'Migrant Influence on 'Street Food': Anil and Others Reshaping Australia's Future'

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“I came here on a student visa because I felt Australia had more to offer — better job opportunities, a cleaner environment, less crime and the chance to earn well,” he told SBS Hindi.

‘A pathway to a better future’

Now planning to make Australia his permanent home, Anil said he often fields questions from friends and relatives back in India about what life is really like Down Under and whether it’s worth making the move.

Anil Kumar shows off his food truck’s visa-themed menu. Credit: SBS Hindi

“It’s (Australia) a great place to settle down, and so migration is a big issue here — visa stress is something many of us deal with,” Anil, who also runs an immigration services, said.

“That’s what inspired me to give the menu of my food truck in Melbourne a fun, visa-themed twist.”

Anil’s food truck dishes out classic Indian street food with a humorous spin — each item named after a visa type familiar to many migrants.

Anil Kumar’s visa-themed menu. Credit: SBS Hindi

The menu features names like “Illegal Samosa,” “Parent Visa Aloo Tikki,” “Spouse Visa Dahi Bhalle,” and “Student Visa Pani Puri.”

“It’s a light-hearted way to reflect many migrant journeys — one plate at a time,” he shared.

Population growth and changing demographics

said that between 2014 and 2024, more people moved to Australia from India than from any other country, with the Indian-born population growing by 505,000 during the period.

During the same period, Australia saw the biggest population drops among people born in four European countries, with Italy no longer among the top 10 countries of birth in the nation for the first time since 1901.

As of 30 June 2024, Australia was home to an estimated 27.2 million people, the ABS said.

Of these, 18.6 million were born in Australia, while 8.6 million were born overseas.

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Of Australia’s population, 18.6 million were born in Australia, while 8.6 million were born overseas. Source: SIPA USA / Hindustan Times / AAP

As of 2024, people born overseas now make up 31.5 per cent of Australia’s population, up from 30.7 per cent the previous year.

This marks the third consecutive year of growth in Australia’s overseas-born population, bouncing back from a dip in 2021 caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and international border closures.

The ABS further said that Australia’s multicultural mix includes people from almost every country around the globe.

The most common countries of birth for migrants in 2024 were England, India, China, New Zealand and the Philippines.

“Those born in India (916,000) made up the second largest group, with a continued increase recorded over the last three years,” it added.

Expert’s view

Dr Surjeet Dogra Dhanji, an academic fellow at the University of Melbourne, said the growing Indian diaspora in Australia was no surprise.

“India has one of the largest overseas populations in the world — around — with nearly half of them being Non-Resident Indians (NRIs),” she explained.

NRI commonly refers to Indian citizens who reside outside India for more than 182 days in a year due to reasons like work, education or business.

But the growth of the Indian population isn’t evenly spread across Australia.

Dr Surjeet Dhanji is a researcher at the University of Melbourne. Credit: Supplied by Dr Surjeet Dhanji

“The biggest increase is in Victoria, which now has the largest India-born population, along with strong second and third-generation Indian communities,” Dr Dhanji noted.

She added that Indian migrants tend to be younger compared to the broader Australian population — a key factor in the government’s migration planning.

“If you look at the new 2025 Migration Strategy, the focus is on international students and skilled migrants who are younger and able to contribute most of their working life to the Australian economy and society.”

The Indian population has been growing steadily in Australia. Credit: AAPIMAGE

In fact, she said, most overseas-born migrants fall in the 24–45 age group, while Australia’s median age continues to rise.

ABS data confirms this, noting that in 2024, the more recently arrived India-born population had a median age of 33 years, compared to 29 years for those born in Nepal and 40 years for the China-born population.

Dhanji further noted that, as reflected in the 2024 study, the Indian diaspora was viewed positively, with their contributions to the state’s society, economy and culture held in high regard.

“The Victorian government has played an instrumental role in shaping these community perceptions by encouraging engagement with India, promoting the state to Indian visitors, attracting Indian international students, and supporting the skilled migration of Indian professionals,” she added.

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