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The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated the number of Australian residents born overseas fell from 7.7 million (29.8 per cent) in 2020 to 7.5 million (29.1 per cent) in 2021.

It was the first decrease in the proportion of people born overseas since 2000.

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"The decrease reflected reduced overseas migration in and out of Australia, given the COVID-19 travel restrictions," ABS head of migration statistics Jenny Dobak said.

"The travel and migration intentions of many people changed due to the pandemic, including those migrating to study or work.

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"In the first year pf the pandemic, there were fewer people born overseas migrating to Australia, as well as fewer people born in Australia departing to live overseas."

Nationally, England provided the largest number of overseas-born residents, followed by India, China and New Zealand.

State by state numbers for 2021 are not yet available, and will not be until census data is released.

The 2016 census found just 13.1 per cent of Tasmanians were born overseas.

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That was easily the lowest proportion of any state or territory and way below the national rate of 28.6 per cent.

Western Australia (35 per cent) had the highest.

The Tasmanian proportion was up from 12.5 per cent in 2011.

In 2016, about 20,500 Tasmanian residents were born in England.

Other major sources included:

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