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| Vietnamese Australians | |
|---|---|
| Group | Vietnamese Australians |
| Population | 334,781 (2021 census) |
| Regions | Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide |
| Languages | Vietnamese, English |
| Religions | Buddhism, Roman Catholicism, Caodaism, Hoa Hao |
Vietnamese Australians are Australians of full or partial Vietnamese ancestry. Concentrated in major urban centres such as Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth, they form one of the largest Asian-Australian communities following waves of migration after the Fall of Saigon and during subsequent family reunification and skilled migration programs. Community organisations, cultural institutions, religious temples, and media have sustained Vietnamese language, traditions, and transnational ties with Vietnam.
Large-scale migration began after the Fall of Saigon in 1975 when refugees fled the Vietnam War and the Republic of Vietnam's collapse. Subsequent intakes included boat people intercepted in the Indian Ocean and processed under regional cooperation agreements like the Indochinese refugee resettlement agreements negotiated with UNHCR and governments such as the Australian Government and the United States Department of State. Settlement patterns were influenced by earlier contacts between the French Indochina administration and British Empire colonial networks, and later by bilateral relations between Australia–Vietnam relations and Australian immigration policy reforms such as the end of the White Australia policy era and the introduction of skilled migration and family reunion schemes in the 1980s and 1990s.
Census data show community growth with concentrations in suburbs like Footscray, Cabramatta, St Albans, Springvale, Bonnyrigg, and Caboolture. Age profiles initially skewed older among first-generation arrivals from the Republic of Vietnam era, while second-generation cohorts attend institutions such as Monash University, University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, and Queensland University of Technology. Religious affiliation includes practitioners at Thien Mu Temple-style pagodas, congregations of Roman Catholics attending parishes, and followers of Caodaism and Hoa Hao. Language retention is sustained via community media like SBS Radio Vietnamese programming, local Vietnamese-language newspapers, and bilingual schooling initiatives.
Resettlement pathways included humanitarian intakes coordinated with the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs and later the Department of Home Affairs. Early refugee arrivals were housed in migrant hostels and resettled through sponsorship by organisations including Red Cross branches and faith-based agencies such as Uniting Church in Australia and Lutheran Church of Australia groups. Family reunion policies shaped secondary migration from France, United States, and Canada where Vietnamese diasporas had already established communities. Skilled migration categories brought professionals who had trained at institutions like Hanoi Medical University or Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and later requalified at Australian bodies such as the Medical Board of Australia and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
Cultural life features festivals like Tet (Vietnamese New Year), celebrations at community centres, performances by orchestras and dance troupes, and exhibitions at venues including the National Gallery of Victoria and local council arts centres. Vietnamese-language media outlets, community radio on SBS Radio and local stations, and newspapers serve as information hubs. Religious life is anchored by temples and churches such as Phap Van Temple and Vietnamese parishes, while cultural organisations collaborate with multicultural agencies and municipal councils including City of Melbourne and Fairfield City Council. Sporting participation includes players progressing through clubs affiliated with state federations like Football Victoria and NSW Premier League clubs.
Economic integration varies: early refugees often worked in manufacturing, hospitality, and small business ownership, establishing Vietnamese restaurants, grocery stores, and import-export firms trading with Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Later cohorts entered professions in medicine, engineering, law, and academia, with alumni working at institutions such as Royal Melbourne Hospital, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, and universities. Educational attainment trends show high participation in higher education, linked to community emphasis on schooling and English-language support programs at organizations like AMES Australia and state education departments including the Victorian Department of Education.
Political engagement includes elected representatives at local government and state parliaments, engagement with parties such as the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal Party of Australia, and the Australian Greens, and advocacy through community bodies. Diaspora relations spur public diplomacy with the Embassy of Vietnam, Canberra and consulates in Australian states, and involvement in human rights and reconciliation debates referencing events like the Vietnam War. Notable community advocacy campaigns have interacted with institutions such as the Australian Human Rights Commission and parliamentary inquiries.
Prominent figures of Vietnamese heritage in Australia span politics, academia, arts, sport, and business. They include former politicians and MPs, medical specialists trained at University of Melbourne and University of Sydney, artists exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, chefs who popularised Vietnamese cuisine in cities like Melbourne and Sydney, and athletes who represented Australia at Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games. Community leaders have been recognised by honours such as the Order of Australia. Influential journalists and broadcasters have worked with ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), SBS Television, and print outlets. Entrepreneurs maintain trade links with Vietnamese firms and participate in bilateral bodies such as the Australia-Vietnam Trade and Investment Forum.
Category:Asian Australian people Category:Vietnamese diaspora