Key Facts:
1. Untapped global advantage: 62% say Australia is not making the most of its people, skills and connections around the world.
2. Pathways home: 70% want to live in Australia again, but only 24% can see a realistic professional pathway home.
3. Australian ambition: 71% moved overseas for career opportunities, gaining valuable global networks, expertise, business and leadership experience.
4. Global competitiveness: 60% believe Australia is falling behind global economic and technological change, while 50% believe it risks falling behind other countries.
5. Global reputation: 88% say Australia is perceived positively internationally, but just 1% identify innovation and technology as something Australia is known for.
6. Asia-Pacific opportunity: Australians across Asia-Pacific see a significant gap between Australia’s geographic advantage and how effectively we are harnessing the region’s relationships, knowledge and commercial opportunities.
7. Global networks: 93% say Australians overseas are very or extremely valuable to Australian organisations seeking to operate internationally.
8. Aussie spirit is strong around the world: 95% identified at least one way they would be willing to contribute to Australia or the Australian community, including sharing knowledge, mentoring and opening doors to opportunities.
9. Global experience undervalued: 48% of returnees say their international experience was not understood or valued, while 55% found re-establishing their career or business difficult.
10. Australians want to connect: Australians want more opportunities to come together around the world through business and networking, food and wine, sport, national celebrations and the arts.
11. State-by-state opportunity: NSW is identified as offering the strongest future opportunity, followed by Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia.
12. National strategy: 89% support a formal national strategy for engaging Australians overseas and returnees, while 79% say they should be considered alongside skilled migration in Australia’s talent and skills policy.
Respondent profile: More than 1,000 Australians around the world were surveyed, with 95% having attended university.
New report reveals the scale of Australian talent, skills and networks worldwide, as Australians call for action to harness this global capability for the nation’s future.
The 2026 Global Australian Report, based on a survey of more than 1,000 Australians around the world, highlights the scale of Australian ambition globally and the opportunity to do much more to harness this global capability as competition for talent, investment and innovation intensifies.
The findings also raise broader questions about Australia’s current approach to global talent and skills, and whether we have the strategy, infrastructure and pathways to develop, attract, retain and harness the capability Australia needs for the future.
Australians are taking their ambition to the world, building careers, businesses and expertise across global markets and gaining valuable skills, networks and experience along the way. 71% moved overseas for career opportunities, with 79% building professional networks, 73% gaining specialist expertise, 71% international business experience and 70% leadership or management experience. 95% of respondents attended university, with the survey spanning major industries and international markets.
This represents a significant pool of Australian talent and capability operating around the world, with the potential to create value for Australia wherever those Australians are based.
The research also reveals an extraordinary depth of goodwill towards Australia and fellow Australians, with 95% identifying at least one way they would be willing to contribute, including sharing knowledge, mentoring another Australian or opening doors to opportunities. Yet this capability and goodwill remain largely untapped and disconnected. 62% say Australia is not making the most of its people, skills and connections around the world, while 89% support a formal global talent and skills strategy.
Global Australians CEO Kate McQuestin said the findings highlight both the ambition of Australians and the opportunity for Australia to turn their global success into national advantage.
“Australian ambition does not have borders. Australians are leading organisations, building businesses, developing expertise and creating networks across some of the world’s most important markets.”
“That should be an enormous source of confidence for Australia. But in an increasingly competitive world, we need to be much more deliberate about how we connect with that capability and put it to work for the country’s future. The report points to a clear strategic gap and the need for a coordinated mechanism, as other countries already have in place,” McQuestin said.
The report found 63% of respondents believe Australia isn’t ambitious enough about its future, while 60% believe Australia is falling behind global economic and technological change.
Half believe Australia risks falling behind other countries and 44% say Australia is less competitive than other countries in attracting and retaining highly skilled people, while half also said Australia has become less attractive over the past five years, compared with 23% who believe it has become more attractive.
McQuestin said the findings should prompt a broader conversation about the country Australia wants to build and the opportunities it creates for its people.
“Backing Australian ambition means creating an environment where people can pursue big ideas, build global careers and businesses, and know that their experience and connections remain valuable to Australia wherever their journey takes them.
“The question isn’t whether Australians have ambition. This report shows clearly that Australians do. The opportunity is to ensure Australia’s policymakers have the right mechanisms and infrastructure in place to connect the talent, experience, knowledge and networks Australians are building around the world with Australia’s future. As this year’s HSC students finish their exams and begin imagining what comes next, it’s worth asking: how do we build an Australia that can match their ambition?”
“A country’s future is shaped by the opportunities each generation has to learn, explore and contribute. For many of these young Australians, that will mean pursuing ambitions beyond our borders, gaining experience, building relationships and discovering possibilities they cannot yet imagine. Ambition that should be encouraged without judgment or fear that we are being left behind. It allows Australians to develop skills, experience, relationships and perspectives that can ultimately benefit the country,” McQuestin said.
The report points to a fragmented and disconnected approach to global talent and skills, with only 24% of Australians abroad able to see a realistic professional pathway home. Priorities identified in the report include keeping Australians overseas connected to Australia, creating clearer pathways to return, connecting internationally experienced talent with employers and mobilising international networks and expertise.
“Around 80 Australians a week approach Global Australians seeking opportunities to bring their global experience home, many with significant experience in critical sectors including defence, AI, technology and engineering. Connecting just 10% with roles paying $150,000-$200,000 would generate $62-83 million in annual salaries, before the broader economic value of their skills, networks and experience. The talent is there. The opportunity is to connect it,” McQuestin said.
Australians already living and working in international markets represent a ready-made network of relationships, expertise and on-the-ground knowledge that can support Australian trade, investment, innovation and international engagement. This is particularly relevant across Asia-Pacific, where Australians are building careers, businesses and relationships in some of the world’s fastest-changing markets. The report finds Australia has an opportunity to make much more of its geographic position by better connecting with the Australians already operating throughout the region.
“At a time when countries are competing for talent, skills, investment and innovation, we cannot afford to leave Australian capability disconnected simply because it sits beyond our borders. We need to better connect Australian talent and put global Australian success to work for the country,” McQuestin said.
“There is a clear opportunity for Australia to execute a coordinated global talent and skills strategy, as countries including Singapore, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand are already doing. Other countries are moving decisively to develop, attract and harness global talent, and the findings show Australia has an opportunity to do the same.
“We don’t want this research to simply identify the challenges. As an impact-driven not-for-profit, we have developed a range of practical recommendations and solutions and put them forward to the Australian Government. We are also building the connections, infrastructure and pathways to turn these insights into action in the national interest. Australia has an enormous global talent base. The opportunity now is to back Australian ambition, connect the dots and put that capability to work for the country’s future,” McQuestin said.
About us:
Global Australians (formerly Advance.org) is the global community for Australian ambition. An independent, not-for-profit and mission-driven organisation, it unites Australians across more than 140 countries, connecting them with each other and with opportunities to contribute to Australia’s future.
Contact details:
Media contact: Kate McQuestin on 0411 839 174 or [email protected]
Quotes from respondents by region attached.
Images, infographics and data visualisations by region and key issues are available to media.
