What percentage of Australians have been overseas? (university, live in)

[Trimac20]

Couldn't find any stats, but have always wondered about this. MOST of my friends, people I know have been overseas, I'd say three quarters, but then again my experience is biased because I live in a relatively wealthy middle to upper class area.

I'm guessing it's at least 50%. Perhaps close to half? I do know a few who have never been out of the state let alone Australia, and they're my age!

[Jonotastic]

I found this online...

In 2006, there were 4.9 million Australian short-term departures.

This might include multiple departures by the same person.

4,900,000/21,000,000 = 0.233 = about 23.3% - trips by the same person

Maybe... 20% of the population?

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by Jonotastic

I found this online...

In 2006, there were 4.9 million Australian short-term departures.

This might include multiple departures by the same person.

4,900,000/21,000,000 = 0.233 = about 23.3% - trips by the same person

Maybe... 20% of the population?

Thanks for digging up the stats, but there are a few problems with taking that to mean people who have been overseas...

1. It's just one year.

2. Departures may mean one person has gone overseas two, three or more times.

[Jonotastic]

You're welcome! Yeah that's why I estimated 3.3% are people who went overseas more than once in that year = 20%. You could also research what percentage of Australians have passports...it doesn't necessarily mean they have used it, but it gives probably the best indication or estimate. Make sure you check the source though.

[Spindle]

Perhaps a better measure would be to look up how many passports have been issued in the past X years?

[markg67]

Passports are also issued to non-resident Australians and their children (some of which have never been to Australia).

[Derek40]

Maybe look at the number of people that have never had a passport, as passports themselves are only valid for 10 years.
Noone can leave the country unless they have one.
Most people that have a passport have it for a reason, and the percentage that went overseas would have had to have been close to 100%.
I for one have never been overseas, and am 40 years of age.
I pretty much went straight from studying at university to starting a family, so the oppurtunity never arose.
Most of my colleagues headed straight for England or elsewhere for working and travelling, soon after graduation.
One would think that residents of cities such as Perth are more likely to have been overseas, as it is cheaper to do this than travel to the eastern states.
Australia has everything here, so don't have any ambition to travel at this stage. Still have not been to Uluru or the Great Barrier Reef.