Asian immigration to Australia occurred in the late 19th century, but the exclusionary White Australia policy, which was implemented to restrict non-European immigration, made it difficult for many Asian immigrants to migrate to the country. However, with the passage of the Migration Act 1958, the White Australia policy began to be phased out and Asian immigration to Australia increased significantly. Today, Asian immigrants from a wide range of countries play an important role in the cultural and economic landscape of Australia.
History
Early immigration, 2300–2000 BCE
A study of Indigenous Australian DNA has found that Indigenous Australians may have mixed with people of Indian origin about 4,200 years ago, around 2000 BCE.[1] This is supported by evidence of flint tools and Indian dogs being introduced from India at this time, as well as changes in tool technology and food processing in the Australian archaeological record.[2]
There are two theories for this migration of genes from India to Australia.
Pre-colonial era, 1627–1787 CE
It is also known that northern
Colonial era, 1788-1900 CE
Indian immigration to Australia
The first Indians arrived in Australia with the British settlers who established a new colony in 1788.[9] These people included seamen, marines, their families, government officials, and convicts, including women and children. Many of these convicts were from other parts of Great Britain, including Ireland, and about 1% were from the British outposts in India and Canada, Maoris from New Zealand, Chinese from Hong Kong, and slaves from the Caribbean.[10][11][12][13][14] Between 1788 and 1868, approximately 164,000 convicts were transported to the Australian colonies on 806 ships, some of which stopped in India on their journey.[15][16][17]
Malay immigration to Australia
Malay labourers were brought to Australia to work in the copra, sugarcane, pearl diving, and trepang industries.[18] The Cocos Islands saw the arrival of Malays as slaves under Alexander Hare in 1826, but they were later employed as coconut harvesters for copra. Ajoup, a 22-year-old Malay convict, may have been the first Malay immigrant to Australia, arriving in Sydney on 11 January 1837. Ajoup was sentenced in Cape Town, South Africa, to 14 years transportation to New South Wales, and received his ticket of leave (i.e. his freedom) in the colony in 1843.[18]
Indentured Labour, 1848–1853
Chinese Immigrants
Between 1848 and 1853, over 3,000 Chinese workers on labour contracts arrived in
Indian Immigrants
In the late 1830s, more Indians began to arrive in Australia as
Gold rush, 1850s–1860s
Singaporean Immigrants
Singaporean migration to Australia began during the gold rush period, which took place in the 1850s and 1860s. At the time, both Singapore and Australia were British colonies, so movement between the two territories was relatively common.[25]
Pre-federation Chinese migration
The gold rush period of the 1850s and 1860s saw the largest pre-federation Chinese migration to Australia, with numbers peaking around 40,000. In 1857 alone, around 15,000 Chinese immigrants arrived in the first half of the year. That same year restrictions were put on Chinese migration into Australia due to
Origins of Chinese immigrants
Most of the people who came to Australia for the
Method of travel and demographics of Chinese immigrants
The average voyage from
Very few Chinese women came to Australia during this period. In 1861, at least 38,000 Chinese people lived in the Australian colonies with the vast majority being men.[27] On the goldfields in Bendigo in 1861 there were 5,367 Chinese men and only one Chinese woman.[6] By 1861, there were around 40,000 Chinese people living in Australia, constituting 3.3% of the total population.[28]
Late 19th Century, 1860s–1901
Indians in Outback Australia, 1860s–1901
In the
Cameleers, 1860s–1900
During the period from the 1860s to 1900, small groups of
Indonesians in Australia, 1870s–1901
Beginning in the 1870s, Indonesian workers were recruited to work in
Japanese in Australia, Late 19th Century-Early 20th century
The first recorded Japanese migrant to Australia settled in the country in 1871. However, it was not until the 1880s, following the lifting of restrictions, that Japanese immigration to Australia began in earnest.
Immigration Restriction Act of 1901 and White Australia Policy, 1901–1973
The Immigration Restriction Act of 1901, also known as the "White Australia policy," was one of the first pieces of legislation passed following the establishment of the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 January 1901. This policy placed restrictions on non-European immigration and made it difficult for Asian immigrants to migrate to Australia.[33] The act required that all migrants pass a European language dictation test to remain in the country, which most Asian immigrants were unable to pass due to the discretion of immigration officials.[34] The White Australia policy was intended to keep Australia predominantly white, with 98% of the population being white at the time.[35] In 1958, the requirement to pass the dictation test was removed, and in 1975, the Racial Discrimination Act effectively ended the White Australia policy by allowing for more Asian immigration to Australia.[36]
Korean Immigration to Australia
There is evidence of a small number of
Chinese Australians in the 20th century
During the 20th century, over 200 people with Chinese heritage fought for Australia in World War I and a similar number fought in World War II. During the inter-war period, Australian-born people of Chinese background began to outnumber Chinese-born people in Australia for the first time. The anti-Japanese War also helped inspire the development of organizations focused on China and aimed at making Australians aware of the danger of Japan and the need to assist China.
Thai Immigration to Australia
The first notable Thai to arrive in Australia was Butra Mahintra, sent by
Japanese Immigration to Australia
Japanese
World War II, 1941–1945
Japanese Internment
During
Immigration from Southeast Asia
Thousands of Indonesians fled the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies and took refuge in Australia. Exact landing statistics were not kept, but after the war, 3,768 repatriated to Indonesia on Australian government-provided ships.[40]
Forced Relocation of Chinese Australians in Darwin
During WWII, the
Post-war immigration
The government began to expand access to citizenship for non-Europeans in 1957 by allowing access to 15-year residents, and in 1958 by reforming entry permits via the Migration Act 1958. In March 1966, the immigration ministry began a policy of allowing the immigration of skilled and professional non-Europeans, and of expanding the availability of temporary residency to these groups. These cumulatively had the effect of increasing immigration numbers from non-European countries. In 1973, prime minister Gough Whitlam took steps to dismantle the White Australia and to bring about a more non-discriminatory immigration policy—temporarily bringing down overall immigration numbers. The eventual evolution of immigration policy has been along a trajectory of non-discrimination, dismantling European-only policies, and the broadening of pathways to citizenship for Asians.[45]
Repatriation of Japanese and Taiwanese Internees
Following the
Migration from Dutch East Indies (Indonesia)
In the 1950s, around 10,000 people from the former Dutch East Indies, who held Dutch citizenship and had previously settled in the Netherlands, migrated to Australia, bypassing the White Australia policy. In the late 1990s, many Chinese Indonesians began migrating to Australia as well, fleeing political and economic turmoil in Indonesia following the May 1998 riots and the fall of Suharto.[46]
Transfer of Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands from Singapore to Australia
In 1955 and 1958, the territories of
The Colombo Plan
In 1950, the Australian government established the Colombo Plan, a program that sponsored Asian students to study or train in Australian tertiary institutions. The goal of the plan was to improve relations between Asian countries and Australia and to combat communism in Asia. Students from developing countries were brought to Australia for education and were expected to return to their home countries to use their newly acquired skills and knowledge to benefit their communities.[48]
Through the
Malaysians also came to Australia to study under the Colombo Plan, with many choosing to stay in the country after graduation. The end of the Immigration Restriction Act in 1973 also contributed to an increase in the number of Malaysians in Australia. As Malaysia's prosperity grew, more students came to Australia as self-financed students.
Between 1954 and 1989, approximately 450 Thai students traveled to Australia through the Colombo Plan.[51] Most did not permanently settle in Australia, but their time in the country increased awareness of Australia in Thailand. Between the 1950s and 1970s, the majority of new arrivals from Thailand in Australia were students, as well as spouses of Australians and those sponsored under military traineeships.
Phasing out of exclusionary policies: 1960s
During the 1960s, Australia saw a significant shift in its immigration policies with the phasing out of the exclusionary White Australia policy. This change made Australia a more attractive destination for immigrants from Asia, including Singaporean students who were drawn to the country due to its proximity. The end of the Korean War also brought Korean war brides and orphaned children to Australia, who were adopted by Australian families.[52]
In 1969, the first Korean immigrants arrived in
During this time,
Mass Migration of Asian Refugees to Australia: 1970-80s
In the 1970s and 1980s, Australia experienced a significant influx of
The Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, adopted by the United Nations in 1951, also played a role in the mass migration of Asian refugees to Australia. This convention defines the rights of refugees and sets out the obligations of states to protect them. Many of the refugees who arrived in Australia in the 1970s and 1980s were able to seek asylum under the provisions of this convention.[64][59]
Re-migration and Multiculturalism: 1990s
The 1990s saw the trend of migration becoming less permanent, with people moving back and forth between different countries.[65] Students and academics were among those who followed this pattern, with many Asian immigrants returning to their home countries after completing their studies in Australia.[66] The 1990s also saw the continuation of multiculturalism in Australia, with a variety of Asian cultural institutions, media outlets, and community organizations established to support the growing Asian immigrant populations.[46][67]
In addition to this, the process of becoming an Australian citizen was less stringent compared to other countries, which motivated many
After the
The Singaporean community in Australia saw significant growth in the 1990s, with many students choosing to study in the country. By 1998, the population of Singaporeans in Australia was estimated to be around 35,933 people. To support these communities, a number of Singaporean clubs and associations were established across the country.[75][76]
There was a further increase in Korean immigration to Australia, with many coming under the skilled and business migration categories. By the end of the decade, more than half of the Korea-born population in Australia had arrived in the previous ten years.[77]
Vietnam-born immigrants surpassed those arriving as refugees, with many coming under the family reunion and skilled and business migration categories. By 2000, the percentage of Vietnam-born immigrants reached 93% of the total intake of Vietnam-born arriving in Australia.
New waves of Asian immigration: 2000–present
In the 21st century, Australia has seen a boom in migration from Asia, particularly from countries such as India, China, the Philippines, and Singapore.[78] In just twenty years, from 1996 to 2016 the percentage of the Australian population that was born in an Asian country grew from 5.5% to 13.4%. Many of these immigrants are skilled professionals, including doctors, nurses, IT specialists, and engineers, who have come to work in Australia. Indian immigrants are the largest migrant ethnic group in Melbourne and Adelaide, and are likely to become the second largest in Sydney by 2021. The Indian-born population has seen major growth from 78,000 to 455,000 in the years between 1996 and 2016. Chinese immigrants, on the other hand, are predominantly female and are concentrated in Melbourne's Docklands, Footscray, Sunshine, and Tarneit suburbs, as well as Sydney's Parramatta and neighboring suburbs.[76][79][80]
In recent years, there has also been an explosion in the number of immigrants from China, which have frequently been Australia's largest source of new immigrants since 2000. Between 1996 and 2016 China born immigrants grew by over 400,000 in Australia and in 2015–2016, China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) was the second largest source of immigrants to Australia, behind India. As a result, China (excluding Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan) is now the third largest foreign birthplace for Australian residents, after England and New Zealand.[81][82]
Other Asian communities in Australia have also seen significant growth in the 21st century. The
Opposition to Immigration
Senator Pauline Hanson, in her 1998 maiden speech to Parliament called for the abolition of multiculturalism and said that "reverse racism" was being applied to "mainstream Australians" who were not entitled to the same welfare and government funding as minority groups. She has said that Australia was in danger of being "swamped by Asians", and that these immigrants "have their own culture and religion, form ghettos and do not assimilate". She was widely accused of racism.[83]
In March 1984, Professor Geoffrey Blainey, an Australian historian, made a speech criticizing what he saw as disproportionately high levels of Asian immigration to Australia. Blainey's remarks touched off a flood of debate and controversy about immigration and multiculturalism, known as the 'Blainey debate'. In 1984, he wrote a book outlining his ideas on immigration and multiculturalism titled All for Australia. Blainey remained a persistent critic of multiculturalism throughout the 1980s, claiming multiculturalism was a "sham", "anti-British" and threatened to transform Australia into a "cluster of tribes".
See also
- Asian Australians
- History of Asian Australians
- History of immigration to Australia
- Immigration history and patterns of Asian ethnic groups in Australia
- Chinese Australians
- Indian Australians
- Filipino Australians
- Vietnamese Australians
- Asian immigration to the United States
- Asian immigration to the United Kingdom
Notes
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