Demographics
Filipinos in Australia
The latest Census in 2006 recorded 120,540 Philippines-born people in Australia, an increase of 15.9 per cent from the 2001 Census. The 2006 distribution by state and territory showed New South Wales had the largest number with 57,720 followed by Victoria (27,340), Queensland (18,710) and Western Australia (6,830).
The final dismantling of the ‘White Australia Policy’ in 1975 and the declaration of martial law in the Philippines in 1972 led to rapid growth in the Philippines-born population in Australia over the next two decades. During the 1970s, many Filipino women migrated as spouses of Australian residents. Since then most of the Philippines-born settlers have been sponsored by a family member. Making them one of the fastest growing overseas-born populations in Australia, China (114,041) being the highest among Asian countries followed by Vietnam (63,722).
Most Filipino migration occurred during the 1980s, peaking in 1987- 1988. In the 1990s, settler arrivals began to decline and the growth in the Philippines-born population slowed. The 2001 Census recorded 103,990 Philippines-born living in Australia, making up 2.5 per cent of the overseas-born population and 0.6 per cent of the total Australian population.
In Blacktown, people born in the Philippines comprise 5.9% (16,129) of the total population making them the largest directly-born ethnic group in the city.*
The figure shows the total number of Filipinos in each city council based on the 2006 Census.
