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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 are born overseas, compared with 25% for the rest of Australia. While New South Wales accounts for 31% of Australia's total employment, it contributes a larger 35% 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. Mainland China (8%) and India (6%) 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 (15%), and North East Asia (14%).


Employed persons by country of birth, 2009 ('000)

Country of birth (1) NSW Vic Qld SA WA Other Australia NSW as a % of Aust
Australia
2,378.7
1,912.2
1,751.6
636.5
760.3
449.1
7,888.4
30.2
 
Born overseas
1,001.2
741.1
480.0
154.9
402.2
101.9
2,881.3
34.7
 
Oceania and Antarctica
103.2
61.2
151.1
8.6
43.0
10.4
377.5
27.3
New Zealand
64.8
48.0
126.2
6.0
40.3
10.4
377.5
27.3
Other
38.4
13.2
24.9
2.6
2.7
2.9
84.7
45.3
 
North West Europe
215.5
185.9
150.1
76.9
174.3
38.3
841.0
25.6
United Kingdom and Ireland
171.1
145.2
123.7
64.5
154.2
31.2
689.9
24.8
Germany
12.6
18.0
8.1
5.2
5.0
2.2
51.1
24.7
Netherlands
4.5
11.1
6.0
4.2
6.1
2.4
34.3
13.1
Other
27.3
11.6
12.3
3.0
9.0
2.6
65.8
41.5
 
Southern and Eastern Europe
114.4
123.7
26.8
21.1
33.8
9.5
329.3
34.7
Italy
18.4
26.8
2.3
7.0
13.8
2.8
71.1
25.9
Greece
9.5
18.2
1.7
1.0
1.4
31.8
29.9
Former Yugoslav Republic
42.5
37.5
10.5
4.2
8.4
1.7
104.8
40.6
Other
44.0
41.2
14.0
8.2
10.5
3.7
121.6
36.2
 
North Africa and the Middle East
70.8
28.1
10.7
4.3
5.3
1.7
120.9
58.6
Lebanon
34.7
7.2
1.7
1.1
0.1
44.8
77.5
Other
36.2
20.8
9.0
3.2
5.3
1.6
76.1
47.6
 
South East Asia
149.4
108.0
49.6
19.1
51.3
11.9
389.3
38.4
Vietnam
33.7
37.2
14.0
6.6
4.6
2.1
98.2
34.3
Malaysia
16.1
22.5
7.0
2.9
14.6
2.3
65.4
24.6
Philippines
59.8
23.4
15.8
5.6
7.0
3.6
115.2
51.9
Other
39.8
24.9
12.7
4.0
25.0
4.2
110.6
36.0
 
North East Asia
136.2
59.1
20.7
6.3
17.7
6.1
246.1
China
80.9
33.8
4.9
5.3
6.0
3.6
134.5
60.1
Other
55.3
25.3
15.8
1.0
11.7
2.5
111.6
49.6
 
Southern and Central Asia
112.0
107.7
17.0
9.5
20.7
7.9
274.8
40.8
India
61.7
65.9
14.3
6.8
14.6
4.1
167.4
36.9
Other
50.3
41.8
2.7
2.7
6.2
3.7
107.4
46.8
 
Americas
60.3
31.1
25.0
4.4
14.4
7.3
142.5
42.3
 
Sub-Saharan Africa
39.3
36.2
28.9
4.7
41.7
9.1
159.9
24.6
 
Other
0.6
0.9
0.9
2.4
 
Total employed
3,380.5
2,654.1
2,231.5
791.5
1,163.4
551.2
10,772.1
31.4


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

Source: ABS Cat. No. 6291.0.55.001, February 2009 (original estimates).