PEOPLE born overseas are less likely to be assaulted than those born in Australia, according to new Australian Bureau of Statistics data.

The national survey found that those born in Australia were more than twice as likely to be the victim of a physical assault.

It showed an assault rate of 3.6 per cent for Australian-born people, or 445,000 victims, compared with an assault rate of 1.7 per cent, or 82,000, for those born in other countries.

The new data comes as international debate rages over the extent of racism involved in the spate of attacks on Indian students.

The assault rate for people born in non-English speaking countries was 1.4 per cent.