Brand multicultural: How immigration protests are testing Australia’s global image and Indian workforce

"Protests are common in every country, but the way those in power handle them makes all the difference," said Sanskriti, a Melbourne-based Indian Australian entrepreneur.

In the past two weeks, anti-immigration protests have unfolded on Australian streets, with rally organisers demanding "an end to mass immigration".

"Protests are frequent in Australia. People here have rallied against issues like government corruption, vaccination, digital ID, and more. However, demonstrations are usually peaceful, held at government-designated spots, and do not disrupt the city's peace", she added.

Several Indian-Australians echoed similar sentiments on the immigration protests, calling Australia "safe" and "multicultural".

On the queries related to workplace safety and racism, perspectives among Indian-Australians show noticeable variation.

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A migrant told Storyboard18, "Racism mainly exists on college campuses, but not in workplaces".

"The treatment in my office is fair. I have seen a lot of white colleagues not get promoted because they fell short on expectations," said a Sydney-based working professional.

An Indian migrant mother living in Brisbane since 2015 said that while Australia is largely peaceful, Asian immigrants also share some blame for the current unrest. "There have been many second-hand car scams here involving Pakistani and Indian immigrants who duped white people. Car insurance scams are also common, mostly orchestrated by immigrants. So how is the protest entirely unfair?"

"Racism is common in my university, but that’s because the younger generation is insecure and often bullies others for fun," said a student from Queensland University.

Indian students, forming one of the largest international cohorts in Australia, account for nearly 16% of the total foreign student population, second only to those from China.

"At present, approximately 139,000 Indian students are enrolled at Australian universities across undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels," said Praneet Singh, AVP – University Partnerships, upGrad Study Abroad.

According to Singh, geopolitical shifts and tighter visa restrictions in some Western countries have made Australia a more attractive destination for Indian students and working professionals.

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An agent from Punjab, who requested anonymity, said his business thrives on aspirations. "Here, poverty is so widespread that young people want to settle abroad regardless of the job they would be doing in the new country. They don't care which course, city, or university they enroll in--they only want to restart life in a new country".

Balpreet, a migrant, said that Asian professionals--doctors, accountants, and engineers are extremely common in Australia. "People here trust Indian doctors, given their experience in the world's most populous country".

In fact, Australia's 2021 census showed that migrants had a workforce participation rate of 72.4%, compared with 66.3% for those born in Australia.

Research by the OECD and the Centre for Population also found that regions with higher migrant populations tend to have higher wages and productivity. Migrants were seen to boost the productivity of the Australian-born population.

However, visa data shows a marked shift in recent years. While 2022–23 saw more than 103,000 visas granted to Indian students, the number dropped to around 50,000 in 2024. For 2025, early data indicates that between January and March, close to 5,000 visas were issued, Singh highlighted.

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Recently, Professor Alan Gamlen of the Australian National University warned that reducing migration numbers would affect foreigners coming to Australia on working holiday or student visas, both of whom make significant contributions to the country’s economy, especially its international education sector and industries struggling with labour shortages.

"Things will be fine if both sides live peacefully and respect each other. Diversity is Australia's strength, which a handful of racists are trying to undermine," said an eight-year resident working in technology.