More than 40 per cent of newborn babies are born to foreign mothers in one Australian state, as the numbers of children born to immigrants rise across the nation.
New statistics reveal 41 per cent of of babies are born to immigrant mothers in Western Australia – the highest number in Australia.
In New South Wales, 38.2 per cent of babies are the children of foreign-born women.
More than 41 per cent of newborn babies are the children of immigrants in one Australian state, as the numbers of children born from foreign parents rise across the nation (stock image)
Social analyst David Chalke believes differences in culture explains the fertility rate between Australian and foreign-born mothers
The two most popular migrant mothers giving birth in Australia are those of Indian and Chinese descent, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
In the last ten years there has been a staggering 236 per cent increase in the number of Indian-born mothers giving birth in Australia and 159 per cent rise in Chinese-born women, The Telegraph reports.
Women from Lebanon had the most children out of foreign-born mothers with an average of 4.03 children per woman.
While the number of children born to immigrant parents has increased, this figure has dropped for Australian women giving birth.
Babies born to Australian women decreased by 10 per cent in the same ten-year period.
Social analyst David Chalke believes differences in culture explains the fertility rate between Australian and foreign-born mothers.
‘Among many of the migrant groups, culturally it is more appropriate to have lots of children — it is very much a cultural thing,’ Mr Chalke told the Telegraph.
Yet he said the average Australian woman prefers having ‘one trophy child’ in her mid-30s so she can balance child-rearing and her career.
ABC’s Four Corners revealed earlier this year that immigration is the primary driver of population growth in the nation.
In 1997, it was estimated that Australia would reach a population of 25 million in 2050. Yet the nation is set to hit that figure in just days.
Australia’s current population is 24,991,033 as of Monday, July 30.
The nation is set to reach 25 million about 4am on August 8.