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About Sydney and NSW > People, skills and education

Employed Persons by Country of Birth

More than one million (30%) of New South Wales' workers were born overseas, compared with 25% for the rest of Australia. While New South Wales accounts for 32% of Australia's total employment, it contributes a larger 36% of the overseas born workforce. This positions New South Wales ahead of other states, and at the forefront of the Asia Pacific, for its ability to provide a large, diverse, well educated and multilingual workforce.

The United Kingdom and Ireland is the largest contributor of New South Wales workers born outside Australia, with a 17% share. New Zealand (9%), Mainland China (9%), and India (5%) accounted for the next largest shares. In terms of regions, North West Europe is the major source of overseas born workers in New South Wales with 22%, followed by South East Asia (14%), and North East Asia (14%).


Employed Persons by Country of Birth, 2008 ('000)

Country of birth (1) NSW Vic Qld SA WA Other Australia NSW as a % of Aust
Australia 2,418.0 1,943.7 1,705.9 615.8 763.6 447.5 7,894.6 30.6
 
Born overseas 1,022.6 700.8 482.1 162.2 369.3 93.7 2,830.7 36.1
 
Oceania and Antarctica 136.1 57.2 157.3 5.4 46.3 11.4 413.7 32.9
New Zealand 89.7 47.0 133.4 4.8 43.7 8.2 326.7 27.4
Other 46.4 10.1 23.9 0.6 2.5 3.3 87.0 53.5
 
North West Europe 222.6 169.5 151.9 76.2 169.4 32.2 821.9 27.1
United Kingdom and Ireland 172.9 133.8 118.6 63.7 147.1 25.3 661.3 26.1
Germany 20.8 18.6 10.0 5.6 7.1 2.5 64.6 32.2
Netherlands 9.1 6.8 8.8 3.6 7.3 1.3 36.9 24.7
Other 19.9 10.4 14.6 3.2 7.9 3.3 59.1 33.6
 
Southern and Eastern Europe 106.8 120.0 23.3 26.1 22.0 9.4 307.6 34.7
Italy 22.3 30.7 7.7 8.5 6.9 1.8 77.8 28.6
Greece 10.9 11.5 0.8 3.8 0.5 1.1 28.5 38.1
Former Yugoslav Republic 28.9 39.4 7.1 4.2 5.5 3.4 88.5 32.7
Other 44.6 38.4 7.7 9.6 9.0 3.2 112.7 39.6
 
North Africa and the Middle East 71.9 41.0 3.5 3.8 4.9 2.9 128.0 56.2
Lebanon 32.9 6.7 0.4 0.4 0.8 0.1 41.3 79.7
Other 39.0 34.2 3.2 3.4 4.1 2.8 86.7 45.0
 
South East Asia 143.9 112.7 45.6 22.1 45.1 12.2 381.7 37.7
Vietnam 41.0 33.6 9.2 8.7 6.7 3.0 102.3 40.1
Malaysia 19.7 18.8 5.3 2.9 11.9 1.9 60.5 32.6
Philippines 40.3 25.3 20.1 6.0 8.1 2.9 102.8 39.2
Other 43.0 34.9 11.0 4.6 18.4 4.3 116.1 37.0
 
North East Asia 142.9 56.8 28.4 7.7 11.8 7.2 254.8 56.1
China 78.4 40.2 9.9 5.3 7.4 3.2 144.4 54.3
Other 64.5 16.5 18.5 2.4 4.4 4.0 110.3 58.5
 
Southern and Central Asia 95.7 82.8 17.4 8.3 16.8 8.5 229.4 41.7
India 53.5 51.9 12.8 6.9 12.2 5.5 142.7 37.5
Other 42.1 30.9 4.6 1.5 4.6 3.0 86.8 48.6
 
Americas 58.3 28.9 27.3 6.6 15.6 6.7 143.3 40.7
 
Sub-Saharan Africa 44.3 26.6 25.9 5.7 34.5 5.1 142.1 31.2
 
Other - - - - 1.1 - 1.1 0.0
 
Total employed 3,440.6 2,644.5 2,188.0 778.0 1,132.9 541.2 10,726.4 32.1


Footnotes:
1 Based on the Standard Australian Classification of Countries, 1998.

Source: ABS Cat. No. 6291.0.55.001, June 2008 (original estimates).