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Turkish Australians
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Turkish Australians (Turkish: Türk Avustralyalılar) or Australian Turks (Turkish: Avustralyalı Türkler) are Australians who have emigrated from Turkey or who have Turkish ancestral origins.
Turks first began to immigrate to Australia from Cyprus for work in the 1940s, and then again when Turkish Cypriots were forced to leave their homes during the Cyprus conflict between 1963 and 1974. Furthermore, many Turkish immigrants arrived in Australia after a bilateral agreement was signed between Turkey and Australia in 1967. Recently, smaller groups of Turks have begun to immigrate to Australia from Bulgaria, Greece, Iraq and North Macedonia. There were also many Australians in Turkey during World War I (Gallipoli/ANZAC).
History
[edit]Ottoman migration
[edit]Earliest known short term Turkish migrants in Australia date back to 1860s to 1900 period when small groups of mainly Muslim cameleers were shipped in and out of Australia at three-year intervals, to service South Australia's inland pastoral industry by carting goods and transporting wool bales by camel trains, who were commonly referred to as "Afghans" or "Ghans", despite their origin often being mainly from British India, and some even from Afghanistan and Egypt and Turkey.[2]
The presence of Turkish people in Australia dates back to the early 19th century, although at the time there were only about 20 Turkish settlers. Their number increased to 300 by the 1911 census. Their number declined during the First World War when Australia and Turkey fought on opposite sides.[3]
Turkish Cypriot migration
[edit]
A notable scale of Turkish Cypriot migration to Australia began in the late 1940s;[4] they were the only Muslims acceptable under the White Australia Policy.[5] Prior to 1940, the Australian Census recorded only three settlers from Cyprus that spoke Turkish as their primary language. A further 66 Turkish Cypriots arrived in Australia in the late 1940s, marking the beginning of a Turkish Cypriot immigration trend to Australia.[4] By 1947-1956 there were 350 Turkish Cypriot settlers who were living in Australia.[6]
Between 1955 and 1960, the island of Cyprus' independence was approaching; however, Turkish Cypriots felt vulnerable as they had cause for concern about the political future of the island when the Greek Cypriots attempted to overthrow the British government and unite Cyprus with Greece (known as "enosis").[6] After a failed attempt by the Greek Cypriots, the right-wing party, EOKA, reformed itself from 1963 to 1974 and launched a series of attacks in a bid to proclaim "enosis". These atrocities resulted in the exodus of Turkish Cypriots in fear for their lives, many migrating to Australia and Britain.[6] Early Turkish Cypriot immigrants found jobs working in factories, out in the fields, or building national infrastructure.[7] However, some Turkish Cypriots became entrepreneurs and established their own businesses once they had saved enough money.[7]
Once the Greek military junta rose to power in 1967, they staged a coup d'état in 1974 against the Cypriot President, with the help of EOKA B, to unite the island of Cyprus with Greece.[8][better source needed] Thus, there was an exodus of more Turkish Cypriots to Australia due to fears that the island would unite with Greece.[6] The Greek coup led to an illegal military invasion by Turkey which divided the island and had an illegal occupation of the island unti now.[8][better source needed] In 1983 the Turkish Cypriots declared their own state, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), which has remained internationally unrecognised except by Turkey.[9] The division has led to an economic embargo against the Turkish Cypriots by the United States and Greek Cypriot controlled Government of Cyprus,[9][10][11] effectively depriving the Turkish Cypriots of foreign investment, aid and export markets.[9] Thus, the Turkish Cypriot economy has remained stagnant and undeveloped; Turkish Cypriots have continued to leave the island in search of a better life in Britain, Australia, and Canada.[9]
Mainland Turkish migration
[edit]On 5 October 1967, the governments of Australia and Turkey signed an agreement to allow Turkish citizens to immigrate to Australia.[12] Prior to this recruitment agreement, there were less than 3,000 people of Turkish origin in Australia.[13] According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, nearly 19,000 Turkish immigrants arrived from 1968 to 1974.[12] The first Turkish immigrants were greeted at Sydney International Airport by Turkish Cypriots, whilst Turkish immigrants who moved to Melbourne were greeted at Essendon Airport by members of the Cyprus Turkish Association.[7] They came largely from rural areas of Turkey; at the time, approximately 30% were skilled and 70% were unskilled workers.[14] However, this changed in the 1980s when the number of skilled Turks applying to enter Australia had increased considerably.[14] Over the next 35 years the Turkish population rose to almost 100,000.[13] More than half of the Turkish community settled in Victoria, mostly in the north-western suburbs of Melbourne.[13]
Migration from other countries
[edit]There are also ethnic Turks who have immigrated to Australia from Bulgaria, the Western Thrace area of northern Greece, North Macedonia, as well as Germany and other Western European countries.[15]
Demographics
[edit]

Population
[edit]According to the 2021 Australian census, 38,582 Australian residents were born in Turkey. In addition, 87,164 people born in Australia claimed Turkish ancestry, making up 0.3% of the country's population.[16]
| Number of ethnic Turks in Australia according to the 2021 Australian Census[17] | |||||||
| Country of birth | ethnic Turks | Turkish spoken at home | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38,568 | 30,250 | ||||||
| 4,332 | 2,893 | ||||||
| 323 | 310 | ||||||
| N/A | 276 | ||||||
| Including ancestry | 87,164[17] | 64,918[19] | |||||
Turkish Cypriot population
[edit]In 1993 a publication from the Council of Europe reported that 30,000 Turkish Cypriot immigrants were living in Australia.[20] By 2001 the TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed to represent 40,000 Turkish Cypriots (i.e. TRNC citizens only) living in Australia.[21] More recently, in 2016, Dr Levent Vahdettin et al. said that the total Turkish Cypriot Australian community was 120,000 - including descendants.[22]
Mainland Turkish population
[edit]In 1999, Rob White et al. said that there was 75,000 people who were Turkish-born or had a Turkish immigrant background in Australia.[23] By 2011 Dr Liza Hopkins said that within 35 years, between 1967 and 2002, the Turkish-immigrant community and their descendants had risen to 100,000.[13] More recently, the Turkish origin population in Australia (i.e. excluding Turkish Cypriots etc.) was 200,000 in 2017.[24]
Other Turkish populations
[edit]There are smaller populations of Turkish ancestry who have immigrated to Australia from Bulgaria, the Western Thrace area of northern Greece, North Macedonia, as well as some who had migrated via Germany and other Western European countries.[15]
Settlement
[edit]Turkish Australians mainly live in New South Wales and Victoria, especially in the cities of Melbourne and Sydney. In Melbourne they reside largely in the northern suburbs of Broadmeadows, Dallas, Roxburgh Park and Meadow Heights.[14] In Sydney, they are concentrated in Auburn.[14] Turkish communities are very well established in regional areas of Australia as well, including Shepparton-Mooroopna in regional Victoria, Bundaberg and the Darling Downs in regional Queensland.
Religion
[edit]- Islam (67.6%)
- No religion (20.6%)
- Oriental Orthodox (1.70%)
- Eastern Orthodox (1.60%)
- Others (8.50%)
In 2016, Muslim community representing 64% from Turkish Australians population (32,178 people), where 19.1% as Non-Religious, 2.4% as Oriental Orthodox, 2.2% as Eastern Orthodox, 4.5% as Other religion and 7.3% as Not stated.[25]
In 2021, population of Turkish Australians (38,586 people in 2021) were identifying as Muslim increased to 67.6%, were 20.6% as Non-Religious, 1.7% as Oriental Orthodox, 1.6% as Eastern Orthodox and 8.5% as Other religion.[26]
Culture
[edit]Community bonds remain strong in the Turkish Australian community. They are geographically concentrated in particular areas of Australia which has led to the maintenance of certain cultural traditions across generations.[27] More generally, notions of family loyalty, the social organisation of marriage and traditional segregation of gender roles have shaped the youths' identities in Australia.[28]
Religion
[edit]Turkish Cypriots are considered to be the first immigrants in Australia who formed a large Muslim community, followed by immigrants from Turkey and then Lebanon.[29] According to the 2006 Australian census, 18% of Australian Muslims are of Turkish origin.[30] Turkish Australian Muslims practice a "moderate Islam" and are significantly secularised;[31] Turkish Cypriots in particular are not so religious and are brought up as Kemalists and are strongly secular.[32]
The Turkish Australian community favours religious sermons in the Turkish language (rather than in Arabic) and attends Friday prayers in Turkish mosques.[33] There are numerous notable Turkish mosques in Australia; in 1992, the Cyprus Turkish Islamic Society constructed an Ottoman-style mosque, known as the Sunshine Mosque, which was designed to mirror the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul.[34] Another important Turkish mosque is the Auburn Gallipoli Mosque,[35] which attracts about 800 worshippers every week and is listed as an Australian heritage building.[36] Thomastown Mosque was built (early 1990s) by the Thomastown Turkish Islamic Society.[37]
According to the 2016 Census, a majority (67.1%) of the Turkey-born population in Victoria was Muslim.[38] Approximately 16.4% of the Turks were not religious, while the largest Christian denominations were the Oriental Orthodox Churches (2.4%), Eastern Orthodox Churches (2.0%), the Catholic Church (1.2%) and other churches (1.6%). The rest of the population belong to other religions or did not state their religious affiliation.
Language
[edit]
The Turkish language is well maintained in Australia and is seen as very important for the self-identification of Turkish Australians.[28] There are numerous Turkish private schools, including Ilim College, Irfan College, Sirius (previously known as Isik) College, Damla College and Burc College that cater for Turkish Australian students.[39]
Media
[edit]Newspapers
[edit]There are several Turkish language newspapers produced in Australia and generally available free of charge, including Turkish News Press, Anadolu, Yeni Vatan, Dünya, Camia, Zaman, and the Australian Turkish News Weekly.[40]
Radio
[edit]The Australian Voice of Turkey currently broadcasts 7 days a week through the digital station 2TripleO which is based in Burwood in Sydney. Also, in Sydney and Melbourne SBS Radio broadcasts in the Turkish language for an hour a day.[40] Other community stations also broadcast in Turkish, though with less hours of content. For example, 3ZZZ currently produces five hours of Turkish programming spread over four days each week.[40]
Television
[edit]Turkish satellite television services are available in Australia. The Australian satellite service provider UBI World TV claims to reach 40,000 Turkish speakers.[41] Furthermore, BRT, the official radio and television broadcasting corporation of Northern Cyprus, claims to reach 60,000 Turkish Cypriot Australians.[42]
Notable people
[edit]See also
[edit]- Australia–Turkey relations
- Australians in Turkey
- Albion Rovers FC (Cairnlea), football club established by the Turkish Cypriot community
- Hume City FC, football club established by the Turkish community
- Kemal Atatürk Memorial, Canberra
References
[edit]- ^ "2021 Australia, Census All persons QuickStats". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
- ^ australia.gov.au > About Australia > Australian Stories > Afghan cameleers in Australia Archived 5 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 8 May 2014.
- ^ Babacan 2001, 709.
- ^ a b Hüssein 2007, 17
- ^ Cleland 2001, 24
- ^ a b c d Hüssein 2007, 18
- ^ a b c Hüssein 2007, 19
- ^ a b Country Studies. "The Greek Coup and the Turkish Invasion". Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- ^ a b c d Papadakis, Peristianis & Welz 2006, 94.
- ^ US House asks for report on Cyprus's defence capabilities, Cyprus Mail, 20 May 2015.
- ^ 57 FR 60265 - Department of State Denial Notice
- ^ a b Hüssein 2007, 196
- ^ a b c d Hopkins 2011, 116
- ^ a b c d Saeed 2003, 9
- ^ a b Inglis, Akgönül & de Tapia 2009, 108.
- ^ "2021 Australia, Census All persons QuickStats". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
- ^ a b "Australian Bureau of Statistics- 2021 Census". Australian Bureau of Statistics.
- ^ a b c d "Department of Home Affairs Website". Department of Home Affairs Website. Archived from the original on 13 June 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
- ^ "Australian Bureau of Statistics- 2021 Census". Australian Bureau of Statistics- 2021 Census.
- ^ European Population Conference: Proceedings, Geneva, vol. 2, Council of Europe, 1993, ISBN 9789287125514,
The number of Turkish Cypriots now living in Turkey is about 300 000 while the number of those who have settled in England is 100 000. There are also approximately 30 000 Turkish Cypriots living in Australia and about 6 000 in Canada and the U.S.A.
- ^ TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Briefing Notes on the Cyprus Issue". Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
- ^ Vahdettin, Levent; Aksoy, Seçil; Öz, Ulaş; Orhan, Kaan (2016), Three-dimensional cephalometric norms of Turkish Cypriots using CBCT images reconstructed from a volumetric rendering program in vivo, Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey,
Recent estimates suggest that there are now 500,000 Turkish Cypriots living in Turkey, 300,000 in the United Kingdom, 120,000 in Australia, 5000 in the United States, 2000 in Germany, 1800 in Canada, and 1600 in New Zealand with a smaller community in South Africa.
- ^ White, Rob; Perrone, Santina; Guerra, Carmel; Lampugnani, Rosario (1999), Ethnic Youth Gangs in Australia Do They Exist?: Report No. 2 Turkish Young People (PDF), Australian Multicultural Foundation, p. 17, archived from the original (PDF) on 5 December 2010
- ^ Lennie, Soraya (2017). "Turkish diaspora in Australia vote in referendum". TRT World. p. 28. Archived from the original on 26 August 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
An estimated 200,000 Turks live in Australia with most of them based in Melbourne's northern suburbs.
- ^ "Turkish Culture". Cultural Atlas. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ "2021 People in Australia who were born in Turkey, Census Country of birth QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ Windle 2009, 175.
- ^ a b Zevallos 2008, 24
- ^ Humphrey 2001, 36.
- ^ Humphrey 2009, 146.
- ^ Humphrey 2009, 148.
- ^ Ali & Sonn 2010, 425.
- ^ Akbarzadeh 2001, 232.
- ^ Hüssein 2007, 295.
- ^ Inglis 2008, 522.
- ^ The Sydney Morning Herald (24 April 2010). "Turkish mosque joins honour roll of Australian heritage buildings". Retrieved 13 July 2011.
- ^ Kabir 2004, pp. 189–192.
- ^ Table 13: Religious Affiliation (Top Twenty), Turkey-born and the Total Victorian Population: 2016, 2011
- ^ Windle 2009, 182.
- ^ a b c Hopkins 2009, 234
- ^ Hopkins 2009, 238
- ^ BRT. "AVUSTURALYA'DA KIBRS TÜRKÜNÜN SESİ". BRTK. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
Notes
[edit]^ a: The 2006 census recorded a further 4,120 "Cypriots"; however, it is unclear whether these include Greek Cypriots or Turkish Cypriots.
Bibliography
[edit]- Akbarzadeh, Shahram (2001), "Unity or Fragmentation?", in Saeed, Abdullah; Akbarzadeh, Shahram (eds.), Muslim Communities in Australia, University of New South Wales, ISBN 0-86840-580-9.
- Ali, Lütfiye; Sonn, Christopher C. (2010), "Constructing Identity as a Second-Generation Cypriot Turkish in Australia: The Multi-hyphenated Other", Culture & Psychology, 16 (3), Sage: 416–436, doi:10.1177/1354067x10361398, S2CID 145803244
- Babacan, Hürriyet (2001), "Turks", in Jupp, James (ed.), The Australian People: An Encyclopedia of the Nation, Its People and Their Origins, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-80789-1.
- Cleland, Bilal (2001), "The History of Muslims in Australia", in Saeed, Abdullah; Akbarzadeh, Shahram (eds.), Muslim Communities in Australia, University of New South Wales, ISBN 0-86840-580-9.
- Department of Immigration and Citizenship (2006), Community Information Summary:Turkey-born (PDF), Australian Government
- Docker, John; Fischer, Gerhard (2000), Race, Colour, and Identity in Australia and New Zealand, UNSW Press, ISBN 0-86840-538-8.
- Hopkins, Liza (2009), "Turkish Transnational Media in Melbourne: a Migrant Mediascape" (PDF), International Journal on Multicultural Societies, 11 (2): 230–247
- Hopkins, Liza (2011), "A Contested Identity: Resisting the Category Muslim-Australian", Immigrants & Minorities, 29 (1), Routledge: 110–131, doi:10.1080/02619288.2011.553139, S2CID 145324792
- Humphrey, Michael (2001), "An Australian Islam? Religion in the Multicultural City", in Saeed, Abdullah; Akbarzadeh, Shahram (eds.), Muslim Communities in Australia, University of New South Wales, ISBN 0-86840-580-9.
- Humphrey, Michael (2009), "Securitisation and Domestication of Diaspora Muslims and Islam: Turkish immigrants in Germany and Australia" (PDF), International Journal on Multicultural Societies, 11 (2): 136–154
- Hüssein, Serkan (2007), Yesterday & Today: Turkish Cypriots of Australia, Serkan Hussein, ISBN 978-0-646-47783-1.
- Inglis, K. S. (2008), Sacred Places: War Memorials in the Australian Landscape, The Miegunyah Press, ISBN 978-0-522-85479-4.
- Inglis, Christine; Akgönül, Samim; de Tapia, Stéphane (2009), "Turks Abroad: Settlers, Citizens, Transnationals –Introduction" (PDF), International Journal on Multicultural Societies, 11 (2): 104–118
- Kabir, Nahid Afrose (2004). Muslims in Australia: Immigration, Race Relations and Cultural History. Routledge. ISBN 9781136214998.
- Papadakis, Yiannis; Peristianis, Nicos; Welz, Gisela (2006), Divided Cyprus: Modernity, History, and an Island in Conflict, Bloomington: Indiana University Press, ISBN 0-253-21851-9.
- Saeed, Abdullah (2003), Islam in Australia, Allen & Unwin, ISBN 1-86508-864-1.
- Şenay, Banu (2009), "A "Condition of Homelessness" or a "State of Double Consciousness"? Turkish Migrants and Home-Making in Australia" (PDF), International Journal on Multicultural Societies, 11 (2): 248–263
- White, Rob; Perrone, Santina; Guerra, Carmel; Lampugnani, Rosario (1999), Ethnic Youth Gangs in Australia Do They Exist?: Report No. 2 Turkish Young People (PDF), Australian Multicultural Foundation.
- Windle, Joel (2009), ""Soft" and "Hard" Landings: the Experience of School under Contrasting Institutional Arrangements in Australia and France" (PDF), International Journal on Multicultural Societies, 11 (2): 174–194
- Yağmur, Kutlay (2004), "Issues in finding the appropriate methodology in language attrition research", in Schmid, Monika S.; Köpke, Barbara; Keijzer, Merel; et al. (eds.), First Language Attrition: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Methodological Issues, John Benjamins Publishing Company, ISBN 90-272-4139-2.
- Zevallos, Zuleyka (2008), "'You Have to be Anglo and Not Look Like Me': identity and belonging among young women of Turkish and Latin American backgrounds in Melbourne, Australia", Australian Geographer, 39 (1), Routledge: 21–43, Bibcode:2008AuGeo..39...21Z, doi:10.1080/00049180701877410, hdl:1959.3/30204, S2CID 56431274
External links
[edit]Turkish Australians
View on GrokipediaHistory
Early Ottoman and Pre-Republic Migration
The earliest documented arrivals of Ottoman subjects, including ethnic Turks, in Australia date to the mid-19th century, when small numbers joined cameleer teams imported to haul goods and supplies across the continent's arid interior using camels. These workers, frequently mislabeled collectively as "Afghans" despite diverse origins spanning the Ottoman Empire, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and surrounding regions, played a key role in supporting pastoral expansion, mining operations, and inland exploration from the 1860s onward, particularly in South Australia and Western Australia.[6][8] Census records indicate a sparse presence, with only ten Turkish men enumerated in Victoria by 1871, rising modestly to forty by Federation in 1901 amid broader colonial labor demands but limited overall settlement.[4] These migrants typically worked in transient roles, with few establishing permanent communities, as Ottoman-era emigration patterns prioritized internal empire dynamics over distant colonies like Australia.[1] Post-Federation policies sharply restricted further inflows; the Immigration Restriction Act 1901, central to the White Australia framework, targeted non-European entrants, including those from Ottoman territories, through dictation tests and entry quotas that deemed Turks incompatible with prevailing racial criteria for settlement.[9] During World War I (1914–1918), the Ottoman Empire's alignment with the Central Powers led to the internment or close surveillance of resident Ottoman subjects as enemy aliens, disrupting any nascent communities and reinforcing barriers to pre-Republic migration.[1] By the Empire's dissolution in 1922, Turkish-born numbers in Australia remained negligible, under 100 nationwide, setting a foundation of minimal demographic footprint until later waves.[4]Turkish Cypriot Migration Waves
Turkish Cypriot migration to Australia began in the late 1940s, with the first documented arrival occurring in 1947, as individuals sought economic opportunities under the British passport system and the White Australia policy, which exceptionally permitted light-skinned Muslims from Cyprus.[10][11] Initial numbers were small, primarily single men arriving for work in industries such as manufacturing and agriculture, amid post-World War II labor demands in Australia and rising tensions in Cyprus during the EOKA insurgency against British rule from 1955 to 1959.[12][13] A second wave accelerated in the 1960s following the outbreak of intercommunal violence in December 1963, known as Bloody Christmas, which displaced approximately 25,000 Turkish Cypriots into fortified enclaves comprising just 3% of the island's territory, prompting many to flee persecution and seek asylum abroad, including in Australia.[13][11] Family reunification and chain migration further bolstered this influx through the late 1960s, as Australia relaxed some immigration restrictions and Turkish Cypriots established early community networks in cities like Melbourne and Sydney.[12] The 1970s marked the largest wave, coinciding with the 1974 Turkish military intervention in Cyprus, which, while securing the northern third of the island for Turkish Cypriots, was followed by economic hardships, property losses, and political instability that drove additional emigration despite the cessation of direct violence against the community.[13][11] Turkish Cypriots continued to arrive via humanitarian and family streams, with the community growing through secondary migration from the United Kingdom, where initial displacements had concentrated many, contributing to Australia's Turkish Cypriot population reaching several thousand by the decade's end.[12] These migrations were characterized by a strong emphasis on preserving cultural and religious identity, leading to the formation of associations such as the Turkish Cypriot Association of Victoria in the early 1970s.[12]Mainland Turkish Labor Migration (1960s-1980s)
The bilateral agreement signed on 5 October 1967 between Australia and Turkey enabled the recruitment of Turkish workers for residence and employment in Australia, addressing labor shortages in manufacturing and construction amid the country's post-World War II economic expansion.[14][4] This marked Australia's first assisted migration scheme with a non-Western European nation, with recruitment campaigns in Turkey promoting job opportunities and vast open spaces to attract primarily young, unskilled male laborers from rural Anatolian regions facing economic stagnation and unemployment.[15][16] Migrants were initially housed in government-funded hostels upon arrival, mainly in Melbourne and Sydney, and expected to remit earnings home, reflecting intentions of temporary sojourns rather than permanent settlement.[17] Approximately 19,000 assisted Turkish migrants arrived between 1968 and 1974, swelling the Turkey-born population from 1,544 in the 1961 census to nearly 10,000 by 1971 and 11,589 overall.[15][18] These workers, often with limited English proficiency and education, filled low-skilled roles but encountered discrimination as the first substantial post-war influx of non-European, Muslim immigrants, contrasting with prior European-focused policies.[4] Despite challenges, high employment rates in industrial sectors contributed to family chain migration, as initial laborers sponsored spouses and dependents after securing stability. Assisted labor recruitment ended in 1974 following the global oil crisis and Australia's economic slowdown, which reduced demand for unskilled imports and shifted policy toward non-discriminatory, family-based entries under the Whitlam government's reforms.[19][4] Migration from Turkey persisted into the 1980s via reunification visas, sustaining community growth to around 35,000 Turkish-born and descendants by the decade's end, though increasingly diversified beyond pure labor motives.[16][2] This wave laid the foundation for Turkish Australians' socioeconomic integration, with early migrants' remittances and labor inputs bolstering bilateral ties despite initial cultural frictions.[1]Post-1980s Migration and Diversification
Following the termination of the primary recruitment phase under the 1967 Australia-Turkey migration agreement in the late 1970s, Turkish inflows to Australia transitioned to secondary streams dominated by family reunification, with smaller humanitarian components linked to political instability in Turkey. Annual arrivals dropped significantly from the peaks of the 1967-1974 period, averaging fewer than 1,000 per year through the 1980s and 1990s, primarily comprising spouses, children, and dependents joining established labor migrants. This pattern reflected Australia's evolving policy emphasis on family ties over unskilled labor intake, as evidenced by Department of Immigration records showing family visas as the predominant category for Turkish settlers post-1980.[2][17] The family-driven wave fostered greater community stability and diversification in household structures, with increased female and child participation leading to a near-balanced gender ratio by the 1990s (approximately 51% male among Turkish-born by 2021). By the late 1980s, the combined population of first-generation Turkish migrants and their Australian-born children totaled around 35,000, concentrated in Victoria and New South Wales, where chain migration reinforced ethnic enclaves. Permanent settlement intentions solidified during this era, as initial temporary workers, influenced by their children's adaptation to Australian schools and social systems, opted against return amid Turkey's economic volatility and the 1980 military coup's aftermath, which prompted limited asylum claims but few grants relative to family entries.[16][17] Diversification extended to origins beyond mainland Turkey, incorporating modest numbers from Turkish ethnic minorities in Balkan states—such as Bulgaria following the 1989 regime change and ethnic Turks from Greece and North Macedonia—along with some from Iraq and Lebanon, broadening the community's regional and cultural variances. From the 1990s onward, skilled and student visas introduced more educated urban professionals, contrasting earlier rural, low-skilled profiles, though these comprised under 20% of inflows until the 2000s. The Turkish-born population expanded gradually to 38,568 by the 2021 census, underscoring sustained but low-volume migration supplemented by natural growth, with net overseas migration for this group remaining positive yet minimal compared to earlier decades.[6][20]Demographics
Population Estimates and Ancestry
According to the 2021 Australian Census, 87,164 individuals nominated Turkish ancestry, either as their primary or secondary response in the multi-response ancestry question, equating to 0.3% of Australia's total enumerated population of approximately 25.4 million. This self-reported figure encompasses both migrants from Turkey and their descendants, as well as Turkish Cypriots who commonly identify with Turkish ethnic origins rather than solely Cypriot ancestry.[3] The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), as the official national statistical agency, derives these counts from direct census responses, providing the most reliable empirical baseline, though underreporting may occur due to assimilation or alternative self-identification among later generations. In the same census, 38,568 people reported being born in Turkey, comprising 82.8% Australian citizens and reflecting net overseas migration patterns since the 1960s labor agreements.[20] This birthplace data understates the community's size, as the ancestry figure includes Australian-born individuals of Turkish descent, whose numbers have grown through family reunification and natural increase. Turkish ancestry responses were concentrated in New South Wales (32,620) and Victoria (43,937), aligning with historical settlement patterns in urban industrial areas. Turkish Cypriots contribute to these totals but are not distinctly enumerated in ABS ancestry categories, with many opting for "Turkish" over "Cypriot" due to ethnic self-perception. The Cyprus-born population totaled 16,737, including both Greek and Turkish subgroups, but language use at home among Cyprus-born individuals indicates a Turkish-speaking minority consistent with earlier migration waves post-1974.[21] Community organizations occasionally cite inflated estimates exceeding 100,000 for the broader Turkish-origin population, incorporating unverified descendant counts, yet these lack the verifiable methodology of census data and may stem from advocacy rather than empirical measurement.[22] Prior censuses show growth in Turkish ancestry claims—from 59,820 in 2011 to 87,164 in 2021—driven by intergenerational reporting rather than recent influxes, as net migration from Turkey remains modest.Geographic Distribution
Turkish Australians are predominantly urban dwellers, with the highest concentrations in the capital cities of Victoria and New South Wales. The 2021 Australian Census recorded 87,164 individuals claiming Turkish ancestry nationwide, alongside 38,568 Turkish-born residents.[3] [20] Victoria maintains the largest Turkish Australian population, with 47,015 people reporting Turkish ancestry and 18,689 born in Turkey, comprising nearly half of the national Turkish-born cohort.[2] [23] Within the state, communities cluster in Melbourne's northern and north-western suburbs, including the City of Hume, where Turkish ancestry accounts for 6.8% of residents compared to 0.8% across Greater Melbourne.[24] [2] New South Wales hosts the second-largest group, primarily in Sydney's western suburbs, reflecting early migration patterns and family networks. Smaller populations exist in other states, such as Queensland and Western Australia, but these represent minor shares relative to the southeastern hubs.[20]Age, Gender, and Religious Composition
In the 2021 Australian Census, the population born in Turkey totaled 38,568 individuals, comprising the core first-generation segment of Turkish Australians. This group displays a modest gender imbalance favoring males, at 51.6% male and 48.4% female, consistent with historical patterns of male-led labor migration from Turkey during the 1960s and 1970s.[20] The age profile of Turkish-born Australians indicates an aging cohort, with a median age of 52 years—substantially higher than the national median of 38 years. Over 65% reside in middle to older age brackets, as shown in the table below:| Age Group | Percentage |
|---|---|
| 0–14 years | 3.0% |
| 15–24 years | 3.0% |
| 25–34 years | 11.6% |
| 35–44 years | 16.7% |
| 45–54 years | 23.5% |
| 55–64 years | 21.7% |
| 65+ years | 20.6% |
Socioeconomic Status
Employment Rates and Occupational Distribution
According to the 2021 Australian Census, 47.4% of Turkey-born individuals aged 15 years and over were in the labour force, lower than the national average of approximately 66% for the total population.[20] Of those in the labour force, 8.6% were unemployed, compared to the national unemployment rate of 5.1% at the time of the census.[20] Among the employed, 52.2% worked full-time and 30.0% part-time, with common hours ranging from 35-39 hours per week (23.1%) and 40-44 hours (20.3%).[20] These figures reflect challenges such as age demographics (many Turkey-born arrived as labor migrants in earlier decades) and potential language barriers, though participation rates have improved from 2016 levels where unemployment stood at 10.0% for this group.[25] Occupational distribution among employed Turkey-born individuals shows concentration in skilled and managerial roles. The leading categories were professionals (20.0%), managers (15.3%), and technicians and trades workers (14.4%).[20]| Occupation Category | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Professionals | 20.0% |
| Managers | 15.3% |
| Technicians and Trades Workers | 14.4% |
Educational Attainment and Income Levels
Among individuals born in Turkey and residing in Australia, levels of highest educational attainment lag behind national averages, reflecting the profile of 1960s–1980s labor migrants who typically possessed limited formal qualifications upon arrival. According to the 2021 Census, 22.4% of Turkey-born persons aged 15 years and over held a bachelor degree or above, compared to 26.3% of the total Australian population; 18.2% had Year 12 as their highest qualification (versus 14.9% nationally); and 5.7% reported no educational attainment, far exceeding the 0.8% national rate.[20] Income metrics for this group similarly indicate below-average socioeconomic positioning. The median weekly personal income for Turkey-born individuals stood at $519 in 2021, against $805 for all Australians; median family income was $1,688 (versus $2,120 nationally); and median household income reached $1,561, below the $1,746 national figure.[20] These disparities align with the occupational focus on manual labor among early migrants, though second-generation outcomes show signs of upward mobility in broader immigrant studies, with limited ancestry-specific data available.[20]| Indicator | Turkey-Born (2021) | Australia Total (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor or higher (%) | 22.4 | 26.3 |
| Year 12 highest (%) | 18.2 | 14.9 |
| No attainment (%) | 5.7 | 0.8 |
| Median personal income (weekly, $) | 519 | 805 |
| Median household income (weekly, $) | 1,561 | 1,746 |