Nepali Diaspora in Australia Expanding Beyond Entry-Level Jobs: Report

The employment profile of Nepalis in Australia suggests that the community is not concentrated only in low-entry jobs but is gradually moving across different levels of the labour market, according to a report published on Monday, May 18.

“While a large share remains in entry and mid-level roles, a notable proportion has already moved up to managerial and senior positions, pointing to a diaspora that is steadily building professional stability and upward mobility,” said the report titled “Nepali Diaspora in Australia,” published by the Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS) based on a study conducted between March 2025 and April 2026. The study was supported by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The IIDS said it conducted the study in collaboration with the Australian Embassy, recognising the growing significance of diaspora engagement.

The study explores the demographic and socio-economic profile of the diaspora, their contributions to Australia and Nepal, and broader opportunities to strengthen Nepal-Australia relations through trade, investment, skills exchange, policy engagement and long-term collaboration.

Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal, Australian Ambassador to Nepal Simon Ernst and IIDS Executive Chair Dr Biswash Gauchan jointly unveiled the report at an event in Kathmandu.

“The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data, too, show that most employed Nepali-born respondents work standard or near full-time, mainly within the 45-to-16-hour weekly ranges,” the report added.

According to IIDS, the research followed a mixed-method approach combining both quantitative and qualitative methods. A total of 1,089 respondents participated in the survey between May 2025 and January 2026. In addition, 15 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were carried out, along with two Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) involving 15 participants in total.

Among the respondents, 39.61 percent said they were in mid-level roles or positions at officer or associate level, 24 percent said they were employed in entry-level roles, 22.83 percent said they were in managerial or administrative positions, and 5.95 percent said they were in executive or senior management roles.

Another 7.61 percent of respondents said they were in other roles or positions.

The Nepali-born population in Australia is also a highly work-oriented community with strong labour market participation. According to ABS data, around 84.4 percent are in the labour force, with most engaged in either part-time (45.2 percent) or full-time work (41.2 percent), while unemployment remains relatively high at 5.7 percent. Australia’s national unemployment rate stands at 4.3 percent in 2026.

As a result, the report said, the diaspora today reflects both a community in transition and one that is increasingly settled: young, growing and professionally diversified.

Complementing this national perspective, survey-based evidence from the IIDS Primary Survey showed an even higher level of economic activity among respondents.

A majority (68.87 percent) are employed full-time, followed by 19.1 percent who are working students and 6.15 percent who are self-employed, the report said. “Only 4.04% reported being unemployed, while 1.84% were not in the labour force.”

Most respondents, 46.65 percent, said they worked in health and care, followed by 11.94 percent in computer engineering, IT and tech, 9.05 percent in hospitality and tourism, 6.98 percent in administration and support services, 6.43 percent in engineering and the built environment, 4.32 percent in finance and business services, and 2.85 percent in trade and transport.

Notably, 11.8 percent of respondents said they were employed in other sectors.

Except for health and care, men outnumbered women in all other sectors.

The report added that income is concentrated mainly in the middle ranges, with the largest group earning between AUD 65,001 [ approximately Rs 7.17 million as of Monday’s exchange rate] and AUD 120,000 annually, followed by a substantial share in the AUD 45,001 to AUD 65,000 bracket. Both very high- and very low-income groups remain smaller.

The report estimates the median annual income of Nepali respondents at about AUD 77,039, with a median weekly income of around AUD 1,480. It notes that this weekly income is slightly higher than the national median for employees reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The study describes the Nepali diaspora in Australia as a young, educated and economically active community with strong participation in sectors such as healthcare, information technology, hospitality and business services.

The Nepali community is one of the fastest-growing migrant communities in Australia.

The Nepali diaspora in Australia has grown rapidly over the past decade and has become an increasingly important bridge between Nepal and Australia, the report added.

According to the ABS, the Nepali-born population in Australia reached 213,580 by June 2025, representing close to 1 percent of Australia’s population and rising significantly from around 42,900 in 2014.

The growth of the diaspora has been driven largely by education-led migration, which has gradually evolved into a more settled and professionally diverse community contributing across various sectors.

However, respondents also highlighted the role of social media in creating unrealistic expectations that often obscure lived realities.

“Participants noted that members of the Nepali diaspora frequently share images of material success, such as luxury cars and branded clothing, while rarely acknowledging the long working hours - often exceeding sixty hours per week - spent in physically demanding jobs.

“As a result, some individuals in Nepal, particularly those facing unemployment, are influenced by these portrayals to sell family land and migrate to Australia, only to encounter significant challenges in securing employment and sending remittances.

Despite these difficulties, participants emphasised that the overall professional presence of the Nepali diaspora, while still relatively limited, is steadily expanding. Many current students are expected to enter professional roles in the coming years, suggesting that the community is at an early yet promising stage of professional development.”

Beyond remittances, the Nepali diaspora contributes through entrepreneurship, professional expertise, trade linkages, cultural exchange and knowledge transfer, the IIDS said.

In his opening remarks, Dr Gauchan said diaspora remittances account for over 30 percent of Nepal’s GDP, nearly $15 billion for an economy of $45 billion.

“That's not a footnote but a foundation,” he said. “And if harnessed well it could fast-track Nepal's development and produce the country's second billionaire from among its own diaspora.”

Sharing his reflections at the launch, Ambassador Ernst offered a perspective that went beyond numbers. He noted that the diaspora's value extends well beyond remittances.

“It is Nepal's living network worldwide,” he said.

Minister Khanal also addressed policy gaps affecting diaspora-led investment in Nepal.

He was direct about the constraints.

“Nepal's constitution currently makes no provision for dual citizenship, making it a legislative wall, not just a policy gap,” he said.

However, he pointed to NRN citizenship as a viable avenue worth pursuing and signalled that the ministry is actively working to identify what can be unlocked within the existing legal framework.

The report launch was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Akhilesh Upadhyay, Policy Lead at IIDS.

Panelists included Birendra Raj Pandey (President, CNI), Dr Meena Poudel (Social Analyst & Researcher), and Pjay Shrestha (Founder & CEO, Digital Consulting Ventures). 

The discussion moved beyond remittances and explored investment opportunities in energy, agriculture and digital infrastructure, the case for an integrated migration policy, and the critical role of cultural exchange and incentive-driven engagement.

Dr Poudel stressed that Nepal should also focus on utilising its population dividend at home.