GROWING... Regional Australia Institute chief executive Liz Ritchie said regional, rural and remote areas across Australia have been seeing changes to their migration patterns for years.
NEW data has revealed that Australia’s regional, rural and remote population is nearing the 10 million mark.
Figures released by the Regional Australia Institute show the number of people living in regional areas has grown from 9.78 million in 2023 to 9.91 million in 2024 — an annual growth rate of 1.3 per cent.
This marks a 6.3 per cent increase since 2019.
RAI chief executive Liz Ritchie said the figures confirmed a continuing shift in Australia’s migration patterns, with more people choosing to live outside metropolitan centres.
“The RAI first identified this shift five years ago in its Big Movers report, which found more people left metropolitan areas for regional Australia than the other way around,” Ms Ritchie said.
“That finding was then further magnified in the Big Movers 2023 report, which found net migration from capitals to regional Australia almost tripled between 2016 and 2021 compared to the previous five-year period.
“This new data proves that trend has retained momentum and is a sustained migration pattern rather than a short-lived effect of the pandemic.”
Ms Ritchie emphasised the need to prioritise regional development.
“We know many communities need further support and investment when it comes to hard and soft infrastructure such as housing, early childhood education and care, and access to medical practitioners,” she said.
“Now is the time for a national conversation about strengthening our regions to ensure their position as an economic powerhouse continues.
“When the regions are strong, Australia is strong.”
RAI defines regional Australia as all areas outside the major capital cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra.
Jobs in the regions remain in high demand
Regional Australia Institute chief executive Liz Ritchie says regional communities across the country are crying out for skilled workers.
In February alone, more than 65,000 jobs were advertised online across regional, rural and remote Australia.
Ms Ritchie said the roles included critical positions such as doctors, teachers and tradespeople — occupations essential to supporting the growing population in these areas.
“With regional birth rates declining, we need the support of overseas migrants to fill these jobs both now and in the future,” she said.
“Migrants have played an important role in regional Australia’s history and will continue to do so in the decades to come.”
What’s driving growth in the regions?
SEVERAL key factors have contributed to the near-10 million population milestone across regional, rural and remote Australia:
• Natural increase (births minus deaths): Contributed 20,457 people, or 15.6 per cent of total growth. Between 2021-22 and 2023-24, the number of births in regional Australia declined by 5.2 per cent, compared to a 7.0 per cent drop in metropolitan areas.
• Net internal migration (movement from capital cities to the regions): Accounted for 38,217 people, or 29.1 per cent of total growth. This reflects a 29.3 per cent increase from the previous year, when net migration from capitals to regional areas was 29,554.
• Net overseas migration (arrivals minus departures): Made up 72,808 people, or 55.4 per cent of total growth. However, net overseas migration declined by 16.1 per cent in regional areas and 19.2 per cent in metropolitan areas between 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Despite accounting for over half of regional population growth, regional Australia’s share of total overseas arrivals remains relatively low at 16.7 per cent.
