Latin American Migration in Sydney 2025: Workforce Trends & Community Impact
Sydney is experiencing a new wave of Latin American migration in 2025, with record arrivals from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, and Venezuela. And they’re not just arriving — they’re contributing in big ways to the city’s workforce, culture, and growth.
🇨🇱 Who’s Coming and Where They’re Settling
Brazil: Over 50,000 Brazilians now live in Australia, with large concentrations in Bondi, Newtown, and inner Sydney suburbs.
Chile & Colombia: Chilean-Australians make up one of the oldest Latino diasporas, while Colombia now leads recent skilled visa grants from South America.
El Salvador & Venezuela: These groups are smaller but growing fast, especially in Western Sydney and multicultural hubs like Parramatta and Liverpool.
💼 Where Are They Working?
Latin Americans are contributing across many sectors, often bringing passion, warmth, and serious work ethic.
Hospitality: Waitstaff, baristas, chefs, and bar managers — especially in Surry Hills, Marrickville, and the CBD.
Healthcare: Nursing assistants, aged care staff, and disability support workers.
Fitness & Beauty: Pilates instructors, massage therapists, beauty therapists.
Cleaning Services: Many migrants find immediate work in residential and commercial cleaning. That includes several Ultrix team members.
“Our Latino cleaners have some of the best attention to detail and attitude we’ve seen,” says James from Ultrix. “They care. They take pride. And they make our team stronger.”
📊 Fast Facts
15% of new temporary skill shortage visa holders in 2024 were from South America.
In Sydney, Latinos are the second-fastest-growing ethnic workforce group after Southeast Asians.
Latinos make up over 20% of hospitality visas approved in NSW this year.
🏡 Culture, Challenges & Community
Latino communities are known for strong social networks and cultural pride. But challenges remain:
Underemployment: Many are overqualified but stuck in entry-level jobs.
Language barriers limit access to better roles.
Exploitation in informal cleaning and hospitality gigs is still too common.
At Ultrix, we support skill growth and internal promotion. One of our leads, Marta, now trains junior staff — and moved from cleaning to onboarding in 8 months.
❤️ Conclusion
Latino workers are energising Sydney. The cleaning industry — and the city — are better because of it.