The size of the intake is staggering when it is noted that the total number of marriages conducted in Australia annually is little more than 100,000.

The top source country for spouses in 2006-07 was Britain with 5085 visas, down by about 400 on the previous year.

Next were China (4124) and India (3095), which recorded big increases on the numbers in 2004-05, according to data obtained by the Herald Sun.

The spouse intake, which rose by 4000 during the last year, comprises about 80 per cent of family migration. Like so many others, Indian migrant Arun Bopaiah, 32, returned to his homeland two years ago and married Divya.

Mr Bopaiah, a technician who lives in Keysborough, said it was important to find a partner from India.

"I'm born and brought up in India. I had no one here," he said.

"My parents live in India. It's good to have all the families together when you get married.

That's the reason we go back to India."

Mr Bopaiah said his wife, an electronic engineer, came to Australia in January and now works in research and development.

A spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews said the increase in partner visas was driven by demand from young, skilled professionals who found love while they were travelling or working overseas.

"This is perhaps a result of the affordability of airfares and in the increased opportunities to work in regional offices overseas," she said.

"We know that many of the spouses/partners are also skilled."

But Monash University demographer Bob Birrell said this explanation mainly applied to spouses from countries like Britain.

Dr Birrell said most of the growth in partner visas came from developed nations where the urge to migrate was strong.

"There is enormous pressure to get out of countries like China and India," he said.

"Young people of marriagable age are going back to their country of origin and getting the pick of the crop."

The total migrant intake for 2007-08 is expected to reach 166,000, the highest figure since the huge migration waves of the late 1960s.

It will include 102,500 skilled arrivals, 50,000 family reunion and 13,000 humanitarian.

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