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Home Away From Home: What nationalities live in Perth?

Perth is one of the most culturally diverse cities in Australia. It’s not surprising to encounter people born overseas or hear a foreign language spoken in the streets.

If you’re planning to move to Australia’s City of Lights, adjusting might not be as hard as you expect, especially if you find communities that share the same nationality as you!

In this article, we’ll guide you through Perth’s highly diverse population and break down the most common nationalities you’ll find living in the city. 

What nationalities live in Perth?

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Perth is home to a diverse population of many nationalities, including Australians, British, Italians, Germans, Indians, Scottish, Latvians, Greeks, Singaporeans, Dutch, and Filipinos.

In a 2021 census, over 59.5% of the population in Greater Perth were born in Australia, followed by those born in England, which make up 8% of the population. 

The city is dominated by people with English ancestry 37.1%, which makes up 37.1% of the population. Some of them have become Australian citizens over the years, but some still remain citizens of their home country.

Non-Australian Nationalities Living in Perth

British, Scottish, and Irish

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English, Irish, and Scottish are the most dominant non-Australian ancestry living in Perth today, making up 37.1%, 8.8%, and 8.7% of the Greater Perth population, respectively (Australian Bureau of Statistics).

This can be mainly attributed to the Empire Settlement Act of 1922, which helped many Brits migrate to Australia and other commonwealth countries, like Canada.

Western Australia’s sunny weather and lower cost of living compared to the UK also encouraged many English, Irish, and Scottish people to leave their countries and move to Perth, according to The Guardian.

Italian Community

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After English, Scottish, and Irish, Italian is the most prevalent ancestry in the Greater Perth region, consisting of 5.5% of the population. In fact, about 0.7% of the people in Western Australia were born in Italy, according to the OMI

This is also the reason why Italian is the third most spoken language in Greater Perth, with 1.1% of the population speaking it at home (Australian Bureau of Statistics).

The large number of Italians in the country is mainly due to the wave of Italian migration after the Second World War, which continues today as many Italians look for better opportunities down under.

Kiwi Community

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According to the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census, 2.8% of Greater Perth’s population were born in New Zealand. This is why many people living in Perth are New Zealanders or Kiwis by nationality. 

However, with the recent introduction of a direct pathway to Australian citizenship for New Zealand citizens, many New Zealanders who moved to Perth will likely change their citizenship. 

Asian Communities

There’s also a considerable number of Asian communities living in Perth. Many of the Asian nationalities you’ll find in the city include Chinese, Indian, Malaysian, and Filipino.

Chinese

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Chinese are the most dominant Asian ancestry you’ll find in Perth, making up about 5.3% of Greater Perth’s population, as per .id’s data. Of all those born in China, 63% haven’t applied for Australian citizenship and still hold Chinese citizenship.

Indian

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There are also a lot of Indians who call Perth their home. According to the Office of Multicultural Interests, about 2.3% of Western Australia’s population were born in India but are now living happily in the state.

Many of the Indians who migrated to Western Australia have now settled in the southeastern part of Perth, like Cannington and Canning Vale.

Malaysian

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Malaysians also have a strong presence in Greater Perth, making up about 1.5% of the total population of the region and 1.2% of the entire Western Australian state.

WAToday reports that about 31,665 Malaysians moved to the country in 2021, and the number is expected to increase in the coming years. Their migration is mainly driven by their hopes of finding better job opportunities and quality of life in the country.

Filipino

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Similar to other nationalities, many Filipinos are also moving to Perth to find jobs with higher rates and enjoy a more comfortable life. Currently, about 1.5% of those living in Greater Perth were born in the Philippines (.id).

While many of them were born in the Philippines, only about 26% of them still maintain Filipino citizenship. Over 73% of them have already received Australian citizenship, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

South African Community 

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According to the 2021 census of the Australian Bureau of Statistics, at least 1.8% of Greater Perth’s total population was born in South Africa. About 80.2% of them, though, already received Australian citizenship.

Many started moving to Australia when the apartheid system ended. After that, South Africans continued to move to Australia, which led to the creation of the phrase “Packing for Perth,” alluding to the South Africans leaving their homeland for Perth.

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