More than five million Australian visas are expected to be issued to students , tourists and workers this year - the biggest amount since World War II . As many as 1.9 million foreigners travelling on short term visas are predicted to be spending time Down Under at any one time throughout this year . While a record 185,000 permanent migrants moved to Australia in 1969 - this figure is likely to be exceeded in 2015 as people are moving to the Lucky Country in droves . More than five million visas are expected to be issued to students , tourists and workers this year to come to Australia - the biggest amount since World War II . As many as 1.9 million foreigners travelling on short term visas are predicted to be spending time Down Under at any one time throughout this year . Secretary of the Immigration Department Michael Pezzullo revealed these figures at a speech at the Australian National University on Tuesday night , Fairfax Media reported . Mr Pezzullo said the challenges were on par to the high numbers in the aftermath of World War II . He said there were more east and southern Asians than Europeans moving to Australia in what has been a quick and significant shift as the number of Chinese-born Australians had tripled in the past 20 years . 'This is equivalent to a migrant-to-population share of almost 28 per cent , ' Mr Pezzullo said . 'And the composition of that population is changing in ways that the proponents of 'White Australia ' could never have imagined . ' While a record 185,000 permanent migrants moved to Australia in 1969 - this figure is likely to be exceeded in 2015 as people are moving to the Lucky Country in droves . Mr Pezzullo pointed out that the nation 's 'well-crafted and targeted ' immigration program towards skilled migrants was a significant factor to the increase of people uprooting to Australia . 'Migrants enjoy high levels of economic participation as distinct from high levels of social exclusion and welfare-dependency , he said . 'Immigration has beneficial impacts in terms of growth in the demand for goods and services , increases in national income and living standards , improved labour participation , expansion of the economy 's productive capacity and growth in household consumption and public revenues , ' Mr Pezzullo said .
one foreigners are likely to be in the country at any 1.9 million time in 2015 . This includes students , tourists and workers on short term visas . While permanent migrants is likely to exceed record of 185,000 set in 1969 . The current visa figures compare to those in the aftermath of World War II .