The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released visitor arrivals and departures data for the month of February, which registered the first annual rise in immigration since February 2014.
In the year to February 2016, there were 686,820 permanent and long-term arrivals into Australia – up 11,290 from January 2016 but down from the record 792,500 arrivals set in the year to January 2013 – partly offset by 408,740 permanent and long-term departures from Australia (see next chart).