Australia's mining boom, with its consequent manpower shortage, has forced the country to make more permanent residents of the Indian and Chinese migrants that came in the year to June, 2012, the government said on Thursday.

A total of 185,000 permanent migrants came into Australia in the 2011/12 financial year, of which 125,755 were in the skilled migrant programme, the government reported.

Indian permanent migrants provided the biggest number in the 2011/12 tally, at 29,018, representing 16 per cent of the total number. Migrants from China came in second at 25,509, and from Britain at 25,274.

"Skilled migration is essential to support our economy and help overcome the challenges of an ageing population," Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Chris Bowen said.

The latest migrant intake figures represented a 9.7 per cent jump from the 168,685 recorded in 2010/11.

"Today's skill stream is highly targeted towards employer sponsorship, the regions and high value occupations, with over 60 per cent of skilled migration visas going to employer, government and regional sponsored places to help fill critical skills needs," Mr Bowen said.

Australia has plans to take in 190,000 migrants in the year 2012/13.

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