Facts and statistics

Main content

Click on a topic below for more information about:

  • the number of people who become Australian citizens each year and where they come from
  • the number of clients who have sat the citizenship test and the pass rates.

Australian citizenship statistics

More than 4 million people have become citizens since Australian citizenship was introduced in 1949.

Some 95 per cent of the population are Australian citizens.

Former nationality or citizenship

In 1949, during the inaugural year of the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948, Australian citizenship was granted to 2 493 people from just over 35 different nationalities. The top 5 nationalities (and number of grants) at that time according to the Australian Yearbook 1953, ABS were:

  • Italian (708)
  • Polish (597)
  • Greek (276)
  • German (225)
  • Yugoslav (80)

In 2010-11, 95 284 people became Australian citizens by conferral from 185 different countries.

The following table shows the number of people who were conferred as Australian citizens at ceremonies in 2010-11, according to their former nationality/citizenship.

Former citizenship Persons Per cent
United Kingdom 19 101 20.1
India 12 948 13.6
People's Republic of China 8898 9.3
South Africa 4389 4.6
New Zealand 4304 4.5
Philippines 4051 4.3
Sri Lanka 2520 2.6
Republic of Korea 2321 2.4
Malaysia 2207 2.3
Vietnam 1688 1.8
Other 32 857 34.5
Total 95 284 100.0

Australian citizenship test statistics

A detailed report on citizenship tests, including the number of clients who have sat the test and the pass rates, is available by clicking the link immediately below. The data in the 30 June 2011 report relates to Australian citizenship tests administered by the department between 1 July 2010 and 30 June 2011.
See: Australian Citizenship Test Snapshot Report (468KB PDF file)