Everyone in Australia on census night in August 2026 must take part. Temporary visa holders — including international students and working holiday makers — are not exempt, and by law the personal information you submit is never provided to Home Affairs or any other agency.
The Census is a count of the entire population and housing conducted every five years by the ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics), with the next one taking place in August 2026 (check the official ABS announcement for the exact census night date). The results underpin the allocation of community funding for schools, hospitals, public transport, interpreting services and more. In other words, by taking part you help prove statistically what services your area needs. Participation is a legal obligation under the Census and Statistics Act.
The Census counts everyone in Australia on census night, regardless of nationality or visa. It includes not only citizens and permanent residents but also temporary visa holders — international students, working holiday makers, work visa holders and visitors. 'It doesn't apply to me because I'm a foreigner' is the most common misconception. For details on exactly who is included (such as short-term tourists), check the official ABS guidance.
The default way to take part is one online submission per household. Ahead of the Census, each household receives a letter containing a unique code, which you enter at census.abs.gov.au to complete the form. If online is difficult, alternatives such as requesting a paper form, phone support and in-person help from field staff are available. Information materials are translated into many languages, and you can get help in your own language via the telephone interpreting service TIS National (131 450).
Share houses follow the same principle: completion at the household level — one person completes the household form on everyone's behalf, including all people at the home on census night. If you don't want housemates to see your personal answers, each person can request a personal form and complete it separately.
Only access the Census via the official address printed on your letter (census.abs.gov.au). Following links in texts or emails carries a risk of impersonation scams (see section 6).
Census participation is a legal obligation under the Census and Statistics Act. If you continue not to submit, reminders and field visits are followed by a Notice of Direction (a written direction), and if you still don't submit after that, fines that accrue on a daily basis may be imposed. Deliberately providing false information can also attract a fine. Specific fine amounts and enforcement criteria may change over time, so check the official ABS website.
Putting off your submission out of worry about your visa status is actually the riskiest choice. Submitting the Census itself has no effect on your visa (see the statutory secrecy in section 5) — only failing to submit leads to the fine process.
Whatever your type of stay, the principle is the same — if you're in Australia on census night, you're required to take part. Here are the four most commonly asked situations.
Student visa holders (such as subclass 500) must take part. Complete the form based on where you actually stay on census night — dorm, homestay or share house; facilities such as student accommodation follow the facility's instructions.
Working holiday visa holders (subclass 417/462) must also take part. Even if you move around often, you're counted at the backpackers or farm accommodation where you sleep that night.
If you're staying on a temporary work visa (such as subclass 482 or 485) or a partner visa, you and all family members living with you must be included on the household form. Children are no exception.
Even on a visitor visa, if you're in Australia on census night you're generally counted (check the official ABS guidance for details such as short-term tourists). Guests at hotels and other accommodation take part as directed by the facility.
The question that worries foreigners most is 'won't my information be passed to immigration?' The answer is that this is prohibited by law. The Census and Statistics Act makes secrecy a statutory duty for the ABS, and it applies to every respondent regardless of visa status.
During the Census period, impersonation scams exploiting it increase. Typical tactics are 'pay your fine immediately' texts and fake survey links demanding bank or card details. The ABS does not request fine payments or bank details by text or email. If something seems suspicious, report it to Scamwatch.
The starting point for official information on the 2026 Census — dates, who is counted and the questions asked.
The official online portal where you log in with the unique code from your letter to complete and submit the Census.
The official page explaining the ABS's statutory duty of secrecy and its privacy protection principles.
Telephone interpreting service (131 450) — get help with the Census in your own language if English is difficult.
Report Census impersonation texts, fake survey links and other scams here, and check the latest scam tactics.
Yes, you do. The Census counts everyone in Australia on census night, regardless of citizenship or permanent residency. Temporary visa holders — including student visa and working holiday visa holders — are not exempt; thinking 'it doesn't apply to me because I'm a foreigner' is the most common misconception.
No. Under the Census and Statistics Act, ABS staff are bound by a lifelong legal duty of secrecy, and breaching it is a criminal offence. The ABS does not provide identifiable personal information to any agency — not Home Affairs (immigration), the ATO (tax office) or the police — and Census answers are never used in visa assessments.
Census participation is a legal obligation. If you don't submit, reminders are followed by a Notice of Direction (a written direction), and if you still don't submit, fines that accrue on a daily basis may be imposed. Check the official ABS website for specific amounts and enforcement criteria. The safest approach is to submit straight away when you receive your letter, rather than putting it off.
Yes, multilingual support is available. The ABS provides information materials translated into many languages, and you can get help in your own language through the telephone interpreting service TIS National (131 450). Phone support and in-person help from field staff are also available.
The Census is generally completed as one form per household, and it must include everyone sleeping at that home on census night. If you don't want your housemates to see your answers, you can request a separate personal form so each person completes their own.
The Census is based on where you actually stay on census night, not your usual address. If you're travelling, you'll be counted at the backpackers, hotel or friend's place where you sleep that night; accommodation providers will guide guests through taking part. Check the official ABS guidance for the detailed rules.
Census results are released in stages after the count (the first statistics are usually published the following year — check the ABS for the exact schedule) and serve as the foundation for allocating community funding for schools, hospitals, public transport, interpreting services and more. For example, statistics on the languages spoken in a particular area become the evidence base for expanding interpreting and translation services in those languages.
