In this fifth edition of our ‘Getting to know you’ series, MultiConnexions Media Executive Loan Kien looks at the fourth largest source of Asian migration to Australia and shares some things you might not know about this audience.
The numbers don’t lie
Almost 300,000 Australians have Vietnamese ancestry, with nearly 220,000 born in Vietnam (Census 2016) making Vietnamese the fourth largest source of Asian immigration in Australia, after China (509,555), India (455,389), and the Phillipines (232,386).
From a higher education perspective, Vietnam is also one of the biggest sources of international students to Australia. In June 2017, there were 23,270 students from Vietnam studying in Australia. According to a recent report by Australian Department of Education and Training, those students are the emerging first-generation of Vietnamese migrants and collectively they represent up to $2 billion in buying power for Australia’s education industry – and that’s without accounting for the influence they have on household spending.
A close-knit ethnic community
Over three-quarters of people born in Vietnam live in New South Wales (63,786, or 39.9%) and Victoria (58,878, or 36.8%). The need for mutual support from fellow members of the Vietnamese diaspora – particularly during early settlement – has contributed to the formation of residential concentrations as Vietnamese migrants tend to stay close to their ethnic community and friends.
In Sydney, a significant proportion of Vietnamese Australians reside in the suburbs of Cabramatta, Cabramatta West, Canley Vale, Canley Heights, Bankstown, Fairfield and St. John’s Park while in Melbourne, they are concentrated in the suburbs of Richmond, Footscray, Springvale, Sunshine and St. Albans. A small population of the Vietnamese community has settled in suburbs like Darra and Inala in Brisbane.
Popular community and cultural events around the country include Full Moon Festival and Vietnamese New Year or Tet Festival. Easter and Christmas are also celebrated amongst Catholic Vietnamese Australians – who make up 20.2% of the Vietnamese community in Australia.
Education is of high importance
The task of bringing up children is considered by Vietnamese parents as one of their greatest responsibilities in life, with the child’s success being their most important goal. Throughout every stage of the child’s development, Vietnamese parents try to incorporate both traditional family values and Australian society values.
Image Source: University of Sydney
Education is seen as a “ladder to a better things” – with many Vietnamese migrants working long hours or maintaining a lower standard of living in order to give their children the best education they can. In return, the child is expected to work hard for success. As a result, Australian-born Vietnamese have earned high representation in Australian universities and many professions such as IT, optometry, engineering, medicine and pharmacy.
Older Vietnamese migrants
The Australian Institute of Family Studies identified two groups of elderly Vietnamese migrants:
1.Those who arrived in Australia as refugees, who had to battle for their family’s resettlement. By the time they reach their retirement, they are generally financially independent and don’t need to rely on family for their daily routines.
2. The second group are sponsored by their adult children under the Family Reunion Program. Lack of financial capacity and English skills upon arrival often make this group more prone to social isolation. The majority is language dependent and visit religious or social clubs to stay connected to their culture and fight against homesickness.
The growth trajectory of the Vietnamese community in Australia and their spending power is consistent and unlikely to slow down any time soon. It is simply too difficult to ignore. But taking the time to truly understand the Vietnamese migrants (Which suburbs to target? Through which digital channel? With which marketing content? And with which Key Opinion Leader?) will likely to determine your marketing success. Get in touch with us today, we’re here to help you connect with this lucrative audience.
Enjoyed reading this article? Check out our previous “Getting to know you” blogs in this series:
Edition 4: The Filipino Migrant
Edition 3: Migrant Small Business Owners
Edition 2: The Chinese Millennial
Edition 1: The Indian Millennial
Image header source: SBS Australia