The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) expects about 16 million people to head to their computers, smartphones and tablets to complete the 17th national census.
That is close to 70 per cent of Australia's population, and more than double the number that completed the e-census in 2011.
As a result, for the first time there won't be any household doorknocks to deliver census forms - only a letter in the mail containing a personal online login, or a request for paper forms.
The Director of the Census National Management Unit, Sam Thomas, says the ABS has given the 2016 census a new title.
"Australia's first, digital-first census. So what we mean by that is we're encouraging as many people as possibly can to go online and complete their census forms online this time."
People can still fill in a hard-copy of the forms, and can have those papers delivered by post after receiving the initial letter.
The census must be completed in English, but services are available for those who speak another language.
The General Manager of Governance, People and Culture at the ABS, Samantha Palmer, explains.
"We've put a lot more focus on really making sure we're working hard to support everyone in Australia to participate. So in the lead-up we've worked very closely with the Translation and Interpreting Service to make sure they are across and can support everyone who calls and wants to participate. You can call the translation service directly on 131450 and tell them that you want to participate in the census or you have a question about the census, and they will actually do a three way call through to the Census Inquiry Service."
These are changes the ABS has been strongly promoting - but there's another first that it has not.
Filling in names and addresses will be compulsory, and will be kept on file for up to four years to enable more rigorous studies of social trends.
That has created concern about a lack of privacy, but Ms Palmer maintains it will remain completely confidential and secure.
"We know for some people, particularly perhaps who weren't born in this country, that giving that information to government can be a scary and quite difficult prospect. But in Australia, the Australian Bureau of Statistics is required under law to protect the confidentiality of all the information provided by every individual. And so that information is never to any government or compliance agency in any form. In fact, names and addresses are stripped off from the statistics and they are never kept in the same place together. And we've never given and we will never give out anyone's individual information."
The Chair of the New South Wales Ethnic Communities Council, Peter Doukas, says that should not deter Australians from completing the census.
He believes it is a vital opportunity for the country's more than 200 cultural groups to influence policy decisions.
"We want the voice of multicultural communities to be heard. And we want their presence understood. So I think it's very important that people understand that the census is one of their strongest tools to get their voices heard. And however they do it, old school - paper - or with the new, fancy, electronic systems. As long as they accurately reflect their own lives, I think we will be better for it."
The questions have, for the most part, remained the same, however one question has seen a subtle yet important tweak.
In the question "what is your religion", "no religion" will be on top of the list of possible responses.
That could see Christianity overtaken as the most popular religion, which could then trigger changes in Government funding.
Sam Thomas says the change was made based on domestic and international research.
"That's a result of a lot of user consultation and testing, and is consistent with many other censuses internationally as well. We believe that it's more consistent with the rest of the questions on the form, the way they're structured, and should lead to a more accurate response."
