Photo: Scott Barbour/ Getty Images.

Foreigners living in Australia receive $15 billion a year in welfare payments, according to new analysis by the Parliamentary Budget Office.

The Australian reports that the 870,000 non-citizens who claim the benefits are mostly from Britain, New Zealand, Africa and the Middle East.

Of those non-citizens, 710,000 are from countries which have no social security agreement with Australia, and claim an average $17,500 each annually, or 83% of the $15 billion total.

Social security and welfare is currently at $158.6 billion but is expect to grow to $191 billion over the next three years.

Libera­l Democratic Party senator David Leyonhjelm, who requested the inquiry, said reducing welfare “will discourag­e those with poor job prospects from coming to Australia, and will build support for immig­ration within the Australian community”.

The analysis on the country’s social security system follows the Turnbull government’s crackdown on immigration with the 457 visas and citizenship test.

The Australian has more.

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