Remittances have become a talking point in Australia's migration debate.
Some anti-immigration activists argue remittances drain money from the Australian economy, while others say that view ignores migrants' economic contribution and the support these payments provide to families overseas.
Mrinaal Datt regularly sends money back to India — often a few hundred dollars at a time.
You can't think of not supporting your family.
A Money Transfer Australia report said $35 billion was sent from Australia as remittances in 2024, including nearly $7 billion to India.
"That money is not going to an Australian cafe or restaurant."
Even if those estimates were correct, "that would still be under 1 per cent of our economy" and tax had already been paid on the income.
"You take away that person, yes, you've stopped the money from flowing out, but you've also stopped all the jobs, the wages that they spend here, often on things that Australians are producing, and the tax that they've paid."
Muhammad Omair Ziaee is a technology and healthcare entrepreneur of Pakistani heritage.
Supriya Singh, an adjunct sociology professor at La Trobe University, said money is "one of the foremost ways" to show care in many cultures.
Singh said remittances can be used as a tool for financial abuse.
Datt from Indian Women Abroad said remittances are a cultural practice but can strain already tight budgets.
According to a World Bank estimate, global remittances to low and middle-income countries reached $924 billion in 2023, and continued to be "essential drivers of economic and human development".