Community Information Summary Historical Background

Eritrea-born Community Information Summary Historical Background

The Eritrea-born are a relatively new community to Australia.

Eritrea was occupied and colonised by Italy in 1890. In 1941 British forces defeated the Italians and governed Eritrea until 1952, when the United Nations facilitated the formation of the Federation of Eritrea and Ethiopia. Eritrea was awarded formal independence from Ethiopia after a referendum vote in 1993 but a border war continued until 2000.

Before 1983, only a few Eritreans arrived in Australia as refugees, students or stowaways. After 1983, Eritreans fleeing the unrest caused by the struggle for independence were given a special quota under Australia's Humanitarian Program. An average of 100 Eritreans per year were allowed to migrate for the first three years of the program.

Many arrivals were young men whose education had been interrupted by war. Most of them settled in the Melbourne suburbs of Springvale and Maribyrnong and found work in factories.

The 1996 Census recorded 1160 Eritrea-born living in Australia, most of them living in Victoria. This further increased to 2020 at the 2006 Census. The Eritrea-born continue to arrive in small numbers under the Humanitarian Program and Family Stream of the Migration Program.

2016 Census

Geographic Distribution The latest Census in 2016 recorded 4,303 Eritrea-born people in Australia, an increase of 51.5 per cent from the 2011 Census.

The 2016 distribution by State and Territory showed Victoria had the largest number with 2,002 followed by Queensland (949), Western Australia (587) and South Australia (325). Age and Sex The median age of the Eritrea-born in 2016 was 41 years compared with 44 Age and Sex Per cent years for all overseas-born and 38 (%) Male Female years for the total Australian population. 25

20 The age distribution showed 13.9 per cent were aged 0-14 years, 11.3 per 15 cent were 15-24 years, 36.8 per cent were 25-44 years, 31.7 per cent were 10 45-64 years and 6.6 per cent were 65 years and over. 5

0 Of the Eritrea-born in Australia, there were 2,118 males (49.2 per cent) and 2,182 females (50.7 per cent). The sex ratio was 97 males per 100 females. Age

Ancestry

In the 2016 Census, the top ancestry Ancestry Response Eritrean responses* that Eritrea-born people 64.2% reported were Eritrean (2,965), African, so described (472) and Somali (360).

In the 2016 Census, Australians reported over 300 different ancestries. Of the total ancestry responses* 6,859 responses were towards Eritrean ancestry. Other African, so Ancestry described * At the 2016 Census up to two responses per person 14.9% Ethiopian Somali 10.2% were allowed for the Ancestry question, therefore 2.9% 7.8% there can be more responses than total persons.

Language Language Spoken at Home Tigrinya The main languages spoken at home 44.1% by Eritrea-born people in Australia were Tigrinya (1,897), Arabic (1,335) and Somali (367).

Of the 4,105 Eritrea-born who spoke a language other than English at home, 73.3 per cent spoke English very well or well, and 25.5 per cent spoke Arabic English not well or not at all. Other 31.0% Languages 11.2% English Somali 4.3% 8.5% Religion

At the 2016 Census the major religious No Religion, so described Religion affiliations amongst Eritrea-born were Islam 1.1% Islam Other 49.0% Islam (2,108), Oriental Orthodox (456) 49.0% and Eastern Orthodox (437). Religion 17.2%

Of the Eritrea-born, 1.1 per cent stated 'No Religion' which was lower than that of the total Australian population (29.6 per cent), and 2.6 per cent did not state a religion. Oriental Other Orthodox Christian, nfd 10.6% Religion Eastern 9.3% Eastern Oriental 17.2% Christian, nfd Orthodox Orthodox Orthodox 9.3% 10.2% 10.2% 10.6%

Arrival

Compared to 61.8 per cent of the total overseas-born population, 48.8 per Arrival in Australia cent of the Eritrea-born people in Per cent (%) Eritrea-born All Overseas-born Australia arrived in Australia prior to 30 2007. 25

Among the total Eritrea-born in 15 Australia at the 2016 Census, 20.3 per 10 cent arrived between 2007 and 2011 and 27.5 per cent arrived between 5 2012 and 2016. 0

Year of Arrival

Median Income At the time of the 2016 Census, the median Individual Weekly Income for the Eritrea-born in Australia aged 15 years and over was $393, compared with $615 for all overseas-born and $688 for all Australian-born.

The total Australian population aged 15 and over had a median Individual Weekly Income of $662. Qualifications Qualifications At the 2016 Census, 47.2 per cent of the Per cent Eritrea-born Total Population Eritrea-born aged 15 years and over had (%) 25 some form of higher non-school qualification compared to 60.1 per cent of 20 the Australian population. 15 Of the Eritrea-born aged 15 years and over, 19.8 per cent had no qualifications 10 and were still attending an educational 5 institution. The corresponding rate for the total Australian population was 8.5 per 0 cent. Degree and Advanced Certificate Level Inad No higher Diploma and Level Desc/Not Qualifications Diploma Level stated - Attending Ed Inst Level of Qualification

Employment Occupation Among Eritrea-born people aged 15 Per cent Eritrea-born Total Population years and over, the participation rate in (%) the labour force was 58.1 per cent and 30 the unemployment rate was 22.2 per cent. 25

20 The corresponding rates in the total Australian population were 64.6 per cent 15 and 6.9 per cent respectively. 10

5 Of the 1,654 Eritrea-born who were employed, 25.0 per cent were employed in 0 either a skilled managerial, professional or Managers Prof Tech & Comm & Clerical Sales Mach Labourers trade occupation. The corresponding rate Trades Personal & Wrkrs Op & in the total Australian population was 48.8 Service Admin Drivers per cent. Occupation

Produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics for the Department of Home Affairs

All data used in this summary is sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census of Population and Housing.